Andrew P. Smith

Imaging Heritage as a Tool for Conservation & Sustainable Community Development

Heritage DefinedFor the purposes of this study, the

focus is on Jamaica’s tangible natural and cultural heritage.

Outstanding National Value, based on UNESCO’s definition of Outstanding Universal Value.

Of cultural and/or natural significance which are exceptional examples of Jamaica’s heritage and are of common importance for past, present and future generations of all Jamaicans.

Developing Jamaica’s Identity via Heritage Culture is crucial for giving people

a sense of identity and belonging that gives meaning to efforts to reconstruct our nation. This is central to our social and economic renewal whilst we progress towards developed country status. – Jamaica’s Vision 2030 document

Monymusk Public Library

Clydesdale

August Town

Cockpit Country

Dolphin Head Mountains

Buff Bay Valley

Hall’s Delight

Stewart Castle

Kramanti Dancing

Little Goat Island

Why Photography?“The value of the photograph in all

conservation work is inestimable, whether represented by today’s ongoing site-record photographs or early photographs consulted for historic information.” (The Getty Conservation Institute,2007)

The marketing of tourism products relies heavily on photographic images. Pictures that communicate messages of destinations, programs, and activities are the key to attracting and holding potential visitors.” (Dewar, Li &Davis, 2006).

Photography as a Conservation Tool

Photography functions as a tool for communication, memory & identity (Van Dijck, 2008). All are applicable in heritage conservation.

Photography is used to visually communicate, educate and inform the general public and policy makers.

Communicates the presence and condition of the heritage site.

MemoryInability to effectively communicate

can lead to the lack of knowledge or memory of these sites.

If they are already absent in the minds of the public and those given the task of conserving these sites – then the loss of or lack of development of these sites might not be considered important.

If an unknown heritage site in Jamaica’s interior or off the mainland is destroyed, does it matter if no-one knew about it?

IdentityIdentification of & WITH sites, contributing to

National Identity 1851. Prosper Mérimée, 2nd director of France’s

Commission des monuments historiques, sent out a team of photographers to create a photographic inventory of the nation’s architectural heritage.

According to Welch (2008), this decision “was undoubtedly an acknowledgement of the benefits photography could bring to scientific and archival endeavour; but the visualization and drawing together of the nation’s monuments through photography could also serve as an effective reminder of its history and cultural heritage”.

Photography & National Identity (Welch, 2008)Since the nineteenth century, print culture

has been supplemented – and arguably displaced by – visual culture in general, and by the photographic image in particular, as the primary medium through which we are encouraged to imagine the polis and our place within it.

As Louis Kaplan notes, ‘photographic images have externalized and realized how we imagine community, so it does not exist in the mind’s eye alone’ (Kaplan 2005: xv).

The material traces of the past gathered by the photographic survey act as visible evidence that the nation, has real historical and cultural substance.

Vision 2030 & Heritage TourismThe Culture Creative Industries and Values Sector Plan

of the Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development PlanGoal # 3: to create “communities with strong and diverse

cultural values”.Outcomes: “communities with cultural programming and

infrastructure that support transformation”. Strategy: to “strengthen community based tourism”.Specific actions being to “document, develop and

promote local attractions (e.g. trails, sites of memory, historical sites, and monuments).

The agencies named for implementing this strategy are the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Jamaica Conservation & Development Trust (JCDT).

Jamaica National Heritage TrustMission is “To inspire a sense of

national pride through the promotion, preservation, and development of our material cultural heritage, utilizing a highly motivated and qualified team in conjunction with all our partners”.

Functions: to promote the preservation of national monuments and anything designated as protected national heritage for the benefit of the Island.

National MonumentAny building, structure, object or,

other work of man or of nature or any part or remains thereof whether above or below the surface of the land or the floor of the sea within the territorial waters of the Island..

Any site, cave or excavation, or any part or remains thereof, ...

Tourism Product Development Co.A private company under the

jurisdiction of the Ministry of Tourism & Entertainment and mandated to facilitate the maintenance, development and enhancement of the tourism product.

Has been placing emphasis on the development of cultural heritage tourism to widen the market for eco, nature based and adventure tourism.

Jamaica Conservation & Development TrustAn NGO whose mission is: “to

promote environmental conservation and sustainable development, with particular emphasis on the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP), for the benefit of Jamaica and our people”.

Visual Communication of Jamaica’s HeritageThe main focus of this

presentation/research will be the agency’s on-line photographs, since these images are most visible to the public and thus gives the most immediate information and impression to a global audience.

All agencies have sites and Facebook pages, both of which are examined.

JNHT196 designated sites according to

its list of declared sites.The Trust’s website utilises

photographs to illustrate various heritage sites. The main pages (and subsequent sub-pages) with photos are the “Sites”, “Tours” and “Development” pages.

Have both Facebook and website.

JNHT Website

Location of Designated Heritage Sites

     Number of Sites Parish FrequencyClarendon 5 3Hanover 6 3Kingston 31 16Manchester 10 5Portland 11 6St. Andrew 28 14St. Ann 14 7St. Catherine 16 8St. Elizabeth 12 6St. James 25 13St. Mary 10 5St. Thomas 7 4Trelawny 12 6Westmoreland 8 4Underwater (Pedro Bank) 1 1

SUB - TOTAL 196 100

Gaps ExistGaps exist between heritage sites designated by the

Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) and many other sites that have the potential to be thus designated.

