Materials
traditional costumes
ICH Materials 148
Publications(Article)
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Mongolian Culture and HeritageThe culture of the Central Asian steppes expresses itself vividly in the lifestyle of traditional nomadic practices. Mongolian culture has been in practice in the nomadic life and the traditions surrounding the nomad’s home (ger). And it is present in religious celebrations, national festivals, art and crafts, music and dance, language and literature, which form the backbone of Mongolian intangible cultural heritage of Mongolia. Mongolia is filled with valuable cultural properties and intangible cultural heritage of humanity that have been kept or practiced for thousands of years.\n\nGer, Mongolian Traditional Dwelling\nThe traditional architecture of the Mongols differed strongly from that of the settled peoples of Asia and other continents. Centuries ago, there the ger, also known as a yurt, appeared. It still offers shelter to nomads in particular places in Central Asia. Its development and fundamental principles are determined by the specific features of the way of life of Mongol tribes, which made it necessary to evolve a light and collapsible structure to be used as a dwelling or for public functions.\n\nMongolian Language and Literature\nMongolian is the language of most of the Mongolian population and inner Mongolia. By origin, Mongolian is one of the Altaic family of languages, and the history of the Mongolian language is long and complicated. Significant literary work of early Mongolia includes The Secret History of the Mongols, which was published in 1228).\n\nMongolian Religion and Beliefs\nThe Mongols have practiced several religions, of which Shamanism and Buddhism were the most common. The faith in Mongolia is Buddhism, though the state and religion were separated during the socialist period, but with the transition to the parliamentary republic in the 1990s, there has been a general revival of faiths across the country\n\nMongolian Art and Crafts\nMongolian arts and crafts have been passed down across generations from the Paleolithic times to today, leaving behind deep impressions on all facets of life and conscious, aesthetic, and philosophical thinking. Highly developed Mongolian arts and crafts come from the second millennium BCE. The works included sculptured heads of wild animals with exaggerated features. Other items include knives, daggers, and other items of practical and religious use.\n\nMongolian Music and Dance\nMusic is an integral part of Mongolian culture. Among Mongolia’s unique contributions to the world’s musical culture are the long songs, overtone singing, and morin khuur (the horse-headed fiddle). The music of Mongolia is also rich with varieties related to the various ethnic groups of the country. Among the most popular forms of modern music in Mongolia are Western pop and rock genres and the mass songs written by contemporary authors in the form of folk songs.\n\nHorse Culture of Mongolia\nIt is famously known that horses play a large role in the Mongols’ daily and national lives. Common sayings are, “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings,” and “Mongols are born on horseback” these are arguably true words. Even today, horse-based culture is still practiced by nomadic Mongolians.\n\nVisit https://www.toursmongolia.com/tours for additional information about Mongolian culture.\n\nPhoto 1 : Prairie meadow grass inner Mongolia traditional clothing © Batzaya Choijiljav\nPhoto 2~7 : © Batzaya ChoijiljavYear2020NationMongolia
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A COMMUNITY SAFEGUARDING ITS LIVING HERITAGE, LKHON KHOLOn the east bank of the Mekong River about fifteen kilometers from Phnom Penh is Wat Svay Andet, a Buddhist monastic community mainly supported by two villages, Ta Skor and Peam Ek of Lvea-em District, Kandal Province. Wat Svay Andet is home to lkhon khol, a kind of theatre with recitation in which actors are all males, wear lacquer masks, and perform only scenes from Reamker, a Cambodian version of the Sanskrit Ramayana epic. This dance drama is accompanied by pinpeat, a traditional orchestra of percussion instruments. Although the dance is performed by villagers, the costumes and ornaments are as magnificent as those of classical court dance.Year2016NationSouth Korea
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Section 3 Alternative RealitiesTuong (Hat Boi), introduced in this section, is a traditional Vietnamese classical drama that causes Vietnamese people to consider their past and present lives. Tuong, a kind of mask drama that combines music and dance, features distinctive makeup and costumes. It dramatizes Vietnamese folk tales or fables, and can also be based on scripts created with historical, political, social, and cultural settings. It portrays figures from various walks of life including kings, queens, generals, maids, ladies, and students, and aesthetically depicts lessons on human deeds, such as sacrifice for the greater cause, and heroic characters.Year2023NationViet Nam
