Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung listed in the National ICH List in 2017\nThe Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung of Lang Son City, Viet Nam, is usually performed during New Year celebrations. Villagers wearing lion masks perform dances to wish for a prosperous life and to ward off evil. The lion dance has become an important part of the cultural identity of the Tay and Nung communities by combining local cultural elements, traditional martial arts, and folk dances through migration and cultural exchange between ethnic groups in the border region. A Lion Dance team typically consists of 12 to 14 performers. Members of the team perform lion dance, martial arts dance, acrobatics, and monkey dances. Additionally, they play drums, gongs, and cymbals. The dance embodies humanistic values and promotes community solidarity, fostering harmonious interaction with the natural environment.

Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung listed in the National ICH List in 2017\nThe Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung of Lang Son City, Viet Nam, is usually performed during New Year celebrations. Villagers wearing lion masks perform dances to wish for a prosperous life and to ward off evil. The lion dance has become an important part of the cultural identity of the Tay and Nung communities by combining local cultural elements, traditional martial arts, and folk dances through migration and cultural exchange between ethnic groups in the border region. A Lion Dance team typically consists of 12 to 14 performers. Members of the team perform lion dance, martial arts dance, acrobatics, and monkey dances. Additionally, they play drums, gongs, and cymbals. The dance embodies humanistic values and promotes community solidarity, fostering harmonious interaction with the natural environment.

Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung listed in the National ICH List in 2017\nThe Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung of Lang Son City, Viet Nam, is usually performed during New Year celebrations. Villagers wearing lion masks perform dances to wish for a prosperous life and to ward off evil. The lion dance has become an important part of the cultural identity of the Tay and Nung communities by combining local cultural elements, traditional martial arts, and folk dances through migration and cultural exchange between ethnic groups in the border region. A Lion Dance team typically consists of 12 to 14 performers. Members of the team perform lion dance, martial arts dance, acrobatics, and monkey dances. Additionally, they play drums, gongs, and cymbals. The dance embodies humanistic values and promotes community solidarity, fostering harmonious interaction with the natural environment.

Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung listed in the National ICH List in 2017\nThe Lion Dance of the Tay and Nung of Lang Son City, Viet Nam, is usually performed during New Year celebrations. Villagers wearing lion masks perform dances to wish for a prosperous life and to ward off evil. The lion dance has become an important part of the cultural identity of the Tay and Nung communities by combining local cultural elements, traditional martial arts, and folk dances through migration and cultural exchange between ethnic groups in the border region. A Lion Dance team typically consists of 12 to 14 performers. Members of the team perform lion dance, martial arts dance, acrobatics, and monkey dances. Additionally, they play drums, gongs, and cymbals. The dance embodies humanistic values and promotes community solidarity, fostering harmonious interaction with the natural environment.

Xuan Pha Dance listed in the National ICH List in 2016\nThe Xuan Pha performance is a Vietnamese folk tradition held every lunar February in Xuan Pha village. It serves as a blessing to the people and expresses gratitude to the guardian deity who watches over farming activities. Legend has it that Dinh Bo Linh achieved peace with the help of the deity Xuan Pha when chieftains were trying to divide the country. This became the origin of the village festival. The performance includes five different dance segments, each simulating the dances of five nations, paying tribute to the King of Dai Viet (modern-day Viet Nam). Most of the props used in the performance are made from materials obtained from nature, and the performers sing of a peaceful, happy, and idyllic life.

