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Volume 43

Mask Dance

4 Expert RemarksSustainable ICH-relatedCurricula in KoreanElementary Schools

8 Field ReportThe Guam Museum: Heritage and Culture through EducationalProgramming

12Windows to ICHMask Dance

Nepal 14 Ga:Pyakhaan / Asthamatrika Naach:A Sacred Mask Dance of Eight Mother Goddesses

Republic of Korea 16 Bongsan Talchum as a Social Satirical Comedy

Sri Lanka 18 Sri Lankan Tradition of Mask Dancing

Papua New Guinea 20 Where Spirits Dance – The Spirit masks of Southern New IrelandPapua New Guinea.

22Safeguarding Activities Asia-Pacific ICH Information-Sharing Platform “ichLinks” Now Ready to Set Sail

26ICH CommunitiesCOVID-19 and Folk Music

28Safeguarding PioneersIndonesian Heritage CityNetwork, a Good Example forNetworking Activities among LocalGovernments to Safeguard ICH

30Inside ICHCAP

ContentsVolume 43 June 2020

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COVER ART Cheoyongmu © Tea-Wook Kim, K-Heritage.tvCheoyongmu is an ancient Korean mask dance performed to dispel evil spirits and harmful viruses. Cheoyongmu was Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the ICH of Humanity in 2009

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHERKEUM Gi Hyung

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDAigul Khalafova

Elise HufferHanhee HamhSuzanne Ogge

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFSeong-Yong Park

EDITORIAL STAFFDeok-soon Kim, Gyuri Bak Min jung Kim, Yunsuk Jang

COPY EDITORMichael Peterson

DESIGN / PRINTINGDesigntoday / Ok Min

INQUIRIESAddress

ICH Courier c/o ICHCAP 95 Seohak-ro,Wansan-gu,

Jeonju 55101 Republic of KoreaTel

+82-63-230-9711Fax

+82 63 230 9700E-mail

[email protected]

The ICH Courier is published quarterly by the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP). The ICH Courier may be downloaded from ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org and reprinted free of charge, provided the source is acknowledged. For more information about ICHCAP and its ICH projects, visit ichcap.org

ISSN: 2092-7959Please scan the QR code to see the ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org

COVID-19 is spreading across the world at a rapid rate. As time passes, there are growing voices of concern over whether we will be able to return to normalcy in our daily lives, to work, have conversations, exercise, enjoy meals, laugh, and have fun together.

We have learned that, despite proclaiming the privileged status of reigning over all other organisms on Earth, humanity remains weak and vulnerable to the existential threat posed by microorganisms invisible to the eye.

Until now, we have exerted ourselves in competition among nations and economic blocs, enamored by the myth of economic growth as expressed through the GDP. We are now being made to reflect whether we had been neglecting the urgency of fundamental threats that endanger the future of humanity itself.

Resolving problems that affect all citizens of Earth requires mutual understanding and solidarity. Pursuing the maximization of self-interest instead of cooperation will only serve to deepen mistrust and misunder-standing, thereby exacerbating the problem over time. While there are many ways to resolve such problems through collective intelligence, I would like to emphasize “information sharing” and “active networking” as the core values pursued by ICHCAP.

I believe that the power of information becomes more robust as we share it. When we share information with transparency, we eliminate the very ground on which falsehoods stand, shrouded in darkness. Only then will communities begin to work together to trust in problem-solving based on the truth and move in the right direction.

The theme of ICH Courier Issue No. 43 is “Mask Dance.” Mask dances are closely linked to life within the community and serve various functions and purposes such as rituals, satire, prayers, shamanism, and entertainment. For example, Korea’s Bongsan Talchum is a social satire comedy that reflects the state of society and the period while Papua New Guinea’s tubuan is per-formed at community events and acts to tighten the bond between different generations.

Furthermore, mask dances also carry a ritualistic and shamanic function to wish for happy lives within the community. In Nepal, the Ga:Pyakhaan mask dance is performed to wish for the protection of the nation and the population against external fears and threats, while the Daha Ata Sanniya mask dance is a traditional ritual performed in Sri Lanka to ward off and cure diseases. By introducing mask dances of the Asia-Pacific region, the ICH Courier aims to promote the health, happiness and well-being of all global citizens as one of the key purposes of mask dances.

The ICH Courier will dedicate its utmost efforts to sharing information on the intangible heritage of the Asia-Pacific region as a conveyor of knowl-edge and discourse on intangible heritage. We want to extend our greetings and gratitude to all of our readers who support the ICH Courier. n

Editorial RemarksKEUM Gi Hyung Director-General of ICHCAP

4 ICH COURIER VOLUME 43 ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org VOLUME 43 ICH COURIER 5

Sustainable ICH-related Curricula in Korean Elementary SchoolsEun, Hyuk-Gi Professor Dept. of Elementary Education/Ph.D Head of Elementary Education Research Institue

Efforts for the sustainable development of human cultures, which is defined by UNESCO as its most important goal, have already affected our lives in many ways. Among others, the inheritance and development of ICH are con-sidered unique to humanity and the quintessence of human life. Education plays a vital role in the process of cultural inheritance and development. In particular, the experiences and education we receive during elementary school as young members of a future generation have a critical and meaningful influence on our lives. The significance of ICH education for the sustainable development of humanity is evidently under-lined in UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and its Operational Directives.

Given such importance, ICHCAP researched developing ICH educational programs in collaboration with professors from six academic disciplines, including education at Jeonju National University of Education, one of the national uni-versities specializing in elementary school teacher training in Korea. The fields of specialization of the participating professors include education (Eun Hyuk-Gi), Korean lan-guage education (Seo Hyunseok), social education (Park Sang Joon), music education (Lee Sang-Kyu, majored in traditional

Korean music), art education (Jang Ji Seong, majored in Korean painting) and physical education (Shin Gi-Cheol).

The common aspect among these professors is that they are all experts in primary and secondary curricula in Korea, par-ticipating in textbook development. For the development of ICH curricula in elementary education, the team of research-ers analyzed ICH-related content that is currently included in the Korean elementary curriculum, and based on the analysis, formulated a teaching-learning plan in each subject. Furthermore, they combined five subjects, around one activity to devise a new teaching-learning plan, and then selected an elementary school to teach pilot classes to students. The development of this type of ICH teaching and learning model carries significance in that the experiences and results can be shared with the international community.

Firstly, an overall analysis framework was developed by referring to existing materials on ICH education, such as the guide to ICH for teachers, Learning With Intangible Heritage for a Sustainable Future: Guidelines for Educators in the Asia-Pacific Region (UNESCO Bangkok Office, 2015); secondly, ICH-related content covered in the 2015 revised elementary education curriculum (five subjects consisting of the Korean language, social studies, music, art, and physical education)

was analyzed based on the developed analysis framework; thirdly, essential and significant content was selected among the analyzed elementary education curriculum to develop practical teaching-learning plans of each subject; and fourthly, sample material of one teaching-learning plan was formulated by combining five subjects centering around one activity. The research results in more detail are discussed below.

As far as the analysis results of ICH content covered in the 2015 revised elementary education curriculum, ICH-related content is reflected in various ways depending on the char-acteristics of each subject. For example, traditional mask dance (talchum) and kite flying were reflected in all the subjects of Korean language, social studies, music, art and physical education. When dividing the content based on the understanding of ICH and types of ICH, the subjects of Korean language, social studies and art contained both the understanding and types of ICH, whereas music and physical education mostly focused on the types of ICH.

First, examining the ICH content included in the elementary education curriculum for each subject shows that the Korean language curriculum uses traditional fairytales and other traditional Korean stories as teaching materials of Korean literature. In addition, topics related to

ICH and sustainable education are extensively addressed in many lesson units through the subject matter and main theme of reading materials including explanatory and editorial texts in every semester per school year. In sum, the Korean language curriculum indirectly introduces ICH as materials for Korean language activities rather than directly addressing it. Meanwhile, social studies curriculums, though introducing local cultural heritage and those designated as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage, lack a more holistic and systematic explanation of ICH’s meaning and importance. They generally take place by presenting illustrations and brief accounts pertinent to mainly performing arts, social customs, rituals and religious ceremonies among ICH elements. The music curriculum mainly deals with performing arts of ICH as the subject is based on various musical activities, such as singing, instrument playing, and listening to music. Since the field of traditional music takes a holistic approach that incorporates

instruments, singing, and dancing as one, and thus encom-passes instrumental and vocal music and even dancing, the music curriculum encompasses ICH content related to physical expressions and games in general. Although the art curriculum does not directly discuss ICH’s concept, it ensures sufficient coverage of ICH in the curriculum. In


Traditional wedding: Third-grade social studies textbook

[Grade 6] An excerpt from Unit 1 “Listen to the Music”: UNESCO is introduced as an organization that aims to discover, protect,

and preserve the world’s natural and cultural heritage and, among the elements designated as ICH by UNESCO, a Korean

ICH element related to music is presented with photos.

fact, art textbooks promote seeing, feeling, and experiencing ICH on a fundamental level in various ways. The ICH content in the physical education textbooks mostly consists of oral traditions and expressions and performing arts. While ICH related to traditional games and dances was sufficiently featured, the content relevant to the understanding, attitudes and values related to ICH was inadequate. Overall, it can be surmised that ICH-related content was substantially included in all of the subjects according to the characteristics of each subject.

