ALL
craftspeople
ICH Elements 26
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Traditional art of Jamdani weaving
The art of Jamdani weaving is a time-consuming and labour-intensive form of fabric production by hand on a traditional loom built with wood and bamboo and with little use of metal. Jamdani weaving is based on the traditional knowledge and skills dating back to the fourth century BCE. The distinguishing hallmark of Jamdani weaving is that its designs are neither embroidered nor printed but created directly on the loom in the process of weaving. The product from this style of weaving is called Jamdani, a highly designed cotton fabric which owes its origin to Muslin, the finest and most transparent cotton cloth ever woven by human hand. Of classic beauty, Jamdani effectively combines intricacy of design with muted or vibrant colours. Jamdani is also a highly breathable cotton cloth which brings relief to its users in the hot and humid climatic condition of Bangladesh. The Jamdani weavers have remained in the weaving profession from generations to generations as a means of family livelihood. The element represents Bangladesh’s rich textile heritage, contains significant historic value and has been designated as a unique element of the intangible cultural heritage of the country. Jamdani weaving has survived and thrived due to growing popularity of Jamdani fabrics among Bengali women both at home and abroad. Almost the entire production of Jamdani is carried on in the form of sari, the principal dress of Bengali women. Sari is a long flowing piece of cloth, part of it wrapped around the waist, and the remaining climbs and flows over the shoulder. Women wear more charming or elaborately designed Jamdani saris during festivities and on formal occasions.
Bangladesh 2013
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Kazakh traditional yurt (nomadic dwelling)
Yurt (kaz. 'kigiz uy', 'kiiz uy') - portable housing with dismountable wooden circular frame with felt covering. Its origins date back to the era of ancient Turkic nomads. For modern population of Kazakhstan yurt is not only housing, and the model of the universe; it is also a symbol of their national identity. A yurt is a round folding wooden frame covered with felt and rope weaving. The frame of the yurt consisting of four parts: •\tkerege - ready-sliding base •\t'uyk' ('uyq') - dome poles, roof (modern) •\tshanyrak ('shanyrak') - circular top, a chimney and a window (modern) •\tyessyk ('esik') - double doors (modern) Tent can be easily assembled and disassembled in a short period of time. Yurt is mainly characterized as easily transportable, compact, ecological and practical home. The yurt used as livestock housing in their daily life and urban residents as a gazebo, which reinforces the sense of the continuity of the traditions of their ancestors.
Kazakhstan 2014
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Hüsn-i Hat, traditional calligraphy in Islamic art in Turkey
The Hüsn-i hat is the art of writing with Islamic letters of Arabic origin by using reed pen and soot ink in a measured and proportional manner while taking into consideration of the aesthetic values. A special paper glazed with organic substances (aharlı kağıt), reed pen (kamış kalem), pen-knives, a special slab for trimming the reed pen (makta), inkwell (hokka) and pen case (divit) are the most used tools in its practice traditionally. The Hüsn-i hat is written on special paper, leather or other writing materials and it may also be applied on the surfaces of stone, marble, glass, wood, etc. by using specific techniques. Holding the reed pen and its directions on the paper by the hattat ensures the perfection and compound of letters. There are different styles of writing which have been evolved over centuries: Thuluth, jali, naskh, muhaqqaq, raykhāni, tawqi, riqā’, kufic, ta’liq, nasta’liq, siyaqat, diwani, riq’a, gubari are among the commonly preferred styles. These writing styles, using the tools and traditional craftsmanship related to the element have been transmitted through master-apprentice relation from generation to generation. The Quran, hadiths (statements of the Prophet Muhammad), Turkish laconic and poetical couplets are written with hüsn-i hat. Therefore, hattats have applied Sufistic rituals while writing hüsn-i hat. Apart from the sacred and literal works, the element also practised in state correspondences such as imperial edicts, warrants and religious and public buildings in Seljuk and Ottoman period. Today, the element is still practised in sacred and literal works and religious buildings in Turkey.
Turkey 2021
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Traditional knowledge related to embroidering and making of 'Tush kiyiz’
Tush kiyiz represents intensely embroidered ornamental carpet used to decorate the house. It is of a rectangular shape and embroidered on different types of fabrics. Initially it was used for insulating purposes in the yurt. Most probably, the first wall carpets were made of felt, which is evident from its name: tush – meaning “outer” or “in front”, and kiyiz – meaning “felt.” tush kiyiz is an example of Kyrgyz embroidery. Embroidery is one of the most ancient and most wide-spread crafts of Kyrgyz people. During the centuries Kyrgyz women have developed their own ornamental style, which is dominated by vegetative and zoomorphic motifs such as the ornaments of leafs, branches, flowers as well as round and spiral patterns. Kyrgyz embroidery leaves a lot of room for artistic expression and improvisation. Some Kyrgyz women embroider without stencils based on their own memory and imagination.