ICH Webinar Series on Maritime ICH: Maritime Living Heritage-Building Sustainable Livelihood and Ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific Region\n\nSession1: Traditional Maritime Skills and Knowledge for Inclusive Social and Economic Development\n\n1. 'Maritime Living Heritage and the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development' by Athena Trakadas, National Museum of Denmark / Ocean Decade Heritage Network\n2. 'The ties and tides of knowledge: Living as a community, living as the sea people' by Narumon Arunotai, Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand\n3. 'Strengthening Women Fisherfolk Empowerment toward Social Inclusion in Coastal Environment of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines' by Elmira Thrina C. Pelayo, Bulacan State University, Philippine\n4. 'Traditional Maritime Skills and Knowledge of Social and Economic Development in Inle Lake' by Thu Thu Aung, Department of Archaeology and National Museum, Myanmar\n5. 'Preserving Maritime Cultural Values and Promoting Community Cohesion: From the Viewpoint of Cau Ngu (Whale Worship) Festival in Thanh Hoa Province' by Thao Phuong Le, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam\n6. 'Fisherwomen across Bay of Bengal region and the extension of their profession in ICH- Understanding the contributions of a vital part of the community and their symbolisms of sustainability, survival, and continuity' by Lopamudra Maitra Bajpai, Symbiosis International University, India\n\nSession2: Traditional Maritime Skills and Knowledge for Environmental Sustainablity and Resilience\n\n1. 'Evidence from the Social Economic Impact Acessment of COVID-19 in the Pacific: The Contribution of ICH in human-centered development' by Ellen Lekka, Cultural Officer, UNESCO Apia Office\n2. 'The Coastal Cultural Landscape of Yap and Marine Ecological Conservation' by William Jeffery, University of Guam, Guam\n3. 'Korean National Important Fisheries Heritage System for Strengthening Sustainability:' by Hyunjong Jong, Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries, Republic of Korea\n4. 'Voicing Culture after Nature : Traditional Knowledge and Marine Resource Management in the Sulawesi Islands' by Dedi Supriadi Adhuri, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Indonesia\n5. 'O le Va‘a Tā Palolo – The Palolo Fishing Canoe' by Galumalemana Steve Percival, Tiapapata Art Centre inc., Samoa\n6. 'Maritime Cultural Heritage of Matsushima Bay Japan:' by Alyne Delaney, Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University, Japan\n\n\n\n

On 12 and 13 November 2020, ICHCAP and the ICH NGO Forum virtually held the 2020 ICH NGO Conference entitled “ICH and Resilience in Crisis.” The fifteen participants, including eleven selected presenters from ten countries around the world, discussed various cases and activities of each country applied under the Corona-era, and proposed solidarity for the resilience of ICH for a ‘New Normal.’\n\nSession 1: In the Vortex: COVID-19 Era, Roles of NGOs to Safeguard ICH\n\nSpecial Lecture 1: 'Resilience System Analysis' by Roberto Martinez Yllescas, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Mexico\n1. 'Uncovering the veil of immaterial cultural heritage towards and autonomous management of well-being as well as cultural and territorial preservation' by Carolina Bermúdez, Fundación Etnollano\n2. 'Holistic Development Model of Community-Based Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yuen Long District in Hong Kong of China' by Kai-kwong Choi, Life Encouraging Fund \n3. 'Indigenous Knowledge System as a vector in combating COVID-19' by Allington Ndlovu, Amagugu International Heritage Centre\n4. 'Enlivening Dyeing Tradition and ICH: The initiative of ARHI in North East of India' by Dibya Jyoti Borah, President, ARHI\n\nSession 2: Homo Ludens vs. Home Ludens: Changed Features COVID-19 Brought\n\n1. 'The Popular Reaction to COVID-19 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage among Member Cities of the ICCN' by Julio Nacher, ICCN Secretariat, Algemesi, Spain\n2. 'Innovation for Arts and Cultural Education Amid a Pandemic' by Jeff M. Poulin, Creative Generation\n3. 'Promoting Heritage Education through Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Kalasha Valleys of Pakistan' by Ghiasuddin Pir & Meeza Ubaid, THAAP\n4. 'Shifting to Online Activities: Digital Divide among the NGOs and ICH Communities in Korea' by Hanhee Hahm CICS\n\nSession 3: Consilience: Prototype vs. Archetype for Educational Source\n\nSpecial Lecture 2: 'Geographical imbalance: the challenge of getting a more balanced representation of accredited non-governmental organizations under the 2003 Convention' by Matti Hakamäki, Finnish Folk Music Institute\n1. 'Crafting a Post Covid-19 World: Building Greater Resilience in the Crafts Sector through Strengthening Ties with its Community’s Cultural System' by Joseph Lo, World Crafts Council International\n2. 'Arts and Influence: Untangling Corporate Engagement in the Cultural Sector' by Nicholas Pozek, Asian Legal Programs, Columbia University\n3. 'ICH in the South-Western Alps: Empowering Communities through Youth Education on Nature and Cultural Practices' by Alessio Re & Giulia Avanza, Santagata Foundation for the Economy of Culture\n\n

