Starting with ritual observances which involve singing and dancing in the temples of Manipur, Sankirtana encompasses an array of arts performed also in the home and the street to mark occasions of religious import and stages in the life of the Vaishnava people inhabiting the Manipur plains. The theology and lore of Krishna is central to these performances, but they assimilate in their rendering formal features carried over from music and dance in Manipur’s pre-Vaishnavite past. The core of Sankirtana practice is to be found in the temple, where it narrates through song and dance the lives and deeds of the Lord. These are typically presented in the round, in a hall (Mandapa) attached to the temple before devotees. The main repertoire consists of Nata Pala, which is performed all over the Manipur valley. The Ariba Pala and Manohar Sai Pala, less often in evidence today, are also temple-centred. Outside the temple, Sankirtana assumes forms such as the Holi Pala celebrating the festival of colours in springtime or Shayan performed in the winter months. Khubak Eshei is celebrated within the temple during the rains, marking the chariot festival of the Lord. In the setting of the home, Sankirtana is offered as prayer at all life-cycle ceremonies, such as the ear-piercing ritual (for both males and females in childhood), the donning of the sacred thread (for adolescent males), marriage, and the rites of passage at death. Thus pervading the life of the Manipuri Vaishnava, Sankirtana is regarded as the visible manifestation of God.

India 2013

The Việt people in Phú Thọ province have been practicing and trasmitting the worship of Hùng Kings whose father named Lạc Long Quân and mother named Âu Cơ for a very long time. The legend has become a strong belief of the country’s origin in the Việt people’s mentality for centuries. Dynasties of Great Việt attached great importance to the worship of Hùng Kings and offerred imperial conferments to villages worshiping Hùng Kings in temples and shrines. The worship of Hùng Kings has created many legends of wharves, rivers, fields, rice plants, land and other unique cultural creativity. Part of cultural creativity is reenacted in annual worship performed at communal houses, temples and shrines in villages. Communities make offerings of rice – based delicacies such as square cakes and glutinous cakes dedicated to Hùng Kings. Legend has it that, Lang Liêu who later became the seventh Hùng King made these two types of cakes by himself. They represent the heaven and the earth as well as the filial piety of the children for the parents. These two offerings are indispensable in the worship of Hùng Kings. Offerings dedicated to Hùng Kings at temples and shrines by villagers usually last for a few days: offerings by families first and then by the whole community. The tablets of Hùng Kings are proccessed throughout the villages and the rice fields, which implies that Hùng Kings may witness today’s lives of villagers and offer good weather, abundant harvests, good luck and good health to villagers, plants and animals. Offerings conducted by villagers at temples, communal houses, and shrines is supposed to be the most sacred moments when the respect and gratitude of communities dedicated to Hùng Kings are expressed.

Viet Nam 2012

Shagzo or the traditional art of woodturning is an ancient art that has been passed down for generations. Shagzo is vibrantly practised in Bhutan and the master artisans are known as Shagzopa. Bhutan’s abundant and wide range of woods like tashing (Juglans regia), hashing (Taxus baccata), baashing (Picea spinulosa), tsenden shing (Cupressus corneyana), sermaling shing (Acer camphellii) and etometo (Rhododendron arboretum) have enabled the Bhutanese Shagzopa to create a variety of exquisite functional and decorative products like turned wooden bowls, cups, plates, and containers of various shapes, sizes and colours unique to Bhutan. Skilled wood turners also craft traditional hand drums that are beaten during religious ceremonies. Since Bhutanese tradition is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Buddha, use of drums and drum sticks are a part of the rituals performed everywhere. Used in all religious ceremonies and rituals, the Bhutanese traditional drum known as Nga, and the Nge-tog (drumstick) are indispensable articles found in every temple, monastery and home. An ancient instrument of musical offering, the beatings of the Nga symbolizes the subjugation of evil, indicates the fluctuation of tunes and wordings, and regulates the pace of other instruments during rituals and propitiation ceremonies.

