Landscape is our archive : the benefits of a cultural landscapes approach to interpretation practice in New Zealand

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to explore the benefits of a cultural landscapes approach to heritage interpretation practice in New Zealand. This involves an integration of natural and cultural values that examines heritage management from the scale of 'the landscape'. Interpretation is a process of communication - it is a way of telling stories about people and places. A qualitative case study of the Burkes Pass Heritage Trust was used to investigate community led interpretation practice in an 'everyday' landscape - Burkes Pass, located in the Mackenzie Country in the South Island of New Zealand. The chosen community and site enabled an analysis of current discourses associated with cultural heritage management practice and theory in relationship to sense of place, democratic participation, cultural well-being and sustainability. Research methods included document analysis and ethnographic techniques such as observation and thick description. The cultural landscapes conceptual framework identified in this study was also critical for the analysis and interpretation of data which involved understanding the landscape as 'text'. Triangulation of data ensured validity by corroborating findings across datasets and reduced the impact of potential biases that could present themselves in a single case focus. The research found that the benefits of a cultural landscapes approach to interpretation practice in New Zealand are significant. It showed that a holistic consideration of a landscape and its values can provide an understanding of community-based heritage management. The research indicates that the interpretation of natural and historic heritage, movable cultural material and intangible values, allows a community to initiate place-making activities and stewardship of its heritage resources. Engaging in interpretation practice through a cultural landscapes lens supports social, cultural and environmental well-being and assists in the broader objectives of sustainability.