Buildings or sites related to a country’s important historical events are a precious legacy. Within the walls of these buildings lies a voice which reaches out to us from beyond the grave and recounts the diverse experiences of their human occupation. But, to be able to hear the voice of history loud and clear, we need to preserve these buildings and sites and truly value how they inspire us, what they tell us or how they reflect our beliefs. Otherwise, this voice runs the risk of turning into a whisper which could easily be muffled forever.
The concept of National Heritage is therefore fundamental to a country’s mission of preservation. In a multi-cultural society like ours, ancestral heritage plays a key role in the determination of identity. Therefore, preservation of national heritage is a social and cultural responsibility. In Mauritius, the National Heritage Fund (NHF) is endowed with the responsibility of managing our national heritage. Its mission is to “develop a sense of belonging by caring for the past and bequeathing it to the future”.
The recent National Heritage Fund Act provides a legal framework for the preservation of our national heritage. Its aims are to identify study, protect and restore heritage and, above all, make it accessible to the public. Even though the NHF is a newly born organization, it has many enthusiastic projects. At present, it has submitted proposals to the UNESCO for Le Morne and Aapravasi Ghat to be included in the World Heritage List.
The NHF also works closely with experts from national heritage organizations in South Africa, Australia, Singapore and Britain. Dr. Alistair Ward from the English Heritage, who was visiting Mauritius last week, gave a talk where he confirmed the importance of conservation in the Mauritian context. He pointed out that the preservation of certain buildings could promote cultural tourism. He also believes that many historical buildings have a hidden potential that is just waiting to be unlocked.
Beyond politics
For instance, the Victoria Railway Station, once renovated, could be converted into a museum, which would become a tourist attraction. He considers that it is simplistic to believe that the preservation of the past is synonymous with refusing modernity. Dr. Ward used the example of L’Aventure du Sucre to show how it is possible to reach a fair balance between the wish to recall the past and that of moving on.
Dr. Ward’s talk mainly focused on the concept of National Heritage Listing in the British context and how this process regulated protection and preservation of historical and architectural sites. In Britain there exists a list of 400,000 sites and each of them is carefully preserved.
Listing records the places with outstanding heritage values to our nation. These places have values or characteristics that have special meaning for Mauritius. The list officially recognises places that we believe show important aspects of our history. They may reflect the achievements, joys and sorrows in the lives of the people of a nation. Currently 200 sites have been inventoried on the National Heritage List.They include settlement sites like Aapravasi Ghat, fortifications, religious sites, lighthouses and cemeteries. The NHF also strives at listing the heritage which “joins and not that which divides”. Very often some buildings seem to have only political significance.
Since listing is never carried out on a political basis, it is important to go beyond these considerations and find the true symbolism of that building. There are many 18th century cut-stone buildings in Mauritius, many of which clearly merit heritage status. They might be seen simply as vestiges of French colonial administration. In reality, they are testimonies to the skill and hard work of slaves and artisans whose descendants live today.