The Ramman is a form of traditional ritual theatre celebrated every year in the courtyard of the temple of Bhumiyal Devta situated in Saloor Dungra Village in Painkhanda valley of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. The village deity of Saloor Dungra is Bhumichetrapal, also known as Bhumiyal Devta. Historical accounts of the preexisting tradition are available since 1911. In the Hindu month, Baisakh (April-May), on the sankranti day, Bhumiyal Devta comes out in a procession to the temple. On the second day of the festival, people offer hariyali (sprouted barley plants), to the deity, which has ecological reference. Every day, the Bhumiyal Devta takes a round of the village. The main components of the masked performance are as follows: ▶Celestial Aspect -Dance of Ganesh-Kalinki (Parvati) -The dance of Sun God: Enactment of creation-myth and birth of Brahma and Ganesh. -Bur Deva (Narad): Rani-Radhika dance. -Bur Deva Raja dances along with Gopi Chand (Sri Krishna) and Rani Radhika (Gopis) on different beats and gestures. ▶Temporal Mwar-Mwarin Dance: The dance shows the travails of the buffalo herders in their hazardous journey through the jungle to the hills. A tiger is shown attacking and injuring the Mwar. Baniya-Baniyain Nritya (Dance of the Trader-Couple): It shows hardships of the common people. The episode shows robbers attacking and looting the merchant couple. ▶Performance The performance then shifts towards the enactment of the local Ramkatha, the core Rama story. Episodes from Rama’s life are sung. The dance is performed on 18 different beats yielding a total 324 beats and steps. The episodes enacted and sung are: -Ram-Lakshman’s visit to Janakpur -Sita’s Swyamwar -Hanuman Milan (Meeting with Hanuman) -Swarna Mrig Vadh (killing of the Golden deer) -Sita Haran (Abduction of Sita) -Lanka Dahan (Burning of Lanka) -Raj Tilak (Coronation ) There are other dances and episodes like Maal Nritya, Koorjogi and Narsingh Pattar Nritya. ▶Historical Aspect -Maal Nritya: Rama story is followed by the historical battle between the Gurkhas of Nepal and the local Garhwalis. Two dancers carrying weapons move on to the central performing arena, enacting a battle scene. They are comical in looks, attire and gestures. -Maal artists are four in number, two red and two white, respectively representing the Gorkhas and the Garhwalis. It is mandatory to have a red Maal from the Kunwar caste of the Rot hamlet, Saloor village, as it is believed that this hamlet supported the Gorkhas. The other three are selected by the Gram Panchas. One white Maal each is chosen from the twin villages and the remaining red Maal comes from village Dungra. This performance manifests past valour and bravery, sums up the total religious and aesthetic experience of the community, and renegotiates its identity and place in the bigger cosmic drama every year. ▶Ecological Aspect Ramman is an agrarian festival in celebration of ties between man, nature and the divine. Maize and barley seeds, sprouted in ritual pots, are offered to Bhumiyal Devta who, in turn, promises prosperity to all, including agricultural yield and forest produce. -Koorjogi: This episode is of immense ecological relevance. Various harmful weeds (koor) in the village fields are pulled out by Koorjogi (character who carries a sack full of these weeds). One of the most joyous moments in the series is throwing thorny weeds on each other, creating a mayhem of goodwill and merriment, establishing a sense of community and harmony. -Make-up of Artists: The Ramman performance involves use of masks and make-up using sheep’s wool, honey, vermilion, wheat flour, oil, turmeric, soot and locally grown plants and vegetables. -Masks are made from wood of local trees and this involves lengthy rituals. ▶Musical Aspect -Drumming Tradition: The performance revolves around playing of drums by Das drummers from the lowest caste, whose status is elevated during the performance. -Jagar Tradition: Jagaris or Bhallas of Rajput caste are professional bards and sing oral epics and legends (Jagars). The festival ends with a feast where the prasada of the deity is distributed as sacrament.

India 2009

“Furyu-odori” refers to various local ritual folk dances, characterized by glamorous costumes accompanied with songs, gong-ringing, and drum-beating. These dances have been performed at certain times of the year for centuries and have been transmitted from generation to generation mainly in rural areas throughout Japan. The nomination encompasses 41 representative furyu-odori of each area. Life in rural areas was easily affected by severe climate events such as typhoons, droughts, and earthquakes. Local people of such areas created ritualistic performances imbued with their earnest hopes for a tranquil life. They dance furyu-odori for numerous purposes, including end of plagues, repose of the deceased, and praying for a good harvest or safety from such disasters. The eye-catching costumes, lively dances and songs and other accompaniments are indispensable for furyu-odori, since they dispel evil spirits and misfortune and strengthen good forces, such as local deities and ancestral spirits that protect the communities. While sharing commonalities, furyu-odori have evolved into different forms in response to socio-cultural differences in each region. There are several classifications for furyu-odori; one of them is bon-odori, practiced as part of the Bon festival that takes place in July or August throughout Japan. A large group dance is performed in order to repose and entertain ancestral spirits that return home for several days in the Bon period. People also practice other kinds of furyu-odori, which are kouta-odori (dances with short songs), nenbutsu-odori (dances with Buddhist chanting), taiko-odori (dances with drumming), or hayashimono (dances accompanied by objects in which deities dwell).

