Mapping heritage: A participatory technique for identifying tangible and intangible cultural heritage

Community participation is increasingly considered a key to success in many conservation and development related projects. Among the advantages are the ability to obtain a more accurate understanding of the needs of the community, an improved ability to adapt the project to meet local conditions, and an improved spirit of cooperation both within the community itself and between the community and outside stakeholders. Participatory mapping is a relatively new technique that provides an especially effective method for a community to identify and communicate the resources and values they deem important. While participatory mapping has thus far been used most frequently in natural resource management and indigenous land rights applications, it has clear applicability to cultural heritage management applications as well. This paper describes the process of participatory mapping and its potential role in improving the inclusivity of heritage management. An overview of a recently completed project in Fiji and a description of forthcoming research at the Luang Prabang World Heritage Site in Laos are provided.