Local community engagement and gazettement approach in managing and conserving Pangani historic town in Tanzania

Abstract

Pangani is a historic coastal Swahili town situated at the mouth of the Pangani River, which empties its waters into the Indian ocean. Archaeologists have traced the origins of this town back to the seventh century through evidence from material cultures found in this area. Despite its historical importance and archaeological interest, Pangani faces substantial conservation and management challenges, primarily due to low awareness levels among its local community. These residents are largely unaware of the town’s historical value and of the impact of factors such as climate change, stone quarrying, wave erosion, and development pressures, so effective conservation plans are lacking. In finding the best practices for managing and conserving this historic town, a critical question remains as to how to rescue the town's significance and value from these challenges. This paper proposes a gazettement approach for managing and conserving Pangani, emphasising a bottom-up approach that involves local communities and other stakeholders in the conservation process.