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The Tradition of Acheik Weaving in MyanmarIn Myanmar, people wear traditional clothes, prominently acheik longyi (skirt) in events such as weddings, novitiation ceremonies, and national gatherings. When you find a lady wearing acheik longyi abroad, she is certainly from Myanmar. Myanmar people regard acheik textiles an important aspect of the identity of the people of Myanmar, representing tradition and practice of a thriving culture.\n\nLuntaya acheik is an indispensable item that projects the social status of women. The term lun means shuttle and taya means a hundred. Acheik, on the other hand, means connect, and it is also the term for tapestry weaving methods. So luntaya achiek is a kind of woven cloth with threads crossing under and over each other on plain textile using many shuttles. Acheik textiles have flourished since the nineteenth century CE. During the ancient period, achiek was used for royal costumes; ordinary people were not allowed to wear achiek. The highest ranking officials, royal services, and merchants could only wear achiek if the king rewarded them. Until now, achiek workshops are mainly based in Amarapura, Sagaing, and Mandalay in upper Myanmar.\n\nFor the weaving process, three of four raw silk threads are twisted tightly with the aid of a machine for tautness and smoothness. After that, silk-woven faces are removed by washing in boiling nut soap liquid. This step helps the fabric become softer than ordinary silk thread. While boiling the silk, colors can be added to dye the thread. And then, the dyed threads are washed with water and placed under the sun to dry. For weaving, the silk threads are kneaded onto bobbins, and then the bobbins are attached to the loom; the weavers will then weave the desired achiek patterns. Between one hundred and three hundred small bobbins are used to weave intricate and complex acheik designs. Traditional acheik have a lot of names according to the designs, depending on the color usage and the number of small bobbins. There are fifty-two kinds of classic achiek designs, and they are expensive as it takes many days of manual labor to produce achiek textiles.\n\nNowadays, cotton and silk are mixed and Achiek designs are modified to produce cheaper versions by weaving machine. Though handmade achiek textiles are expensive, Myanmar ladies proudly wear this classic design textile pattern for both special social and religious occasions. Since Myanmar people have worn acheik designs during special events and ceremonies since ancient times until today, Myanmar acheik continues to be a living heritage. The weaving practitioners relentlessly transmit their knowledge and skills to the young generation.\n\nPhoto 1 : Acheik fabrics CCBYSA3.0 Wagaung/Wikimedia\nPhoto 2 : Weaving acheik,/em> with small shuttles ⓒ La pyae\nPhoto 3 : Acheik weavers ⓒ La pyae\nPhoto 4 : Wearing acheik in a ceremony ⓒTheint kanmaYear2018NationMyanmar
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YOHOR, PART OF A COLLECTIVE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE BURYATThe performing art of Mongolia, especially the traditional folk dance, is an expression that embodies and originates from the nomadic way of life, expressing their lifestyle, household activities, courage, love, pride, and livestock. The dance is accompanied by singing, and some musical instruments as morin khuur, ikel khuur, tovshuur, tsuur, with the performers dressed ethnic costumes. Since ancient times the motifs and movements in traditional folk dances were used to transmit the narratives and social myths of Mongol history and culture.Year2017NationSouth Korea
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Korean Mask Dance: An Exciting Comprehensive Folk ArtThe Cultural Heritage Administration selected ‘mask dance of Korea’ as its 2020 nomination for UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during a joint meeting of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee and the World Heritage Division of the Cultural Heritage Committee, which was held on 6 December 2019. Regarding the nomination, the International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO) held a research presentation and an international academic symposium on 20 and 21 December in collaboration with Andong City, Korea.\n\nHere, ‘mask dance of Korea’ refers to a kind of drama performed while wearing masks with different local features. It is a comprehensive folk art that encompasses a variety of elements, including singing, dance, dramatic content, and costumes. Korean mask dance is a novel form of expressing the thoughts and feelings of the people, and it truly mesmerizes the audience with diverse characters and dance moves.