PROCEEDINGS
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
(ICICH)
26th – 28th OCTOBER 2022
Published by
Department of National Heritage
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
2022
ISBN 978-983-3862-64-1
9789833862641
PROCEEDINGS
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE (ICICH)
THIS IS A COMPILATION PAPERS FOR SESSION PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN A VIRTUAL PLATFORM
ADVISORS :
Mohd Azmi Mohd Yusof
Commissioner of Heritage
Mohamad Muda Bahadin
Deputy Director General, Department of National Heritage
EDITORS :
Dr. Eyo Leng Yan
Somira Haji Abd. Rahman
Sanjai Kumar Bascaran
Aerriscia Epple
Norrulhuda Mohd Halim
Mohd Asyriq Abu Kassim
PROOFREADERS:
• Prof. Madya Ts. Dr. Tan Tse Guan • Prof. Madya Ts. Dr. Nik Zulkarnaen Khidzir
• Prof. Madya Ts. Dr. Khairul Azhar Mat Daud • Prof. Madya Khairil Anwar Dean Kamarudin
• Ts. Dr. Mohd Saipuddin Suliman • Ts. Dr. Mukhtaruddin Musa
• Ts. Dr. Azmul Fadhli Kamaruzaman • Dr. Mohd Zaimmudin Mohd Zain • Dr. Suraya Sukri
• Dr. Ainul Wahida Radzuan • Dr. Sarah Wahida Hasbullah • Dr. Azlin Sharina Abdul Latef
• Dr. Kanit Sripaoraya • Nadya Ahmad Kamal • Mohammad Syukran Kamal Ruzzaman
DESIGN, COMPILATION AND PRINTING:
SENTUHAN KEEMASAN ENTERPRISE
PUBLISHED BY:
Department of National Heritage, 2022
@ All Copyrights Reserved
No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in any form whether by means of electronic
or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without
written permission from the Department of National Heritage
Department of National Heritage ii
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture,
Block A & B Sultan Abdul Samad Building,
Jalan Raja, 50050 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel : +603-2612 7200
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.heritage.gov.my
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Contents
NO. CONTENTS PAGE
1-3
1. Foreword 4-5
2. Event Outline 6 - 10
3. Tentative
11 - 12
KEYNOTE SPEECH
4. Safeguarding of Malaysia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage
YBhg. Datuk Hajah Saraya Arbi
TOPIC 1: STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
5. STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL 15 - 19
HERITAGE
Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin
6. SAFEGUARDING THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MALAYSIA: MALAYSIAN 20 - 26
AUDIO-VISUAL ARCHIVES (MYARCHIVES) AS A CASE STUDY
Prof. Madya. Dr. Raja Iskandar Raja Halid
7. PARTNERING COMMUNITIES IN INVENTORYING AND SAFEGUARDING 27 - 35
OF ICH – EXAMPLES FROM SINGAPORE
Arthur Tan
8. INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION 36 - 42
INVENTORYING THROUGH THE SCHOOLS OF LIVING TRADITIONS
Renee C. Talavera
9. SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH 42 - 50
SHARED HERITAGE
Dr. Eyo Leng Yan
10. BREAKING BARRIERS THROUGH FOLK MUSIC ON RADIO 51 - 55
Arti Jaiman
TOPIC 2: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 1
11. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SUSTAINING LIVING HERITAGE, 57 - 65
REVITALIZING THE CITY: THE HERITAGE CELEBRATIONS IN GEORGE 66 - 77
TOWN, PENANG 78 - 88
Prof. Dr. Tan Sooi Beng
12. THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE OPERA IN MALAYSIA
IN THE 21st CENTURY
Dr. Wong Oi Min
13. CHIANG MAI’S INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE: URBAN
REVITALIZATION AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN A NORTHERN THAI
CITY
Dr. Alexandra Denes
iii INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
14. INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE (ICH) FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT 89 - 100
AND ITS IMPACT ON SDGS 101 - 105
Amitava Bhattacharya
107 - 111
15. BRINGING LIVING HERITAGE TO SCHOOLS: A RESOURCE KIT TO HELP 112 - 116
TEACHERS DEVELOP CONTEXTUALIZED AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES 117 - 126
Vanessa Achilles 130 - 135
TOPIC 3: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 2
16. PANACEA OR PREDICAMENT: A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF THE ARTS & CULTURE
Prof. Ts. Dr. Ruslan Abdul Rahim
17. THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE AND ARTS (JKKN) AND
ITS ROLES IN CONSERVING AND PRESERVING MALAYSIAN ARTS,
CULTURE & HERITAGE
Mohd. Amran Mohd. Haris
18. INTANGIBLE CULTURE & HERITAGE AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL
INCLUSION A TRAJECTORY FOR INDIGENOUS RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN
INDONESIA
Dr. Adi Prasetijo
19.
NAVROZE: COOPERATION ACROSS COUNTRIES
Dr. Shernaz Cama
TOPIC 4: POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY OF ICH
20. PANDEMIC CHALLENGES AND ENDEMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAK YONG 137 - 146
PERFORMANCE IN KELANTAN, MALAYSIA
Dr. Patricia Ann Hardwick
21. ICH AND RESILIENCE BETWEEN B.C. (BEFORE COVID-19) AND A.C. (AFTER 147 - 153
COVID-19) 154 - 160
Jinyoung Seo
22.
POST-PANDEMIC RESTORATION OF JAPANESE TRADITIONAL
PERFORMING ARTS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CONSERVATION
TECHNIQUES 161 - 170
23. Dr. Maehara Megumi
MUSEUMS AND LIVING HERITAGE IN THAILAND: INNOVATION AND 171 - 176
TRADITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE FACE OF THE PANDEMIC
24. Dr. Paritta Chalermpow Koanantakool
SAFEGUARDING ICH IN A PANDEMIC – LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES FROM 177
SINGAPORE
25. Nicholas Yeo
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE iv
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Foreword By
YB DATO’ SRI HAJAH NANCY SHUKRI
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Firstly, I would like to ensure the authenticity and
congratulate the Department continuity of our culture.
of National Heritage (JWN), in
collaboration with UNESCO The protection, preservation
Jakarta and Universiti Malaysia and promotion of ICH are a
Kelantan (UMK), as well as priority of the government
ASWARA, Jabatan Kebudayaan in close cooperation
dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN), with practitioners and
Istana Budaya and Tourism communities. Knowing
Malaysia for the success in the importance of ICH
organising the International as a driver of sustainable
Conference on Intangible development, Malaysia
Cultural Heritage (ICICH Therefore, we need to look strives to mainstream
2022). I wish to extend my at the various efforts that safeguarding measures into
sincere appreciation to all the should be implemented development plans, policies
local and international panellists to preserve, conserve and and programmes at all
and participants from various protect this heritage. levels. We want to promote
organisations and countries for Malaysia as an ICH Hub
your invaluable contribution at Malaysia’s recent success and raise awareness among
this conference. in being appointed a society to understand and
seat on the UNESCO appreciate our ICH.
