Understand cultural landscapes cultural landscapes u. Taking a period of approximately a hundred years, living terraces is both an ethnography and history of the terraces of konso in southern ethiopia. There are also several carved wooden statues used to mark the grave of a famous konso tribal member. When the konso of ethiopia was first published in 1972, the american anthropologist described it as a work which is destined to become a classic. It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations more than. Moringa stenopetala, the indigenous cabbage tree halako moving out onto the farmlands around the village, we see what konso is most famous for. Colourful photographic displays of the konso people as well as an ethnographic library are housed in the konso cultural centre, a few hundred metres west of karat konso.
Flags of government before 1890 till now languages. Indigenous talents of konso people to cope with climate change susceptibility, ethiopia pdf. In terms of landscape, konso cultural landscape with its stonewalled terraces and fortified settlements in the highlands is nothing but an exemplary for resilience towards its arid environment. This essay is about the heritagization and internationalization of the konso cultural landscape, southwestern ethiopia. Konso has a long history with tourism and knowledgeable local guides are available to introduce you to their cul. The making of a cultural landscape ebook by rakuten kobo. Living terraces in ethiopia konso landscape, culture and development by elizabeth e.
Watson, 9781847010056, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Nevertheless, africas world heritage cultural landscapes and weve included here a couple of places that were listed before the cultural landscape concept was developed are all fascinating, vibrant, scenic places that are prime examples of traditional cultures that are still very much alive today. Konso cultural landscape represents a living cultural tradition that has existed for over 400 years in a dry environment. The konso cultural landscape has been tentatively listed on the. A unesco world heritage site is a geographic site that has been selected for the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organizations international world heritage program. Watson ee, 2009, living terraces in ethiopia konso. Konso world heritage site pictures, info and travel reports. Excellent 1st stop on visit to 2011 unesco konso cultural landscape.
List of world heritage sites in ethiopia wikipedia. The walled citadel historical wall city of harar jugol is the fourthholiest city in the islamic world, after mecca, medina and jerusalem, and its 48 hectares are crammed with an incredible 82 mosques and 438 other shrines. Dec 22, 2010 konso, ethiopia agriculture and culture. Konso cultural centre 2020 all you need to know before you. There are four nonmutually exclusive types of cultural landscapes. Conference of ethiopian studies, kyoto, shakodo book sellers. The united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco world heritage sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the unesco world heritage convention, established in 1975 ethiopia ratified the convention as one of the first countries on july 6, 1977, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. Konso, ethiopia the permaculture research institute. Ethiopias other unesco heritage sites include the rock churches of lalibela and the obelisks of axum.
Moringa stenopetala, the indigenous cabbage tree halako moving out onto the farmlands around the. The cultural landscape of konso is the youngest world heritage site of ethiopia, listed in june 2011. Konso cultural landscape gallery unesco world heritage centre. Mar 23, 2017 understanding landscape evolution in studies of terraced agriculture. Konso cultural center is where the people of konso, which are very nice and social to their guests, invite new people to their lifestyle.
Ethiopia united nations educational, scientific and. Some have thin lips and the tallness of the borana, while others are distinctly more negroid, and shorter, but prognathism is slight even among these. The total population of the konso people is 242,000. Dec 03, 2010 elizabeth watson is the rare scholar who has mastered the disciplines of anthropology, ethnography, geography, and history. Terracing and agroforestry in konso the unesco recent inscription of the konso cultural landscape into the world heritage list is the reconnaissance of the value of the konso traditional techniques of terracing and specific use of indigenous plants, elements that, together, brought konso people to install themselves successfully in the semi. Apr 19, 2020 konso cultural landscape is a 55 square km arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. Unesco image courtesy of africa konso cultural landscape is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements. Terraced agricultural landscapes in africa are remarkable feats of human engineering and social organization, enabling the conservation of soil. New research carried out at the konso cultural landscape highlights past complex landscape management. Konso world heritage site pictures, info and travel. Its declaration was because of its unique cultural significance of terracing agricultural practice. Traditional cultural landscapes african world heritage sites.
Terraced agricultural landscapes in africa are remarkable feats of human engineering and social organization, enabling the conservation of soil and water and the cultivation of food. Proceedings of the 2th conference on konso cultural landscape. The konso are small and wiry people, varying in color from reddishbrown to almost black, but they are on the whole brown. Ethiopia doesnt only offer a peek into the wildnerness but its colorful history too.
We hired haile ethiopian toursarba minch for a day trip from the emerald resort. Understanding landscape evolution in studies of terraced agriculture. Unesco agriculture is one of the strongest relationships between humans and their environment. The konso cultural landscape was inscribed alongside famous ethiopian landmarks like lalibela, simien national park, fasil. It brings the total on 9 listed sites in the country. This country now has nine unesco world heritage sites, including the most recent of which is the konso cultural landscape, a 55 sq km area of stonewalled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands.
Traditionally, they had an average of 3,000 people living in each walled, autonomous village 6. It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations more than 400 years adapted to its dry hostile environment. Aksum, awash lower valley, fasil ghebbi in the gondar region, harar jugol fortified historic town, konso cultural landscapes, lalibela rockhewn churches, omo lower valley, simien national park, and tiya are the unesco world heritage sites in ethiopia. Unesco includes ethiopias konso cultural landscape ethiopia. If life is more simple it is much better village, konso cultural landscape of ethiopia unesco world heritage site eric lafforgue via flickr. Cultural i love books world cultures cultures du monde people around the world around the worlds steve mccurry children reading our world. Sep 15, 2015 konso cultural landscape is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia.
