Abstract:
Namibia is rich with diverse cultural heritage resources that can offer potential benefits to the national socio-economic development. Over the past years, cultural heritage has gained momentum recognition as an engine for socio-economic development worldwide. Through cultural heritage tourism and cultural and creative industries, cultural heritage activities generate income, create employment, reduce poverty, build social cohesion, stimulate community participation, preserve local culture and promote sustainable community’s development. Drawing its theoretical overviews from the Cultural Values Theory and Culture-Oriented Economic Development Model, this study explored the role of cultural heritage towards social-economic development in the Oshikoto Region of Namibia. The study focused on the socio-economic significance of cultural heritage tourism and cultural creative industries regarding the local community's livelihood. A qualitative study guided by the Interpretive Phenomenological design provided opportunities to cultural heritage practitioners to describe and discuss their meanings and perspectives on the phenomena of cultural heritage. The sample of 20 participants was drawn using purposive sampling criteria. The data were collected using in-depth interviews, a focus group discussion and documents analysis. Amongst many, the findings of the study revealed that cultural heritage through cultural heritage tourism and cultural creative industries, play significant roles in employment creation, income-generating, preserving local culture, history and identity, uniting people from different cultural backgrounds, learning different cultures and languages, and can be used as a tool for counselling and therapy. Also, the findings uphold that cultural heritage positively impact the community's livelihood by improving local's standard of living and quality of life by enhancing access to social services such as health care, clean water and education. ii Even though the cultural heritage sector has potential for socio-economic development, the findings established that it facing various challenges that are hampering the development, promotion and preservation of cultural heritage resources. The findings revealed that poor funding, poor documentation of cultural heritage resources, poor marketing and lack of marketplace for cultural heritage products are key challenges. Therefore, to address these challenges, the study calls for an increase in funding of the cultural heritage sector, intense research and documentation of cultural heritage resources in the region. The study further suggested the capacity building of cultural practitioners and the introduction of cultural heritage related training programmes embedded in lifelong skills and talents. Stakeholder collaboration, hosting of cultural events and festivals, the establishment of cultural villages and cultural routes, investment in facilities development and usage of related technology is highly suggested. It is hoped that this study will influence the cultural heritage actors in the Oshikoto Region to re-strategize and relooked at the available approach to cultural heritage resources development, promotion and preservation, hence, the study has presented recommendations for both practices and future research