Malaysia has already ratified Intergovernmental
the 2003 Convention for the Committee for the Once again, I would like
Safeguarding of the Intangible Safeguarding of the to thank and congratulate
Cultural Heritage, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage JWN in collaboration with
in 2013. This convention aims (IGC ICH for Session UNESCO Jakarta and UMK
to protect Intangible Cultural 2022 - 2026), shows that for organising this conference
Heritage. The rapid social Malaysia is committed to preserve, conserve
change driven by urbanisation, to the preservation and and protect Malaysia’s
as well as the advent of the conservation of cultural Intangible Cultural Heritage.
internet in the late 20th century heritage, including ICH. Congratulations to all.
has resulted in our Intangible This is to ensure the aesthetic To Know, To Love, To
Cultural Heritage becoming value of the country’s Safeguard
increasingly unnoticed. treasures, as well as to Thank you
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 1
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Foreword By
MR. MOHAMED DJELID
Director of the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and UNESCO
Representative for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor-
Leste
In 2003, the UNESCO waiting to be upscaled to
General Conference adopted contribute to the national
the Convention for the economy. This calls for an
Safeguarding of the Intangible interdisciplinary approach to
Cultural Heritage (ICH), ICH, not merely as a subject
urging the member states to of ethnographic studies but
adopt national policies and as a dynamic living sector
measures to ensure the inter- capable of contributing to
generational transmission of sustainable development
ICH as the basis of sustainable goals.
development. As a result,
countless conferences took new, including globalization, Therefore, discussion on
place on the importance conflict, pandemic and ICH is evolving and endless;
of safeguarding intangible natural disasters. we have the constant duty
heritage and possible In Southeast Asia, Intangible to capture the latest issues
methodologies. Cultural Heritage permeates on the role of ICH in our
However, after nearly two every aspect of people’s lives, society.
decades, the strategies and from food and clothing to As UNESCO ICH
methods for ICH safeguarding housing. A large part of Convention celebrates its
still require continuous MSMEs in the informal 20th anniversary in 2023, I
explorations in the face of sector is also ICH based, hope this conference inspires
diverse challenges, old and us to action for the next 20
years.
2 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Foreword By
MR. MOHAMAD MUDA BAHADIN
Deputy Director General
Department Of National Heritage
Firstly I would like to extend my cultural heritage activists
utmost gratitude to Allah S.W.T, and practitioners, as well
for with His blessings we are as government officials
able to host the International from various agencies and
Conference on Intangible departments. It is hoped
Cultural Heritage (ICICH that by the end of this
2022), which is carried out international conference,
hybrid/online. I would like to a proceeding paper related
express my highest appreciation to the topics that have been
to YB. Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy presented by all presenters
Shukri, the Minister of Tourism, in the conference, have been
Arts and Culture (MOTAC), for created.
taking the time to officiate the
ICICH 2022. I would also like to conference will be a platform It is hoped that bilateral
convey my deepest appreciation to bring together people from cooperation is also expected
to YBhg. Datuk Hajah Saraya various backgrounds and to continue in the future, to
binti Arbi, the Secretary General cultures towards a clearer realise JWN aspiration to be
of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts understanding of Intangible a leader in arts, culture and
and Culture, for her continued Cultural Heritage. JWN heritage in Malaysia. This
support for the organisation of hopes to further strengthen is in line with the vision,
this international conference. close cooperation with mission and function of
Congratulations and gratitude various parties through the JWN, which is a leader in the
are also extended to the organisation of educational exploration and preservation
secretariat from the Department programmes and activities of heritage treasures towards
of National Heritage (JWN), such as this in the future, strengthening the nation’s
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and which are related to identity and driving the
Culture (MOTAC) as the main intangible cultural heritage. national economy, as well
organiser of this international A total of 21 panellists as towards sustainable
conference. This international experts, consisting of development, so that it
conference is organised by JWN, 9 local experts and 12 stands out to the world.
MOTAC in collaboration with experts panels from abroad,
UNESCO’s Regional Office in have participated in this To Know, To Love, To
Jakarta, and Universiti Malaysia international conference. Safeguard
Kelantan (UMK). All presenters were from Thank you
As a representative of the JWN, member countries of the
I believe that this international 2003 convention, intangible
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 3
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
EVENT OUTLINE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
1. Introduction
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH), understood as traditional knowledge, practice, and skill, such
as oral traditions, performing arts, festivals, or crafts, is a repository of wisdom inherited by the
generation of communities and groups in response to their natural and social environment. However,
rapid social changes propelled by urbanization and the advent of the internet at the end of the 20th
century exposed the fragile nature of such heritage, raising fear of the loss of cultural diversity and
identities. In 2003, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding
of Intangible Cultural Heritage, urging the member states to adopt national policies and measures to
ensure the inter-generational transmission of ICH as the basis of sustainable development. As a result,
countless conferences and workshops took place at local, national and global levels on the importance
of safeguarding intangible heritage and possible methodologies. However, after nearly two decades, the
strategies and methods for ICH safeguarding still require continuous explorations in the face of diverse
challenges, old and new, including globalization, conflict, pandemic and natural disasters. Therefore,
in collaboration with UNESCO Jakarta and the University of Malaysia, Kelantan, the Department of
National Heritage has organised an International Conference on “Good Safeguarding Measures and
Practices” to update the member states, experts and practitioners on the latest safeguarding issues and
measures.
