Elements
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EE00002512
Yaldā/Chella
“Yaldā/Chella” is an ancient celebration whereby the brilliance of the sun along with the warmth of life are cherished. This event coincides with an increase in day-length in the region The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere corresponds to Dey 1st (December 22nd) in the Iranian calendar and Ghovs 30th (December 21st) in the Afghans calender . On the occasion of the last night of autumn, families get together. This family reunion often takes place at the houses of elders where people meet around a table called “Yaldā/Chella Night Sofrah”. “Yaldā/Chella Night Sofrah” consists of a lamp that symbolizes light, water that represents cleanliness, red fruits such as pomegranates, watermelons, beetroots, jujube and red and green grapes that demonstrate warmth along with serving broth (Ash), sweets, dried fruits and nuts special to this occasion, all set on “Yaldā/Chella Night Sofrah” and consumed during the nightly gathering. The Sofrah usually comes in red and is traditionally spread on the floor or on Korsi/chairs. The red color used in various components of the Sofrah refer to the reddish sky after the dusk and before the dawn. This feature showcases the relationship between this celebration with the ancient rituals of a Mithraism, i.e. worshiping the goddess of the sun. In Afghanistan, people believe that the devil invades houses at this night and they set fire at their houses to prevent entrance of evil and ugliness (embodied as the devil) to their houses. The type of activities in this celebration ranges from reciting poems, storytelling, reciting Hafiz's poems or referring to them for pleasane omens, reciting verses from the epic poetic masterpiece of Shahnameh, listening to or playing music, singing and giving gifts to new in-laws/brides and children, indoor games and enjoying “Yaldā/Chella Night Sofrah” goodies and items. Women play a key role in this ceremony. Children are also considered as the future bearers/practitioners of the element. The elders are valued as its bearers. While observing “Yaldā/Chella” items such as cultural identity, attention to nature, and respect for women, friendship, hospitality, cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence are manifested and respected.
Iran,Afghanistan 2022 -
EE00002511
Turkmen-style needlework art
In both Submitting States Turkmen-style needlework is an object of decorative applied art, combining the skills of a certain creative work on different types of fabric. In Turkmenistan, it is the national costumes of women, men, young people, boys, girls, elderly women and men. In Iran, it is mostly the costumes of the Iranian Turkmen enthic group living in the northen parts of Iran but nowadays, it is widely welcomed and used by all Iranians. In both Submitting States, Turkmen-Style needlework begins with the preparation of natural thin silk threads which intertwined together in three (3) layers and twisted into one thread, then straightened with a large needle and the excess is removed. After twisting the three layers separately, the thread itself acquires a kind of shine. The left and right sides are used to create the loops, the dimensions can vary as desired. Piercing the fabric with a thin needle with the right hand, a loop is created, which must be preserved until the next loop is created, held by the thumb of the left hand. Depending on the dominant hand of the Needlewomen, the looping process will happen in the reverse direction. This is the most common needlework style. There are also other Needlework styles that vary depending on the local creativity. Totally, there are seven skills called “Ilme”, “Basma”, “Pugtama”, “Jakhek”, “chekmek”, “El gayma”, “Chigme”. The patterns used, also reveal the territorial identity of the Needlewomen mostly in rural areas. The patterns also symbolise love, freindship, nature, strengnth, etc. Almost all of the needleworkers in both countries are women but in the related jobs such as making the needlework tools, men are also involved. There is no age limits for practicing the element. Traditionally, young girls do it when they are small children learning from their mothers and grandmothers through informal method as a necessary life skill. Its social functions and cultural meaning are wedding dress for bride and groom, used in funerals, cultural events e.g. Nowrouz/Nowruz Celebration, decorative parts of ordinary costumes including: scarfs, manteau, pants, shawls; accessories like headbands, wristbands, necklace, cosmetics bags, women’s wallets/bags/backpacks. Nowadays, this Human-Rights-friendly element is also utilised for contemporary home decorations e.g. table cloth, cushion/pillow sheets, bed covers, wall hangings, & etc.
