PUBLICATION: The Roots of Recovery in Postwar Nigeria

We are excited to share our new publication, "The Roots of Recovery: Àbàchà and the Reconstruction of Intangible Heritage in Postwar Southeastern Nigeria". 

This chapter’s core concern is the transformative impact of conflict on cultural heritage. While much of the existing literature has understandably focused on the destructive impacts of war on material heritage, such as monuments and buildings, our work sheds light on the often-neglected domain of intangible heritage. We explore how these living practices are not simply erased by conflict but are often actively reconstructed and transformed in its aftermath. 

Drawing on fieldwork from Enugu-Ezike, we use Àbàchà, a traditional cassava-based food, as a case study to understand these complex processes of recovery and resilience in postwar Southeastern Nigeria.

Click here to learn more and access the chapter!

Recommended citation: Onyemechalu, S.J., Rose, D.V. (2025). The Roots of Recovery: Àbàchà and the Reconstruction of Intangible Heritage in Postwar Southeastern Nigeria. In: Munawar, N.A., Plets, G. (eds) The Politics of Post-Conflict Heritage Reconstruction. Palgrave Studies in Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81093-0_6