Folklore and Crafts
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) includes many old but also contemporary traditions, practices and customs such as stories and fairy tales, religious events, local fairs, languages and dialects, songs, foods, beliefs and cultural practices.
Our communities value these everyday traditions, which are learned by doing. They are passed along not only over time from generation to generation, but also shared between groups across space.
ICH is kept alive and is relevant to a culture when it is regularly practised, and learned within communities and between generations. Therefore communities should attempt to connect cultural leaders with youth and children to ensure the intergenerational sharing of ICH.
To preserve and promote ICH in our community we should:
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document ICH and living traditions
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recognize and celebrate ICH with events
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support and encourage the passing on of knowledge and skills to the next generations
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acknowledge ICH as a resource for community development
Traditional craftsmanship is perhaps the most tangible manifestation of intangible cultural heritage.
There are numerous expressions of traditional craftsmanship like for example tools, clothing and jewellery, and costumes and props for festivals and performing arts. The skills involved in creating craft objects are as varied as the items themselves and range from delicate, detailed work such as producing paper votives to robust, rugged tasks like creating a sturdy basket or thick blanket.
Like other forms of intangible cultural heritage, globalization poses significant challenges to the survival of traditional forms of craftsmanship and the goal of safeguarding, as with other forms of intangible cultural heritage, is to ensure that the knowledge and skills associated with traditional artisanry are passed on to future generations so that crafts can continue to be produced within their communities, providing livelihoods to their makers and reflecting creativity.
Local, traditional markets for craft products can also be reinforced, while at the same time creating new ones. Many people around the world enjoy handmade objects which mirror the accumulated knowledge and cultural values of the craftspeople and which offer a softer alternative to the numerous ‘high tech’ items that dominate global consumer culture.
Legal measures, such as intellectual property protections and patent or copyright registrations, can help a community to benefit from its traditional motifs and crafts. Sometimes, legal measures intended for other purposes can encourage craft production; for example, a local ban on wasteful plastic bags can stimulate a market for handmade paper bags and containers woven from grass, allowing traditional craft skills and knowledge to thrive. In some situations, legal measures may need to be taken to guarantee the access rights of communities to gather resources, while also ensuring environmental protection.