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ICH Exhibition 19
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EVENTS
Invitation for ichLinks Official Launching Ceremony
ichLinks Official Launching Ceremony AD image © ICHCAP
Invitation for ichLinks Official Launching Ceremony
27 May 2021 (14:00-16:00, GMT +9, online)
The International Information & Networking Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has established an online information sharing platform called ‘ichLinks (www.ichlinks.com)’.
The ichLinks platform contains information about more than a thousand elements of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH), as well as thousands of photos, videos, audio materials, publications, and information on experts and organizations. It also publishes updated information about upcoming and past conferences, seminars and events.
To celebrate the official launch of ichlinks and invite new partner organizations, ICHCAP holds the online launching ceremony on 27 May 2021 from 14:00 to 16:00 (Korea Standard Time). During the event, there will be presentations and demonstrations on the ichLinks as well as the users’ feedback.
If you are interested in joining, please register yourself at www.ichlinks.events.
Should you have any inquiries, please feel free to contact us at ichlinks.secretariat@gmail.com.
05/04/2021
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Heritage and Our Sustainable Future Online Conference
Poster Image/ Praxis at the University of Leeds and the UK NATCOM for UNESCO
Agreed in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unite 193 Governments with the shared aim of leaving both our planet and societies on a sustainable footing for future generations. No poverty, clean energy, sustainable cities and quality education are among the challenging targets that must be met no later than 2030. The pressure is on, and it’s all hands-on deck with experts from across the globe rallying to this call. Since cultural heritage is an expression of human communities through diverse media, experts work to safeguard all manners of heritage: from vast buildings, works of art and folklore, to artefacts, language and landscapes. The shared goal, however, is simple: preserve the past so that future generations might enjoy, benefit and learn from its legacy.
Likewise, the Sustainable Development sector works to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. With support from the AHRC, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and Praxis at the University of Leeds are therefore hosting ‘Heritage and Our Sustainable Future: Research, Practice, Policy and Impact’, an upcoming virtual conference from 22 February to 2 March. Here we will bring together a diverse range of cultural heritage and sustainable development contributors, including policymakers, practitioners and researchers, but also non-governmental organizations (NGOs), museums, private sector representatives and other stakeholders from across the globe. United by the shared goal of collaboration for sustainable progress, the conference will explore how best to utilize cultural heritage research on the ground to drive forward the SDGs, especially in Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries.
Registration is available at https://www.nomadit.co.uk/heritage-and-our-sustainable-future/registration, and additional information is available at https://www.nomadit.co.uk/heritage-and-our-sustainable-future/index.
03/12/2021
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NEWS
2021 International CI Contest for UNESCO WHIPIC
poster image © WHIPIC
International CI Contest for UNESCO WHIPIC
The WHIPIC, International Centre for the Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites under the auspices of UNESCO, is set to establish its official incorporation at the end of 2021. Therefore the preparatory office for the WHIPIC holds the international CI contest to celebrate and promote the establishment.
As a Category 2 Centre (C2 Centre) under the auspices of UNESCO in the field of interpretation and presentation of World Heritage, we would like to raise international awareness and interest through the development of a unique, symbolic CI. We look forward to your interest and participation.
– Eligibility: The contest is open to anybody regardless of age, sex and nationality.
– Major schedule
○ Notice: 26 February through 24 March 2021
○ Submission: 25 March trough 01 April 2021 at 18:00 KST
○ Examination: 02 through 14 April 2021
○ Announcement of the final winners: 15 April 2021 at 18:00 KST
– Documents to be submitted and description
○ Contest application form (Attachment 1)
○ Pledge (Attachment 1)
○ Work file
① Centre logo: (1) symbol mark, (2) word mark, (3) Combination
(symbol + word marks)
② Examples of CI use: At least 2 examples including a letter, business card, signboard, and souvenir
– How to apply: via email (whipic@unesco-whipic.org)
– Prizes
○ A winner will be given about $4,450 (5,000,000 KRW)
○ 2 participants of Prize for Excellence will be given about $445 (500,000 KRW)
For more information and application form, https://bit.ly/2P6bKnO
Facebook Page
03/12/2021
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NEWS
Basanta Panchami: Arrival of Spring
Sister teaching younger brother to write on the wall within the premise of temple. © Monalisa Maharjan
On 16 February 2021, Hindu Buddhist population of Nepal celebrated Basanta Panchami also known as Shree Panchami or Sarashwoti Puja. This day marks the arrival of spring that could be seen with blooming peach trees and other flowers in the neighborhood. This day falls on the fifth day of shukla pakshya (waxing moon phase) of the Nepali month of Magha. So literally basanta panchami means spring on the fifth day of waxing moon.