Iran,Turkmenistan 2022 -
EE00002509
The telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja/MollaNesreddin/Molla Ependi/Apendi/Afendi Kozhanasyr/ Nasriddin Afandi anecdotes
The Telling Tradition of Nasreddin Hodja/Molla Nesreddin/Molla Ependi/Apendi/Afendi Kozhanasyr/Nasriddin Afandi Anecdotes is an intangible cultural heritage element on social practices and festivals related to the tradition of telling anecdotes. It is transmitted orally among generations and is shaped around Nasreddin who became a symbol of humor and wisdom. Although there are slight differences about images, names and anecdotes of Nasreddin in communities, the main features of the element have been shared as a common heritage in the Submitting States. Communities acknowledge that he was a wise person who analyzed the society well and gathered shared intelligence, thought and life experience of people in his own personality. The anecdotes of him are short and intensive narrations transmitted through oral tradition and written sources, attributed to Nasreddin whose reputation spread to the wide geographical area. Some of the anecdotes have become classic, and the epigrams of these anecdotes have turned into idioms and proverbs in time. His anecdotes are intensely practiced in the printed and visual media as well as in the oral tradition and especially in the programs prepared for children. In the anecdotes of Nasreddin, the components of wisdom, repartee, witticism, common sense, absurdity and surprise merged firm and these are distinguishing features of the anecdotes. Nasreddin breaks very often accepted norms and concepts, while finding an extraordinary way out of the situation, where he is always the winner, by the power of word. Anecdotes call for humor, satire, sarcasm, and cynicism, to reveal the negative traits of people. However, the anecdotes is a genre with an instructive, entertaining function, a profound meaning that ends with moral, intellectual, and logical results. His anecdotes include relations of different people and their behaviors in various situations. Through his anecdotes, all kinds of unpleasant behaviors are being criticized and judged through humor. Communities in the Submitting States enrich conversations with his anecdotes and support speeches with his witticism. His anecdotes are narrated easily by everyone to strengthen any thought by giving examples in the dailylife, to convince other people or to explain a situation. In some Submitting States, although there is no specific narrator or teller of these anecdotes, the artists of traditional theatre use the element to enrich their narratives and to entertain people. On the other hand, there are specific tellers of the anecdotes in some Submitting States (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan). The anecdote tellers select words and perform with great care. In this sense, it mostly depends on knowledge, understanding, thinking, performance culture and skill of the performer to tell anecdotes in meaningful, impressive and funny way. It is important for performer to know various life situations, possess an impressive culture of speech, and make use effectively and skillfully his face, eye, hand, and body movements. In Submitting States, local administrations, municipalities, universities and NGOs which play significant roles in transmission of the element, organize various activities and festivals periodically for commemoration of Nasreddin at local, national and international levels. Public participation in these festivals and activities is considerably high.
Turkey,Uzbekistan,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Azerbaijan 2022 -
EE00002508
Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of Korea
Talchum is a performing art that encompasses dance, music, and theatre. An ensemble of six to ten musicians accompanies masked performers who sing and dance and exchange verbal interactions through theatrical movements. The primary themes satirized by traditional mask dance dramas include the hypocrisy of Buddhist monks, the arrogance of the yangban nobility, and people's suffering under the male-dominated patriarchal system. Diverse social issues are humorously explored through dramatic combinations of songs, dances, movements, and words. Masks with exaggerated archetypical representations of everyday personages are an indispensable element in the presentation of talchum. A Korean mask dance drama does not require a formal stage: Any empty space can become a venue for talchum. The audience for a masked-dance drama are not passive spectators, but important participants. They complete the production with their cheers and jeers as the drama unfolds. Talchum is a dynamic theatrical flow of action and sound created through the combined efforts of both the players and spectators. This flexibility provided to talchum by the audience's active participation and its thematic orientation toward social criticism gave birth to the unique phenomenon of large-scale transmission of talchum among young people, particularly university students, during the 1970-80s. This generation continues to play a critical role in the transmission of talchum. In talchum, physical and emotional conflict among the characters always ends in a dance of reconciliation. While criticizing that which needs to be criticized, talchum always aims toward a greater unity.