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is transnational in nature. It is necessary to spread the perception that ICH transcends geographical spaces and national borders, creating dynamic relations, connectedness, and continuity, which is why it is a timeless bearer of cultural diversity, the foundation of the heritage of humanity. However, as the modern structure of nation-state determines the boundaries of culture with national borders, forming the concept of “culture within the country”, subsequently led to the perception that the ownership of culture belongs to the state.\n\nThe concept of exclusive ownership of culture is often controversial in the UNESCO listing process, particularly in instances where cultural heritage and cultural domains have been shared for a long time by two or more nation-states. Such conflicts lead to excessive competition for nomination, overshadowing UNESCO’s fundamental purpose of contributing to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations, as well as the very spirit of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that promotes international cooperation and assistance in the safeguarding of ICH as a matter of general interest to humanity.\n\nConsequently, UNESCO encourages multinational inscriptions of shared intangible cultural heritage to promote regional cooperation and international safeguarding activities, preventing conflicts among countries and coping with already existing ones. By emphasizing joint nominations of shared ICH, UNESCO revised its implementation guidelines three times to deal with conflicts between countries due to the cultural property rights. In addition, States Parties are encouraged to develop networks among relevant communities, experts, professional centres, and research institutes, particularly with regard to their ICH, to cooperate at the sub-regional and regional levels.\n\nAt the 13th Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in the Republic of Mauritius in November 2018, Traditional Korean Wrestling was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as the first joint designation by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea. This milestone in the life of the Convention demonstrates that ICH contributes to the peace-building, reconciliation, mutual understanding, and solidarity among peoples. Indeed, only when acknowledging that shared cultural values are empowering characteristics of ICH, the true perspective of the unifying agent of the cultural diversity can be achieved, and that it is the cornerstone of reaching peace among nations.\n\nCountries in the Asia Pacific region are deeply connected by a long history of interactions, exchanges, flows of people, goods, and ideas that have shaped shared values, practices, and traditions. Having a balanced view, advocating for cultural diversity, and recognizing the commonalities among individuals, communities, and countries as a strength are virtuous tenets in the present time.\n\nIn this regard, APHEN-ICH Secretariat, ICHCAP, and UNESCO Bangkok Office are inviting the APHEN-ICH member institutes and public to this seminar under the theme of Diversity and Distinctiveness: Looking into the Shared ICH in the Asia-Pacific, to re-assess that while fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity, connecting bounds, and enhancing international dialogue and peace.

Southeast Asia ICH Video Documentary (Vietnam)\n\nThe environment surrounding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is changing rapidly in the face of waves of rapid urbanization and globalization. In the face of such changes, documenting actual scenes of ICH in video form presents one of the most effective ways of identifying trends in ongoing developments and raising the profile of ICH. However, achieving this requires robust support and coordinated efforts due to the relative inadequacy of the conditions for producing such documentary material in the Asia-Pacific region.\n\nThe International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) shines a light on the ICH of Asia-Pacific and introduces its value to the public through video projects depicting ICH. ICHCAP conducts joint projects with member states to portray real-life scenes of ICH alongside experts, communities, NGOs, and other stakeholders in various countries. As a result, it has produced fifty videos on the ICH of Central Asia through the phase-one joint project on Central Asia and an additional fifty videos through the phase-two video project on the ICH of Southeast Asia. These videos are being screened through broadcasting companies and at film festivals in each country, in addition to distribution via YouTube and other\nchannels.\n\nVideos represent the most accurate method of capturing ICH as it exists in the real world, as well as being effective tools for communicating with the public. ICHCAP will endeavor to continue vividly documenting the scenes of ICH that are hidden across the Asia-Pacific region with the aim of raising the profile of ICH elements as treasures of humanity and introducing them to the public.\n\nThis collection includes 10 ICH videos produced by the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS) in collaboration with ICHCAP.