On this day, the special event is organized in an ancient palace—Hanumandhoka Durbar Square of Kathmandu known as Basanta Shrawan. According executive director of the Hanumandhoka Museum, Mr. Sandeep Khanal, this event has continued since the Malla period (1100 to 1769 CE). At that time and until the monarchy was abolished in 2008, the king used to attend the ceremony. Even though in the Malla period, the ceremony was not known as Basanta Shrawan, but the inscriptions mention about worshipping the god Kamadeva.
Wall of deity full of writings of kids during the worshiping. © Monalisa Maharjan
The president of Nepal as a head of state attends this ceremony accompanied by the prime minister and other VIPs. The ceremony welcomes the spring, the second stanza of book Geet Govinda is recited. From this recitation this ceremony is named Basanata Shrawan. Along with Geet Govinda, Byachali raag is also recited. Priest performs the special worshiping on the auspicious time set by the panchanga samiti (group of astrologers who sets time and date for the auspicious occasions of major events). Normally the auspicious times are in morning and this year the auspicious time was set on 10:17 am. A group of musicians also play sitar in this event.
It is also celebrated as Saraswati Pooja, worshiping the goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. On this day, early morning parents are seen with the kids learning to write on the walls of temple of Goddess Sarashwoti with chalk. This is the symbolic meaning for asking blessing from Goddess Sarashwoti to read and write. On this day many parents start initiating teaching alphabets to the kids. Schools around the country also organize events to worship goddess with various other entertainment programs.
Buddhist in Nepal believes Maha Manjushree arrived to Kathmandu from Lasha on this day. Manjushree is associated with the legends of formation of Kathmandu Valley. Manjushree came to worship the light in the lotus blooming at the center of lake. He could not reach there so, cut the hill (which is now believed to be chovar) with his sword and let water out of the lake. After the drainage of water settlement in the valley stated. Manjushree is one of the Bodhisattva that symbolizes wisdom and worshiped on this day. So along with the Sarashwori Temple, the temples of Manjushree are crowded as well.
So, this day is considered auspicious. For the start of new ventures, building houses or getting married according to the Nepali culture, people check the auspicious date with the astrologers. This day Of Basanta Panchami is considered to be so auspicious that people don’t need to consult for an auspicious date. Therefore, on this day we can see many marriages taking place and people starting new houses or constructing new houses.
As in other many festivals and rituals, this day is also an example of syncretism of Hinduism and Buddhism in Kathmandu Valley.
03/12/2021
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NEWS
Polima Universal Values of the Buton Community
Dr. H. AS. Tamrin MH, Mayor of Baubau City, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia © Gaura Mancacaritadipura
POLIMA (or PO-5 = 5 PO) is an expression containing five universal values: 1) PO-maamaasiaka, 2) PO-piapiara, 3) PO-maemaeaka, 4) PO-angkaangkataka, and 5) PO-bincibinciki kuli. These values or principles fall within the ICH domain of customs and traditions. The philosophical basis in found in the SARAPAANGUNA (Laws of the Buton Sultanate)
These are messages from the Founding Fathers of the Buton community as guidance in social life interaction They are given to create a peaceful, stable, and conducive atmosphere among the people. It is in such a way that government, development, and social life may go on smoothly in a way that is more effective and successful.
Dr. H. AS. Tamrin MH, Mayor of Baubau City, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia © Gaura Mancacaritadipura
The understanding of these five values may be elaborated as follows:
PO-maamaasiaka (root word maasi, meaning affection or love): understanding mutual love and affection,
PO-piapiara (root word piara, meaning to maintain): understanding mutual maintaining, mutual protection, and mutual nursing.
PO-maemaeaka (root word: maea, meaning shame): understanding mutual feelings of shame. The meaning is that if we do something scandalous or improper, we will surely feel ashamed. In our hearts we must be conscious, and feelings must be cultivated so that it is not just ourselves alone who feel shame, but also our parents, our family, our ethnic community, and the school or university where we studied—all will feel contamination and shame for the improper act that we have done. Therefore, we should not dare commit scandalous or shameful acts in any form.