Kyrgyzstan
ICH Stakeholders 3
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World Crafts Council International
The World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC-AISBL) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1964 to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income generating craft related activities, organize exchange programs, workshops, conferences, seminars, and exhibitions—and in general, to offer encouragement, help, and advice to the craftspersons of the world. The organization is now formally registered in Belgium as an international organization and AISBL is there the French shortcut for an international association without lucrative purpose. The WCC is organised into five regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The organization is affiliated to UNESCO.\nThe WCC was founded in 1964 by Kamaladevi Chattopadhay and Aileen Osborn Webb (who had founded the American Craft Council in 1943.) The WCC (Europe) meets once a year and the 2011 meeting was held in Dublin, Ireland.\nThe World Crafts Council meets every four years. In 2012, the General Assembly occurred in Chennai when Usha Krishna was the President. After this General Assembly the Presidency will move from India to China. Mr. Wang Shan was the president, Ms. Jing Chen was the Secretary General. In 2014, WCC Golden Jubilee Celebration Summit was held in Dongyang, China, more than 2000 craftspeople from 63 countries participated. In 2016, the General Assembly occurred in Isfahan, Iran from September 22 to 29.
United Kingdom -
Nomadic Civilization Center
The Nomadic Civilization Center named after Kurmanjan Datka located in Ornok village of Issyk-Kul province, Kyrgyz Republic. \n\nThe Center was opened in 2017 with an aim to present to the public general the rich historical and cultural heritage of nomadic people. The Center constantly organizes cultural, educational, and scientific activities for the safeguarding, dissemination, and popularization of nomadic cultural values. Most of the activities of the Center are organized with the support of the local ICH communities e.g. exhibitions and fairs are usually conducted with the close cooperation of the Center and the craftspeople from the village or province.\n
Kyrgyzstan
ICH Materials 83
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Tuku-Osan (Traditional Blacksmithing)
In several rural communities of Timor-Leste, Tuku-Osan—meaning “iron striking” or traditional blacksmithing—remains a respected livelihood and cultural craft. Practitioners, often known as tukun-besi (blacksmiths), transform scrap metal into ritual accessories and functional tools using simple, locally made equipment: a small furnace, a bellows typically fashioned from bamboo or wood, hammers, anvils, and chisels.\n\nThis blacksmithing tradition is not just about utility but also ceremony. Items created include decorative arm rings (li’uli’u), ritual knives, and symbolic metal accessories worn during important events like weddings, funerals, and traditional dances. These artifacts often serve as markers of identity, social status, or ancestral ties.\n\nApprenticeship usually begins at home, with young boys observing and gradually assisting their fathers or uncles in forging metal. Mastery takes years and involves not only technical skill but knowledge of the symbolic meanings tied to each object. For instance, some blades or tools are believed to possess protective properties or spiritual significance, especially when used during sacred rituals or by lia-nain (custom custodians).\n\nThe process itself requires intense physical labor and patience. The blacksmith begins by heating pieces of iron until they are malleable, then striking them repeatedly on an anvil to shape them. The rhythmic clanging of hammer against metal is accompanied by puffs of smoke from the wood-fired furnace—an image that recalls generations of artisans practicing the same technique.\n\nWhile modern materials and factory tools have reduced the demand for handmade ironwork, many rural communities continue to commission traditional blacksmiths for ceremonial needs. These craftspeople are regarded as keepers of ancestral knowledge, and their work is vital to ensuring that elements of Timorese identity endure in tangible form.
Timor 2024 -
Ikat Making
by National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO\nIn “Safeguarding Ikat Making Traditions,” the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO visited the Traditional Crafts Development Center of Marghilan to interview craftspeople and film their thoughts on the meaning of ICH.
Uzbekistan 2017
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ICH Courier Vol.8 ICH AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AS AN OCCUPATIONAL LIVING
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 8 is 'ICH AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AS AN OCCUPATIONAL LIVING.'
South Korea 2011 -
ICH Courier Vol.25 Pictures and Storytelling
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 25 is 'Pictures and Storytelling.'
South Korea 2015
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India’s Disaster Reduction and Management through Intangible Cultural HeritageIt had taken a few weeks for roads to be cleared of rockfalls and to be made safe enough for vehicles carrying essential goods and supplies in the wake of the June 2013 flash floods and landslides in the western Himalayan region, in particular the mountainous state of Uttarakhand. A small team from the specialist center that I was associated with, the Centre for Environment Education Himalaya, was traveling to a few of the villages that had been affected, which were also villages in which the center had been working for some years before the natural disaster. Those in the small group were anxious. There had been no way to contact people in the villages nor even local administrators in the sub-district offices. Phone lines had yet to be restored, and mobile phone towers were being slowly replaced. Had there been casualties amongst the groups the center had trained? Were homes and school buildings still standing? No-one would know until they reached.Year2020NationSouth Korea
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3.18. Rebuilding Lives Through Craft in GujaratKhamir was established on 2005 out of a joint initiative of Kutch Nav Nirmaan Abhiyan (KNNA) and Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) to empower Kutch’s creative industry after a devastating earthquake in 2001. Khamir was originally developed to support craft industries where livelihoods were particularly affected. They also wanted to ensure the sustainability of the necessary resources for growth of handicraft industries. Today, it serves as a platform for promotion of traditional handicrafts and allied cultural practices, the processes involved in their creation, and preservation of culture, community and local environments.Year2017NationIndia