CD5 HÁT VĂN\nHát văn (văn singing) is a special traditional music associated with the Tứ Phủ religion, a local religion of the Kinh people in Vietnam. Hát văn or chầu văn means singing for reporting something to gods. In religion, it can be called cầm ca chúc thánh, which means “singing for praising gods”. There is a sentence in a book: “The Buddha loves the scripture and gods love singing”. The combination between singing and instrument playing, various repertoire and melodies, and strict regulations in performing ritual music helped hát văn become a professional traditional music, which strongly attracts listeners. The Tứ Phủ belief (the Four-God belief) is the environment in which hát văn has been nurtured and developed. The Tứ Phủ belief mentions the gods of the four components of cosmos, the world located in Heaven, Earth, Water, and Mountains. These gods are ranked differently. At the top of the temple is the Father of the Jade Emperor. Under the position of that god are Tam tòa Thánh Mẫu, ngũ vị vương Quan, tứ vị Chầu bà, ngũ vị Hoàng tử, Tứ Phủ thánh Cô, Tứ Phủ thánh Cậu, Ngũ Hổ, and ông Lốt. The Mẫu Liễu Hạnh God is considered to play the center role. Before becoming one of four Vietnamese gods, he was a normal person on the Earth with the hometown and the name.\n\nThe people in charge of performing music in the Tứ Phủ belief are called cung văn. A person practicing the cung văn profession has to train for a long time, from five years to seven years. This person has to be excellent in writing Hán-Nôm words and organizing a worship ceremony and hát văn so that he/she can take care of a temple. The cung văn profession is transferred only to family members. Hát văn music is usually performed by two cung văn, including one person playing the nguyệt (moon-shaped lute) and the other playing percussion instruments. One of them or both can sing. In a big rite, the number of performers in a band can be four or five with the participation of the tranh (16-chord zither), the nhị (Vietnamese two-string fiddle), or flutes. The nguyệt originates from the yeuqin instrument of China. However, comparing to the yeuqin instrument, the nguyệt has a longer neck with eight to eleven frets. A neck with ten frets is the most popular. Two strings of this instrument used to be made of silk but now are made of nylon. The small string is called dây tiếu, and the bigger one is called dây đài. The nguyệt is usually tuned to dây bằng (the fifth interval) and dây lệch (the fourth interval). It is seldom tuned to dây tố lan (the minor seventh interval) and to dây song thanh (an octave).

CD4 QUAN HỌ BẮC NINH IN THE NORTH VIETNAM\nQuan họ,a special alternate singing between men and women, was once only available in Kinh Bắc region in northern Vietnam. Traditional Quan họ was previously the folk art of forty-nine villages in Kinh Bắc, which is presently Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces.Quan họ singing has been associated with twining occasions in the past. Quan họ is often sung between two groups, called bọn Quan họ, who are living in two different villages and wanting to strike up friendship with each other. During annual festivals or their free time, the Quan họ people sing to satisfy their demand for exchanging art. They sing throughout the day and night. The twining relationship between the Quan họ performers as artistic and intimate friends has continued from forefathers to descendants; thus, they are never allowed to marry each other. Quan họ is one of the few musical forms that has alternate singing between men and women and lyrical love-exchange lyrics but has no the function of love-exchange in daily life as other love-exchange folksongs.\n\nNevertheless, Quan họ is sung not only by twinning Quan họ people but also by others from other places. People can sing Quan họ at many locations; for example, they can perform it at houses at night on normal days, at temples on festivals, on hills, in the forest, along the street, at ponds, or on boat.In Quan họ singing, the male group is called liền anh, and the female group is called liền chị. Traditional Quan họ is pair singing without accompaniment. One of the pair is in charge of singing, leading the tune while the other sings as a secondary part. These two people have to be selected and trained to be in perfect harmony at the same timbre. In addition to pair singing, there is group singing, which is performed on congratulatoory and worshipping occasions. The male group sings in response to the female one. Four typical singing techniques of Quan họ are resonant, ringing, restrained, and staccato.

