Descrição do Site
Kakku is a remarkable sacred natural site, housing at least 2478 pagodas and a large number of sacred Bodhi trees. It is located in the Shan state in Myanmar, southeast of the city Taunggyi. Some say it is built as a shrine for the passage of the dead. Others claim that King Alaung Sithu built the site as a resting point for river travelers. Others yet see the location as having substantial spiritual properties, based on its astrology. All stories share their respect for the present sacred endemic Bohdi tree. The site currently faces the threat of being highly altered by tourism, something the government tries to stimulate. To mitigate this process, the local gawbaka committee creates ways to promote the local culture and raise awareness on their spirituality.

Ameaças
Threats to the biodiversity in the region include hunting and poaching, agricultural use of natural forests, shifts in cultivation methods, destructive fishing methods, introduction of invasive species and weak law enforcement against illegal activities such as wildlife trade. Meanwhile, economic incentives such as development pressure and increased tourism drive local communities to concessions. Examples in Kakku are recent establishment of strong roads, the conversion of forest into farmland, increased village sizes and establishment of a parking lot and a restaurant, all of which came at the cost of local wildlife. According to archaeologists, the pagodas are threatened by bad reconstruction materials, which do more damage on the long run. As for the cultural context, some argue that regarding the Kakku site as a monument to preserve undermines local people’s capacity to undergo cultural evolution, and detaches local culture and identity from the site.

Visão
There is an intrinsic conflict of visions between the World Heritage system and the lived reality of the Pa’oh people, concerning the way to document the Kakku site. The national level registration and documentation of the local values is prone to adopt globalising notions on indigenous spirituality. It anchors the values of indigenous communities and overlooks evolving, dynamic conceptions of values towards their sacred sites. It raises questions on who has the authority to determine the meaning of a sacred natural site, and if categorization is always the best approach.

Ação
The Pa’oh gawbaka exercises management of Kakku, and maintains an ongoing management approach towards Kakku involving regular consideration of site conditions and conservation policies. The jurisdiction of the gawbaka, contudo, is subject to an informal arrangement between the national and state governments with the Pa’oh, E a natureza desse arranjo pode mudar à medida que Mianmar continua sua transição política, que envolve possíveis mudanças em direção ao federalismo e mudanças de atendentes para comunidades étnicas indígenas.

Política e Direito
Como faz parte do país de Mianmar, A área possui uma variedade de leis de vida selvagem e de proteção do parque em vigor (Embora nem sempre seja aplicado adequadamente). Mais relevantes na discussão são as áreas protegidas da IUCN e as diretrizes do patrimônio cultural do ICOMOS, Porque eles estão mais focados na interação com os povos indígenas no local, e trabalhar para uma maior inclusão. De fato, Reformas recentes introduziram valores indígenas locais e autenticidade na fabricação de políticas, Mas a tendência de documentar e corrigir determinadas práticas pode ser limitadora para as tradições existentes e em evolução.