Japan 2022

As a form of performing arts, Xoan singing includes singing, dancing, drumming and clapper beating. It is closely attached to the Worship of the Hùng Kings, founders of the country. Phú Thọ people created Xoan singing and performed it at the village communal houses, temples and shrines worshipping the Hùng Kings in springs. “Xoan” means “spring”. Bearers and practitioners form four guilds, in which the male and female Trum play the most important role; they preserve the songs, select students, transmit the singing styles and repertoires and organize practices. They are also active in introducing and teaching Xoan singing at the four Xoan guilds, and in clubs and guilds. A full Xoan performance cycle includes 3 phases: Worship singing (Hát thờ) with songs praising the virtues of the Hùng Kings and the village guardian deities; Invocation for good health and fortune (Quả cách) with 14 repertoires praising nature, humankind, and the daily life of the community; Festive singing (hát Hội) with songs featuring the couple love. The special characteristic of Xoan is the modulation between singers and instrumentalists at the perfect fourth interval, and it has a simple structure with few ornamental notes. Xoan dance's movements have a sense of imitativeness, illustrating people's daily life activities. After singing at their communal houses from the 2nd - 5th day of the Lunar New Year, the Xoan guilds travel to other communities venerating Hùng Kings to take part in convivial cultural exchanges. Xoan practitioners are organized into music guilds called Phường. The Leader of each guild is called “Trùm”. In the past, only men could be “Trùm”, but nowadays women could also be leaders. The Leaders are in charge of transmission and organization of activities of the guilds. At present, each guild comprises of 30 - 100 members. Men are called “kép”, women are “đào”. As a community performing art, Xoan singing fosters cultural understanding, community cohesion and mutual respect. The Vietnamese Institute for Musicology has collected 31 Xoan songs, and thanks to the efforts of several Xoan artists four guilds have been established. 33 dedicated clubs also exist, and seminars are held to expand knowledge of Xoan.

Viet Nam 2017

Tết Khu Cù Tê, also known as the drumming festival, is held in July to commemorate the birthday of the Ancestor (Hoàng Vần Thùng) at the community house (Khu Cù Tê). The Khu Cù Tê house is built in the middle of the village, made in the style of twenty-eight column roofs, the floor is about 3m wide, and 5m long, the height from floor to roof is 3m, and there are no walls on all four sides. On the roof of the pangolin area, people hang buffalo horns and skulls. On July 1st, all the villagers gathered at the village chief's house to prepare offerings - deer wine (aged for a year), buffalo meat, sticky rice, and chicken. After that, the village chief brought a set of drums and gongs into the house of Cù Tê area to hold the ceremony. When the drums and gongs sound, the shaman asks the ancestors for permission to let the villagers celebrate Tết. From the 2nd day onwards, families in the village take turns making feasts and ask the shaman to perform the ceremony to invite ancestors to celebrate Tết. Offering tools must include buffalo horns and a basket containing ginger root. In addition to the prepared dishes, the homeowner must prepare a rooster for the shaman to perform the blood sacrifice ritual - cutting off the blood. The chicken is then taken to be processed into boiled chicken to continue the ceremony. After the offering, the shaman divines the chicken thigh bone to see the homeowner's luck. The worshiping rituals are completed, and the homeowner invites relatives and friends to eat and drink wine. On July 13, the La Chí people hold a farewell ceremony for their ancestors or an end-of-Tết ceremony. In the house of the Cù Tê area, a pillar hangs gongs and drums; The ladder symbolizes the bridge that brings the ancestors back to their place of residence. The village head and all the priests sat in a row in front of the house. In front of each person is a basket, buck wine, fresh ginger, and a buffalo horn. The village head recites a vow to invite the ancestors, the drum and gong masters beat and dance the drums and gongs in a sharp, strong, and intense rhythm. The ceremony to see off the ancestors ended with the procession of carrying two buffalo horns to Khu Cù Tê's house in front of the community.

Chhay dam Drum Dancing is one of the unique traditional dances of the Khmer people. This dance is performed during festivals and it is both sacred and welcoming to the gods as well as artistic and entertaining. Therefore, during festivals and festivals of the community, there is Chhay - Dam dance (such as during Chol Chnam Thmay festival, Ok Om Bok festival, Dolta festival). Chhay drum - a piece of percussion, one side of the drum is covered with buffalo leather, the drum is made from hollowed-out old areca trunks or old jackfruit wood and the strap is made of fabric. In addition to the Chhay - Dam drum, there are other musical instruments such as the Cuối (gong), Chul (cymbal), and Krap (Castanets). Chhay - Dam drum dance can be a single dance, a duo dance, a triple dance, or a fourth dance and there is usually a group dance with a team of 12 members. When dancing the drum, the dancer wears the drum in front of his belly. The basic movements of Chhay - Dam drum dance are drumming (using the hand to tap the drum surface, using elbows and heels to hit the drum surface), drum dancing (dance movements similar to martial arts positions), and hand dance. To be able to perform the movements in the Chhay - Dam dance, the dancer must have health, and flexibility, and know how to skillfully combine the rhythm of the drum with physical gestures. Most notably, the drum dance performer must tap and dance in combination with rhythm and precision down to the smallest detail. When drumming with hands, elbows, or heels, it must be combined with acrobatics but must still ensure a "fluttering" sound. While tumbling, you must hold the drum tightly to your body without letting it touch the stage, making a crashing sound.