Konso is the first place in ethiopia to be recognized as a cultural landscape, a nod to its importance as a repository for biocultural diversity evolved over many centuries. Ethiopia has nine unesco world heritage sites including 8 cultural sites and one natural site that is in danger. Most of our guests have an a crazy experiance when it comes to testing getting a shot of their local bevrage which is made of alcohol. Its been almost a decade since the ethiopian settlement konso has made a bid to become a world heritage site. The landscape in question is the intensive agricultural terraced landscape of konso in. She has synthesized these methodologies in her informative study of the cultural construction of landscape among the konso of southwest ethiopia, a work that goes beyond previous studies which have focused on material and climatic processes and neglected the. Southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region. Arriving at the konso visitor center at 11 am, our driver registered and paid for the guide who directed us to this museum. Elizabeth e watson terraced agricultural landscapes in africa are remarkable feats of human engineering and social organization, enabling the conservation of soil and water and the cultivation of food. Colourful photographic displays of the konso people as well as an ethnographic library are housed in the konso cultural centre, a. To this end, main features of the cultural landscape has been documented and mapped. Read the making of a cultural landscape the english lake district as tourist destination, 17502010 by available from rakuten kobo.
The landscape in question is the intensive agricultural terraced landscape of konso in southwest ethiopia. It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back. The united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco world. Konso has a long history with tourism and knowledgeable local guides are available to introduce you to their culture. Konso also known as karati is a town on the sagan river in southwestern ethiopia.
Konso cultural landscape ethiopia, is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. Tourism insures the protection of the konso cultural landscape and all. She has synthesized these methodologies in her informative study of the cultural construction of landscape among the konso of southwest ethiopia, a work that goes beyond previous studies which have focused on material and climatic processes and neglected the importance of. Living terraces in ethiopia konso landscape, culture and. Book konso cultural landscape tour packages online today. Get amazing deals on konso cultural landscape tour packages from traveloethiopia. As mentioned above, this step included documentation in note books.
We recommend booking konso cultural centre tours ahead of time to. Village, konso cultural landscape of ethiopia unesco world heritage site world cultures ethiopie source. They hold thatchroofed public structures and domestic buildings. Konso cultural centre 2020 all you need to know before. The ethnic diversity of this astonishing region embraces modern cities such as hawassa and arba minch, but also the walled hilltop warrens of the konso cultural landscape, the remote tribes of south omo, towering dorze homesteads and thousand year old island monasteries. Unesco world heritage site registered in 2011, a semiarid basaltic upland, conserved by an elaborate terracing technique during the. It traces the way konso agriculture and landscape has been produced and managed in close relationship with broader changes in konso political and cultural lives. The united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unescoon june 27, 2011 announced that it has added the konso. Unesco world heritage list travel guide at wikivoyage. Konso cultural landscape is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia.
Chapter 19 potential geoheritage sites in ethiopia. The book focuses on the role of culture in the construction of the landscape, and explores the significance for development of the landscape itself, and the social and cultural institutions that construct and maintain it. Konso cultural landscape unesco world heritage centre. A clr evaluates the history and integrity of the landscape including any changes to its geographical context, features, materials,and use. Dr liz watsons twin interests in development issues and in the history, culture and politics of africa have come together in an indepth, ethnographic study of the landscape and people of konso, in southern ethiopia. Village, konso cultural landscape of ethiopia unesco world heritage site. Also new, is the development of landscape research conducted mainly by geographers, urban planners and other professionals trained in natural sciences, whose work is primarily oriented to land use management for urban development and conservation of natural resources or cultural heritage purposes. For centuries, the english lake district has been renowned as an important cultural, sacred and literary landscape. Jan 04, 2016 konso cultural landscape was declared a world heritage site in 2011. Konso is the first place in ethiopia recognized as a cultural landscape. The konso are one of the most important peoples of east africa, and the author was able to revisit them in 1997. The site features 55 kilometres 34 mi of stonewalled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. Pdf indigenous talents of konso people to cope with. The konso cultural landscape is located in a dry, hilly environment at the edge of the rift valley in southern ethiopia.
A cultural landscape report clr is the primary report that documents the history, significance and treatment of a cultural landscape. According to joshua project, the konso homeland area is about square kilometers, and ethnologue lists the konso as being located. This book is about the construction of a landscape. The program aims to catalogue and preserve sites of outstanding importance, either cultural or natural, to the common heritage of humankind. A york archaeologist has carried out research studying the evolution of an agricultural terraced landscape in ethiopia. Konso cultural landscape is a 55 square km arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. Terracing and agroforestry in konso the unesco recent inscription of the konso cultural landscape into the world heritage list is the reconnaissance of the value of the konso traditional techniques of terracing and specific use of indigenous plants, elements that, together, brought konso people to install themselves successfully in the semiarid highlands of southern ethiopia. Konso cultural landscape is an arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. The national park service defines a cultural landscape as a geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated with a historic event, activity, or person, or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values. Learn about ethiopias amazing cultural heritage through our tours. The konso people migrated to these highlands, where they constructed terraces to support agricultural fields. Konso cultural landscape archaeology, the university of york. Konso cultural landscape ethiopia african world heritage.