In the second step, our research team formulated elemen-tary school teaching-learning plans for each subject to reflect ICH education. The teaching-learning plan (or toolkit) of each subject was made to comprise eighty minutes of activi-ties, corresponding to two elementary classes, and applicable grades and topics were selected to suit each subject. Links between subject content and ICH elements were presented in line with the principles of education for sustainable development (ESD). The subject matter, target grade, time, activities, objective (in terms of knowledge, skill, and attitude), and learning materials were also provided in detail. The core content of each subject is: learning honorific expressions and observing language etiquette in the conversation for the Korean language curriculum; understanding the traditional custom of “Dano” and the intergenerational transmission of fan-making skills for the social studies curriculum; under-standing the perceptions and customs of traditional society through traditional music listening and games for the music curriculum; understanding the perceptions and customs of traditional society through the appreciation and expression of traditional art for the art curriculum, and; understanding the perception and customs of traditional society by playing Daedong Nori (traditional folkgame) for the physical educa-tion curriculum.

The third step entailed the development of a teaching- learning plan that combined the five curricula with ICH con-tent, focusing on talchum in particular, and the formulation of a 120-minute class, corresponding to three elementary classes. Whereas the second step focused on ways to teach elementary school students about ICH in each subject, the third step aimed to teach students about the themes of the five subjects by combining them in one activity. Talchum is a theatrical genre of social satire consisting of a dance (physical education) that parodies the culture of the class-based society in Joseon-era Korea (social studies), which was divided into nobles (yangban) and commoners (pyeongmin). In talchum,

students craft and wear their masks (art) and dance while reciting lyrics that reflect the era (Korean language), accompa-nied by rhythms and sounds (music). The teaching-learning plan was revised and supplemented through consultation with elementary school teacher Kwon Ja-Gyeong, who formulated and actually taught this multi-subject teaching plan involving talchum, and an on-site class was taught to fourth-grade stu-dents at Geomsan Elementary School in Gimje, North Jeolla Province. Various stakeholders participated in the subsequent feedback process, including the ICHCAP Director-General, experts, research professors, and related media experts.

The content developed by our research team is an effective teaching-learning plan based on an analysis of the ICH content reflected in the revised 2015 elementary school educational curriculum. However, the analysis did not cover all of the ICH-related content reflected in Korea’s elementary school curriculum, and it did not include ICH-related content reflected in middle and high school curricula. Instead, its content is based on analysis focusing on select subjects such as Korean language, social studies, music, art, and physical education, as taught from third to sixth grade in elementary schools. Furthermore, it did not cover topics pertaining to humanity’s universality as a core value highlighted by UNESCO’s ICH education and sustainable development for humanity, including the natural environment, human equality, and gender equality. As outlined in the report of Learning with Intangible Heritage for a Sustainable Future (2015), there is a need to analyze numerous subjects including science, mathematics, geography, and ecology, in addition to the education that systematically reflects ICH-related content for sustainable development from elementary school onwards.

To use ICH to develop a unified educational program for sustainable development, it is necessary first to conduct a systematic analysis of the current status of such educational efforts, and this study was launched under the said objective. School education takes place with a focus on curricula that incorporate various content areas, among which ICH-related content comprises an important part. In particular, if ICH-related education is interpreted as a process not only for the preservation and continuation of existing traditions but also for seeking to facilitate the sustainable development of the society concerned, its educational significance becomes crucial and it will be all the more meaningful to conduct this type of education with elementary school students as leaders of future generations. n


Field Report Field Report

The Guam Museum: Heritage and Culture through Educational ProgrammingDominica TolentinoMuseum DirectorSenator Antonio M. Palomo Guam Museum and Chamorro Educational Facility

of Guam’s people, Chamorro cultural values, and lessons for good citizenship in a little more than an hour.

Over the last three decades, more attention has been given to the educational roles of public and private museums and the effectiveness of their educational programs to enhance visitor experiences. While museums are generally popular sites for school field trips and family vacations, the focus of museum work has been mostly on the care and curation of their collections. However, with competition for funding and the need to expand visitor markets, museum administrators are compelled to find more innovative and creative ways to draw in and engage broader, diverse—and often, more sophisticated—audiences. Educational programming, which includes exhibitions, tours, group activities, and other inter-active activities, allows museums to communicate directly with the public and provide individualized and meaningful experiences that visitors desire. For museums that specialize in history and culture, such as the Guam Museum, educa-tional programming provides the context that helps visitors connect with their collections, and thus, opens opportunities for learning.

However, learning in museums is mainly informal in contrast to the more structured learning found inside a class-room. Ultimately, visitors choose to engage with a museum’s

particular educational or entertainment offerings. Each visitor brings their expectations or desires of what they want from their time spent at the museum. Museum educators are then tasked with designing programs that pique interest and encourage visitors of various backgrounds and motivations to seek more information or more in-depth knowledge so they can feel a sense of enjoyment or gratification. The Guam Museum takes advantage of its uniqueness, location, and resources to develop place- and experience-based educational programming that highlights Chamorro culture for a mul-ticultural community and mainly an Asian tourist market. This approach allows presentations, such as Ramirez’s stories, shared within the museum setting on land where part of the war in Guam took place, to become more real and meaningful.

Since its official opening in November 2017, the Senator Antonio M. Palomo Guam Museum and Chamorro Educational Facility has been among the most iconic build-ings in the historic Hagåtña district. With its distinctive architecture and location in the heart of the island’s capital, the Guam Museum is mandated as the official repository of Guam’s historical and cultural artifacts. Initially established in 1932, the Guam Museum has always faced limitations related to its size, lack of a permanent dedicated facility and adequate staffing, and damage from war and natural disasters.

Inside the Guam Museum’s multipurpose room, Chamorro oral historian Toni “Malia” Ramirez sits on a carpet of autumn tones along with a small group of young children. On the floor beside him are a world globe, a sprouting coconut plant, and a tray of local foods as diverse as the multicultural children seated—lumpia from the Philippines, Japanese-style omusubi, Korean kimchee, and Chamorro titiyas. On the back wall, a wire grid is covered with an assort-ment of t-shirts hung with plastic hangers. The t-shirts have phrases in Chamorro, the indigenous language of the Mariana Islands. In the tradition of Chamorro storytellers, Ramirez converses with the children, sharing memories he had col-lected over the years from Guam’s war survivors and their stories of life during the Japanese Occupation and Liberation in July 1944. The t-shirts, he explains, express cultural values that helped the Chamorros survive the atrocities of the war, values that are important even today. The t-shirt he wears is decorated with “Tåutau latti’ yu’, Guåhan, Islas Marianas,” asserting his pride as a “person of the latte,” and a native of Guam. With a song, the tray of food soon represents the cultural diversity of Guam home. As the session ends, the chil-dren and their parents wave Guam flags and sing “Fanoghe Chamorro,” the island’s territorial anthem. Ramirez has shared with the event’s participants important historical memories

Entrance to the Senator Antonio Palomo Guam Museum & Educational Facility

© Dominica Tolentino


Field Report Field Report

The young and the young at heart enjoying a lesson in Chamorro cultural dance © Dominica Tolentino

Chamorro oral historian Toni “Malia” Ramirez leads families in singing Guam’s territorial anthem, “Fanoghe

Chamorro (the Guam Hymn)” © Dominica Tolentino

Master of Chamorro dance Francisco Rabon and his troupe pose for a photo after his presentation on the evolution of modern Chamorro cultural dance © Dominica Tolentino

In the mid-2000s, through the efforts of the nonprofit Guam Museum Foundation, Inc., initial funding was identi-fied to construct a new facility to provide a permanent home for the museum’s collections. Now complete, the building has space for presenting and sharing Guam’s unique history and culture and is an inspiration for the entire community. Here, the island’s tangible cultural heritage is preserved and pro-tected, and its intangible cultural heritage can be transmitted more effectively.

The Guam Museum is a division of the Government of Guam Department of Chamorro Affairs. Currently, it is man-aged through a private-public partnership with Galaide Group, LLC, a locally owned business specializing in marketing, communications, and public relations. The management team put together by Galaide Group handles all aspects of oper-ations, such as security, curation, collections management, retail, events, exhibitions, and programming. In addition, the museum team works in close collaboration with other private and public entities, including other museums, cultural prac-titioners and artists, educators, nonprofits, and corporations. These collaborative partnerships have helped the museum put together changing exhibitions and to carry out two of its regular educational programs: Ha’anen Familia and HITA.