Gaps have also been noted by Griffith and Emmanuel (2005) who state that “....only 5-10% of Jamaica has been surveyed over the past 7 years in terms of locating historical/cultural sites in Jamaica”. This study further states that there is “inadequate knowledge on heritage” and adds “there is a need to conduct systematic heritage surveys.”

Confirmed by JNHT, that have a plan for an island-wide survey of built and archaeological sites from the 1990s

Central Jamaica

“Sites” Page

Photos on “Sites” Page  Number of photos Frequency

1.       Archaeological sites 3 12.       Bridges 2 13.       Caves 2 14.       Cemeteries 2 15.       Churches 29 116.       Clock Towers 1 07.       Court Houses 9 48.       Forts 17 79.       Free Villages 7 310.   Great Houses 33 1311.   Historic Districts 10 412.   Historic Schools 12 513.   Lighthouses 7 314.   Mineral Spas 3 115.   National Heroes Sites 9 416.   Other Historical Sites 45 1817.   Parks & Gardens 17 718.   Past JNHT Projects 6 219.   Railway Stations 18 720.   Special Communities 6 221.   Statues & Memorials 11 422.   Sugar Works  7 3

  256 100

JNHT Timeline Album

JNHT Facebook Page   

Number FrequencyPromotional Graphics of JNHT events 18 58Monuments 4 13Natural Heritage 1 3Roxborough Event 8 26     TOTAL 31 100

TPDCo / JTBThe Jamaica Tourist Board is the marketing arm

of the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and is charged with driving demand for the tourism industry. As such, they are the entity which uses photography as a promotional tool, to show Jamaica in its best light.

The TPDCo is responsible for facilitating the maintenance, development and enhancement of the tourism product. They use photos to document their activities, such as the upgrading of facilities through funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund.

JTB/TPDCo WebsitesJTB’s Unrestricted Use Images JTB’s Restricted Use Images.Visit Jamaica’s website, Visit Jamaica’s Facebook PageCultural Heritage Tourism. Community-based tourism

development.

TPDCo Cultural Heritage Page

TIPS Photography Resources

TIPS PhotosThere are 660 restricted usage photos and 469

unrestricted usage photos, totalling 1129.The most common category available is “Gardens

and Parks at 13% followed by “People” with 9%. Ocho Rios is also at 9%, and is the most available resort area.

Culture and cultural heritage are both at 0%, although historical sites is at 6% . Special mention must be made of the Dennis Valentine library (6%) who is a Jamaican photographer whose collection includes the Blue Mountains, well-known Jamaican artists , YS Falls, Lacado and NDTC.

Visit Jamaica Website

Visit Jamaica WebsiteSUBJECT NUMBER FREQUENCYHome Page 1 0Where to Visit 60 30Vacation Themes 76 38What to do 30 15Where to Stay 10 5Travel Resources 6 3About Jamaica 18 9Meetings & Incentives 1 0  202 100

Visit Jamaica

Visit Jamaica FB2178 photos in over 50 unique

albums.Most photos are Reggae Sumfest

(11%) and the Timeline photos (24%)Wedding Expos (6%) and Jazz &

Blues (4%)Historic/Heritage sites less than 1%.Primarily to promote happenings and

events

Visit Jamaica Timeline

JCDTJCDT manages the Blue & John Crow

Mountains National Park. which has been submitted to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a mixed property - high biodiversity & the Windward Maroons.

On-line photographic presence has two separate components. The photo page on the sites consists of one gallery consisting of 19 images of the biodiversity found within the Park.

Website StatisticsSUBJECT Number of photos Frequency

Biodiversity 25 30Activities 31 38Heritage 6 7 Facilities 7 9Landscapes & Attractions 12 15Promotions 1 1TOTAL 82 100

JCDT Facebook Page

JCDT Facebook PageSUBJECT Number of photos Frequency

 Biodiversity 1 4Activities 17 68Heritage 0 0 Facilities 0 0Landscapes & Attractions 1 4Promotions 6 24TOTAL 25 100

BJCMNP Facebook Page

Park Facebook PageSUBJECT Number of photos Frequency

Biodiversity 26 9Company/Community  Activities 33 12Heritage 18 7 Facilities 17 6Landscapes & Attractions 46 17Promotions 40 15Enforcement 39 14Enviro Issues 36 13Visitor Usage 20 7TOTAL 275 100

UNESCO CriteriaUNESCO stipulates that dossiers for

submissions of properties as World Heritage Sites should:

Provide a sufficient number of recent images (prints, slides and, where possible, electronic formats, videos and aerial photographs) to give a good general picture of the property.”

The “images should portray the potential Outstanding Universal Value of the property, as well as its context”.

BJCMNP Submissions to UNESCO PhotoBank

Issues & Challenges Gaps of knowledge by institutions. Who manages the natural heritage sites? Low demand for heritage tourism. Inadequate funding for research and

strategies. Need for the private sector involvement. Influence of overseas media

programming. Lack of appreciation of Jamaica’s heritage. Challenge of foreign investment.

Societal issues related to our colonial past.

Sensitivity of sites and carrying capacity. Lack of knowledge of sites. Use of photography by funding agencies. Use of local vs. overseas photographers. Quality of photos. Under-utilisation of social media. Under reading by Jamaicans.

Recommendations1. Unequivocal and official stance of GOJ on

conservation of Jamaica’s heritage. 2. Co-management strategy between the GOJ,

communities, NGOs and private sector. 3. Private sector incentives to invest in heritage.4. Business model of local photographers.5. Use of social media to interact with the public.6. Use of multimedia packages on digital

platforms.7. Filling in the gaps of knowledge.