Space, Time and Scale: When Geohistory Reveals a Territorial Heritage Based on Water

Abstract

The Mozambique Channel separates the island of Madagascar from Mozambique on the African continent, creating a total of 6200 km of coastline. Yet, in inscriptions of national heritage, water is not a focus of discussion nor is it considered. This lack of attention to water-related heritage is surprising given that the cities and heritage sites along the Mozambique Channel emerged from a maritime trade network that existed until the nineteenth century and formed the foundation for the evolution of the two countries. A water-based approach to heritage can help address contemporary challenges involved in the regional expression of heritage as well as the building of a national identity. Focusing on territorial dynamics, this article helps to rethink the role of heritage in creating a water-aware approach to heritage along the Mozambique Channel. It uses a multiscalar and spatio-temporal methodology called geohistory to analyze the development of the two coasts, their development over time and the resulting questions for heritage.