Ha’anen Familia is held every second Saturday of the month for younger audiences, usually ages 5 to 12 years

old. Activities such as storytelling, arts-and-crafts, and live demonstrations align with the museum’s changing exhibitions, holiday seasons, or public commemorations. Ha’anen Familia is free and open to the public, but because space is limited to twenty-five to thirty children plus accompanying adults, res-ervations usually are required. Sessions generally last for two hours, and art supplies and light snacks are provided. Over the last three years, Ha’anen Familia has welcomed children to learn about archeology, public safety, Chamorro legends, Chamorro dance, coral reef ecosystems, and traditional weav-ing batik art techniques.

Held every third Saturday of the month, HITA Talks is the museum’s community forum. Like Ha’anen Familia, HITA is free and open to the public. “HITA” is an acronym for heritage, ideas, traditions, and arts. It is also the Chamorro word for the inclusive “We” or “Us.” Modeled after the popular TED Talks, HITA showcases scholarly lectures, performances, film showings and discussions on a variety of topics of community interest or concern. Presenters come from all walks of life and educational backgrounds. We have featured scholars in the sciences and humanities, athletes, cultural practitioners, art-ists, musicians, dancers, filmmakers, sling stone-throwers, and religious clergy. The audiences are most interested in hearing about specific topics, but some individuals have become regu-lars, attending almost every session.

Both HITA and Ha’anen Familia were new programs that began with the opening of the new facility. They were developed to help the museum expand its offerings to the public, and, more importantly, to help cultivate a community of museum-goers. The museum’s management team also helped complete the permanent exhibition, I Hinanao-ta Nu I Manaotao Tåno I Chamoru Siha: The Journey of the Chamorro People designed almost a dozen changing exhibi-tions in the last three years. Funding for HITA and Ha’anen Familia comes from the Guam Museum Foundation to cover honoraria, refreshments, and some supplies. At the same time, another programming at the museum is funded through corporate sponsors and grants.

The Guam Museum’s educational reach extends beyond the facility’s walls. The museum director and staff often take opportunities to visit schools to speak to students and teachers, especially March, during Chamorro Month activities. Presentations at conferences, community meetings, and even shopping centers are also occasions to share the museum resources with the broader community. The museum also maintains an online presence and is accessible through its website (www.guammuseum.org), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Although the collections are not online, videos of HITA presentations can be viewed on the museum’s YouTube channel. All these efforts are validated when the museum

receives positive or constructive evaluations and reviews. However and more importantly, when children’s eyes light up at learning something new when visitors feel comfortable sharing their stories, objects, and experiences in the spirit of mutual respect when tourists and residents enjoy themselves and their expectations are exceeded, and when people ask,

“What’s next?” and keep coming back for more.Today’s cultural and historical museums are no longer

simply repositories of ancient artifacts, labyrinths of exhibition halls, and cases of curiosities. Likewise, today’s museum visitor is no longer limited to merely being a viewer of artifacts or dioramas in stagnant spaces. Indeed, they can—and do—expect more from their experience, whether for entertainment or acquiring more in-depth knowledge. The competition for audiences who have a plethora of options for their time and money has compelled many museums to focus on bringing new life to their collections through program-ming. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic is forcing museums to rethink what kinds of educational programming they can offer and how to remain relevant. Tradition is kept alive by bring-ing change. The museum must be dynamic as well, embrace change, and continually reassess its work so that it can engage with audiences no matter what local or global challenges lay ahead. n

http://www.guammuseum.org


Lamayuru Gompa, Ladakh. mask dance © Oleg Doroshenko, kr.123rf.com

Mask DanceMask dances are handed down in various forms in the world. Mask dances are closely linked to life within the community and serve various functions and purposes such as rituals, satire, prayers, shamanism, and entertainment. This volume introduces the diverse traditional mask dances in Nepal, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.


Windows to ICH

The mask—a mystery in itself and a disguise that gets many names and forms along with the circumstances, context, beliefs, values and practices that always carry a story to be told. Nepal stands as one of the culturally rich nations with more than 365 different festivals celebrated annually, many of which have mask dance performances representing a specific religious deity. Ga: Pyakhaan or Asthamatrika Naach is one of many mask dances performed annually in the city of Patan, Nepal. The word astha means eight; matrika means mother goddess and naach means dance, thus, literally implying “dance of eight motherly goddesses.” This dance is performed during the Dashain festival from Ghathasthapana to Vijaya Dashami (first to last day of the Dashain festival) in the royal courtyard of Mul-chowk inside Patan Durbar. It is believed that these eight tutelary deities help in protecting the city from eight specific fears: threat from outsiders (historically from other states and kingdoms), wind, water, fire, natural disasters, enemies, thieves, and evil spirits. Thus, it is an annual ritual performed for wellbeing, peace and prosperity of county and citizens to protect them from unforeseen fears that might be faced in days to come.

Ga:Pyakhaan of Patan is believed to date back to the seventeenth century, during the time of King Shree Nivas Malla who was a devotee and worshipped Asthamatrika. Once in his dream, he saw these eight goddesses entering his palace courtyard, Mul-Chowk, and dance. To understand the signs and significance of this dream, he consulted priests from Patan, and following their suggestions, he initiated the Asthamatrika dance to be performed during auspicious occa-sion of the Dashain festival and even composed “Charya Geet,” god’s songs for deities. With the change in political scenario of Kathmandu valley overtime, this ritual has been handed over to the citizens of Patan rather than being conducted by royals. Since 1963 CE (2020 BS), the entire responsibility of Ga:Pyakhaan has been by Fine Arts Society of Nakabahil, Patan. There had been times especially from 1952 to 1962 when this dance was not performed because of problems with logis-tics and management.

The Ga:Pyakhaan team, including dancers, musicians, and priests, has to follow strict rituals from the beginning of planning and nomination. Participants are selected from Bajracharya and Shakya families of Patan. Dancers worship Lord Shiva’s dancing avatar called Nrityeshvara or “Naa: shaa dyo” (in Newari language). Dancers are trained to perform Charya representing each deity by priests. On the new moon day, dancers fast the whole day, shave their head, cut their fingernails and toenails and take a bath as a process of purification. First, dancers visit Naa: shaa dyo temple located at Nyakhachowk, Patan, that night and dance as guided by tantric scripts. Next, they perform dance at Nakabahil and finally head to Mul-Chowk, where the chief priest from Taleju Bhawaani temple greets them at the palace door. The dance starts with paying homage to Avalokitesvara, also knows by local name “Karunamaya/ Rato Machhendra nath” using traditional melody called “Raag Bhairavi”, thus starting with the first performance by Bhairava. Subsequently, Ganesh, Kumar, Brahmayani, Maheshwori, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrayani, Chamunda, and Mahalaxmi make their appear-ances in turn and dance. These dances use lot of symbolic hand and figure gestures. Each performer is believed to be possessed by the spirit and power of respective deities and

matrikas they are representing, thus, demonstrating nature and personality of them respectively. This dance continues for nine consecutive nights, and the tenth and last day, the Khadga Jatra festival of swords (also called Paayo by locals) also takes place in the town. Paayo completes its performance through a designated route and returns to Mul-chowk. However, The Asthamarika need to complete their perfor-mance and head out to their respective temples/locations before Paayo makes its entrance to Mul-chowk.Although Ga: Pyakhaan revolves round eight matriks, there thirteen gods and goddesses in total who participate in this festival. Listed are the hierarchy and description of these god and goddesses:

Centuries old mask dances like Astamatrika dances are not just a source of entertainment and religious activities but also a representation of deeply rooted history, identity of harmony between different ethnic and religious groups and also a harmony between humans and gods. However, these cultural assets are at the verge of discontinuing because of lack of sustainable financial sources, changing dynamics of society, and younger generations losing interest in continuing these religious rituals. These rituals are tough in performing as participants need to be disciplined to follow the guidelines. However, local governments and cultural entities need to come together in conserving and continuing our centuries-old traditions that are part of the identity Patan. n

Ga:Pyakhaan/ Asthamatrika Naach: A Sacred Mask Dance of Eight Mother Goddesses Suraj ShakyaArtist, Purna and Sons Handicraft in Nepal

