Identity and Conflict: Cultural Heritage, Reconstruction and National Identity in Kosovo

Abstract

The year 1989 marked the six hundredth anniversary of the defeat of the Christian Prince of Serbia, Lazard I, at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the “Valley of the Blackbirds,” Kosovo. On June 28, 1989, the very day of the battle’s anniversary, thousands of Serbs gathered on the presumed historic battle field bearing nationalistic symbols and honoring the Serbian martyrs buried in Orthodox churches across the territory. They were there to hear a speech delivered by Slobodan Milosevic in which the then-president of the Socialist Republic of Serbia revived Lazard’s mythic battle and martyrdom. It was a symbolic act aimed at establishing a version of history that saw Kosovo as part of the Serbian nation. It marked the commencement of a violent process of subjugation that culminated in genocide. Fully integrated into the complex web of tragic violence that was to ensue was the targeting and destruction of the region’s architectural and cultural heritage. As with the peoples of the region, this heritage crossed geopolitical “boundaries.” Through the fluctuations of history, Kosovo’s heritage had already become subject to divergent temporal, geographical, physical and even symbolical forces. During the war it was to become a focal point of clashes between these forces and, as Anthony D. Smith argues with regard to cultural heritage more generally, it would be seen as “a legacy belonging to the past of ‘the other,’” which, in times of conflict, opponents try “to damage or even deny.” Today, the scars of this conflict, its damage and its denial are still evident. However, there are initiatives that are now seeking to use heritage – architectural and otherwise – as a way of fostering respect and dialogue between the cultures still reeling from the effects of the conflict. Having been seen as an originating factor in the conflict and made into a target for attack during the war, heritage is now seen as a facilitator for peacekeeping. As is to be expected, this is a complex, polemic, fraught and contested process.

Community Heritage Resources and Crisis Management in Rural Nigeria

“…In understanding the result of the study in the context of the existing literature, previous literatures had outlined the significance of these heritage resources, their roles in communal identity, culture and tourism promotion, and community integration (Ashworth et al, 2007;Glendinning, 2011;Ismail et al, 2014;Preis & Mustea, 2013). It was Morel (2013) and Blench et al (2006), among others, who noted that heritage resources have potentialities for crisis or conflict management in communities. These result motivated the current study to investigate the direct contribution of selected community heritage resources to crisis management in rural Nigeria.…”

“…Moreover, Morel (2013), in his study, reveals how myth as intangible heritage resources has been helpful in solving conflict among people and regions. He cited that of the "Myth of Kosovo" which was helpful in resolving a longstanding face-off between the people of Kosovo and that of Serbia.…”

“…These festivals are known to be integral part of these communities and have given them unique identities and roles. Decisions on periodicity, sanctions, mode and extent of celebrations, regalia and makeups, among others, with respect to these festivals and dances are taken by the community and not by an individual (see Akpomuvie, 2010;Benard & Moon, 2000;Linnell, 2013;Morel, 2013;Wollentz, 2014;etc.). In most cases, these intangible heritage resources have religious and ritual inclinations with these rural communities (Nwankwo, 2013;Onyefulu, 2007).…”

“…Different causes have been attributed to these crises as found at these rural areas. The crises include land disputes, religious disparity, church disparity, individual difference, modern-tradition disparity, boundary disputes, antecedents of previous communal wars, and selfishness (Morel, 2013;Preis & Mustea, 2013). This has greatly prevented these rural communities from attaining meaningful socio-economic and political progress in their various domains.…”

“…Heritage resources have been able to distinguish perceptions in the rural areas, and this has translated to the identification of most rural communities from their heritage resource base. Heritage values give communities unique identities and distinguished them from their closest neighbors (Morel, 2013). Preis and Mustea (2013) had argued that culture embodies the ideal identity of a people, hence the identification of a people through their cultural manifestations.…”