CD8_ĐỜN CA TÀI TỬ, A CHAMBER MUSIC OF SOUTHERN VIETNAM\n\nĐờn ca tài tử is a special traditional genre of chamber music of the Việt people in southern Vietnam. In comparison with other forms of traditional musical performances in Vietnam like Ca trù (Ca trù singing), Ca Huế (Hue singing), etc, the art of Đờn ca tài tử was a late traditional form. According to many musical researchers, Đờn ca tài tử came into being in the mid-nineteenth century from the musical context of the ceremonial music nhạc Lễ of southern Vietnam and the chamber music nhạc Huế. Historically, nhạc Lễ played a very important role in the cultural life of southern Vietnam. The repertoire was divided into two styles played by a martial ensemble phe võ and a classical ensemble phe văn. The phe võ is composed of drums, cymbals, and the Vietnamese oboe kèn bầu. The phe văn consisted of stringed instruments, particularly four types of the cò (two-stringed fiddles, such as the cò, the cò chỉ, the cò tre, and the gáo fiddle), and percussion instruments such as the trống nhạc (drum), and a trống cơm (a small cylindrical drum).\n\nThe two ensembles are invited to play at major village festivals. But for less important occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and housewarmings, a smaller phe văn group is called in, which includes the stringed instruments without percussion instruments. This ensemble is called đờn cây. For the need of artistic entertainment, other stringed instruments progressively joined this ensemble such as the đàn tranh (sixteen-string zither), the kìm (moon-shaped lute) and the very small wooden song lang. Music gradually escapes the solemn nature of rituals to serve daily life. It can be considered the initial foundation of Đờn ca tài tử, but it was not yet the Đờn ca tài tử. In 1885, when the Huế capital fell, the immigration of instrumentalists of the Nguyễn court from central Vietnam to the southern region made significant influence on the development of Đờn ca tài tử. At this time, Đờn ca tài tử was actually shaped after acquiring Huế chamber music in both repertoires and performance styles. The emergence of Đờn ca tài tử has received great support and favor of the majority of people in the southern Vietnam.

The Spirit of Vietnam in Song\n(2013-2014 VIM-ICHCAP Restoration and Digitization Project)\n\nIn 2015, ICHCAP and the Vietnam Institute of Musicology (VIM) jointly produced Cultural Sounds: The Spirit of Vietnam, a nine-CD set to promote public awareness about the Vietnamese ICH.\n\nIn 2013, the VIM had conducted a year-long joint project with ICHCAP to restore and digitize its analogue audio documentation of ICH. The project resulted in the successful digitization of some three hundred magnetic tapes in the VIM’s collection. This CD collection was produced to distribute the outcomes of the project while raising the visibility of the audio resources. Local researchers thematically selected the eighty-seven tracks in the collection. Information on each track is presented in Vietnamese, English and Korean.\n\nThis project is significant as it resulted in restoring analogue recordings at risk of permanent damage and digitizing them to enhance their academic value and public visibility.

ICH Courier is the quarterly magazine on ICH in the Asia-Pacific region issued by ICHCAP since 2009. Every issue has its own theme under the title of the Windows to ICH, and the theme of the Vol 12 is 'ICH AND MAKEUP'.

This book introduces the tug-of-war traditions of Korea and the three Southeast Asian countries mentioned as well as the tugging traditions passed down in Japan, Thailand, and Ukraine. The book presents studies showing various conditions and perceptions of tug-of-war in each country. So, it will be valuable research material for those interested in tug-of-war.

ICH Courier is the quarterly magazine on ICH in the Asia-Pacific region issued by ICHCAP since 2009. Every issue has its own theme under the title of the Windows to ICH, and the theme of the Vol 32 is 'Lacquerware Arts.'