Republic of Korea 2022 -
EE00002507
Sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving
In all submitting states, sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving includes series of practices traditional knowledge, skills and crafts of the communities concerned related to growing mulberry trees, breeding silkworms, producing silk threads, for weaving and other purposes. Farmers grow mulberry trees that provide leaves upon which the worms feed, then produce silkworm eggs and ensure care of the silkworm (feeding with mulberry leaves) from the egg stage until the completion of the cocoon (turning matured silkworms to cocoons). Communities then produce silk by reeling from the silk threads, weave silk fabrics and use the fabrics in crafts. Craftspeople of both genders produce raw silk by means of raising larvae, particularly those of the domesticated silkworm to form the cocoon within which the larvae develop. The silkworm builds its cocoon by surrounding itself with a long fibre or filament. Fed by fresh mulberry leaves, silkworms start to spin their silken cocoons after 26-28 days. The whole process begins in March to September depending on the climate. The cocoons are collected before pupa pierces its cocoon and then those collected cocoons are dried. Silk containing sericin is called “raw silk”. The gummy substance is usually retained until the yarn or fabric stage and is removed by boiling the silk in soap and water. Communities then bathe cocoons which then soften and allow for the peak of the thread to be obtained. In order to obtain raw silk, several cocoons that gave the threads are put on reeling process at the same time. In order to clean up and to dry, obtained raw silk is taken from reel and hanged on the reed. In the preparation for the weaving process, people twist threads and unwind warps. After drawing-in and wimple is made ready, the weaving process begins. In order to remove cerasine fabrics, woven with raw silk yarn, people boil the fabrics in water containing soap. After boiling process, communities color and trace the fabrics by using various traditional methods. Craftspeople use the silk threads to create various types of craft products, such as fabrics, carpets. The products of silk are very much appreciated within the communities, who use them at various social and cultural occasions, including weddings, funerals and family gatherings. Deeply rooted in the traditions of the Great Silk Road, sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving are an expression of cultural identity, centuries-old traditions and a symbol of social cohesion. While the silk trade has been carried out throughout the centuries, it has allowed spreading the silk culture, health and science among communities of the submitting states. In all submitting states silk functions as the symbol of splendor, elegance and spring. In all submitting states, silk producers are mostly villagers and they work cooperatively and they have special ceremonies for silk when it is produced.
Iran,Turkey,Afghanistan,Uzbekistan,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Azerbaijan 2022 -
EE00002503
Crafting and playing the Oud
Oud is the name of a short-necked lute-type musical instrument that is a plucked chordophone instrument with a historical background dating back to ancient times, in both countries. It is placed on the player's leg, and the performer stops the frets with the fingers of one hand and plucks with the other hand. The oud in both Syria and Iran consists of a sound box, which looks pear-shaped and is made of ribs of either walnut, rose, poplar, ebony or apricot wood. Walnut wood is usually the wood of choice because of its flexibility and beautiful color gradients. The ribs were shaped by moulds. The neck is attached to a soundbox which bears a pegbox. Three soundholes are made on the soundboard for technical and decorative reasons. Crafting a complete Oud takes 20-25 days. The natural wood is left to dry and harden, then it is treated with water and steam for a period of 15 days to build its durability. Ouds are crafted in different sizes for different sized-bodies, and beautifully decorated with wodden carvings and mosaic patterns. The soundboard is sometimes decorated in Eslimi patterns. The instrument slightly varies in size in different regions. The number of oud strings in both countries are 5 twin strings, and a sixth string can be added to the oud according to the wish of each craftsman by making additional tunes. The compass of this instrument is in bass and baritone ranges. It can produce both melodic and harmonic tones. It is performed solo as well as in ensembles. As this Human-Rights-friendly element is historically deep-rooted in the region, it is played in a very wide range of events including weddings, cultural events, festivals, family gatherings, and funerals accompanied by traditional songs and dance. Therefore, it serves as an identity-marker. The element is transmitted through master-apprentice training and it is also taught through musical centres and institutes, colleges and universities in urban areas. Players of both genders usually undergo years of training, and a skilled practitioner is able to improvise tunes. Grafters are mostly men although in recent years young women have developed an interest in crafting.