Name of God / Goddesses Color of faceLocation of god/ goddess temple

1 Brahmayani Ash Western part of Sanepa, Patan

2 Rudrayani or Maheshwori White Bhajangal, Patan

3 Bal Kumari or Kaumari Red Eastern part of Patan- Balkumari

4 Vaishnavi Green South western part of Patan-Nakhu

5 Varahi Red Dhatil, Patan

6 Indrayani Yellow North western part of lagankhel, Patan

7 Chamunda or Mahakali Red Sankhamule, Patan

8 Mahalaxmi Yellow and Ash Mahalaxmisthan, near ring road, Patan

9 Simhini or Singhgini (lioness goddess) White Sankhamule, Patan

10 Bhaygrini (tigress goddess) Yellow Sokubahil, Patan

11 Ganesha (elephant headed god) White Jhamsikhel, Patan.

12 Bhairab Dark BlueBatuk Bhairav of Lagankhel, Patan.

13 Kumar Red Kushanti, Patan

Kaumari and Brahamayani © Sanu Raja Maharjan

Windows to ICH


Windows to ICH Windows to ICHWindows to ICHWindows to ICH Windows to ICHWindows to ICH

Bongsan Talchum as a Social Satirical ComedysJeon Kyung WookProfessor of Korean Language Education at Korea University

Transmission and Performance Background of Bongsan TalchumBongsan Talchum, or the Bongsan mask-dance drama, was originally transmitted in Giryang-ri, Dongseon-myeon, Bongsan-gun, Hwanghae Province in the northern part of Korean Peninsula. However, with the relocation of admin-istrative bodies, including the district office to Sariwon in 1915, the mask-dance drama and its transmission activities were also transferred to the area. In South Korea, Bongsan Talchum had been transmitted since its restoration by performers who originated from the North, including Jin-ok Kim and Cheon-sik Min, and was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 17 in 1967. The office of the Bongsan Mask Dance-Drama Preservation Society is currently housed within the Training Center for Important Intangible Cultural Properties in Seoul.

Bongsan Talchum, along with Gangryeong Talchum, constituted the acme of the mask-dance drama of the Haeseo region (Hwanghae Province) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In particular, it became widely known after the performance held at the foot of Mt. Kyongam in Sariwon on the Buddhist All Souls’ Day (fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month) on 31 August 1936, was aired nationally by the Gyeongseong Broadcasting Station.

Bongsan Talchum was usually performed on the Dano day (fifth day of the fifth lunar month), as well as on special occasions celebrated by the local government office, such as the reception of envoys and the arrival of a newly appointed district magistrate. The old town of Bongsan, located on the Northeast Straight Road, was the seat of the Bongsan-gun government office and the temporary place of residence for Chinese envoys.

Performers consisted of petty officials of the local gov-ernment office, in addition to merchants and villagers. The participation of petty officials facilitated the production and

staging of mask dramas and also improved the standard of performance. The Musician Management Agency under the local government office actively supported the genre by pro-viding musicians to play incidental music until around 1900. After the Japanese annexation of Korea led to the dissolution of the Musician Management Agency, musicians were invited from the performers’ village in Gachang-ri.

Bongsan Talchum as a Social Satire with Progressive IdealsBongsan Talchum is a social satirical comedy that reflects the social realities of the late Joseon period. In addition to breaking away from its ritualistic origins, Bongsan Talchum has acquired a theatrical format and content through the innovative adaptation of previous mask dances that had existed as a mere trivial talent.

Firstly, Bongsan Talchum and other mask dramas of the Sandae Nori (mask dances from the central region of Korea) style satirize the various absurdities and ills of the late Joseon society. To this end, each mask drama was created by separately combining existing content elements, such as the Monk Manseok dance that satirizes an apostate monk, which was performed as part of yuhui (儒戱, a satirical play about nobles) and sanhui (山戱, puppet show) at munhuiyeon (聞喜宴) and other feasts, and the Old Man and Woman dance that presents a love triangle between a husband, his wife, and his concubine, a tryst often encountered in everyday life. Consequently, Bongsan Talchum has become characterized by an omnibus style where a number of separate elements are interwoven to form a mask drama.

First of all, the nobleman playing act established its theat-rical style and content based on the existing yuhui. Yuhui is a play that was always performed at munhuiyeon, the celebra-tory banquet for those who had passed the state civil service exam, and was composed of satires on seonbi (Confucian scholars) and ridicule of Confucianists and Confucian

scriptures. While yuhui mocked Confucian scholars, the Yangban playing act made fun of noblemen. The masks of the noble characters portray the first nobleman with a double cleft lip, the second nobleman with a cleft lip, and the bache-lor son of the head family with a crooked face and nose (Fig. 1). These distinct features are a way of expressing the popular consciousness that rejects social inequality and criticizes the privileges of the nobility.

On the other hand, the Nojang (old monk) playing act was constructed using the traditional Monk Manseok dance. The elements performed, centering around chaebung (makeshift wooden stage decorated with silk in five colors), which can be found in the recently discovered color painting Nakseongyeondo (落成宴圖), correspond with sanhui featured in the chapter of seonggi (聲伎, performances such as puppet shows and mask dramas) in Volume 1 of Gyeongdo-japji (京都雜志, “Seoul Miscellany”) written by Yu Deuk-gong (1749-1807). The chapter includes the phrase, “For sanhui, they lay platforms and put up coverings, and perform the lion, tiger, and Monk Manseok dances (山戱結棚下帳作獅虎曼碩僧舞).” Two makeshift platforms are portrayed at the base of the Nakseongyeondo—they are chaebung. Performers are presenting lion-mask and tiger-mask dances in front of the chaebung while the nojang in a kudzu robe and a gisaeng (female entertainer) stand on the right chaebung and the drunk and red-faced chwibari (old bachelor) and a gisaeng on the left chaebung. These images describe none other than the Monk Manseok dance (Fig. 2). A different type of performance from Manseokjung Nori (Monk Manseok shadow play), it is a portrayal of the famous folktale of Monk Jijok and Hwang Jini in the form of mask dancing1.

North Korean scholar Kim Il-chul explains that the Sandae Nori of Kaesong deems the identity of Nojang (old monk) to be Jijok the great monk and that of Tangnyeo (gisaeng) to be Hwang Jini. In other words, the origin story of Manseokjung Nori (story of Monk Jijok, who is seduced by Hwang Jini and eventually becomes an apostate) was precisely reflected in the Sandae Nori of Kaesong, leading to the appearance of Monk Jijok as Nojang and Hwang Jini as Tangnyeo2.

According to Chujae Giyi (秋齋紀異, “Collective Essays of Chujae”) by a late Joseon dynasty poet Cho Su-sam (1762-1849), the mask dancer Tak Munhan, who lived from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth century, performed the Monk Manseok dance. The phrase in the book, “Hwang Jini struts with her face down, and Monk Manseok, dressed in a robe, dances while staggering around (眞娘弓步斂蛾眉萬石槎槎舞衲緇)” matches the scene of the nojang playing act in the present-day mask drama, in which the robed nojang first appears, taking faltering steps and struggling to keep his footing. Therefore, it can be inferred that the nojang playing act of today’s mask drama originated from the folktale of Monk Jijok and Hwang Jini.

Secondly, Bongsan Talchum carried highly progressive themes for the time, reflecting the popular consciousness that rejected the established order and demanded new values. Korean mask dramas critically present real problems caused by social inequality. The names of the characters already hint the themes to be addressed in each playing act. They include nojang, somu (young shaman), sinjangsu (shoe peddler), yangban, malttugi (Yangban’s servant), yeonggam (old man) and halmi (old woman), which are mostly names indicating the character’s social status or class, with few specific indi-vidual names used. This shows that the mask drama aimed to address issues of social status and class, rather than the characters’ personal issues.

Noblemen’s privileged status revealed by a satire on yang-ban, nojang’s deceptive ideology revealed by a satire on the apostate monk, yeonggam’s male tyranny as exposed through his love triangle with his wife and concubine—these are all relics of a feudal society. Bongsan Talchum, which asserts the need to eradicate these negative relics, shows new progress toward heightened social consciousness. In addition, positive characters like chwibari, podobujang (police bureau official), malttugi and Halmi demonstrate the popular consciousness that rejected the established order and demanded new val-ues3, which is in line with the Donghak Peasant Revolution and other historical movements that mark the transition from a medieval to modern society. n

Figure 2. Chaebung and sanhui scene (lion, tiger and Monk Manseok dances) depicted in the color painting Nakseongyeondo.

Figure 1. Nobleman masks appearing in the Yangban playing act of Bongsan Talchum © Intangible Heritage Digital Archive

NOTE1. Jeon, Kyung-wook, History of Traditional Performances in Korea, Seoul: Hakgojae Publishing, 2020, pp. 274-279.2. Kim, Il-chul, A Study on the Folk Mask-dance Theatre in Joseon, Pyongyang: Academy of Sciences Publisher, 1958, p. 188.3. Cho, Dong-il, The History and Principles of Talchum, Seoul: Hongseongsa, 1981, pp. 185-198.


