Phenomenology of Perception (for Preservation) of Cultural Heritage: Insights on Coastal Kenya

Contemporary social awareness of cultural heritage mostly expresses the understanding of intangible heritage according to rationalist theories of perception. These theories bind modes of recognition to empirical and sensory domains. Yet in order to value and safeguard cultural heritage, be it in the form of ritual practices, symbolic narratives, creation myths or religious and mystical experiences, it is necessary to interpret and appreciate the being and doing of diverse cultural groups. A meaningful analysis of intangible dimensions in cultural heritage needs to consider the role and ontological status of human emotion and imagination. Individuals are actors in a given space and interact with it as much as they can, depending on the frequency of their visits. Repeated research stays in the Kenyan coastal region offered the author opportunities for communication with a specific natural and cultural environment. This paper explores a participatory process of enhancement and interpretation of intangible cultural heritage that includes feelings and emotions in analysis of the body of knowledge that results from this research approach.