Iran,Syria 2022 -
EE00002501
Culture of Çay (tea), a symbol of identity, hospitality and social interaction
Tea culture is an essential part of social and cultural life and is an important social practice aiming to show hospitality, celebrate important moments in lives of communities and helping them to build and maintain social relationships and enjoy moments by drinking tea for social exchange and interaction. It also represents knowledge, traditions and skills linked to cultivating, preparing and drinking tea by communities in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Tea is an agricultural plant the leaves and buds of which are used to make beverage. Tea plant transforms into dried leaves after steps such as plucking, withering, disruption, oxidation and drying. Although there are different types and brewing techniques in both countries, communities harvest and consume mostly the black tea. Traditional techniques used in preparing and harvesting tea led to development of special tools and vessels such as teapots, samovars, silver tray, woven tea baskets and tea plucking shear. Communities brew tea by using a great variety of kettles, produced in traditional craftsmanship, called “çaydan” or “çaynik” in Azerbaijan, a double container called "çaydanlık" (tea pot) in Turkey and samovar in both countries. Water is boiled in the larger pot and tea leaves are added to the smallest pot. Samovar is a traditional copper, clay, metal or brass container used to heat and boil water for brewing tea in smaller teapot, which is put on samovar. This method allows people to drink tea as they desire: strong or light. In rural areas especially, communities use metal samovars or “çaydanlık” heated with wood. Tea is traditionally served in special pear-shaped cups called “armudu” (literally, “pear-like”), made from glass, porcelain, faience, and silver in Azerbaijan and similarly small tulip-shaped glass, which is called “ince belli bardak” (thin waist glass) in Turkey. Communities traditionally serve tea freshly, brewed and hot, accompanied with various sweets, pastry, sugar, slices of lemon, jams and dried fruits. In different regions of Azerbaijan, communities also add local spices and herbs to tea, such as cinnamon, ginger and thyme. There is a special style of drinking tea with sugar called “kıtlama” or “dishleme” in both countries. In this style, tea is drunk by placing a piece of sugar between tongue and chin instead of pouring sugar directly into glass.
Turkey,Azerbaijan 2022 -
EE00002487
Munkeatha (Magic, Supernatural Powers)
Cambodians, as well as some other nations in the world, believe in "Acphek Tamacheat,’ "Supernatural" in English, or "Surnaturel" in French. It is believed that nature has a special and mysterious power that cannot be seen or explained. Around us, there are various kinds of in-humans such as ghosts, demons, and monsters ... who sometimes hurt people. Besides, those invisible inhuman, witchcraft can cause people to be in great pain, madness, delusion, or even death, so in order to escape or avoid those dark magics, one must find something to protect oneself and it is known as "Mun Keatha". Mun Keatha is a word for self-defense (can be Khmer or Pali) in times of emergency, such as during a war. As for those who know the magic, most of them are monks, priests or elders who have been ordained or through a family line. It is believed that the effective use of occultism depends on the obedience of each individual, for those who possess occultism also need to adhere to certain traditions. Keatha has more than that and there are so many types. Some Keathas can be recited with the mouth, while others can be ‘Saek’ or spread on things like oil, wax, perfume, etc… to apply on hair or body. Sometimes it is mixed with herbs or some plants and eaten to get the ingredients and magic into the body to heal from disease and have power. For example, Sbaek kong (can’t be hurt) is a combination of medicinal plants boiled together and is said to wake up the Keatha.