2. Objective To share the latest issues, experiences and methodologies in the ICH safeguarding
2.1 To identify the direction for future research on ICH
2.2 To establish a network and explore areas of collaboration between administrators,
2.3 researchers and stakeholders involved in ICH at the national and international levels
3. Outputs Proceedings of the papers presented at the conference
3.1 Recommendation to improve the management of ICH in the future
3.2
4. Topic of Presentation Sessions:
TOPIC 1: STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE
The main objective of the 2003 Convention is to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage. It is the
responsibility of the States Parties as stipulated under Article 11 of the Convention. One of the ways of
safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage is by strengthening the inventory system. The UNESCO
2003 Convention requires the States Parties to develop one or several inventories of ICH elements in
their national territory as a primary step towards safeguarding works. The existing models typically take
the form of a directory with varying degrees of detail, compiled either by the government authorities
or academic institutions. However, an inventory and documenting system and process may be more
original, catering to various needs of the ICH communities. The present session discussed alternative
ways of ICH data collection, storage, access and use.
4 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
TOPIC 2: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 1
Although culture does not have a dedicated SDG goal, it has been widely acknowledged that it is
transversal and contributes to all the development goals. ICH, understood as communities’ skills,
creativity, and originality, is a great resource to be tapped for different dimensions of development. The
session presented several case studies that have consciously chosen ICH to address pressing development
issues, including urban regeneration, rural livelihood and quality education.
TOPIC 3: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 2
UNESCO ICH 2003 Convention derives its spirit from the organization’s Constitution, which pledges to
create genuine peace through the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind. Disseminating knowledge
about and appreciating each other’s culture is thought to be an effective method to this end. Accordingly,
ICH safeguarding effort should also serve the purpose of mutual respect, dialogue and peace-building
beyond the nationalistic or self-promotional intent. The session discussed the role of ICH in conflict
resolutions, trust-building and international cooperation
TOPIC 4: POST - PANDEMIC RECOVERY OF ICH
The impact of the pandemic has been far-reaching and devastating. ICH communities were no
exception. Festivals were canceled, and traditoinal performers and artisans lost their market. In April
2020, UNESCO launched a global online survey to grasp the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic around
the world, asking the following questions:
• How is the pandemic impacting living heritage?
• How is living heritage adapting to the crisis?
• How are communities mobilizing their living heritage to help them face the pandemic?
The session presented some of the findings and case studies from the UNESCO report to inspire our
action post-pandemic.
5. Participants of the Conference
• States Parties of 2003 Convention
• Professionals/Consultants
• Intangible Cultural Heritage communities and practitioners
• Government officials from related departments or agencies
6. Paper Presenters
The Paper Presenters are as follows (they are required to present on case studies along with issues and
challenges as well as other related matters):
i. Experts or professionals who have experience in intangible cultural heritage protection
and are familiar with relevant instruments and mechanisms of protection in their country
ii. Heritage Administrator and Members of Intangible Cultural Heritage Communities
iii. Those who have been involved in the program and activities for the safeguarding of
intangible cultural heritage
iv. Presentation is in English
v. Presentation time - maximum 20 minutes.
7. Keynote Speech and Paper Presenters
The Keynote Speech and talks are as follows:
Experts from UNESCO and its advisory bodies
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 5
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Tentative
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
DAY 1: 26TH OCTOBER 2022 (WEDNESDAY) 14:30PM – 18:40PM (MYT)
LOG IN/ ACTIVITY Emcee
PARTICIPANT Mr. Tai Zee How
14:30PM – 15:00PM
REGISTRATION
OPENING MALAYSIAN CULTURAL DANCE PERFORMANCE BY GENIUS SENI
CEREMONY TARI, THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE & ARTS (JKKN)
WELCOMING MR. MOHD AZMI MOHD YUSOF
REMARK COMMISSIONER OF HERITAGE
SPEECH BY MR. MOHAMED DJELID
DIRECTOR OF THE UNESCO REGIONAL SCIENCE BUREAU FOR ASIA
AND THE PACIFIC AND UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE FOR BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THE PHILIPPINES AND
TIMOR-LESTE
OPENING YB. DATO’ SRI HAJAH NANCY SHUKRI
SPEECH BY MINISTER OF TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE
VIDEO OF THE CONFERENCE
KEYNOTE SPEECH 1 THE 2003 CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND THE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
DR. TIM CURTIS
SECRETARY OF THE CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF
THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE, UNESCO
KEYNOTE SPEECH 2 SAFEGUARDING OF MALAYSIA’S INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
YBHG. DATUK HAJAH SARAYA ARBI
SECRETARY GENERAL
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE
VIDEO CULTURAL TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE GHAZAL MUSIC VIDEO
BY ISTANA BUDAYA
6 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
DAY 1: 26TH OCTOBER 2022 (WEDNESDAY) 16.30PM – 18.40PM (MYT)
TOPIC 1: STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
ACTIVITY
Panel 1 MODERATOR: MS. MOE CHIBA
Panel 2 PROGRAMME SPECIALIST AND HEAD OF CULTURE UNIT, UNESCO
Panel 3 JAKARTA
Panel 4
Panel 5 PROF. EMERITUS DATO’ DR. MOHAMED GHOUSE NASURUDDIN
Panel 6 EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF PERFORMING ARTS, MALAYSIA
Title: Strengthening The Safeguarding Of Intangible Cultural Heritage
PROF. MADYA. DR. RAJA ISKANDAR RAJA HALID
DEPUTY DEAN, HERITAGE DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF CREATIVE
TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL UNVERSITY OF MALAYSIA,
KELANTAN
Title: Safeguarding the Performing Arts of Malaysia: Malaysian Audio-
Visual Archives (Myarchives) as a Case Study
MR. ARTHUR TAN
MANAGER AT THE HERITAGE RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD, SINGAPORE
Title: Safeguarding ICH through Inventorying and Partnerships – Examples