\n\nTraditionally, Korean mask dances helped people express their suppressed feelings and satire. Different types of mask dance drama have been transmitted nationwide. Among them, in particular, are Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori of Andong, Byeolsingut Talnori of Gangneung, Songpa Sandae Nori and Yangju Byeolsandae Nori of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, Haeseo of Hwanghae-do (incl. Bongsan, Gangnyeong, Eunyul), and Yayu and Ogwangdae of the east and west areas of Nakdong River.\n\nThe mask dance was a representative folk culture of the late Joseon period in Korea, along with pansori, a traditional form of musical storytelling. Mask dances hold great artistic significance and value in Korea’s traditional community, as it relates to the minds of the people through its theatrical and entertaining aspects while also functioning as a medium for social criticism.\n\nUntil now, thirteen mask dance elements have been listed as national intangible cultural heritage and four others have been listed as city/provincial intangible cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage Administration is planning to submit the nomination file on Korean mask dance to UNESCO by the end of March 2020. The nomination will be decided during the seventeenth session of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee to be held in 2022.\n\nMeanwhile, a special exhibition titled “In High Spirit, Away From Sorrows: Traditional Korea Mask Dance Drama” is being held at the National Intangible Heritage Center located in Jeonju, Korea. The exhibition presents the history of traditional masks and mask dance as well as five traditional masks known as hahoe-tal, the oldest mask dance tradition in Korea. The exhibition will be running until 23 February 2020. For more information, please visit the website.\n\nPhoto : Korean Mask Dance ⓒ shutterstockYear2020NationSouth Korea
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Kainnari and Kainnara Dance of the Shan People in MyanmarThe Shan people are called Nokgingala, which is also the name of their distinct language. Their heritage is shaped by their beliefs in myths and legends. The Kainnari and Kainnara legend, for example, is behind their traditional dance. According to legend, Kainnari, the female, and Kainnara, her male counterpart, are half-human and half-bird. There are different versions of the love story between Kainnari and Kainnara. According to one legend, the lovers were captured by a king. Another tells that they were separated by a flood for one night and wept for seven hundred nights. Despite the different versions, the Shan people adore the Kainnari and Kainnara story for the great love that they had for each other. Because the Shan also believe the characters are symbols of a good omen, and the characters are beautifully depicted in Shan festivals, ceremonies, and special events. During traditional festivals in Shan, Myanmar, it is common to see dancers dressed as the mythical creatures with gaudy wings.\n\nKainnari and Kainnara are also associated with Buddhist heritage. Shan people believe that when Buddha returned to the human world after preaching his knowledge to his mother in heaven, humans celebrated his arrival with an abundance of food and flowers and humans danced with various mythical creatures, including Kainnari and Kainnara. This is why the dance in honor of Kainnari and Kainnara is danced every October, the end of the Buddhist Lent season. During the monarchy period, as a paying homage for Saopha (King of Town), Shan people held festivals where they performed the Kainnari and Kainnara dance. The dance was also performed during rice harvest ceremonies, the Shan New Year, novice ordinations, and other special days.\n\nCostumes and accessories of Kainnari and Kainnara dance are believed to be sacred; no one is be allowed to use their clothes, wings, and musical instruments. Before the dance performance, the dancers have to pay respect to the Kainnari and Kainnara costumes, which include a headdress, mask, clothes, and wing accessories. The wings are attached to the dancers’ arms, necks, and wrists, so that they can move easily and open and close the wings. Females wear a headdress while the males wear a mask. In the past, women were not allowed to perform the dance in religious ceremonies. Nowadays, however, men and women dance together. Traditionally, men wore masks, but recently the rule has become more relaxed.\n\nThe Kainnari and Kainnara dance is accompanied by traditional instruments such as drums, gongs, and cymbals. The musical score is based on the Shan’s long drum sound. There are three purposes for performing the Kainnari and Kainnara dance: (1) to pay homage, (2) to tell narrate a story, and (3) to show a repertoire of dance variations. The dance for paying homage and storytelling are performed in festivals and on special days while the third version is performed in the towns\n\nTraditional Shan Kainnari and Kainnara dance has recently become popular. Shan associations and some cultural bearers have been teaching the traditional dance to young generations. People who learn the traditional dance must promise to teach the dance to other people. The transmission of the traditional Kainnari and Kainnara dance has been continuing from generation to generation because of young people’s interest in learning it.\n\nPhoto 1 : Traditional Shan Kannari and Kannara dance ⓒ SYO Group Taunggyi\nPhoto 2 : Traditional Shan dance ⓒ SYO Group Taunggyi\nPhoto 3 : Shan New Year Festival ⓒ SYO Group TaunggyiYear2018NationMyanmar
