Safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage case study: core zone, world heritage site, Melaka / Nurizzati Mohd Rodzi

Globalization implicates an increase flow of people and capital through transportation and communication. This phenomenon indirectly affects cultural tourism industry all over the world. Furthermore, global recognition of heritage by global bodies such as UNESCO is often seen as major factor that influences tourists to visit the heritage site. Massive tourists' arrival has encouraged the host to change the value of their cultural heritage out of context. In addition, the function of the cultural heritage as tourism commodity ultimately will affect the authenticity value. Thus, this research has attempts to explore the status of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Melaka World Heritage Site (MWHS) as well as the obstacles that are confronted by state parties in managing and safeguarding the ICH. The aim of this research is to safeguard the ICH in a World Heritage Site. In order to achieve the research aim, there are four (4) objectives outline; (i) to explore status of local intangible cultural heritage; (ii) to investigate challenges in safeguarding local ICH from State Parties views; (iii) to produce local ICH's resources maps and (iv) to propose strategies for state parties in safeguarding local ICH. Exploratory case study was employed by adapting mixed methods, which combines three (3) data collection instruments. The instruments incorporated were site observation using inventory, face-to-face questionnaires survey and structured professional interview. The data was analysed by using frequency distribution and cross-tabulation, thematic analysis, content analysis and ground truth verification. The data collection was conducted at the Core Zone, one of the two zones in the MWHS. According to the research methodology, to avoid any ICH neglected, 100% of the building use was surveyed and inventoried. The total number of buildings in the Core Zone area is 815. The major findings are; (1) ICH in Melaka World Heritage Site is threatened, and there are ten (10) major issues occurred in management of the ICH on behalf of state parties. As the output of this research, the researcher proposes three (3) dominant ICH's resources map as well as strategies to improve the management and the safeguarding of the ICH in MWHS.