COAAST: Engaging Communities in Coastal Kenya Through Aural Memory Archive

The coastal region of Mombasa, Kenya, holds significant cultural heritage representing centuries of interaction among diverse cultures. However, this heritage is under threat due to environmental degradation and economic pressures. The CoaAST project (Coastal Aural Archive of Spaces & Time), funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through the network Rising from the Depths, and conducted in collaboration between Bournemouth University and the National Museums of Kenya, aimed to explore the intangible cultural heritage of coastal communities through an aural archive. The CoaAST project was part of the broader Rising from the Depths network, which aimed to utilize marine cultural heritage to foster sustainable social, economic, and cultural benefits across East Africa. Funded by the UK Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) through the Arts and Humanities Research Council Network Plus scheme from 2017 to 2021, the CoaAST project stimulated ethical, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth while building social cohesion in coastal regions. By working with young children from around Mombasa, the community acquired, created, and curated a collection of audio memories through generational interactions. This archive is designed to prompt a dialogue on shared cultural memory and the Anthropocene, accessible to the public. This dialogue is deeply rooted in the rich oral traditions of the Mijikenda tribes, where storytelling, ceremonies, and council gatherings play a crucial role in communal memory and identity preservation.