from Singapore
MS. RENEE C. TALAVERA
CHIEF OF THE CULTURAL COMMUNITIES AND TRADITIONAL
ARTS SECTION, NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND ARTS,
PHILIPPINES
Title: Intangible Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Reduction Inventorying
through the Schools of Living Traditions
DR. EYO LENG YAN
DIRECTOR INTANGIBLE CULTURE HERITAGE DIVISION,
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL HERITAGE, MALAYSIA
Title: Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage through Shared Heritage
MS. ARTI JAIMAN
STATION DIRECTOR, GURGAON KI AWAAZ SAMUDAYIK RADIO,
INDIA
Title: Breaking Barriers through Folk Music on Radio
18.30pm – 18.40pm MALAYSIAN TOURISM VIDEO & END OF FIRST DAY CONFERENCE 7
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
DAY 2: 27TH OCTOBER 2022 (THURSDAY) 14.30PM - 16.50PM (MYT)
TOPIC 2: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 1
ACTIVITY
MODERATOR:
PROF. DR. HANAFI HUSSIN
DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN STUDIES, FACULTY OF ARTS
AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY MALAYA (UM)
Panel 7 PROF. DR. TAN SOOI BENG
Panel 8 SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, UNIVERSITY SCIENCE MALAYSIA (USM),
Panel 9 PENANG, MALAYSIA
Title: Community Engagement, Sustaining Living Heritage, Revitalizing the
Panel 10 City: The Heritage Celebrations in George Town, Penang
Panel 11
DR. WONG OI MIN
DEPUTY DEAN AND THE HEAD OF DOCTORATE PROGRAMME,
CENTRE OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE (ASWARA), MALAYSIA
Title: The Sustainable Development of Chinese Opera in Malaysia in the
21st Century
DR. ALEXANDRA DENES
RESEARCH SPECIALIST, SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CHIANG
MAI UNIVERSITY, THAILAND
& MISS AJIRAPA PRADIT
RESEARCHER, FACULTY OF ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE,
RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY LANNA
(CHIANG MAI) THAILAND
Title: Chiang Mai’s Intangible Cultural Heritage: Urban Revitalization and
Cultural Identity in a Northern Thai City
MR. AMITAVA BHATTACHARYA
FOUNDER DIRECTOR, CONTACT BASE (TRADING STYLE:
BANGLANATAK DOT COM. INDIA)
& MS. SNEHA BHATTACHARYYA
Title: Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for Rural Development and Its
Impact on SDGS
MS. VANESSA ACHILLES
INDEPENDENCE RESEARCHER, WACHTBERG, GERMANY
Title: Bringing Living Heritage to Schools: A Resource Kit to Help Teachers
Develop Contextualized and Engaging Activities
16.40pm – 16.50pm CULTURAL PERFORMANCE ZAPIN VIDEO BY GENIUS SENI, JKKN
8 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
DAY 2: 27TH OCTOBER 2022 (THURSDAY) 16.50PM - 18.15PM (MYT)
TOPIC 3: ICH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PART 2
ACTIVITY
Panel 12 MODERATOR:
Panel 13 DR. MARZELAN SALLEH
Panel 14 SENIOR LECTURER, FACULTY OF CREATIVE ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF
Panel 15 MALAYA
PROF. TS. DR. RUSLAN ABDUL RAHIM
RECTOR NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE
(ASWARA), MALAYSIA
Title: Panacea or Predicament: A Digital Transformation for the
Preservation of the Arts & Culture
MR. MOHD. AMRAN MOHD. HARIS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL, PLANNING & POLICY, THE NATIONAL
DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE AND ARTS MALAYSIA
Title: The National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) and Its Roles in
Conserving and Preserving Malaysian Arts, Culture & Heritage
DR. ADI PRASETIJO
LECTURER, ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF
DIPONEGORO, INDONESIA
Title : Intangible Culture Heritage as a Tool for Social Inclusion: A
Trajectory for Indigenous Religious Groups in Indonesia
DR. SHERNAZ CAMA
LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & DIRECTOR PARZOR
FOUNDATION NEW DELHI, INDIA
Title: Navroze: Cooperation Across Countries
18.10pm – 18.15pm MALAYSIAN TOURISM VIDEO & END OF SECOND DAY CONFERENCE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 9
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
DAY 3: 28 OCTOBER 2022 (FRIDAY) 15.00PM - 18.00PM (MYT)
TOPIC 4: POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY OF ICH
ACTIVITY
MODERATOR :
ASSOC. PROFESSOR HASNUL JAMAL SAIDON
DIRECTOR OF TUANKU FAUZIAH MUSEUM & GALLERY,
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
Panel 16 DR. PATRICIA ANN HARDWICK
SENIOR LECTURER/RESEARCH FELLOW, MUSIC AND PERFORMING
ART DEPARTMENT & MALAY CIVILISATION INSTITUTE, SULTAN
IDRIS EDUCATION UNIVERSITY, MALAYSIA
Title: Pandemic Challenges and Endemic Opportunities for Mak Yong
Performance in Kelantan, Malaysia
Panel 17 JINYOUNG SEO
PROGRAMME SPECIALIST / INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION AND
NETWORKING CENTRE FOR INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO
(ICHCAP) JEONJU, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Title: ICH Andresilience between (Before Covid-19) and (After Covid-19)
Panel 18 DR. MAEHARA MEGUMI
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL PROPERTIES SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE, TOKYO NATIONAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL PROPERTIES, JAPAN
Title: Post-Pandemic Restoration of Japanese Traditional Performing Arts
from the Perspective of Conservation Techniques
Panel 19 DR. PARITTA CHALERMPOW KOANANTAKOOL
Panel 20 RETIRED ANTHROPOLOGIST
FORMER DIRECTOR, THE PRINCESS MAHA CHAKRI SIRINDHORN
ANTHROPOLOGY CENTRE, BANGKOK, THAILAND
Title: Museums and Living Heritage in Thailand: Innovation and Traditional
Resources in the Face of the Pandemic
MR. NICHOLAS YEO
SENIOR MANAGER HERITAGE RESEARCH & ASSESSMENT
DEPARTMENT OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD, SINGAPORE
Title: Safeguarding ICH in a Pandemic – Lessons and Experiences from
Singapore
17.40pm – 18.00pm CULTURAL PERFORMANCE GAMELAN MUSIC VIDEO BY ASWARA &
END OF CONFERENCE
10 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
KEYNOTE SPEECH: SAFEGUARDING
OF MALAYSIA’S INTANGIBLE
CULTURAL HERITAGE
YBHG. DATUK HAJAH SARAYA ARBI
Secretary General
Ministry Of Tourism, Arts And Culture
On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC),
Malaysia, I welcome all of you to the International Conference on
Intangible Cultural Heritage 2022. Themed “Good Safeguarding
Measures and Practices,” this conference is organised by the Department
of National Heritage under the Ministry in collaboration with UNESCO
Jakarta and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MALAYSIA’S INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE (ICH)
Malaysia ratified the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage on 23 July 2013. The main goal of the
convention is to safeguard the practices, expressions, knowledge and skills
of communities, as well as to promote awareness of intangible cultural heritage (‘ICH in short’). By
ratifying this convention, we demonstrate our commitment to safeguard Malaysia’s ICH.