Cambodia -
EE00002447
Khsae Mouy
" Khsae Mouy or one string" is a kind of musical instrument that can be played solo or as part of other traditional music ensemble such as Arak and Pleng Kar orchestra like chapei Dang Veng. This string instrument is a sound box made of ripe gourd fruit (round gourd type) made of wood, about 0.80 m long, and has a string made of copper wire. A string has a beautiful sound. When playing, they meet the gourd shell to the chest and fasten the rope with copper nails worn on her left finger. A string is an old fire instrument, as can be seen in the carvings of ancient temples such as the Bayon Temple. In addition to accompanying a stringed song, you can also accompany chanting and story narration, as well as interact with a partner who is also a stringed player or with a Chapei Dang Veng player. Like the Chapei singer, the one who plays and sings Khsae Mouy used to be a venerated, learned to understand the Dharma and literature deeply and very wise. During the 1940s, one of the most famous and prominent stringed performers and singers was Phirum Pheasa Ouk Ou, also known as Ngoy, who used to perform dharma instruction to instruct the villagers with a stringed instrument and long chapei. His name became famous until the King gave him the title of "Phirumpeasa". Mr. Phirum Phasa has another well-known correspondent, Grandpa Chumtob sun. Nowadays, this string instrument has been incorporated into the curriculum of the Secondary School of Fine Arts.
Cambodia -
EE00002446
Ayai (Improvised Folk Song and Theatre)
"Ayai" is a popular art form that entertains audiences through dancing, singing and joke. Most Ayai singers have been ordained (Buddhist monks) or well-rounded individuals. They are eloquent with words, have a good sense of humor, fast learners who can memorize a long storyline and are flexible. They have to unexpectedly create lyrics to suit the context of the ceremony or event. There are two types of Ayai: Ayai Chhlang Chler and Ayai Reoung. Ayai Chhlang Chler performed as duel, a man and a woman pitching their wits against each other through singing, and dancing humorously. The lyrics can be sung according to the knowledge and talent of the artist in education, social issues, poems, legends, fairy tales and other stories. Whereas Ayai Reoung is a type of performance which performers follow a storyline, long or short. The story that is brought to perform, whether it is a fairy tale or a modern written story, is mostly a funny one. The performance also includes dancing, singing, and challenging with or to their performance partner, just like Ayai Chhlang Chler. The accompaniment of Ayay is called "Ayay ensemble", which includes instruments such as: Tro Ou, Tro Duong Toch (or Troso), Khim, Krapeu (Tak Ke or Tak), flute, ching and rounded earth drum. There are around 15 music used in this Ayay orchestra and those are: Hom Rong, Kanseng Krahom, Ayay worship song, Bampey klay song, Tan Chao song, Dil La song, Soy Sangvar song, Sen Sranoh song, Chab Chhay song, Yil Yog song, Teka Mong song, bird walking on the ground song and hunter Prey or Chao Phim song.
Cambodia -
EE00002445
Kumnab (Poems, lyrics)
Poetry is a collection of words that have a catchy ending, sometimes sweet, using a method of composition with rules. There are phrases and the number of syllables depends on the type of song. Poetry in the heart language of a poet can make the reader or listener excited, happy, sad, loving, angry, hateful and hurt. It is not clear when Khmer poetry originated, although in Cambodia there is evidence of Sanskrit poetry in pre-Angkor era inscriptions. On the other hand, Khmer poets learned poetry from Indian and the content is embedded with a deep religious philosophy, composed to praise the gods or the power of the king. The concept of writing is very different from Khmer poetry, which is a popular word written for entertainment, in which it describes the feelings, emotions, poets or other stories in daily life. The surviving and oldest Khmer language poem is the Reamker poem, which, through the study of words, was written between the 16th and 17th centuries and the poem "Angkor Wat" was composed by an aspirant in 1620 – song. The poem "Song" is found only in the first part of the Reamker story, which proves to be the oldest "remaining poem". Apart from this, the story of Reamker and the story of Angkor Wat is usually composed of three types of poems, namely, "Bat Pumnol" (or called "MohaChey"), * Poems "and" Bak kakete" and Prum kate.
