ALL
cultivation
ICH Elements 2
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Asham: Maize Cultivation
Agriculture is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock and over centuries, rise in agricultural has contributed in the growth civilization. Early people have developed and improved varieties of plants and till date the practice is considered to be the important aspect of Bhutanese livelihood. It is one of the sources of income as over69% of the population here, directly depends on it for their livelihood (MoAF, 2011). In 2011, agriculture sector accounted for about 17.7% of the total GDP of the country (RNR Statistics, 2012) Asham (Maize) plays a critical role in the entire life of given economy and is a pre-dominant cereal crop for the eastern part of the Bhutan for many years contributing to more than half of total maize production in the country. Asham cultivation was one of the main cereal as well as cash crops that supported and supports lively hood for major households in the part of the country. To these days, the practice and culture of maize cultivation is one of the main live hood and sources of income. Most communities in the eastern part of the country depend on cultivation of Asham to produce following products: •\tKharang- grits, grind maize used as staple food •\tAsham me-gogni- roasted corn •\tAsham bokpi- corn flour •\tTengma- roasted and pounded maize •\tAsham mu-nang- a local term for popcorn •\tZhu- brewed alcohol Apart from above products, asham is also used as cereals for bartering during the olden days to exchange with wooden and bamboo products produced from other parts of the Dzongkhags. Moreover people also used to exchange with rice, chili, meat and dairy products within or outside the community. People used to offer asham, kharang and bokpi to monks and gomchen(great meditation masters) as they visit begging for cash and kind. Asham and its product were also used during the religious rituals at households. Crafting of Torma (Sacrificial ritual cakes) and Sur (Smoke offering) during the rituals were done by using corn flour. There has been lots of transformation in the culture, practice and process in cultivation maize in the region due to introduction of hybrid seeds, improve in tools and technologies used compared to old and traditional ways of cultivation.
Bhutan -
Insam Jaebae and Yakyong Munhwa(Cultivation of Ginseng and Its Medicinal Application)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Ginseng has long been cultivated and used in Korea, giving birth to a rich reservoir of prepared dishes, ritual ceremonies, and folk stories. Because of its rarity and health effects, ginseng was considered an elixir plant or cure-all among the people. Ginseng still widely appears as a symbol of health and longevity in the packaging of everyday commodities. The sociocultural symbolism of ginseng as a valuable medicine and food has been deeply entrenched in the collective ethos of the Korean people. Ginseng culture was evaluated positively during the designation process for the following aspects. Ginseng has been raised and used for centuries all across Korea. Records on its cultivation and health effects have been confirmed in various historical documents from the Joseon Dynasty. Ginseng has been actively studied in traditional Korean medicine and also offers a great potential for further studies in agriculture and economics. There are abundant cultural traditions associated with ginseng in the form of food, rituals, and folktales. Historically known for its high quality, Korean ginseng was one of the country’s most important exports. A wide range of relevant communities exist, such as local ginseng associations consisting of ginseng farmers, research institutes and academic societies dedicated to improving the cultivation methods and commercial value of ginseng, and diverse public and private organizations working on behalf of the promotion of ginseng culture. Knowledge on ginseng cultivation has been handed down through the generations and is actively practiced in the present. In recognition of all this heritage value, ginseng culture has been designated as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. * As ginseng cultivation and its medicinal use is not confined to particular regions, no holders or holder organizations have been recognized for this element.
South Korea