A nation’s civilisation is often viewed through the remnants of its heritage, community and way of life. For
example, diversity constitutes different ICH, be it rhythmic performing arts, variations in heritage foods,
language, clothing, crafts or fine arts. These exclusive and valuable national assets must be protected and
conserved to be passed down from one generation to the next.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build
our nation”. Every nation strives to preserve her wealth of intangible cultural heritage. Malaysia included.
Much have been done, with more to be done. We need to ensure our protection efforts are effective,
efficient and most importantly, relevant.
There is a growing awareness amongst Malaysians that heritage helps in fostering a greater understanding
of our culture, civilisation and traditions, and in establishing national, community and personal
identities. It is our priority to continuously encourage youths to participate in our programmes through
education and the new media, particularly digital or social media.
PIVOTING DIGITALISATION IN ICH PRESERVATION
The global pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital adoption in ICH preservation. One key feature is
the development of an inventory system which manages information of national heritage in a systematic
and comprehensive manner.
However, we have to be wary that many of the efforts that have aimed to preserve intangible cultural
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
heritage might be more accurately described as documenting or digitising intangible heritage. This
causes a significant gap between documenting and preserving.
Information sharing has become a great necessity. I trust most countries have established an inventory
which facilitates community’s access to heritage data. This is important as ICH preservation is a multi-
pronged effort. Government cannot do this alone. We need the NGOs, industry players, cultural
practitioners, researchers etc to come on board. As a multicultural nation, public support is highly
critical to ensure these safeguarding inputs and efforts are appropriate and sustainable.
MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT IN SAFEGUARDING ICH
Protection, preservation and promotion of the ICH are a priority of the government in close cooperation
with practitioners and communities. In cognisance of the importance of ICH as a driver of sustainable
development, Malaysia strives to mainstream safeguarding measures into development plans,
policies and programme at all levels.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia launched the National Cultural Policy (DAKEN)
in October last year. With the aim to be a ‘Developed Country with Cultured People’, DAKEN paves the
direction of the nation’s culture, arts and heritage.
I wish to share that all our nine (9) cultural agencies under the Ministry are galvanised to promote and
preserve our ICH. They are the Department of National Heritage (JWN), the Department of National
Culture and Arts (JKKN), Istana Budaya, the Academy of Arts, Culture and National Heritage (ASWARA),
Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM), National Archives of Malaysia (ARKIB), National Library
of Malaysia (PNM), the National Art Gallery and the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation.
The National Heritage Act 2005 [Act 645] was formulated to preserve, conserve, and protect
various categories of tangible and intangible heritage through legislative and enforcement activities.
Administration of heritage in Malaysia also involves the establishment of the National Heritage Council.
With all the Act, policies and mechanisms in place, there is no question about our commitment in
preserving our cultural heritage. The fact that we are on board the Intergovernmental Committee for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 term says a lot about our seriousness
in this agenda.
The complex nature of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage must be well-articulated, researched
and appreciated. There are multi-faced issues and challenges to address. The pandemic and health crisis
for example, has left a significant impact on the norms of human life. The field of arts, culture and
heritage was not spared. I applaud the organising committee for making this conference a success. May
it continue to be an annual platform to convene ICH experts across the continents to discuss and share
findings, knowledge, insights as well as experiences related to adaptation and sutainability of various
ICH protection mechanisms.
Di kesempatan ini, saya ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan khususnya kepada Jabatan
Warisan Negara selaku Jawatankuasa Induk ICICH 2022 serta semua pihak yang terlibat dalam
menjayakan persidangan ini.
I wish to accord our special appreciation to all our esteemed speakers, moderators and particpants. On
that note, I wish everyone a fruitful conference.
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Thank you and terima kasih.
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
PROF. EMERITUS DATO’ DR. MOHAMED GHOUSE
NASURUDDIN
Emeritus Professor of Performing Arts, Malaysia
Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin is an Emeritus Professor of Performing
Arts. He completed his Masters and Ph.D degrees at Indiana University, USA, under the Fulbright
and Ford Foundation Scholarship respectively in dance, music and theatre. He was appointed as
Fulbright Scholar in Residence at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, West Virginia, United
States of America from January to May 2003 where he taught dance and theatre courses. In
2006, he was awarded the Fulbright Professional Scholar Grant to teach for three months, April
to June, at SUNY Cortland, New York and to lecture and perform on The Occasional Lecture
Grant in Cornell University, Ithaca, University of Riverside in California, Ohio University in Athens,
Ohio and West Virginia University at Parkersburg, West Virginia. He has conducted extensive
research on traditional Malay dance, music and theatre from the perspective of performance and
healing efficacy. His current research is on traditional healing performance and on arts therapy
for children with cerebral palsy, autism and dyslexia. He has an ongoing research project on
The Aesthetics and Philosophy of Ethnic Groups of Sarawak, funded by The Ministry of Social
Development Sarawak. Mohamed Ghouse has authored 7 books and over a 190 articles and
chapters in books on these topics. In addition, he has edited two books, one on Makyong and
the other on the Traditional Dances of Sarawak. He has also written and directed 32 plays in
both Malay and English language that have been staged and published and has been a regular
contributor of letters, commentaries and articles to the main stream national newspapers since
1996 to the present.
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin
Emeritus Professor of Performing Arts, Malaysia
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Heritage refers to the whole gamut of natural and man-made elements that contribute to our existence. It
is the cumulative knowledge of our past experiences, including our former and current life expressions. It
is an ongoing process evolving with the advancement of knowledge that contributes to the development
of technology that impacts ourway of living and our mindset and behavioural pattern. The common
perception of heritage usually associated with past, historical relics that have seen better days and
have become irrelevant inpresent-day lifestyles. They are classified as tangible and intangible heritage.