Windows to ICHWindows to ICH

S ri Lanka has a diverse dancing culture where three main styles represent the classical dance tradition. These styles are known as Kandyan dances of the hill country (Uda Raṭa Nätum), the low country dances (Pahata Raṭa Nätum), and the mid-country (Sabaragamuva Näṭum). These three classical dancing styles are transmitted across generations with their ritualistic identities that are unique to movements, motions, costumes, and instruments. In the context of mask dancing, it is more relevant to the low country style, which is highly ceremonial and performed for ritualistic offerings to various devils. The dancers wear masks portraying many characters in different forms of spirits according to their characteristic features.

Daha Aṭa Sanniya is a part of Sanni Yakuma an overnight ritualistic performance prescribed for specific ailments caused by evil spirits controlled under the lord demon— Mahā Kōla Sanni Yakṣayā. The word sann means “severe illness” that affects the patent’s body and mind and not cur-able with only medical treatments according to indigenous beliefs. Therefore traditional physicians consult yakadurā or exorcist to arrange a ritual to perform a Sanni Yakuma to expel the evil spirit affecting the patient. The eighteen masks used for the performance are designed to represent visible features of specific disease conditions characterized as sanni under various names. Daha Aṭa Sanniya is a unique indigenous cultural heritage of identification and personifi-cation of “faceless diseases” by assigning an individual face to each disease by a mask as they are caused by malicious supra-human beings.

In this ritual, nineteen masks are used with the mask of the lord demon, which incorporates miniature representa-tions of the masks of the other eighteen demons. According to legend, Mahā Kōla Sanni Yakṣayā as mentioned in folklore

dating back to prehistoric roots, he was born with a vengeance. Then he created eighteen other demons with poison lumps and charmed to assist him in the

destruction of the entire city. This ritual is performed to please Mahā Kōla Sanni Yakṣayā. The lord demon summons the other eighteen demons then sends them back to their habitats after bringing them under control as tamed by Lord Buddha by agreeing to ritualistic oblations when humans are affected by sickness caused by them.

At the beginning of this ritual after worshipping principal deities of the ceremony the dancing events initiate with per-forming the characters of Maruvā, Kalu Yakā, Rīri Yakā, and Sūniyam Yakā and three female incarnations of Sūniyam as a beautiful damsel, a pregnant woman and a woman carrying a baby in different masks and costumes. Dolaha Pāliya or the twelve apparition dances, each uses different masks for each dancing event. In Sinhala, pāliya means dramatic procession or presentation wherein these dancers hold some specific item related to the name of this dance.

The names of eighteen masks and afflictions represented are Amukku Sanniya (vomiting and stomach diseases), Abūtha Sanniya (not–spirit related insanity), Būtha Sanniya (spirit related insanity), Bihiri Sanniya (deafness), Dēva Sanniya (epidemic diseases), Gedi Sanniya (boils and skin diseases), Gini Jala Sanniya (malaria and other high fevers), Golu Sanniya (dumbness), Gulma Sanniya (parasitic worms and stomach diseases), Jala Sanniya (cholera and chills), Kana Sanniya (blindness), Kora Sanniya (lameness and paralysis), Maru Sanniya (delirium and death), Nāga Sanniya (bad dreams about snakes), Pissu Sanniya (temporary insanity), Pit Sanniya (bilious diseases), Slēsma Sanniya (phlegm and epilepsy), Vāta Sanniya (neurological disorders and rheumatism). The dancing represents a dramatic picture of the specific disease characterized by that particular sanni, including mask, costumes, movements, gesticulations, and dialogues.

A ritual performed to bless the infertile women for conceiving a child or preserving the fetus, or safe delivery is called Raṭa Yakuma, Riddi Yāgaya, Nānu Muraya, or Dolaha

Pelapāliya. Sabaragamuva traditions also have a ritual for the same purpose, but only some of the twelve dancing events use masks. Kadavara Yak Kankāriya in the hill country tradition, performed for the same reason, also has no mask dancing included. However, in most dancing events with no mask, the dancer’s face is highly masqueraded with makeup.

Also, another ceremonial ritual named ‘Gam-Maduva’ or ‘Devol-Maduva’ prescribed annually for collective blessing and preventing epidemics has a dancing event called ‘Garā Yakuma’ that is performed with a specific mask. It is the concluding event performed to close the ceremony with entertaining the audience and appealing for the blessings of divine beings. According to the folk story, this devil is also known as “Dala Kumāra” who was reborn after a tragic death with anger and grief. He has twelve forms and is presently performed with a colorful mask featuring a pair of long fangs in two corners of the mouth. Performing this dance is common during droughts and seasonal hazards caused by epidemics or famines to bring the blessings from local deities for prosperity and affluence. All of these dancing events are performed at a specially constructed ceremonial site deco-rated with many traditional ritual structures banana stems, tender coconut leaves, and recommended green leaves. Maha Sohon Samayama is another healing ritual performed to expel the affliction of a furious devil called Mahasōnā (Great Demon of the Graveyard), who is believed to have severe and fatal ailments in patients. This ritual features a bear mask. According to legend, the devil was a violent human who lost his head in a deadly fight. His head was replaced with that of a bear. As described in folklore, Mahasōnā is chief to 30,000 demons and is close to forty meters tall, with four eyes and four hands and red skin. He rides a boar and drinks buffalo blood. Outfit of this devil is fearsome and decorated with black, which is highly symbolic to represent the deadly afflic-tion and malicious power against health. n

Sri Lankan Tradition of Mask DancingDr. Danister L. PereraChairman, National Expert Committee on Traditional Knowledge Member, ICH National Steering CommitteeMember, ICH committee of National Arts Council Member, Advisory Committee of Folk Music Sri Lanka.

Dummala Pāliya © Iranga Weerakkody & G.A.C. Sri Palitha Pansdam Pāliya © Iranga Weerakkody & G.A.C. Sri Palitha

Incarnation of Sūniyam Yakṣani © Iranga Weerakkody

& G.A.C. Sri Palitha

Atu Pāliya © Iranga Weerakkody & G.A.C. Sri Palitha

Kendi Pāliya © Iranga Weerakkody & G.A.C. Sri Palitha


Windows to ICHWindows to ICH

Tubuan spirits only appear in community spaces during significant events, usually following the death of important community members as part of funeral ceremonies that can take place over several years. In recent decades, tubuan have appeared as part of other community events such as the open-ing of new churches or during visits from regional political leaders. Historically, tubuan have also appeared in public as part of their role as enforces of traditional protocols. Because of their powerful spiritual associations, relationships with deceased ancestors, and their role as enforcers of traditional lore, tubuan command great respect and generate fear among children and young women.

During most public appearances, the tubuan enter the liminal space at the edge of the village, where they dance accompanied by a male choir. Most senior men in the Lak region consider tubuan performances and the kapialai songs that accompany their performances to be the most aesthetically beautiful music and dance forms of their culture. Women, children, and uninitiated men watch tubuan per-formances with interest from a safe distance of thirty to forty meters. Tubuan perform synchronous movements, but unlike male and female dances of the region that are performed in grids of rows and columns, tubuan dance in their own

space, sometimes individually and sometimes with other spirit figures.

The spirits dance by leaping, hopping, and skipping in time and in counterpoint to the kundu, hourglass shaped drums. The tubuan twist, turn, and leap about in a vigorous dance that suggests a lightness and dynamism that is surprising given their size and bulk. Tubuan are, after all, spirit beings and associated with lightness and reproductive power. All tubuan are female, and while they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, each tubuan is an individual and remains unchanged across generations. A senior male initiate known as a yain pindik or ‘source of the secret’ carefully manages and escorts his tubuan to and from the dance grounds. Dance sessions may go on for hours or days, depending on the ability of the individual sponsoring the performance to provide food in the form of garden produce and pigs to the tubuan and the hosting village.

When tubuan occupy a village over several days of perfor-mance, no work can be undertaken, and all normal activities of gardening and building must cease. The tubuan are sum-moned into the dancing ground at the edge of the village by an intricate rhythmic pattern played on a large garamut or slit gong. The slit gong is used to summon the dancing spirits and send them back to the taraiu up to ten times a day during the rites. Kapialai songs and tubuan dancing often stir deep emotions and bring to mind not just the deceased person for whom the mortuary rites are being performed but also other deceased relatives of the recent and not so recent past. Individual yain pindik are often moved to get up from the choir of men to dance among the spirits and yell out in joy and celebration of those who have passed yet still dance on in a spiritual form.

On the final day of their performance the tubuan visit each hamlet in the village that is hosting the rites. The spirits move

slower, and they appear tired and mournful. In each hamlet they visit, they receive gifts

of food and ropes of shell money, the tra-ditional exchange currency of the region.

