The Hidden Walls of Wolaita: Identifying Local Values and Conservation Priorities for Kawo Amado Kella Defensive Walls in Southern Ethiopia

Ethiopia has several cultural heritage monuments, including the Aksum Obelisk, the Fasile Palace in Gonder, the Rock hewn Monolithic Churches of Lalibela, and Jugol- the walled City of Harar, which are part of Ethiopia’s long history. In addition to the already registered cultural heritage monuments, this study investigated the unregistered and undocumented Kawo Amado Kella Defensive Wall (KAKDW), which is one of the cultural heritages of the people of Wolaita, its present state and risks associated with it. Methodologically, the study used a qualitative ethnographic approach and survey technique to
investigate cultural heritage values, conservation status, heritage management, historical context, the current state and impact of development, and the continuity of local knowledge in connection to the KAKDW. The three methods that were employed to answer the fundamental research questions and achieve the study objectives were semi-structured and informal interviews, focus group discussions, and pedestrian surveys. The study also investigated the role of cultural heritage in understanding how various stakeholders, including residential communities, value the wall and what these values are? What makes people value them? It further showed the plans for future conservation and tourism potential and raised awareness of the wall's cultural value and the potential for improved cultural resilience. The values of defensive walls differ from stakeholder to stakeholder. These stakeholders ranged from elders to youths, government officials to employees of travel agencies. The existence of defensive walls has varying values depending on the location and stakeholders, as well as their interests and goals. Some local historians, for example, valued the wall for its historical significance, whereas some farmers valued their heritage knowledge to protect their agricultural land from erosion. Analysis of the state of conservation at different parts of the wall with these different variables: Has the wall been conserved before? Why not? local management systems: how, if at all, have these changed over time, been neglected, or impacted the current state of conservation? The study further offered a thematic analysis of the data in light of demographic information (age, gender, role in the community, time spent in the area, etc), delving deeply into the values. In addition, this study applied the conceptual framework of the Burra Charter. The findings show that the administration is indifferent to cultural heritage, and their priority is economic development rather than conservation. The findings also showed how KAKDW was
conserved, managed, developed, and valued by some groups of stakeholders.