The former refers to archaeological sites, architectural structures and all tangible artifacts such as
crafts, textiles, weapons (kris), jewelry and visual arts. While the intangible heritage mainly refers to
the performing arts, namely, dance, music and drama. Currently, various forms of intangible cultural
heritage are facing challenges to their survival, and several have already succumbed to them. Because
of these factors that undermine the survival of the intangible cultural heritage, the Ministry of Tourism,
Arts Culture has developed blueprints to preserve and conserve both the tangible and intangible cultural
heritage through its subdivisions, each charged with different aspects of preservation, conservation,
and promotion. Despite the existence of these departments within the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and
Culture (MOTAC), the intangible cultural heritage, especially the performing arts, facing challenges to
their survival simply because the measures taken by these departments to preserve, conserve and
rehabilitate this intangible cultural heritage are inadequate. To safeguard our intangible heritage, The
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture needs to implement the following strategy. To document the existing
intangible cultural heritage dance, music and theatre and ascertain their sustainability concerning their
current function and relevance in their respective communities and the challenges these art forms face.
Having completed that, the following initiatives can be applied to resuscitate them through education,
developing physical and economic infrastructure, and an ecosystem of audience and corporate support
to accommodate this traditional intangible cultural heritage.
Keywords: Conservation, Ecosystem, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Performing Arts, Preservation
A. INTRODUCTION
The overall context of this paper is safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, at the outset it
a need to understand the nature of cultural heritage, which refers to the whole gamut of the natural and
man-made elements that contribute to our existence. Heritage is the cumulative knowledge of our past
experience, including our former and current life expressions. It is an ongoing process evolving with the
advancement of knowledge that contributes to the development of technology that impacts our way of
living and our mindset and behavioural pattern. The common perception of heritage is usually associated
with the past, historical relics that have seen better days and have become irrelevant in present-day
lifestyles. It is classified as tangible and intangible heritage, and the former refers to archeological sites,
architectural structures and all tangible artifacts such as crafts, textiles, weapons (kris), jewelry and
visual arts. While the intangible heritage mainly refers to the performing arts, namely, dance, music and
drama.The intangible heritage, mainly the performing arts, is classified under the following categories:
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
1) Theatre forms such as makyong, wayang kulit, menora, jikey, bageh, ketoprak, wayang jawa,
makyong laut, which serve a combination function of entertainment, ritualistic offerings and
healing (main puteri, bageh and wayang kulit).
2) Dance forms are subdivided into court and folk forms based on their origin. However, court
forms of dancers like asyik and joget gamelan have been relegated to a folk status after the
various courts withdrew their patronage of performing arts. The traditional folk dances are
further divided into ritualistic and secular dances. Ritualistic dances are mainly from Sabah and
Sarawak, where most of the population adhere to animistic beliefs. Thus, dances and music
are employed to placate and communicate with the pantheon of animistic spirits that span and
govern various facets of the tribal existence. As such, dances are performed for thanksgiving
rituals, funerals, births and remembering the dead for healing purposes. Among these dances
are ngajat and datun julud from Sarawak, magunatip and sumazau from Sabah. Dances in
Peninsula Malaysia are secular in nature except for the makyong mengadap rebab performed
in main putri healing rituals.
3) Traditional musical forms are usually dedicated to the dance or theatre forms their company.
Thus, one speaks of mak yong or wayang kulit music or gamelan music which accompanies the
Joget gamelan dances. Likewise in Sabah and Sarawak. where the musical forms are dedicated
to the dance their accompany, as sape music is associated with the dance datun jalud. The
sape, however, has attained instrumental solo instrument status in recent times but still plays
the pieces that accompany the dances, like the piece Lai Leng which accompanies the datun
jalud dance. Except for the sape, a melodic instrument, the rest are mainly percussive with only
the engkromong striking out a basic repetitive melodic line.
B. DISCUSSION
Various forms of intangible cultural heritage are facing challenges to their survival and several have
already succumbed to them. The following factors pose threats to their survival are:
1) Most of these traditional performing art forms are rooted in animistic beliefs and performed as
rituals to placate the various animistic spirits that the devotees believe govern their lives and
well-being. The advancement of scientific knowledge has undermined and eroded the belief of
spiritual determinants in occurrences of natural phenomena, thus rendering these dance and
music rituals irrelevant.
2) Education that brought about new forms of lifestyles and artistic tastes has distanced the current
generation from the traditional ways and beliefs, thus negatively affecting their sustainability and
eventually their survival.
3) As the rural culture, lifestyles and beliefs that sustain these performance rituals are eroded by
urbanization also changes the occupational landscape from agricultural to industrial. These
rituals lost their significance in the lives of the community.
Due to these factors that undermine the survival of the intangible cultural heritage, the Ministry of
Tourism, Arts And Culture has developed blueprints to preserve and conserve both of tangible and
intangible cultural heritage through its subdivisions, each charged with different aspects of preservation,
conservation, and promotion.The Jabatan Kesenian dan Kebudayaan Negara (JKKN) or The National
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 17
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Department for Culture and Arts is responsible with rejuvenating the endangered intangible cultural art
forms by implementing outreach training programs of traditional theatre, dances and music as well as
staging their performances. For example, bangsawan, makyong and wayang kulit are periodically staged
in Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately, these performances are confined to the capital city. The Department of
National Heritage is responsible for conserving and preserving both the tangible and intangible cultural
heritage. It is tasked with identifying and salvaging the endangered cultural heritage to be given a new
lease of life as it did for makyong, the traditional dance theatre accorded to the UNESCO status of
intangible heritage of humanity. It documented the endangered forms and wherever necessary according
to the national heritage status that could avail the necessary financial aid to sustain their survival. The
Department of National Heritage has documented and published both the tangible and intangible cultural
heritage in collaboration with the Heritage Department. Among the publications are makyong, Lenggong
archeological sites, traditional culinary and costumes.
The Department of Museums Malaysia serves as a repository of cultural artifacts of historical significance
be they physical objects or ways of life that are no longer existent. It may periodically stage, enact
performances and rituals that have been identified as national heritage, such as makyong, wayang kulit,
sape and gambus music to create awareness of these traditional arts forms that are no longer popular
and to arrest their passage into oblivion. Despite the existence of these departments within the Ministry
of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), the intangible cultural heritage, especially, the performing arts are
facing challenges to their survival simply because the measures taken by these departments to preserve,
conserve and rehabilitate this intangible cultural heritage are not very effective. Most of the time, the
Ministry undertakes these activities as part of the overall administrative measures to meet their KPI by
staging token performances of makyong, bangsawan and wayang kulit mostly in the capital city of Kuala
Lumpur and on rare occasions in Penang. There is no concerted effort to create an impactful awareness
and to develop an ecosystem that could nurture appreciation and support for these endangered intangible
cultural heritage as well as to develop performance skills among the young generations. In this regard,
the Ministry’s institution like ASWARA could trained new practitioners of traditional performing arts.
