Tanzania: Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Heritage Program
Contact: Elinaza Mjema, University of Dar es Salaam Email: emhifadhi@yahoo.com
Partners: UNESCO Dar es Salaam, Dutch Embassy in Tanzania, Department of Antiquities Tanzania, Department of Antiquities Zanzibar, Harbour Authorities Zanzibar, Marine Parks, National Museums of Tanzania, Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzanian Ministry of National Resources and Tourism, Zanzibar House of Wonders Museum.
Website: http://www.heritage-activities.org/?-action=browse&-recid=9908#!tanzania-projects/c11sy
Mission Statement:
Our programme seeks to promote and protect these maritime heritages through creating an environment in which the communities at these sites can take ownership of their heritage. We work towards this through regular community consultation, workshops and training activities, in order to ensure that this programme continues to develop along a path which is suited to the local conditions and needs. This will further contribute to the development of more community-driven management strategies and capacity-building processes.The knowledge and academic research about these Legacy Sites will be further enhanced through archaeological surveys, site documentation and capacity building initiatives, allowing the empowered community to continue to expand upon previous research and to develop and conduct their own in the future. To make this programme more sustainable in the long-term, partnerships with universities and training agencies will be sought to conduct and undertake activities such as field schools. These insitutions can then continue to contribute expertise and support for the development of academic frameworks and the curricular activities. So far CIE has conducted fieldwork and cooperative efforts with the University of Dar es Salaam and New York University Abu Dhabi
The Team:
Experts from CIE work with the local communities in Tanzania; offering training, workshops, consultation and practical assessments as well as underwater excavation experience. As we hold a license to conduct training in underwater archaeological investigations in accordance with the Nautical Archaeological Society (NAS) training standards, we therefore regularly provide beginners and more advanced courses annually in Tanzania. The team of maritime archaeological professionals we are working with are made up of local professionals from various government departments and institutions. They have been trained and provided with the tools, experience and guidance to carry out surveys and assessments of maritime and underwater sites. They have been given experience in carrying out archaeological survey and assessments on both terrestrial and submerged sites. Their activities have laid the foundation for the extended maritime and underwater cultural heritage programme; to identify, survey, assess, manage and present the maritime landscape of Tanzania.