Nominating and managing a World Heritage Site in the highlands of Papua New Guinea

2007/09/01 by John Muke, Tim Denham, Vagi Genorupa · 28 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Social Sciences · #Agriculture #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Archaeology #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Ecology #Ethnology #Geography #Government (linguistics) #History #Law #New guinea #Nomination #Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies #Political science #Swamp #Tourism #World heritage

paper · doi:10.1080/00438240701464947

published in World Archaeology 39(3), 324-338 (Routledge)

openalex publication_date 2007/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Kuk Swamp in the Upper Wahgi valley of Papua New Guinea is a site of early and independent agricultural development. The site is the first to be nominated by the government of Papua New Guinea for inclusion on the World Heritage List. The nomination of the Kuk Early Agricultural Site, as an organically evolved cultural landscape, is centred on traditional land management practices of Kawelka (a Meldpa-speaking group) landholders. The framework, challenges and problems of nominating and managing Kuk as a World Heritage Site in contemporary Papua New Guinea are discussed.

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