ASWARA, the training and education arm of the Ministry, formerly known as the National Arts Academy,
was established in the early 1990s to preserve and conserve the traditional intangible cultural heritage
and to develop a second echelon of young performers, skillful in traditional; dance, music and theatre.
It lost its original objective and focus when successive ministry administrators and ASWARA Rectors
veered from its original intent of preserving, conserving and promotion of traditional intangible heritage
to serve political and personal agenda, turning it into a general arts educational facility adding on modern
arts subjects instead of moving it towards a conservatory of traditional arts. But now it has been relegated
into a university college. To sustain and salvage the traditional arts (intangible heritage), ASWARA needs
to revert to its original objective of preservation, conservation and promotion of the intangible cultural
heritage.
To safeguard our intangible heritage, The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture needs to implement the
following strategy:
1) To document the existing intangible cultural heritage dance, music and theatre and ascertain
their sustainability with respect to their current function and relevance in their respective
communities and the challenges these arts forms face. For example, makyong, which has been
accorded the UNESCO status of intangible cultural heritage of humanity is still languishing in
18 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
the doldrums of current artistic scene. Likewise, wayang kulit and menora are facing the same
predicament in their home state of Kelantan where the PAS government imposed restrictions
on their performances as it regarded them to be unIslamic. In fact, this PAS government has
done tremendous irreparable harm on the major forms of intangible cultural heritage. The
East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak still have a vibrant traditional dance and music
expressions as these performances have animistic ritual significance in the various tribal
communities. Nevertheless, they are facing similar challenges as those traditional art forms in
Peninsula Malaysia as a result of changes in belief and lifestyles.
Once completed data on the nature, state of survival, distribution and frequency of performance of the
intangible cultural heritage is ready, we can apply the necessary initiatives to resuscitate them through
the following measures:
a) Education, training and developing second and third-echelon performers through dedicated
courses at institutions of higher learning, conservatory as well as co-curricular activities in
schools ASWARA, the MOTAC teaching and training institution, should be converted into a
conservatory of traditional arts.
b) Physical and economic infrastructure to accommodate these traditional arts. Traditional intangible
cultural heritage is being phased out because they are no longer economically viable to perform.
Gone are the days when traditional practitioners gather in the evening to perform for a dedicated
audience hosted by community leaders or well-to-do land owners. They are no longer invited to
perform for weddings or other celebrations such as country fairs. Audience support is waning
as they are no longer popular in the face of new modes of entertainment like movies, television
and other digital entertainment. Thus, it is not easy to earn a living as traditional arts performer.
Therefore, there is a need to set up funds to enable these traditional performers to continue
performing and train young performers. At the same time, there has to be strategies to rejuvenate
audience support through creating the right ecosystem consonant with modern living to attract
the audience and inculcate an appreciation for these traditional arts through the exposure of
workshops, short courses and performances.
c) Developing an ecosystem of audience and corporate support to accommodate this traditional
intangible cultural heritage. Corporate support could come through their CSR initiatives by a
yearly contribution to an arts fund to support performances or adopting one of the endangered
traditional art forms by financing their performances or allocating a monthly stipend to the group
to enable it to continue performing. There is also a need to use promotional avenues, print and
electronic media to promote these performances to reeducate the public and engender a sense of
pride and belonging and affinity to this intangible cultural heritage. National and private television
channels must be required to air at least one half-hour traditional performing arts or visual arts
program daily. At the same time, the government must subsidize the initiatives to preserve and
conserve this intangible heritage to sustain and safeguard them. They could create economic
spin-offs that would benefit the community by generating employment and consumption.
C. CONCLUSION 19
Above all, it is a must to inculcate a sense of pride in our intangible cultural heritage and ensure their
artistic integrity and relevancy to the current artistic tastes without sacrificing their aesthetic and artistic
integrity.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
PROF. MADYA. DR. RAJA ISKANDAR RAJA HALID
Deputy Dean, Heritage Department, Faculty of Creative
Technology and Cultural, Unversity of Malaysia Kelantan,
Malaysia
Prof. Madya Dr. Raja Iskandar Raja Halid is an ethnomusicologist and senior lecturer in the
Department of Heritage, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage at Universiti Malaysia
Kelantan, Malaysia. He holds a Bachelor in Music degree from the National Academy of Arts,
Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), Bachelor in Applied Arts (Music Technology) and Masters
of Arts (Ethnomusicology) from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Ph.D in Music
Research (Ethnomusicology) from King’s College London. Raja Iskandar is the author of “The
Malay Nobat: A History of Power, Acculturation and Sovereignty” (2022, Lexington Books, USA)
and “The Royal Nobat of Perak” (2018, UMK Press). His articles have been published in journals
and as book chapters in local and international publications. In 2012 he was appointed as Visiting
Fellow at King’s College London and served as a member of the Committee of Experts in Malay
Traditional Performing Arts appointed by the Department of National Heritage Malaysia.
20 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
SAFEGUARDING THE PERFORMING ARTS OF MALAYSIA:
MALAYSIAN AUDIO-VISUAL ARCHIVES (MYARCHIVES) AS A CASE STUDY
Raja Iskandar Raja Halid
Heritage Department, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
One of the measures in safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage is through documentation and
archiving. For decades, Malaysia’s performing arts have been researched by scholars and many of them
have been published, locally and internationally. However, many of the research materials, including
audio and visual recordings are not easily accessible to the public. This led to the establishment of
the Malaysian Audio-Visual Archives (MyArchives), a society registered with the Malaysian Registrar
of Societies (ROS) in 2021. The society is a project developed by the ICTM National Committee of
Malaysia under the auspices of the International Council for Traditional Music. This project consists
of a digital archive of performing arts developed through the joint efforts of scholars, performers and
researchers focusing on traditions, past and present. The material is preserved in digital format for the
purposes of research, sustainability and viability of the performing arts of the country. This paper looks
into the development of MyArchives, its prospects and challenges in safeguarding the performing arts
of Malaysia.