The tubuan continue to hold a special place in the hearts and minds of all Lak people. They are at once fearsome and wonderful to behold. To see the spirits dance in their traditional setting is a

wonder that links the ancestors to the present generations. In more recent year’s

senior men complain about the ways in which tubuan rites are truncated to accom-

modate the economic and political demands of modern times, but the rites seem certain to continue in one form or another for the foreseeable future. n

Where Spirits Dance The spirit masks of Southern New Ireland Papua New Guinea.

Dr. Paul WolfframAssociate Professor Film ProgrammeTe Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

In the south-easternmost region of the island of New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago above the mainland of Papua New Guinea, there resides an isolated linguistic group called Siar-Lak. The Lak people number approximately 2,500 to 3,000 speakers and survive mainly from subsistence horticulture supplemented by fishing and the sale of copra, cocoa beans, and other cash crops. The Lak have several masking and dancing traditions; the most significant is known as the tubuan or duk-duk. The tubuan practice involves a secret men’s society, secret grounds, and large spirit-figure masks. These seven to ten-foot conical masks also appear in neighboring linguistic groups, most famously among the Tolai people across the Saint George channel on the eastern tip of New Britain.

There is strong evidence to support the assertion that tubuan culture and traditions originated in Southern New Ireland and spread from there to central New Ireland and East New Britain. The practices, knowledge, and traditions associ-ated with the tubuan are part of the esoteric law of the secret society. Only men, who are usually initiated into the practice during their early or mid-teens, can participate or enter the secret grounds. The secret grounds are known as taraiu and are found on the outskirts of most village communities in the Lak region.

A yian pindik – senior practitioner in the tubuan society stands in front of tubuan spirit masks. © Paul Wolffram

Tubuan spirits bend and twist in the vigorous motions of a dance. © Paul Wolffram

Tubuan pace around the dance grounds waiting for the singing to begin. © Paul Wolffram

Tubuan spirits. © Paul Wolffram


With the growing expansion of digital ecosystems around the world, an information-sharing platform has emerged as one of the key elements for the success in the fourth industrial revolution. This shows the recent transition into a new paradigm the focus of which is mainly brought to the openness and sharing1. These changes have made their ways not only into the economy but also into art and culture. Discussions have also been made, even in the field of ICH, about the importance of co-governance and management for efficient ICH safeguarding and their use. This can be also construed from Cheng Yang’s article, indicating that “the open and cooperative governance is the key to effective ICH safeguarding in the big data era.”2 Today, many ICH elements are at severe risk due to political, social and environmental changes such as globalization, industrial-ization, urbanization, and climate changes. A lot of analogue ICH-related records have faced a serious risk of damage and deterioration while failing to adapt to the digital envi-ronment. This is why we need a digital mechanism for ICH safeguarding.

ICHCAP, a UNESCO Category 2 Center established under the Agreement between UNESCO and the government of the

Republic of Korea in 2011, has carried out many projects and activities targeted toward safeguarding ICH in the forty-eight Member States of the Asia-Pacific region, including sharing ICH information, strengthening networks, and enhancing awareness and visibility of ICH.

Over the past few years, ICHCAP has contemplated upon new possibilities to strengthen its core functions in information and networking to bring significant changes to the projects in both quality and quantity. This has developed into the largest project in the history of ICHCAP, and it is now expected to promote by far more sharing and use of ICH information in the Asia-Pacific region. The platform breaks away from the passive and microscopic framework of data repository and takes a macroscopic approach to cultivate community involvement and cultural diversity. It is envi-sioned to serve as a public space for communities, groups, and individuals to share and manage a variety of ICH information collected from many countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

In late October 2019, ICHCAP presented a roadmap for the project during its 9th Governing Board Meeting, followed by the renewal of Agreement between UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Korea on the Establishment of

ichLinks Logo © ICHCAP

ICHCAP on 3 December 2019. The new Agreement stipulated the establishment of a system to ensure the effective sharing of ICH-related information as one of the key functions, empha-sizing its international role as ICH information agency.

ICHCAP named the platform "ichLinks" aiming to create ICH-dedicated information-sharing platform in the Asia-Pacific region. We have coined the term out of ICH and Links, each of which represents intangible cultural heritage and mutual connections through the platform. It is character-ized largely by four main features, including integrated online service, active participation by Member States, expandable data and contents, and active on- and offline use. More spe-cifically, ichLinks is designed to enable linking and sharing ICH information on cultural elements, relevant academic resources, stakeholders, news and events. It aims to facilitate the systematic data connection and creative content curation through a structured metadata management.

Needless to say, a platform can gather more data when there are more users. The platform can attract not only its main target groups but also the so-called indifferent users, only when it has effective pull factors, namely quality informa-tion and contents. Its sustainability would depend on the roles

of and contributions by the participants. Furthermore, the platform can also be explored even through offline settings. The great value created from such a process would help build a stronger base and a place for solidarity to learn how to better safeguard ICH among the Asia-Pacific Member States.

ICHCAP also identified a strong demand for an ICH information-sharing platform in the Asia-Pacific through a survey conducted by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute involving working-level officials from thirty-five UNESCO Member States. In a questionnaire that aims to study views about participating in the ichLinks project, twenty-one out of thirty-five countries responded positively, noting that they are willing to participate. They also expressed high expectations for the platform, commenting on (1) how relevant modular sources would strengthen ICH safeguarding, (2) participating in such a venture would be a meaningful experience, and (3) the platform might be a good means for international exchange of cultural practices. The survey also heard reac-tions about how the platform is a timely opportunity to empower communities, groups, and individuals by protecting ICH-related practices. Certainly, the platform has a task to provide easier access to ICH and create an environment where

Cooperation

Digital Ecosystems

convergence

Urbanization

Expansion

linkglobalization

Asia-Pacific ICH Information-Sharing Platform “ichLinks” Now Ready to Set SailJinhee OhAssistant Programme Specialist, ICHCAP

sharing

Safeguarding ActivitiesSafeguarding Activities


Safeguarding Activities Safeguarding Activities

A briefing session of a Feasibility Study on Building Action Plans for ICH Information-Sharing Platform held on April 9, 2020 © ICHCAP

networking is effectively enabled, ensuring that the younger generations can benefit from such experience.

Moving forward, ICHCAP has lined up its direction for the ichLinks through a series of procedures, including several expert meetings for the development of platform prototypes and a feasibility study on building the ICH information-sharing platform by the KCTI3. In the wake of the coronavirus scare, these meetings and events were held on conference calls, which underlines the dire need for the platform. This knowledge and experience we gained at these stages can further develop into offline discussions and coop-erative schemes after the COVID-19. The core values imbued into the platform by ICHCAP—decentralization, openness and sharing, and sustainability—will be reflected through sharing and cooperation in online and offline venues.

ICHCAP Director-General Gi Hyung Keum mentioned that this is the first step of a long-term project for gathering and using ICH information from the Member States. He continued:

Each individual program that ICHCAP has undertaken over the past decade is meaningful, but there are high expec-tations regarding this particular project because it would lay a new framework for ICH information-sharing, one in which a genuine solidarity among countries in the Asia-Pacific binds perspectives, cultural data, and ideas together.

Hanhee Hamh, emeritus professor at Jeonbuk National University echoed the words of Director-General Keum in an advisory meeting where she stressed the importance of main-taining “a horizontal and democratic structure” in a platform whose existence is premised on collaboration and collective benefits.

Professor Myung Hwan Roh at the Department of Information and Archival Science at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies also underlined the need “to present a clear vision to attract voluntary participation of Member States.” He also added that the platform must offer a variety of options for content curation and guarantee high searchability, particularly through semantic archives closely knitted with meanings and symbolic structures.

ICHCAP is planning to develop ichLinks under a three-phase plan as follows: establishment, advancement, and expansion. As a primary step, ICHCAP is focusing on building a structured system and setting up a good model case. We will further draw more participants from the rest of the region and expand the preliminary basis for cooperative networks. By 2023, we will have fully developed the platform. Under this project, ICHCAP is expecting various positive results such as the expansion of international knowledge base, which includes rich public and academic contents for various purposes. The platform, as it will serve as the regional ICH information and networking base, is also expected to bring

NOTE1. Choi, Bae-geun, “Platform Economy and Fair Economy:

New Ways to Overcome Polarized Monopoly,” Encounter of Sharing Economy and Fair Economy- Conference on Review of Fostering Laws of Sharing Platform Companies, Resources of National Assembly’s Policy Discussion, December 19, 2018, p. 12.

2. Yang, Cheng, “Collaborative Governance Mechanism for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Internet Age.” In 4th Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2018). Atlantis Press. 2019: pp. 44-46.