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JAPAN: Diversity of Intangible Cultural Heritage seen in Lion dancesAbstract: This paper discusses lion dances as an example of shared heritage. In the local communities of Japan, there are several thousand lion dance troupes. These types of performances, where the dancers don animal costumes, can be found in various locations across Asia. While the dances are similar in shape, they vary in meaning, religious background, music, style, etc. Such differences are a manifestation of diversity. As such, when considering shared heritage, it is important to recognize the aspect of diversity.\n\nJapan has never made a multinational nomination to the UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The reason for this lies in Japan’s method of selecting candidate properties for nomination. That is, Japan abides by a unique policy of selecting candidate properties from among those designated as cultural properties by the national government. “Cultural properties” refer comprehensively to the system for safeguarding cultural heritage in Japan and can be designated not only by the national government but also by local administrative units such as prefectures and municipalities. However, only nationally designated cultural properties have so far been eligible for nomination as a UNESCO’s List of ICHs, and the national designation criteria include no requirement to consider international compatibility. The designation criteria of local governments include no such requirement, either.\n\nIn other words, as long as Japan’s criteria for selecting candidate properties for nomination to the UNESCO’s List of ICHs conform to the domestic criteria for selecting cultural properties, making a multinational nomination would continue to be extremely difficult. Under the present system, responding to proposals from other countries would also be difficult. Yet, I have hope. In 2021, the cultural properties system for ICH in Japan was slightly modified. In place of the conventional system of designation, a system of registration was adopted with respect to intangible cultural heritage to provide more flexibility in safeguarding a wider scope of properties than ever before. Such a new system might promote the awareness of the need to take a more international perspective. At the same time, views that Japan should strive to make multinational nominations are emerging within discussions about UNESCO’s List of ICHs. When considering such trends, the prospect of Japan making multinational nominations or responding to proposals from other countries may be realized in the future.\n\nThus, in this paper, I wish to discuss what types of multinational nominations would be possible, based on case examples of folk performing arts, my specialty area. It should firstly be noted, however, that there are two categories of performing arts in Japan, namely traditional performing arts and folk performing arts. Traditional performing arts are fundamentally performed in theaters by professional performers. There are also amateur performers of traditional performing arts, who generally study under a specific master. Folk performing arts, on the other hand, are fundamentally performed by amateur performers within a specific event held in a particular region. Most are linked to faith and have been inherited through festivals and annual events. In placing them under the domestic system for safeguarding cultural properties, traditional performing arts are judged by their artistic and historical value, and folk performing arts are evaluated mainly by their folkloric value (stipulated by law as performing arts that show transitions in lifestyles). A large number of folk performing arts exist in Japan. As of 2020, as many as 8443 properties, including festivals and annual events, have been nationally or locally designated for safeguarding as intangible folk cultural properties. When including properties that have not been designated, more than several tens of thousands of performing arts are thought to exist. These folk performing arts have emerged from diverse historical contexts and are further classified into a number of subcategories. Among these performing arts, I wish to focus on Lion Dances, or “Shishi-mai.” I must, however, confess that I am regrettably not well-versed in the intangible cultural heritage situation in East Asia as a whole. I, therefore, wish to apologize in advance that the case examples I present herein are not necessarily common to all countries in East Asia.Year2021NationJapan