PO-angka-angkataka (the root word is angka, meaning to lift): understanding to mutually lift up, mutual appreciation, and mutual respect. The day to day implementation of this principle is in the form of politeness, good character in the form of speech, behavior and action that are the measure of a person’s personality.
PO-binci-binciki kuli (the root word is binci meaning to pinch, and kuli meaning skin.) Thus binciki kuli means to pinch the skin) This is a figurative expression for an action that causes pain. We certainly don’t like to be pinched. So, therefore, we should not pinch other. Whatever action that causes pain to others and that we don’t like, we should not do to others. If we don’t like being the object of a hoax, we should not pull a hoax on others. If we don’t like to be the object of false accusations, then we should not target false accusations towards others. If we don’t like being cheated, we should not cheat others. In short, actions that we do not like when done to us, we should not do to others. Everything should be evaluated honestly in our deepest heart.
The word “PO” is a prefix meaning “mutual”, or “a reciprocal action”. This implies the principles of equality, equanimity, honesty, and mutual justice.
The relevance of the application of POLIMO principles is quite broad, for example upliftment of peoples’ mentality, and it has been elaborated in a book POLIMA Gema Pancasila dari Baubau (Polima, the Echo of Pancasila from Baubau), now in its second edition.
03/12/2021
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NEWS
Drangyen, Bhutanese Instrument and Lessons
Two drangyens of Bhutan at Linden Museum (public domain image)
The Bhutanese lute, the drangyen, is the oldest and most well-known instrument of Bhutan. The word drangyen itself roughly translates to “hear the melody,” where dra means “melody,” and ngyen means “listen.” The drangyen is often used in religious festivals accompanied by folk dances and stories. Some date back to the eighth century CE when Buddhism was introduced to Bhutan.
The instrument is made from wood (preferably from cypress trees), leather, and yak bone and is about one meter long. Structurally, the top or head is intricately shaped like a sea monster to scare away evil spirits that may be attracted to the beautiful music that the instrument makes. The head stands upon a long fretless neck that attaches to a rounded body that pictures the goddess of music. The seven strings, which are made from the bark fiber of the jute tree, are played with a triangular plectrum made of wood or bone.
Kheng Sonam Dorji is a master folk musician of Bhutan. He has assembled a series of videos that show how the drangyen is made and how to play it. They are available in several lessons on YouTube. Visit the following links to find out more about the drangyen.
Drangyen Lesson -1: Brief Introduction ( with Eng Sub) – YouTube
Drangyen Lesson – 2(A) : Note Introduction & Tunning – YouTube
Drangyen Lesson – 2 (B) : Note Introduction & Tunning – YouTube
Drangyen Lesson – 3: Octave/Yangduen/ Saptak – YouTube
Drangyen Lesson – 4: Fingering & Note familiarization. – YouTube
03/12/2021
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EVENTS
International Symposium on Tugging Rituals and Games to Be Held from 9 to 10 April in Dangjin and Online
2021 Tugging Rituals and Games Poster Image © ICHCAP
The 2021 International Symposium on Tugging Rituals and Games for Its Sustainability, “Living with ICH: Tugging Rituals and Games” will be held for two days from 9 to 10 April with on/offline hybrid format.
In last year, celebrating 5th anniversary of its inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the UNESCO, diverse events had been planned. Though, because of the global pandemic, all were postponed and only December event was held via online.
Therefore, the expectation of this symposium is pretty high, particularly among four countries where done multi-nomination. This symposium aims to understand better the value of the element and its sustainability in present. Notably, the 2003 Convention acknowledges ICH’s re-creativity, as a mainspring of cultural diversity, by communities and groups. The emphasis of the event lies here. It is crucial to share each country’s activities and build a network for vitalizing their ICH safeguarding activities for the sustainable development of humanity.
Not only experts’ multi-angle analysis, two in-depth discussion sessions are prepared. In accordance with Gijisi Juldarigi Festival, the rituals with commentary will be live streamed via ICHCAP YouTube channel on 8 April, too. You can find more information from here.
04/05/2021
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NEWS
2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage
2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting ICH
The citizens of Jeonju are fully aware of the significance of intangible cultural heritage and its need for safeguarding. In particular, they have long recognized and emphasized its power as a resource for enhancing the social, economic, environmental, cultural conditions, as well as tending to the aspirations of all the people living in the global community.