3. ICHCAP conducted a Feasibility Study on Building Action Plans for an ICH Information-Sharing Platform with the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute from September 2019 through April 2020, to study potential opportunities to promote ICH information and contents with voluntary and active participation of UNESCO Member States in the Asia-Pacific region.

about sources and opportunities for social and economic development among the participating Member States, as well as strategies and practices to implement the 2003 UNESCO Convention and promote cultural diversity. n

ichLinks graphic Image © ICHCAP

26 ICH COURIER VOLUME 43 ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org

COVID-19 and Folk MusicMadhura Duttabanglanatak dot com

which they are also paid. From April to May, 40 performances by 155 artists had an outreach of 159,700 viewers. The per-formers appear online at designated hours, all decked up, with mindfully chosen beautiful desert settings as their backdrops to perform. This platform has become popular, being shared and reshared not only by urban audiences but also within their community across various parts of Rajasthan. All the artists perform in groups of musicians and singers, with their traditional instruments, some of which are entirely new expe-riences for many audiences. Colleagues, friends, and friends of friends have started connecting, commenting, liking, and building a network of hundreds across the world.

Just as I enjoyed listening to their music and songs, I also enjoyed talking to the performers. Most of them felt that they were in a relatively better condition in their villages, with community support and access to essential food items that they grow. However, they were also apprehensive about the coming tough times, as the season changes to an adverse dry summer when cultivation becomes increasingly more difficult. They shared that although their livelihood has been severely affected because traveling is integral to their work, so has the entire world with which they empathize and share in their pain.

When asked how they felt about their live online programs, each had something interesting to say. Some of the younger artists were excited to be able to perform online and reach out to hundreds of listeners even during the lockdown. For some, this was a first-of-a-kind experience, doing a choreographed online event from their village homes, and they appreciated the efforts of my colleagues who painstakingly explained to them every detail of recording such live programs. For some of the elderly performers—fathers and grandfathers of the more technology-savvy young singers—the virtual world and its nuances did not seem to have sunk in much; they were just happy that they were invited to perform, even if there was no real audience in front of them. They sang about birth and life, about goodness and blessings, about loved ones who are waiting to return to each other, and about calling the almighty who exists everywhere and is the world’s savior. There were a few who emphasized a feeling of being connected to other artists, singers, musicians, and friends, both old and new, who have heard their program and have called or written to applaud them. They said that even when they are physically miles apart, they feel closer to each other through interactions and musical exchange, which is giving them some positive energy to cope with the present uncertainty and secluded life. In their words, “humein lag raha hai hamare sath koi hai,” “sannata nehi hai, sab nazdeek aa gaye,” and “jhum gaye sab.” They harped on the confluence of music and singers of different languages and cultures, from different parts of Rajasthan and Bengal (also a part of this initiative), and how each is inspiring the other by reaching out with their own melodies and songs. According to them, music is giving them the strength and encouragement to not lose hope. Some of

the lesser-known and newer artists felt a sense of achievement as they sang on the same digital platform where renowned, senior, and even Padmashree awardee artists also performed. When they found some of the gurus of these musical forms, who otherwise remain extremely busy with their travels and programs, listening to them, and dropping appreciative comments, they felt happy, encouraged, and fulfilled. They kept telling me, “Dil khush ho gaya.” The masters expressed their joy watching artists from the interior of Rajasthan, per-forming together with their family members, sons, and even grandsons.

On a more spiritual note, which is integral to their music, they talked about one God, brotherhood, humanity, and friendship. They worship their music, which gives them col-lective power, strength, and faith to fight adversity on the one hand and derive immense joy from living on the other. The richness of their cultural capital is known to the world, but how it builds their emotional capital in dire straits was some-thing worth learning about. n

Dada Khan (Dedariya, Barmer) © banglanatak dot com

Local Landscape © banglanatak dot com

Bachu Khan & team (Barnawa Jageer, Barmer) © banglanatak dot com

Village in Jaisalmer © banglanatak dot com

ICH Communities ICH Communities

The unforeseen global pandemic of Covid-19 is having a long-term, hard-hitting impact on life and living, and lockdowns, fear, and uncer-tainty have been evoking different types of survival responses from different sections of people. Discussions abound on proper physical and emotional well-being, good governance, positivity, and humane support towards each other, from the family to global communi-ties. At the same time, this pervasive crippling of humankind has also raised wide-spread consciousness and efforts towards responsible living, sustainability, resilience, happiness, creativity, and local action.

In my work, connecting with rural artisans and artists from across India has always been important because we work with them to develop, sustain, and professionalize their traditional cultural skills. So, an ongoing dialogue with artists became important not only to sustain our relationships but also to learn more about how they are coping and what it is that they are holding on to.

My interactions with folk musicians and singers of western Rajasthan are worth sharing. Among these artists are manganiyar and langa singers who sing about nature, human lifecycles, epics, ballads, folklore, daily life, etc. Their iconic musical instruments include kha-maicha, sindhi sarangi, shahnai, algoza, khartal, and morchang. Some of these singers are renowned, rich, and famous and have travelled the world. However, many are not, and their villages mostly remain in oblivion. We work with these communities to promote and create sustainable village-based livelihoods through cultural tourism.

When our work with them got stalled at the end of March, we decided to use social media platforms to keep them connected. Through the MusiCal Facebook page @bncmusical, an initia-tive of banglanatak dot com, these rural artists are being brought in to perform live from their villages. In a coordinated and professional manner they perform at designated daily program slots, which are pre-advertised on the page and for

ichcourier.unesco-ichcap.org VOLUME 43 ICH COURIER 27


Safeguarding Pioneers Safeguarding Pioneers

The 2003 UNESCO Convention aims to engage govern-ments in ICH safeguarding, with the widest possible collaboration of stakeholders such as communities, groups, NGOs, and where applicable, individuals1. In this con-text, the government ideally includes Central, Provincial or State, and Local (District of Municipal) governments. It is an important point that among these strata of governments, it is surely local governments that have the maximum direct inter-action with and influence upon, the said communities, groups, and individuals through who are hoped to be encouraged to safeguard ICH in their respective places. The Convention also aims to identify and disseminate information regarding good safeguarding practices of ICH2. The Indonesian Heritage Network—Jaringan Kota Pusaka Indonesia (JKPI)—is a good example of networking among local governments for safe-guarding ICH.

The Indonesian Heritage Cities Network is an inter-local government organization (not an NGO) that coordinates on a national level among cities and districts possessing varieties of natural and/or cultural heritage (tangible and intangible). JKPI aims to jointly safeguard natural and cultural heritage including ICH. JKPI was declared on 25 October 2008 in Surakarta City by twelve cities. One of the mayors who declared the establishment of JKPI was Ir. Joko Widodo, then Mayor of Surakarta and host of the meeting, (presently 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia.) As of the seventh National Working Meeting Karangasem, Bali in June 2019, JKPI has seventy member cities and districts. The objectives of JKPI are:

• To develop collaboration amongst cities (and districts) hav-ing important natural and cultural heritage

• To develop collaboration for safeguarding heritage with stakeholders

• To promote a role of communities in safeguarding heritage and its positive development in social life

• To inventory the wealth of the heritage of the member cities/districts of JKPI

• To develop an understanding of the diverse nature and culture to strengthen the Unified State of the Republic of Indonesia

• To be used as a vehicle for promoting existing heritage for JKPI member cities/districts3

JKPI is a non-profit and independent organization, and is not intended to advance the interests of, or be affiliated with, any group or political party.

JKPI organizes national working meetings annually, and congresses every three years, hosted by one of the member cities or districts. So far, four congresses and seven national working meetings have been held. The next national working meeting in 2020 will be held in Siak, tentatively in September. Other meetings have and may be organized from time to time if deemed necessary by the member cities/districts. A Presidium Chairman is elected annually from among the member cities/districts4. The present Presidium Chair is the Head of Siak District, Drs. H. Alfedri, M.Si5. JKPI has its Secretariat office at Jalan Veteran No. 15, Jakarta Pusat. The Secretariat is headed by an Executive Chairman, Ir. Asfarinal ST. Rumah Gadang. JKPI official website is: http://www.indonesia-heritage.net

JKPI is dedicated to encouraging member cities and states to safeguard intangible, tangible, and natural heritage. It is true that in the UNESCO system, these three kinds of her-itage are handled using different methodologies and under different international instruments and bodies6. However, as pointed out by Ir. Asfarinal at a conference held by ICHCAP in Penang in September 2017, intangible, tangible, and natural heritage may to a certain extent be mutually complementary in their safeguarding efforts. For example, performances or exhibitions of ICH at heritage sites may serve to enliven such sites and encourage their ongoing safeguarding. And similarly, ICH is encouraged by being performed or exhibited at sites associated with such heritage.

Meetings of JKPI thus generally consisted of • Carnival (ICH) parade and stage performances in which

member cities and districts display their performing arts, traditions, festivities, etc.

