Editorial note

Abstract

As we unveil this second issue of Volume 1 of the Journal of Cultural Heritage and Development, we are reminded that heritage is not static, nor is it a relic of the past that belongs to the dustbins of history and dark and dim memories. It is a living, often contested, but profoundly generative institution and pillar of humanity. The nine contributions that are featured in this issue collectively illuminate a central truth: sustainable development in postcolonial contexts like Zimbabwe cannot proceed without a profound reckoning with how knowledge is produced, whose knowledge counts, and how heritage is valued and safeguarded. These articles cut across diverse domains such as climate resilience, mental well-being, digital culture, education, linguistic identity, and archaeological governance. What features prominently is that these articles converge on a common and resonant theme: that Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKSs), cultural practices, and decolonial epistemologies are not vestiges of the past but are vital resources for navigating contemporary and future challenges.