Cambodia -
EE00002340
The five Cultural Protected Water Body(CPWB) Types in Fiji
The five Cultural Protected Water Body(CPWB) Types in Fiji A total of five Cultural Protected Water Body types (CPWBs) were found to be practiced to varying degrees in Fiji: 1.Funerary protected area 2.‘‘Conception of eldest child’’, ‘ 3.‘Meconium’’, 4.Male ‘‘Circumci- sion’’, and ‘5.‘Chiefly investiture’’. The five CPWB types in both freshwater and marine systems of Fiji encompass the life cycle of an iTaukei, from conception until death (Fig. 3). Conception protected area (ConcPA) Anon (1896), reporting on reasons for the decline in iTaukei population, documented that 50% of first-born children died, and the rate was almost as high for the second and third child. This high mortality rate was attributed to stillbirth, abortion (Hocart 1912; Henderson 1931), ignorance (Deane 1921), and women planting and fishing until the day of birth (Hocart 1912; Thomson 1968). Women of noble birth had privileged treatment (Henderson 1931), where the first born, known as dra tabu, meaning ‘holy blood’ (Tuwere 2002), were pampered starting from conception (Seruvakula 2000). For three to eight months, the expecting mother does not cut her hair or bathe, and is prohibited from all chores so as to prevent miscarriage (Hocart 1912; 1952). On her eighth month of pregnancy, she goes fishing, and the catch was used in a feast known as isilisili ni bukete, or bathing of the pregnant mother (Hocart 1912). Deane (1921), on the other hand, reported that she remained in her house until 100 nights after birth, after which she bathed in the river, followed by a feast. Between these authors, only Hocart (1952) explicitly stated that the river was tabu after birth. Meconium During labor, the presence of meconium stained amniotic fluid in the baby’s trachea can be indicative of fetal stress and hypoxia, which in the past would require suctioning to remove as it is known to cause respiratory distress and can be fatal (Ahanya et al. 2005). Historically, an iTaukei baby would be given candlenut juice from the Aleurites mollucana plant to induce vomiting of the ‘‘bad drink while in the womb’’ (Toganivalu 1911; Hocart 1912). Normally, newborns will physically pass meconium within 24 to 48hours of birth. Delays beyond this can be life threatening to the baby’s health (Buonpane et al. 2019), which could be the reason why sighting of first excrement in the past was celebrated with a feast. Other than two districts actively practicing MecPA, 150 (92%) never have, while nine have ceased. An example of the latter is Fulaga island in Lau province (Thompson 1940) where the practice has ceased. From community interviews, an elder in his sixties from Koroalau District in Vanua Levu, reported that MecPA was never a practice, despite Hocart (1952) reporting it as being the case in the past. In Naitasiri Province, an interviewee who was 10 years old in 1975, recalled his father explaining of a MecPA being implemented for their chief’s eldest son. Back then, leaves known as culugi were used for wrapping the Chief’s eldest son’s first excrement before placement at sea. That portion of the sea was then tabu for 100 nights. Since that time, the interviewee has not seen MecPA being implemented. One of the reasons provided was conflicts over chieftainship; the incumbent was not installed traditionally, which negated most rituals customarily accorded to a chief. Conversely, a Naitasiri informant explained that MecPAs are occasionally done today but only by those who have the traditional and financial resources. Where it is done, it is referred to as ‘wai ni dei xx’, or ‘water for xx’s meconium’ where xx is the child’s name.
Fiji