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Dao Mau: Ritual of the Mother Goddess in VietnamDao Mau, the Mother Goddess ritual, is an ancient Vietnamese ritual that has been around since the sixteenth century. For the first time, Dao Mau ritual was performed on 18 August 2017 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The performance was organized by the Embassy of Vietnam in Sofia in collaboration with the State Cultural Institute to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The ritual pays tribute to three spheres of the universe: heaven, water, and earth (mountains and forests).\n\nLieu Hạnh is a leading Mother Goddess figure in Vietnam. Referred to as the Mother of the World, she is a nymph who descended to Earth, lived as a human, and became a Buddhist nun. The biggest annual festival celebrated is held in Phu Day Temple, Nam Dinh Province. The Mother Goddess ritual includes music, songs, dance performances; performers are dressed in traditional Vietnamese costumes.\n\nIt is believed that practicing this ritual maintains culture, history, and heritage as communally shared richness. The ritual encourages good nature in each individual and enhances the connection among community members. Worshipping the Mother Goddess is also a sign of appreciation to the role and contribution of women in society. Recognized by UNESCO, this Vietnamese ritual was inscribed on Representative List in December 2016.\n\nPhoto : Practices related to the Viet’s beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms © UNESCOYear2017NationViet Nam
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Comparative Study on the Intangible Cultural Heritage InventoryIntangible cultural heritage (ICH) provides a continuous link between the past, present and future. Every country flourishes with distinct ICH elements which needed to be safeguarded and transmitted from one generation to another. Weaving is one of the ICH elements that has thrived and intertwined knowledge systems, creativities, customs and belief systems of different cultures around the world. Communities identify their cultures through their traditional costumes which were handwoven using ancient weaving techniques.Year2018NationMyanmar
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A Festival of Tribal Traditional Craft and Culture in IndiaIndia has been known for centuries for its living heritage, tradition, and culture. The Rajasthan region is especially famous for its rich tribal tradition and craftsmanship. Different tribal groups have carried these traditions on since ancient times as the living heritage of the region. This practice is exemplified by the Aadi-Mahotsav, a three-day festival, which was most recently held in Udaipur from June 14 to 16, 2019. The festival demonstrates a discourse between the region’s tribal artists and the urban population in this cultural jamboree. The festival has earned a special importance in the conservation, exposure, and promotion of tribal traditions. \n\nAadi-Mahotsav is held by Tribal Area Development (TAD) and the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) in partnership with Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal, Udaipur. The Aadi-Mahotsav starts in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on the second Friday of June and lasts for three days. The festival participants are children from tribal schools governed and run by TAD, tribal artists, craftsmen, musicians, singers, and other carriers of the intangible cultural heritage of Mewar, India, and other nearby villages.\n\nThe festival attracts all kinds of visitors: urban and rural residents, tourists, and collectors, representatives of businesses and cultural organizations, and so on. The festival traditionally opens with a sober procession of all the tribal artists, craftsmen, and participants of the festival in their traditional costumes. The participating artists welcome the distinguished guests at Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal, the festival venue in Udaipur. More than 400 artisans, craftspeople, and experts from different districts of Rajasthan participated in the festival. \n\nTribal artists and students from tribal schools performed each day in the evening programs, while craftspeople, painters, and traditional healers displayed their tribal and rural products in the craft fair. Various conferences and workshops took place during the festival. These included a conference on arts and crafts for livelihood, as well as demonstrations of traditions, customs, and folk dances within the program framework. In addition, exhibitions and competitions for students like a talent hunt were included. \n\nAt the conferences and roundtables, participants and subject experts discussed the issues related to the current state of tribal culture in the region and in India more