• Exhibition booths for the display of products, handcrafts, cuisine, and culture of member cities/districts

• National or international seminar for sharing information and encouragement for safeguarding heritage by recognized experts and relevant officials

• Discussion and adoption of relevant resolutions and handing over the presidium chair to the next host city/district

• Informal discussions, meetings, and networking among may-ors/district heads/local government officials present

• Visits to heritage sites

According to its mandate, ICHCAP has a particular focus on information and networking related to ICH. In consider-ation of similarities in purpose between ICHCAP and JKPI, it is presently being considered to sign an MoU between the two organizations for collaborating and sharing information and networking for safeguarding ICH.

It is hoped in the future that JKPI may be more active in safeguarding ICH in the Asia-Pacific region in collabora-tion with ICHCAP. n

Indonesian Heritage City Network, a Good Example for Networking Activities among Local Governments to Safeguard ICH Gaura Mancacaritadipura, Member of Board of Experts, Indonesian Heritage Cities Network

NOTE1. UNESCO 2003 Convention, Articles 11 and 152. UNESCO 2003 Convention, Article 183. Articles of Association of JKPI 2008 as amended 20184. Articles of Association of JKPI, ibid5. Decision of the IVth Congress of JKPI,

Surakarta, June 20186. Inter alia, UNESCO 1972 Convention on World Cultural

and Natural Heritage, UNESCO 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, ICOMOS, IUCN

Evening stage performance of Ratu Jaro Dance of Aceh (equivalent of Saman, but performed by girls) © Photograph by: Gaura Mancacaritadipura. 2019 Indonesian Heritage Cities Network

Artists from Surakarta City dressed in Wayang Orang (Javanese opera) costumes

in the carnival parade © Photograph by: Gaura Mancacaritadipura. 2019

Indonesian Heritage Cities Network

ICH Webinar Series © ICHCAP

Youth ICH Storytelling Contest Online Exhibition © ICHCAP

100th Issue of ICH Plus © ICHCAP Emblem of the 2003 Convention © UNESCO

Session II of ICH Webinar Series to Tackle the Teaching of Heritage Amidst the Pandemic

The inaugural session of the ICH Webinar Series was held on 18 June 2020, centering on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on living heritage in the Asia-Pacific region. Co-organized by ICHCAP and the UNESCO Bangkok Office, the first session looked into the roles ICH might take in a crisis—a crucial understanding of living heritage, especially in imagining the future that is indubitably defined by the challenging measures the pandemic has brought upon us. Delving deeper into the impacts of the pandemic on heritage with the state of higher education in mind, the second session of the webinar series is intentioned to look into the teaching of heritage-related disciplines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has burdened cultural tourism and heritage conservation prac-tices. The harsh effects of COVID-19 are strikingly visible. In the Republic of Korea and China, academic gatherings have been canceled, with the drastic change being instruction served mainly through online platforms. In this survey of universities with educational programs related to living heritage, these two East Asian countries have university degrees that solely focus on ICH. Meanwhile, various border closures, lockdowns, or curfews restrict mobility and travel in countries with programs highly related to ICH such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Myanmar, and the Philippines. We can only expect to find ourselves among academics, researchers, and higher edu-cation students looking for innovative teaching and learning models, instruc-tional designs, and alternative practices of scholarly study that respond to the needs of heritage instruction amidst the pandemic.

How does COVID-19 pandemic affect the way we think about the rela-tion between heritage and educational

institutions? What are the new issues and understanding for teaching or research to address that have been raised by the pandemic (e.g. role of heritage, creativity, community, sustain-ability, etc.)? What alternative practices cover the objectives of traditional meth-ods of critical inquiry such as fieldwork, survey, and interview? These are some of the essential questions the Session II of the ICH Webinar Series will address. Co-organized by ICHCAP, UNESCO Bangkok Office, and the Asian Academy of Heritage Management, the session is on 2 July 2020 at 17:00 (KST). It will be chaired by Boram Kim of ICHCAP and moderated by Dr. Hanhee Hahm of Chonbuk National University (Korea), featuring presentations by Dr. Neel Kamal Chapagain of Ahmedabad University (India), Kristal Buckley of Deakin University (Australia), Danilo Pesce of Polytechnic of Turin (Italy), and Dr. Nikhil Joshi of the National University of Singapore.

The ICH Webinar Series is free and open to the public. n

100th Issue of ICH PlusICH Plus has marked its 100th volume.ICH Plus is a fortnightly online e-newsletter published by ICHCAP and was started in 2016 to promote the visibility of ICH information. ICH Plus has delivered ICH-related information

that has been contributed and shared by about eighty foreign correspondents of ICHCAP and relevant organizations including UNESCO, governmental organizations, and non-governmental institutions in the field of culture. It has

also published essays from ICH experts to introduce recent dis-course on ICH. For the past five years, ICH Plus has deliv-ered more than six hundred news stories related to ICH.

ICH Plus is playing an important role as an ICH

information platform that serves the readers with easier access to ICH. The 100th volume of ICH Plus has been made possible due to the efforts and help of many people.

Going forward, ICHCAP will do everything we can to safeguard ICH in the Asia-Pacific region as an ICH infor-mation platform and a focal point for communication through our ICH Plus e-newsletter. ICHCAP always welcomes applications for foreign correspondent positions to deliver recent ICH news in the Asia-Pacific region.

We are also open for submissions about ICH-related issues and events, essays, interviews, or stories. For more information, please contact us via email ([email protected]).

Visit link (https://www.unesco-ichcap.org/subscribe/) to subscribe to the newsletter. n

Living Heritage Experiences in the Context of the COVID-19 PandemicWhile we are currently going through extraordinary conditions of lockdown on a global scale due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we are also seeing the ways in which the impact of this crisis goes beyond our physical health. Festivals and cultural events are being cancelled or postponed, and cultural practices and rituals are being restricted, causing disruptions in the lives of many people.

At the same time, we are seeing how living heritage can be a source of resil-ience in such difficult circumstances, as people continue to draw inspiration, joy, and solidarity from practicing their living heritage. With this in mind, UNESCO is inviting its partners to share their experiences on the role of living heritage during the pandemic and how its safeguarding has been affected in the immediate term.

We hope that these stories will help enhance our learning about safeguard-ing living heritage in the context of COVID-19 and inspire communities

to learn from each other and exchange experiences.

Please send us your experience through our online form (English| French|Spanish). You may wish to include information directly collected by your organization or other stories that you are aware of related to living

heritage during the coronavirus pandemic. We also encourage you to circulate this call with your net-works and communities who may be interested.

For any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly: [email protected]. n

Online Exhibition of Youth ICH Storytelling OpenedICHCAP has opened an online exhibition of the winning entries of the 2019 Asia-Pacific Youth ICH Storytelling Contest.

The exhibition displays the twenty-nine winning works of the contest organized by ICHCAP. The winners came from ten countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including India, Vietnam, Nepal, China, and Bangladesh. The contest was held in two categories (Young Practitioners and General Youth) for Asia-Pacific youth aged between 18 and 35.

The winners shared their own stories as young practitioners in the form of an interview or essay or told stories about

ICH they met in their everyday lives or on their travels. The entries were submitted in the form of photo essays or videos, and the descriptions are avail-able both in Korean and English. Videos are provided with English subtitles. The online exhibition covers various ICH elements, including traditional dance, crafts, art, music, martial arts, medical practices, and native languages. And instead of simply explaining such her-itage, the youth reflected their insights, voices and passion in their stories about the history and culture of the people and communities they met and the safe-guarding and transmission of ICH.

Moushumi Choudhury, the Grand Prize winner in the Young Practitioners category, shared her story of becoming the first female Chau dancer by breaking the glass ceiling in the predominantly male dance genre in India. Saurabh Narang, the Excellence Prize winner in the General Youth category, was fasci-nated by the Siddis in India, which is an ethnic group of African origin, after he first heard of their existence from a man he came across while traveling. Maya

Rai (Nepal), who learned about crafts and education from her two mothers, is now working at the Nepal Knotcraft Centre. Tiancheng Xu (China), who learned acupuncture from his father who was an acupuncturist, is currently studying how to introduce robotics and digital technology to acupuncture at university. Their stories will help the viewers have bright expectations about the roles and possibilities of the future generation for ICH safeguarding and sustainable development.

As a UNESCO category 2 center, ICHCAP organized the youth ICH storytelling contest with the aim to support ICH safeguarding activities of young practitioners. Youth practitioners play an essential role, as ICH relies on direct transmission among community members. Their activities and involve-ment will hopefully contribute to raising awareness of ICH worth protecting.

Visit https://www.unesco-ichcap.org/kor/ek/sub2019/index.php to appreciate the online exhibition of the winning entries of the 2019 Asia-Pacific Youth ICH Storytelling Contest. n


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