Introduction
In the first part of this article, we discussed the concept of cultural heritage, a term that encompasses all those tangible and intangible elements and manifestations to which society has assigned sufficient value to be preserved.
This value can remain static or evolve and change as society also evolves with the intention of improving living conditions, since culture and, consequently, cultural identity also evolve. This makes none of these concepts—heritage, culture, and identity—static.
Cultural Identity
Cultural identity is a concept that involves the recognition and appropriation of historical memory (Molano, 2007: 84), as it refers to:
«(…) A sense of belonging to a social group with which cultural traits, such as customs, values, and beliefs are shared. Identity is not a fixed concept but rather one that is recreated individually and collectively and continuously fed by external influences».
Molano, 2006:6
To keep historical memory alive, it must be made known, promoting its dissemination and study, stimulating interest in its valuation and conservation. This is a duty of all citizens.
Once it is known, it can be valued by giving it meaning or significance, which allows for its preservation. However, this will only be possible and manifest itself through existing cultural heritage (Bákula, 2017: 168), clearly indicating a sense of cultural identity.
Conservation of Cultural Heritage
Actions that contribute to the destruction of heritage or leave its deterioration unchecked (fig. 1) deny a part of the history and legacy of a particular group, which implies the loss of connection and memory of peoples with their past.
Figure 1. The Gibalbín tower in two comparative photos from 2016 and 2019. Source
In 2007, the Hispania Nostra association created the Red List of Heritage with the aim of making visible and raising awareness about those heritage assets in Spain that are at risk of disappearing due to poor conservation conditions. Declaring an asset as cultural heritage implies assuming the responsibility and obligation of its preservation and conservation, since it is a "symbolic capital" (Fernández, 2013: 9) that must be protected for what it means and represents more than for its aesthetic or age value.
If a social group does not value and identify its cultural heritage as their own, it will never be able to have that sense of identity. In this way, such cultural remains would only be relics without historical and symbolic significance, since without memory and the ability to recognize the past there is no cultural identity (Cepeda, 2018: 254), which favors gradual disappearance and the belittling of certain cultural elements (fig. 2).
This situation confronts us with the urgent need to know what is ours, understanding cultural heritage as a collective memory of a people (Bákula, 2017: 173) and its loss would break the structure of our identity.
Dissemination of Heritage
The assets that make up our heritage have been passed down from generation to generation due to the value society has attributed to them, recognizing these assets as collective identity markers (García, 2012: 17). Without this predisposition and interest in preserving what was inherited, it would not have been possible. We thus become aware of the importance of creating an identity bond for the protection of our heritage.
The goal is to integrate cultural heritage into people's lives, since its preservation "(…) will only take place if we give it a social meaning and significance" (Agudo, 1999: 42), making the value of heritage in our lives clear by informing society about its importance and creating an identity bond.
On the other hand, we also consider it essential to educate in values such as respect for cultural diversity and tolerance, since what is characteristic and identity-defining for one social group may not be so for another due to existing cultural diversity and different forms of expression by each group.
To create an identity bond that safeguards heritage, it is essential to recognize and disseminate cultural assets, given the difficulty this may entail in caring for what is not known. This implies facilitating access to heritage, making it known, raising awareness about its value, and sensitizing society regarding its fragility and impact if lost.
However, there are different variables that make it difficult to bring heritage closer to society so they feel it as their own and protect it. What a priori could be a simple solution, we encounter an added difficulty: societal diversity.
Conclusions
The best way to protect cultural heritage is by making it known, disseminating it, and bringing it to society's attention with the aim of establishing an identity bond between society and the cultural asset to be protected. This connection makes citizens proud of their heritage and predisposes them to safeguard it.
For this reason, information campaigns can be carried out for all of society, providing knowledge about its importance, why it should be protected, and how to do so. If no such connection is established between the citizen and the cultural asset, education in values of tolerance must take place.
However, not everyone responds to the same teaching or educational method since each person is influenced by their personal circumstances: culture, prejudices, religion, lifestyle, ideology, social class, traditions, learning difficulties, functional diversity... For this reason, information campaigns must be more inclusive, making heritage much more accessible and addressing the specific needs of each individual.
This fact is added to the important work carried out by associations like Hispania Nostra that speak up on behalf of all elements of Spain's cultural heritage at risk of disappearing, destruction, or alteration of their values, fighting for their consolidation or restoration.
Moreover, one of the advantages of this association is that it makes Spanish citizens themselves participants by reporting the conservation status of surrounding heritage through Hispania Nostra's website and submitting an application to be included on the Red List via a brief form.
However, a single teaching method, dissemination or diffusion approach is not useful for everyone, which complicates both understanding of cultural assets and the intentionality of establishing a sense of identity.
It cannot be cared for if it is not appreciated, and it cannot be appreciated if it is not understood or known.
Bibliography
Agudo Torrico, J. (1999). «Culture, ethnological heritage, and identity». PH: Bulletin of the Andalusian Institute for Historical Heritage, 7 (29), 36-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33349/1999.29.904
Hispania Nostra Association (2007). Defense and Promotion of Cultural and Natural Heritage. Retrieved from: https://www.hispanianostra.org/
Bákula Budge, C. (2017). «Three definitions around heritage». Heritage and Tourism, (1), 167-174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24265/turpatrim.2000.n1.11
Cepeda Ortega, J. (2018). «An approach to the concept of cultural identity based on experiences: heritage and education». Tabanque, 31. P. 244-262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24197/trp.31.2018.244-262
Fernández Fernández, J. M. (2013). «Symbolic capital, domination and legitimacy: the Weberian roots of Pierre Bourdieu's sociology». Sociology Review, 98 (1), 0033-60. DOI: 10.5565/rev/papers/v98n1.342
García Cuetos, M. P. (2012). Cultural Heritage: Basic Concepts (Vol. 207). University of Zaragoza: Zaragoza University Press.
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