The purpose of the Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage is to encourage the model safeguarding practices of intangible cultural heritage in the global community regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, race, age, gender, or any other political, social, economic or cultural orientation. The model safeguarding practices of intangible cultural heritage shall include any effective method or approach.
The awards are open to Living Human Treasurers (practitioners), groups, communities, administrators, researchers, NGOs, and those who have made substantial contributions for promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Eligibility Criteria
The awards shall go to individual or groups that practice good safeguarding practices of ICH.
Or the awards shall go to local communities, administrators, NGOs or other institutions that practice the modeling development, social solidarity, and cooperation throughout safeguarding practices of ICH.
Or the awards shall go to the individual or groups that have contained international visibility by raising cultural pride of their community during transmitting of ICH.
Or the awards shall go to the individuals or groups that achieve exemplary outstanding performance by practicing cultural diversity through the safeguarding and transmission process of ICH. The awards shall go to the individuals or groups that take the lead in good safeguarding practices of ICH in the global community regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, race, age, gender, or any other political, social, economic or cultural orientation.
Important Dates
February 1, 2021: Open to download 2021 JIAPICH application
March 1, 2021: Start of the application submission date
April 30, 2021: Due date for the application
July 1, 2021: Start of the verification process
July 30, 2021: End of the verification process
August 1, 2021: 2021 JIAPICH Finalist(s) Announced
September (dates TBD), 2021: JIAPICH Award Ceremony (online ceremony TBD)
Adjudication Criteria
Efficient cases of safeguarding practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage and of activating the power and its significance for the future development of the global community as well as for social cohesion, cooperation, and visibility of identity. A good example that has made a significant contribution to the viability of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Additional information about submitting applications and other important information is available here.
03/12/2021
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EVENTS
Inviting New Partner Organizations for ichLinks
ICHCAP invites the new partner organizations for the ichLinks, an Integrated ICH Information-Sharing Platform in the Asia-Pacific Region (www.ichlinks.com).
The partner organizations are key actors who collect and share the ICH information in their respective countries and utilize the shared information to enhance the visibility of ICH and cultural diversity.
Last year, ICHACP designated five partner organizations in Malaysia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. The selected partner organizations shared their ICH data through the ichLinks, and ICHCAP supported them to build their own ICH database as well as to develop digital content.
This year, ICHCAP will designate the 2nd group of partner organizations. The selected organizations are supposed to share their ICH information and may get the financial and/or technical support upon their requests.
Those who wish to be the ichLinks’ partner organization, please send us your application (attachment 3) with the recommendation letter from the related government authorities by 15 June 2021. Among the applied partner organizations, those who need financial and/or technical support, please send us your project proposal (attachment 5) by the same date as above.
For any inquiries on the project, please contact the ichLinks secretariat at ichlinks.secretariat@gmail.com.
04/09/2021
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New and Forthcoming Cultures and Traditions in eHRAF World Cultures & Archaeology (2020-2021)
Relational database table © Shutterstock/Yurich
A popular annual request from our members is for information about how we are growing our culture collections in our eHRAF databases. Below is a brief summary of what cultures and traditions we have added or updated in the past year, followed by a preview of what we will be working on analyzing throughout 2021 to include in eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology.
Please note that the collections added to World Cultures are part of the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS), which was created by George Peter Murdock and Douglas R. White in 1969. The SCCS consists of 186 anthropologically described societies chosen by the sample’s creators to be representative of the world’s cultures. The sample tried to minimize cultural relatedness, so only one society was chosen from a given culture area. Each society is pinpointed in time and space. Researchers coding variables for this sample are expected to adhere to the specified time and place focus. With these additions, eHRAF World Cultures currently has about 97% of the SCCS societies in the database. We are planning to add the remaining SCCS societies to eHRAF World Cultures soon.
Source: https://hraf.yale.edu/new-and-forthcoming-cultures-and-traditions-in-ehraf-world-cultures-archaeology-2020-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0NEzUGXcEyyDpmBJOZP8p1gq6IwSkwgf56gbTmhqwoJHfgoZM6IAKjTGY
03/12/2021
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People on Vanuatu’s Malekula Island Speak More than 30 Indigenous Languages. Here’s Why We Must Record Them
: Indigenous languages preserve ways in which people engage with their environment. CCBY Royce Dodd, Author provided
Malekula, the second-largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago, has a linguistic connection to Aotearoa. All of its many languages are distantly related to te reo Māori, and the island is the site of a long-term project to document them.