widely. Topics included the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, intellectual property rights, regional cooperation in developing the craft market, and cultural and rural tourism. During the festival, the Tribal Co-Operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), an organization under the administrative control of the Indian government’s Ministry of Tribal Affairs, opened a permanent store at Lok Kala Mandal to promote and market tribal/rural traditional produce. \n\nAadi-Mahotsav, which demonstrates the idea of cultural and economic cooperation and harmony, contributes not only to developing tribal traditions, and the cultural and ecological tourism industry in the region but also to helping the tribal population to take active participation in the socio-economic development of India.\n\nPhoto : Aadi-Mahotsav, a three-day festival ⓒ Lokesh PaliwalYear2019NationIndia
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Ever wondered New year celebration in the Himalayas?Nepal is a country of Himalayas boasting the world’s tallest peak, Mt. Everest. Here different caste people live in harmony. Each caste has its language and culture. So, no wonder about having its own New Year as well. Before jumping towards the topic, I would like to introduce the people of the Himalayas. Sherpas, Gurungs, Tamangs, etc. are the biggest ethnic groups that live nearby the Himalayas. Sherpas, who are famous as mountaineers, live in the lap of mountains. Tamangs, Gurungs, etc. are other ethnicities that live in the mountain as well as hilly areas of Nepal. Apart from owning the beautiful snow-clad mountains, these ethnic groups also have their own culture and tradition which is celebrated by the whole Nepalese.\n\nAmong them, Losar is a major festival for the Buddhists people living in the Himalayas. ‘Lo’ means ‘year’ and ‘Sar’ means ‘new’, which means “New year” in the Tibetan language. Rather than Nepal, Losar is also celebrated in Tibet and Bhutan. It is celebrated on the first day of the Lunisolar Tibetan Calendar which falls in February or March according to the Gregorian Calendar. Nepal celebrates three different Losar and is called Tamu Losar, Sonam Losar, and Gyalpo Losar. Tamu Losar is celebrated by Gurung communities, Sonam Losar is celebrated by the Tamang communities whereas Gyalpo Losar is celebrated by the Sherpa community. Even these three Losar are celebrated on different dates, the way of celebrating it is very similar due to their similar lifestyle.\n\nOn Losar day or New Year, all people of the community wear their traditional costumes and gather in the square and celebrate it merrily. They sing their traditional songs, dance in their traditional style. They even celebrate by holding competitions for fun. Like all other festivals we celebrate, Losar is also a festival of family and relatives gathering. On this very day, traditional food is served to all guests who visit their homes. They even perform ritual activities to get relief from bad lucks and they also visit the Buddhist temple and chant their prayer for the prosperity of their family. During the festival, people forget the past thing and forgive each other by exchanging gifts. So, all can have their fresh new start with social harmony and with a new hope.\n\nThis day is a very important day for the young generations as they are learning not only their culture but also songs and dances too. Songs and dances are taught orally at the scene itself, and children learn them. Hence there is no doubt that Losar is a living heritage, that is transmitted from one generation to another generation.\n\nBut due to the rapid change of communities in Nepal, the celebration of Losar is deducting day by day. Young people are moving to the big cities and developed countries. New generations are not as involved as they used to be before. Therefore, to protect their culture and tradition, these ethnic group peoples are doing rallies in Katmandu on Losar day. All different caste people, who celebrate Losar, gather in the rally by wearing their traditional dress performing their cultural songs and dances, and enjoying the local food. They enjoy the whole day festival by doing cultural rallies, singing and dancing as well as making new friends.\n\nTo sum it up, Losar is more than a festival of New year. It is an Intangible Cultural Heritage. This festival brings new hope to the people who celebrate it. It is directly related to the lifestyle of the community as they gather and celebrated it together. But more than that it is a living heritage when they are practicing their songs and dances orally and teaching to the coming new generations. Since the Losar festival, as well as the songs and dances in the festivals, are not recorded, it may extinct at any time. Therefore, with its cultural significance, it is truly a Cultural Heritage of Nepal that should be safeguarded as soon as possible.\n\nphoto : Dance in Tamu Lhosar © Puskapuku123Year2022NationNepal