Cultural Heritage and Digital Era in Kenya

Abstract

The use of new technology has risen tremendously in recent years, affecting every area of our life. As a result, it has influenced how various groups around the world experience heritage, whether their own or that of other cultures. People are increasingly discovering and learning about historical locations and monuments through digital media, such as virtual reconstructions, digital representations of artifacts, online recordings, and so on. This is especially true for younger generations, whose initial exposure to cultural heritage is often via a digital surrogate that molds their perspective and perception. Problem: This paper explores how cultural heritage in Kenya is preserved through use of digital media and technologies by addressing methods used to make cultural heritage digitally accessible. Objective: Cultural heritage is also considered from the standpoint of encompassing more than just tangible artifacts that we may see and touch but the traditions, oral history, performing arts, social practices, traditional craftsmanship, representations, rituals, knowledge, and skills passed down from generation to generation. Research Design: this paper employs multiple case study design with the nature of assessing cultural heritage preservation using digital technologies in Kenya by comparing how the National Museum of Kenya and Zamani project from South Africa preserve heritage. Data was primarily collected from secondary source such as websites, article and journals.