Oral tradition consists of diverse narratives. It is passed on by word of mouth as everyday wisdom and transmitted through the generations. After that, it becomes infused in a region’s history, philosophy, and way of life, thus forming the foundation for a community’s knowledge systems. This volume introduces traditional tales in Sri Lanka, Palau, Kyrgyzstan, and Vietnam.

When we were young, we were told a lot of stories. Everyone hated the big, vicious, evil, and cunning animals. However, seen through grown-up eyes, there are no bad animals in the world. Animals personified in stories convey a message to the human world-that of peace and harmony. At a time when a message of peace is desperately needed, let’s enjoy some stories featuring various animals, from tigers to birds, rabbits, monkeys, and more.

Lialiaci is a publication of the iTaukei Institute of Language and Culture, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs. \nLialiaci means to ponder or reflect upon deeply. \nThat is the intent of these articles and perspectives on culture. \n\nThe publication has 3 articles:\n1. Bulu, The Spirit World by Anasa Tawake\n\nThis brief research will try to explain Bulu or the iTaukei concept of the spirit world.\nIt is important to define Bulu or the spirit world because it can be a foundation to which our beliefs are derived from. It is understood that our culture is ‘fixated on Bulu’ (Sekove Bigitibau). If this is so, then our culture, customs and ethos are focused towards the spirit world known as Bulu. Prior to Christianity, who’s to say that the beliefs of our ancestors were inaccurate? It is a common belief that Christianity was the best thing to happen to our vanua. On the contrary, Christianity brought about the demonization of iTaukei belief system. At the offset, the missionaries knew that there was an existing belief system unfortunately they chose to disregard this and not use it as a foundation for Christian faith.\n\n2.The Sunken island by Inoki Kaloumaira:\nA few islands in Fiji and the Pacific are said to have submerged in the last hundred to thousand years ago. The island of Vuniivilevu is believed to have submerged in the year AD1200 in the Motoriki waters, Lomaiviti (2005). It is one of the islands that is regarded to have been inhabited first before other settlers arrived. Early migrants were said to be tall, muscular and tough and this could be proven with the skeleton that was found in Naturuku, Motoriki in 2002. What was also remarkable about this skeleton was the excellent state of preservation of the skull. It was of a female who would’ve been tall, muscular and tough and was believed to have lived in Motoriki around 800BC (2007). \n\n3. Ancient Sounds in Fiji by Ulaiasi Taoi:\nAncient sounds in Fiji is still echoed in traditional chant, traditional dances, polyphony, and sacred psalms. It is found to be unique from western sounds and sounds in many parts of the world. Most current Fijian music has adopted western sounds, this includes church hymns, folk songs, serenades, and also Tongan sounds which is practiced in serevakalau known as Polotu and also pesi (Lauan folksongs). Aporosa a traditional cartographer form Beqa stated that there was no Fijian alphabet, but instead was the practice of oral transmission through traditional dances. Lyrics, cartographer and sound were transmitted through vision (Bulivou, 1985). Once ancient sounds were not composed, it was inherently transmitted through the vanua as a gift, and intrinsically maintained its mana in the vanua livelihood. \n\n\n\n \n

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 3 is 'ICH AND TEXTILES'.

In the fall of 2013, ICHCAP convened an international conference celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. Held in Gwangju, this conference aimed at reflecting on the ten-year implementation of the Convention and its achievements as well as searching to develop future tasks. Under the title of “Reflection on the Efforts to Safeguard ICH and Prospects for the Future”, this conference provided a useful opportunity to review the effects and outcomes of the ICH Convention on many countries in the Asia-Pacific region and to share theoretical discussions as well as practical experiences with a panel of experts and various stakeholders dedicated to safeguarding ICH. This book includes the presentation papers and the summary of discussion of the above conference.

As part of the Cultural Partnership Initiative of 2016, ICHCAP invited ICH professionals from Malaysia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Tonga. Each participant researched ICH topics of interest that relate to comparative studies, sustainable development, traditional medicine, and safeguarding organizations. These reports were compiled into a bound publication and is now made available as an online download.

ICHCAP published the book Living Heritage Series – Traditional Martial Arts in collaboration with UNESCO International Centre of Martial Arts (ICM). The Living Heritage Series is a serial publication on regional/national transmission and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage elements. It focuses on a different topic each time, discussing the relevant intangible cultural heritage of various regions to raise the visibility of cultural diversity emphasized by the UNESCO.\n\nLiving Heritage Series-Traditional Martial Arts showcases creative and historical traditional Martial Arts from around the world through contributions from 19 writers in various countries.

ICHCAP, with the support of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea and the cooperation of the Fiji National Museum and Yap State Historic Preservation Office of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), hosted the four-day Pacific-ICHCAP Cooperative Workshop on Digitizing ICH-Related Audio-Visual Materials in various locations in Jeonju and Seoul. The workshop was organized to explore methods and technologies involved with digitizing analogue audiovisual resources related to intangible cultural heritage, with emphasis on Pacific art and traditions so that it can be approached and enjoyed around the world.\n\nThis publication includes the nine paper presentations as well as transcripts of the speeches and information related to the field visits.

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 34 is 'Wandering Minstrels and Songs of Blessing.'

ICHCAP published a book in collaboration with banglanatak dot com, an UNESCO accredited NGO, about ICH NGOs’ contribution to sustainable development. The 29 NGOs’ story showcase us how intangible cultural heritage can drive, enable, and guarantee achieving SDGs along each of its three dimensions –the economic, social, and environment-underpinned by peace and security as fundamental prerequisites for sustainable development.\n\n

Under UNESCO Living Human Treasures Program, the project ‘Introducing UNESCO Living Human Treasures System in Mongolia’ has been successfully implemented in order to realize efforts in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Mongolia.\nThe main objective of this project aims to introduce and implement UNESCO Living Human Treasures System in Mongolia and so protect, maintain and encourage intangible cultural heritage and bearers in Mongolia within implementation efforts of the 2003 Convention.\n\nThe following activities have been defined and planned to implement within the project implementation work:\n\n1. Review and analyze previous research study materials, data information and field survey findings on intangible cultural heritage and its bearers in Mongolia, and make general overviews upon current situations of intangible cultural heritage\n2. Develop recommendations on designing a relevant legal framework for implementing UNESCO Living Human Treasures program in Mongolia and submit them to responsible governmental institutions for further approval and actions\n3. Organize exchange tours of expert teams implementing the project in South Korea and Mongolia and so share viewpoints and experiences in safeguarding and maintaining intangible cultural heritage in reality\n4. Appoint and send field research teams to some areas of Mongolia, namely some Western and Mongolian regional aimags in order to identify, survey, determine and document locations and distributions of certain bearers of intangible cultural heritage\n5. Develop draft proposals of ‘List of types and forms of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Mongolia’, ‘The List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding’, ‘The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mongolia’ and submit them to MECS\n6. Design an initial draft of reference manuals of intangible cultural heritage in Mongolia based on results and findings of all above reviews and research analysis. During the joint seminar meetings held on 12-13 December, 2008 the Mongolian and Korean expert teams withdrew general feedback upon ongoing implementation processes of the project and shared comments on achievements of project goals and objectives, in addition to defining some specific areas of further activities. It definitely contributed considerable inputs in efforts introducing ‘Living Human Treasures’ Program and thus safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Mongolia

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 1st Vol is 'GODDESSES FROM ASIA & THE PACIFIC'.