Final answer:
Heritage most likely refers to the transmission of cultural practices, values, and social customs passed down through generations, contributing to the sense of identity and continuity within a community or family.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on its usage in the text, 'heritage' most likely means the customs, cultural practices, and social values that are passed down through generations within a community or family. It encompasses shared aspects of culture and identity that provide a group with a sense of belonging and historical continuity. This is evident in how heritage is tied to the continued transmission of values, cultural heritage, and traditions that serve as defining characteristics of how a group sees itself and is perceived by others.
It is connected with the authority derived from ancestry and tradition, like the legitimacy of leaders who inherit their position through hereditary succession. Heritage also contributes to an individual's or a group's sense of identity, as can be seen in the ways families remember and honor their ancestors through genealogy, stories, and heirlooms.