Folklore and Intangible Cultural Heritage

Buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artefacts are examples of tangible cultural heritage, whereas folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge are examples of intangible cultural heritage (including culturally significant landscapes, and biodiversity).The word is frequently used in relation with Indigenous intellectual property protection issues.

Types of intangible cultural heritage:

According to the UNESCO Convention of 2003, intangible cultural heritage manifests itself in the following domains:

• Language is a channel for intangible cultural heritage, including oral traditions and expressions;
• Artistic expression;
• Social customs, rituals, and celebrations;
• Nature and universe knowledge and practises
• Conventional methods of production

ICH is defined by the 2003 Convention as the practises, representations, expressions, knowledge, and abilities that communities, groups, and, in certain situations, individuals acknowledge as part of their cultural heritage.

Importance of intangible cultural heritage:

The value of intangible cultural legacy refers to the wealth of information and abilities passed down from generation to generation. First and foremost, the social and economic value of knowledge is relevant for both minority and mainstream social groups. Processes, words, know-how, and abilities, as well as linked items and cultural spaces, are examples of intangible cultural legacy that individuals recognise as part of their cultural history. It supports humanity’s feeling of identity and continuity by being passed down through generations and constantly rebuilt. Second, several aspects of the economy, such as growth and development rates, foreign exchange outflow volumes, infrastructure development, new management approaches, and training experience, all contribute to the country’s economic and social development.

The preservation of intangible cultural heritage is a vital economic resource. As a result, heritage preservation operations must always include the society, people, and, if appropriate, individuals who bear such heritage. Tourists eager to learn about different cultures and experience the global diversity of performing arts, handcrafts, rituals, and cuisines are primarily motivated by the global riches of traditions. Such meetings inspire cultural interaction, which leads to dialogue, understanding, and tolerance and peace. People that recognise these ideals have their own method of disseminating their knowledge and talents, which in most cases relies on word of mouth rather than written materials.

Cultural heritage examples:

Monuments are some of the most well-known examples of tangible cultural heritage. Washington, D.C., the United States capital, is rich in cultural legacy, from colossal monuments to Smithsonian museums. The Washington Monument is one of the city’s most well-known structures. George Washington, a military leader who led the colonial army during the American Revolutionary War and eventually became the country’s first president, is commemorated by the obelisk. While meditating on their country’s past, Americans visiting the Washington Monument experience a sense of patriotic pride.

In Indian culture, the Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is a significant structure. This outstanding architectural work has national and international historical and aesthetic value. For Indian Muslims, the Taj Mahal has religious significance since it includes Islamic elements and Arabic writing.

Cultural legacy includes well-known pieces of art such as paintings, sculptures, and photography. The Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting in the Western world. The image of an enigmatic, faintly smiling woman, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century, is still popular in modern pop culture. Mona Lisa’s distinctive face can be recognised even by individuals who have not seen the artwork at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The ethics and rationale of cultural preservation:

The preservation of tradition is extremely important to classical civilizations, particularly Indian cultures. Its basic notion was that “legacy” should be used as a “resource” by social institutions, scientific knowledge, and technological applications. We may claim that ancient Indians regarded both economic assets (such as natural resources and their exploitation structure) and variables promoting social cohesion as social resources (like institutions for the preservation of knowledge and for the maintenance of civil order). Ethics believed that what was inherited should not be devoured, but rather passed down to succeeding generations, maybe enriched. Except in the final life stage of sannyasa, this was a moral requirement for all.What one generation regards as “cultural heritage” may be scorned by the next, only to be revitalised by the next.

Conclusion:

India’s living cultural heritage has been fashioned through centuries of adaptation, re-creation, and co-existence as settlements and political power have changed. India’s intangible cultural legacy is expressed in ideas, practises, beliefs, and values that have been passed down through generations and are part of the nation’s collective memory. India’s physical, ethnic, and linguistic diversity, which occurs within a framework of interconnection, is as astounding as its cultural pluralism. In certain cases, its cultural legacy is reflected as pan-Indian traditions that are not limited to a single locale, genre, or category, but exist in numerous forms, levels, and versions that are interconnected but distinct.

The continuity of India’s civilization from ancient times to the present, as well as later contributions by other influences, underpins the richness of its heritage.