An International Scientific Committee of
ICOMOS

Posts Tagged ‘Traditional knowledge’

Capturing Intangible Heritage Webinar

Australia NSC-ICH Webinar, 5 November 2020, 4-6pm (AEST) – Online

Join us for our annual event on intangible cultural heritage, this year focusing on the diversity of cultures and expressions, and their transmission and recording.

Our three presentations span multiple cultures: from Karanga – the ancient Māori art of calling, to recording and protecting Aboriginal intangible heritage in Victoria, and the challenges of ‘trans-cultural’ intangible heritage in diverse contemporary societies.

Advanced registration is required. Learn more on the website.

Presenters

Women’s business: Karanga as an Expression of Heritage: Lynda Toki & Dr Diane Menzies

Opening and closing with a Karanga, composed by Lynda Toki for this event, Diane Menzies will then speak about Karanga – the ancient art of calling – and explain what it how, how it is used and what it means. This powerful expression of intangible cultural heritage is an important part of women’s roles in traditional Māori culture and protocol.

Recording Indigenous intangible heritage: Dr Coral Montero Lopez & Amanda Goldfarb

The 2016 amendment to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 opened the door to recording and listing Aboriginal intangible heritage, including social, ritual and material expressions, as well as environmental and ecological Indigenous values. This presentation will discuss the legislative requirements involved in registering Aboriginal intangible values.

Recognising intangible trans-cultural heritage in multicultural societies: Dr Mirjana Lozanovska

Multiculturalism in Australia has fostered a population rich in cultural diversity. Customs and practices adapt and connect trans-cultural communities, and affect local environments. What challenges arise from ‘trans-cultural’ intangible heritage for heritage frameworks of identification and value, and how can they be assessed and recorded? 

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Duni zuz ‘utilnilh, ‘tanning moose-hide’: weaving Dakelh (Indigenous) intangible cultural heritage transmission with academia

After many years of colonisation and oppressive policies, Indigenous cultures in Canada are reviving elements of their cultural heritage. As such, numerous Indigenous communities are working with higher learning institutions to safeguard elements of their heritage, specifically, knowledge and land-based practices. In this article, we discuss one case study of Dakelh (Indigenous) knowledge- holders that merged the practice of traditional moose-hide tanning with academic components surrounding issues in cultural heritage. With the intention of transmitting information about the field of ICH as well as safeguarding one Dakelh intangible cultural heritage element, we developed an experiential-learning university course that grounded theoretical issues in Indigenous cultural heritage. In discussing our methodology of merging the two ways of learning and teaching, including the benefits and challenges of such a course, the article elaborates how the combination of traditional and academic methodologies in a university setting can help Indigenous communities transmit their intangible cultural heritage to younger generations.

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Taller de socialización de los resultados preliminares del Diagnóstico de la información disponible relativa a los usos consuetudinarios de la diversidad biológica y los recursos genéticos

El Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de la República Dominicana celebró el “Taller de socialización de los resultados preliminares del Diagnóstico de la información disponible relativa a los usos consuetudinarios de la diversidad biológica y los recursos genéticos” en el que presentó el proyecto “Fortalecimiento de los recursos humanos, marcos legales y capacidades institucionales para implementar el Protocolo de Nagoya” que da seguimiento a los compromisos del país tras la firma del Convenio sobre la Diversidad Biológica y el Protocolo referido.

El Protocolo de Nagoya protege y fortalece los conocimientos tradicionales de las comunidades indígenas y locales cuando están relacionados con recursos genéticos para que estas se beneficien de los beneficios de su uso, innovaciones y prácticas de manera justa y equitativa. Además, incentiva la contribución de la conservación de la diversidad biológica al desarrollo sostenible.

Los objetivos del taller fueron: a) presentar los resultados del diagnóstico de la información disponible sobre los usos consuetudinarios de la diversidad biológica y los recursos genéticos, conocimientos, innovaciones y prácticas tradicionales asociadas a los mismos; b) hacer recomendaciones para la protección de los conocimientos tradicionales asociados a los recursos genéticos; y c) garantizar la participación activa de los portadores de las referidas tradiciones en la República Dominicana.