Vanuatu has been described as the world’s “densest linguistic landscape,” with as many as 145 languages spoken by a population of fewer than 300,000 people.
Malekula itself is home to about 25,000 people, who among them speak more than thirty indigenous languages. Some are spoken by just a few hundred people.
Indigenous languages around the world are declining at a rapid rate, dying out with the demise of their last speakers. The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues estimates one indigenous language dies every two weeks. As each language disappears, its unique cultural expression and world views are lost as well. Our project in Malekula hopes to counter this trend.
Malekula Languages
The work in Malekula began in the 1990s when the late Terry Crowley hosted a Neve’ei-speaking university student from a small village. The encounter inspired his interest in the island’s many Indigenous languages.
The Malekula project works with communities to facilitate literacy initiatives, often in the form of unpublished children’s books and thematic dictionaries. The research highlights the value of Indigenous languages as an expression of local cultural identity. The Malekula project is a response to the urgent need to record the island’s indigenous languages in the face of significant changes to almost every aspect of traditional life. These changes have brought indigenous languages into contact and competition with colonial English and French and the home-grown Bislama, a dialect of Melanesian pidgin. From education to religion, administration, and domestic life, Bislama is now often the language of choice.
Why is that a problem? The value of indigenous languages lies in the fact that they articulate the way in which people have engaged with and understood their natural environment.
Malekula has a 3,000-year history of human settlement. Each language spoken on the island encodes unique ways in which its speakers have sustained life. Indigenous languages preserve ways in which people engage with their environment.
Another fundamental aspect of indigenous languages is their direct link to cultural identity. In a place where distinctive local identities are the norm, the increasing use of Bislama reduces the linguistic diversity that has been sustained for millennia.
In recent times, the way of life for the people of Malekula has shifted from intensely local communities to broader formal education. Imported religions have similarly influenced local belief systems.
The same centralized governance that facilitates infrastructure development and access to medical care also affects the autonomy of small communities to govern their affairs, including the languages in which children are taught.
Traditionally, linguistic field research has produced valuable research for a highly specialist linguistic audience. Most scholars had no expectation of returning their research to the community of speakers. We initially followed this tradition in writing about the Neverver language of Malekula but grew increasingly dissatisfied with the expectations of the discipline. Looking to modern decolonizing research methodologies and ethical guidelines in Aotearoa, we developed the “first audience principle.” This means indigenous language communities should be the first to hear about any field research findings.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and travel bans brought linguistic fieldwork to an abrupt halt. During this unwelcome hiatus from fieldwork with Malekula communities, it has been tempting to focus on more technical analysis for our fellow academics. But our obligation to communities remains, and we are developing new ways of working with our archived field data in preparation for the time when we can return to Malekula.
This article is based on the free flow of information, the creative commons from https://theconversation.com For the original source with additional links, please visit https://theconversation.com/people-on-vanuatus-malekula-island-speak-more-than-30-indigenous-languages-heres-why-we-must-record-them
03/12/2021
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NEWS
The 1st ichLinks Executive Committee Meeting
The 1st ichLinks Executive Committee Meeting was held on June 29, 2021, online. Representatives of the current partner organizations from five countries (Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam) and future partners from four countries (Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, and Singapore) were present.
During this 1st meeting, the Committee discussed draft Project Guidelines and the Operational Rules of ichLinks Executive Committee, elected the first Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, and shared the progress reports on the status of the first ichLinks supported projects of Mongolia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam. The Committee also discussed the provisional agenda for the 2nd Committee meeting as well as the working-level meeting.
Mr. Rustam Muzafarov (Deputy Chairman, National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Kazakhstan) and Mr. Bui Hoai Son (Director, Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies) were elected as the first Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively. Their term of office is one year, which is until June 28, 2022.
ICHCAP will additionally collect opinions from partner organizations on the Project Guidelines and Operational Rules of the Executive Committee and will discuss them at the 2nd Committee meeting at the end of this year. In addition, by holding a working-level meeting in August, ICHCAP plans to conduct technical training and provide manuals to partner organizations so they can directly upload their ICH data to the ichLinks platform.
The current ICH data of partner organizations uploaded to date can be found in the archives of the ichLinks.
06/30/2021
