What could Heritage mean?

CATALYST QUOTE or REF

What could heritage mean?

Material goods, such as vases, books, and 200-year-old clocks. Heritage could also include the built and natural environment; these include buildings, townscapes, archaeological remains, nature elements, rural landscapes, coastlines and agriculture.

AFFIRMATIVE JOURNALING

Heritage could represent our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and culture.

Most importantly, heritage could include the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and behaviours that we draw from them.

EMERGE

Heritage is the legacy of a group or society’s physical, cultural, and intangible attributes that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present, and passed on to future generations. It includes things like historical sites, monuments, art and artefacts, language, customs and traditions, and the natural environment. In other words, heritage is the total of all that has been bequeathed to us by the past, and it is our responsibility to protect and pass it on to those who come after us.

Heritage can be broken down into two categories: tangible and intangible. Tangible heritage refers to physical objects such as buildings, monuments, and artefacts, while intangible heritage refers to things that cannot be touched, such as oral traditions, stories, and customs. Both types of heritage are important and should be valued and protected.

To quote Freeman Tilden, heritage is not static, trapped in the past, but should be actively shared with the present and future generations. He also said that heritage interpretation is an art that should engage visitors to help them understand and appreciate the stories, people and places of the past. It’s not just about preserving or restoring heritage but also making it accessible, relevant and engaging for all.