Durante el evento fueron entregados los documentos siguientes:

  1. Protocolo de Nagoya sobre acceso a los recursos genéticos y participación justa y equitativa en los beneficios que se deriven de su utilización al Convenio sobre la diversidad biológica (texto y anexo).
  2. Política de acceso a recursos genéticos y distribución de beneficios (ABS) de la República Dominicana.
  3. Reglamento de acceso a recursos genéticos, conocimientos tradicionales asociados a distribución justa y equitativa de beneficios de la República Dominicana.

Entre las recomendaciones finales del evento estuvieron: Fortalecer la legislación nacional y su implementación para la protección de los conocimientos de los portadores de tradiciones; sistematizar, ampliar, conservar y difundir los inventarios; normar solicitudes de patentes asociadas a manifestaciones del patrimonio cultural inmaterial, previamente avaladas por las instituciones competentes; crear dependencia que dé seguimiento a los conocimientos tradicionales en el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales; priorizar la conservación de la biodiversidad nativa (flora y fauna); sistematizar los estudios de impacto cultural en estudios ambientales e incluir al Ministerio de Cultura en el Comité Nacional de Biodiversidad para contribuir con la salvaguardia del patrimonio cultural inmaterial de la República Dominicana.

Nerva Fondeur

ICOMOS International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICICH)

REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA  

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Sentinel Sites in a Cosmo–Political Seascape

We describe here a pattern of archaeological sites that suggest that ‘mainland’ Aboriginal people were viewed by their Torres Strait neighbours as being specialists in particular ritual knowledge. The region under consideration includes the northern-most tip of the Australian continent and extends northward through Torres Strait to Papua. Our study area focuses on the southern end of the region: the Australian mainland as well as Pabaju (Albany Island), Muri (Mt Adolphus Island) and associated islands and islets. Archaeological investigation over many years reveals a high density of ritual sites over this relatively small area. These include sites on prominent headlands. The density and visibility of sites could be interpreted as both marking and ‘marketing’ ritual expertise. The location of some of the sites also suggests they served as ‘sentinels’ within a cosmo-political seascape. Far from having an impoverished role in regional exchange networks, Australian mainlanders clearly held something of extraordinary value that drew people from the Torres Strait to their shores. We contend that southern reciprocity in regional trade and exchange may have been based on intangible knowledge transactions, in particular, knowledge related to increase ritual.
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A network of traditional knowledge: the intangible heritage of water distribution in Bahrain

Traditional knowledge of the system of water distribution to farmlands sharing the same scarce fresh water resources has created relationships which are based on justice and equal rights among members of the farming communities of Bahrain. Over the centuries, the need to manage water irrigation led to the development of customary codes which regulated schedules of irrigation, the division of water resources and their equitable distribution. This framework was informed by both pre- Islamic customary oral traditions and Islamic ethics, and was transmitted from generation to generation. The inherited intangible heritage of irrgation law is complex and remained in use until the 1960s. In more recent times, individual farmers using water pumps and networks of pipelines of government treated sewage effluent (TSE) were not motivated to maintain traditional water management customs and have consequently stopped attending communal gatherings and disregarded the customary laws which regulated notions of fairness among them for centuries. The resulting uncontrolled usage of the underground aquifers y those digging their own wells has in many areas, led to over-exploitation of water resources and to the increased salinisation of the underground water reservoirs. At present, initiatives are being set up to raise awareness of A network of traditional knowledge: the intangible heritage of water distribution in Bahrain the importance of the customary irrigation laws in ensuring the fair distribution and sustainability of a rare resource on the island. Fortunately, a number of Bahraini farmers continue to follow the traditional codes and have become valuable knowledge bearers who are encouraged to share their wisdom and skills with their colleagues. In this article, the authors document aspects of the sophisticated intangible heritage of customary water irrigation law in Bahrain, covering its features, key players, and the cross-generational transmission as part of an oral knowledge system, which in parts survived and in other parts ceased to exist. They further highlight how this ancient knowledge can become a basis for sustainable water resource management in Bahrain, as well as playing a role in disseminating notions of fairness, equity and consent, public deliberation and conflict resolution.
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