Music, performances and ancient crafts: UNESCO has added different customs to its list of global cultural treasures to be protected. Here a selection in pictures.
By DW – Sarah Hucal
Dec 16, 2021
On December 15-16, UNESCO added dozens of traditions it deemed worthy of being cherished and preserved to its Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Here are just a few of them.
Dances and expressions associated with Corpus Christi festivities
Panama’s Corpus Christi religious festival, which celebrates the body and blood of Christ, combines elements of Catholic tradition with music, theater and burlesque performances involving colorful costumes and masks.
One of the main performances is held a day before the festival, and depicts a battle between good and evil, with an archangel taking on the devil and his legion. Participants then dance in a procession led by a priest carrying the Eucharistic bread, or host, which in Catholic tradition represents the body of Christ.
Festive cycle of devotion and worship of Saint John the Baptist
In Venezuela, the feast of Saint John the Baptist is accompanied by drumming, dancing, storytelling, singing and processions dedicated to the saint.
The celebration is anchored in Catholicism but is also deeply connected with other forms of expression transmitted from sub-Saharan Africa, as the tradition was developed by Afro-Venezuelan communities under colonial rule in the 18th century.
The exact dates of the cycle of festivities vary according to regions; in many communities they start in early May and end mid-July, climaxing on June 23 and 24, the latter marking the day the saint was born.
Nora dance
Nora performers wear long, metallic fingernails curling out from their fingertips and colorful costumes, headdress and wings that give them a bird-like appearance.
Through acrobatic dance theater and improvisational singing, accompanied by ensemble music, nora performances depict stories about the former lives of Buddha or other legendary heroes.
The more than 500-year-old tradition from southern Thailand has great cultural importance for local communities, as the art form allows them to strengthen social bonds and develop regional music and literature.
Congolese rumba
Practiced at home, in public and in religious spaces, rumba is a dance and a musical genre that is part of all types of celebrations, including mourning rituals.
Women have played an important role in developing the religious and romantic styles of the rumba.
The smooth, groovy musical genre also significantly contributes to the economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo, with musicians making a living not only from performances but also by manufacturing instruments.
Rumba is an essential element of the identity of Congolese people, with all generations finding a common language in the tradition.
Arabic calligraphy
Arabic script is characterized by a fluid cursive style, offering countless possibilities for calligraphic expression.
The 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, written from left to right, take on four different forms depending on their position in words and sentences.
Traditionally, it uses calligraphic ink made from a mixture of honey, black soot and saffron; natural materials are also used to make qalam, or reed pens.
Arabic calligraphy also appears as a decorative element in various forms, from wood carvings to embroidery. Its modern variant includes “calligraffiti” painted on walls, signs and buildings.
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Read More: DW – UNESCO adds traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage List
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