Keywords: Malaysia, MyArchives, Performing Arts, Safeguarding
A. INTRODUCTION
There has been an increase in awareness to safeguard culture and heritage, as important markers
of a nation’s identity and as well as contributors to the economy. According to the UNESCO’s 2003
Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, State Parties are obligated to create
inventories and making them accessible to the public. Heritage, both tangible and intangible need to
be seriously taken care of by the state and it involves the efforts of various stakeholders, including
institutions, researchers, tourists and communities. State and private archives, including university
libraries need to work together and provide platforms for long term co-operation. The convention further
states that various people with different competencies need to be involved in creating inventories and
archives for the protection and management of intangible cultural heritage.
Jabatan Warisan Negara (JWN) or the Department of National Heritage established in 2006 is Malaysia’s
institution in safeguarding the nation’s heritage. It has a section looking into Intangible Cultural Heritage
(ICH) and a committee of experts in traditional performing arts. The focus is towards safeguarding through
research, documentation and creating awareness, obtaining new data on ICH and the dissemination
of information to the public. JWN is also working with scholars from public institutions in research
and publication but has yet to embark on a coordinated audio-visual archives and inventorying of the
performing arts of Malaysia. As outlined by the UNESCO convention, State Parties need to focus on the
role of communities in safeguarding and drawing up inventories, since they are the ones who recognize
and privileged to safeguard their intangible heritage (Viken 2017).
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
B. RESEARCH ON THE PERFORMING ARTS
Research on the performing arts of Malaysia has been done by local and foreign scholars for decades.
Since the late 19th century, British colonial scholar-administrators had published a number of their
observations of Malay performing arts, such as makyong, gamelan, wayang kulit and nobat (see for
example Wilkinson 1932, Winstedt 1929). These observations form part of the colonial project and
became useful sources for researchers in Malaysian performing arts. This was followed by local and
foreign scholars who began to seriously research on Malaysian and regional performing arts in the
1970’s.
So far many of the research findings have been published as books, journal papers or proceedings.
However audio and visual recordings from this research fieldwork are not widely accessible or coordinated.
Many are still kept by institutions overseas or by the researchers themselves. If the materials are not
digitized, it would increase the possibility of the materials (analog and digital tapes) being damaged or
unplayable. Digitized copies of these materials should be obtained from the institutions or individuals as
documentations of our national heritage.
In the late 1980s and early 1990’s local scholars began to look seriously into Malaysia’s traditional
performing arts. This resulted in numerous books and articles being published (see Tan 1993, Anis Nor
1993, Ghouse Nasuruddin 1992). Courses in the performing arts began to be offered by public and
private universities at the diploma, degree, and post-graduate levels. Research in ethnomusicology and
ethnochoreology began to increase and gaining popularity among graduate students. With the advent of
digital technology, audio-visual materials are easier to store and manage and students can submit their
recordings of interviews and performances together with their dissertations.
C. MALAYSIAN ARCHIVING
Archiving is a process of accumulation and repositing of data or historical records in any medium for
long-term retention in a physical or non-physical facility. These primary sources have been accumulated
by individuals or organizations over a period of time and are selected for their enduring historical, cultural
and evidentiary value. In Malaysia, we have the Arkib Negara Malaysia (ANM) or Malaysian National
Archives, which is under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Arkib Negara was established in 1957.
It started as a ‘Public Records Office’ and was later changed to Malaysian National Archives in 1963.
Today, ANM has nine branches all over the country. Besides ANM, we also have Filem Negara Malaysia
and Radio TV Malaysia (RTM) which keep audio-visual recordings of films and TV shows.
Lately we have seen initiatives done by individuals and NGO’s in not only researching but also collecting
and archiving materials on Malaysian performing arts. PUSAKA, for example, is an NGO established
in 2002 to revitalize, document and archive the traditional performing arts of Malaysia. Working with
government and corporate agencies, PUSAKA’s has organized and curated countless performances
and cultural events. Today, its activities centre on cultural revitalization and performance viability, local
instruction and youth engagement, documentation and cultural mapping, public education and creative
engagement and exploration (www.pusaka.org). Some of the video recordings done by PUSAKA are
uploaded on YouTube and can be accessed by anyone.
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Figure1. A Screenshot of PUSAKA’s Website Detailing
Its Archiving Efforts
(Source: https://www.pusaka.org)
Another recent effort in archiving the performing arts was done by Penang House of Music (PHM). Situated
at KOMTAR, PHM began as a music museum in collaboration with the Penang State Government and
has since expanded its collections of music recordings, photographs, books, magazines and documents
relating to the performing arts of the State and Malaysia. Today its archives and resource centre is open
to the general public and students who are keen in doing research on the performing arts, especially
popular music in Penang. Ricecooker Archives started as a physical shop selling cassettes and t-shirts
and has grown to become the ‘Southeast Asian Rock ‘n Roll Treasury’. Located in Kuala Lumpur,
Ricecooker Archives does research, documentation and sharing of materials related to the history of rock
music in Southeast Asia. It also actively promotes shows and events involving the local underground
music scene. These are positive developments in the efforts of researching, documenting and archiving
Malaysian performing arts.
Figure 2. A Screenshot of The Ricecooker Archives’ Website
(Source: https://thericecookershop.com)
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 23
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
MyArchives
MyArchives was established in 2021 by a group of ethnomusicologists led by Professor Dr. Tan Sooi Beng
from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). She is a world-renowned ethnomusicologist and co-author of the
book “The Music of Malaysia: The Classical, Folk and Syncretic Traditions” (2004) which has become an
important reference for the study of music of Malaysia. Dr. Tan is also the chair of the Malaysian chapter
of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM-Malaysia), an academic society for scholars in
field of performing arts in collaboration with UNESCO. During one of the meetings of ICTM-Malaysia, the
idea for an audio-visual archives of Malaysian performing arts was mooted.
Together with Dr. Raja Iskandar from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and Dr. Mayco Santaella from
Sunway University, who are also members of the local chapter of the International Council for Traditional
Music (ICTM), the Malaysian Audio-Visual Archives Association (MyArchives) was registered. Committee
members include academicians such as Dr. Clare Chan (UPM), Dr. Toh Lai Chee (IPG), Dr. Christine Yong
(Sunway University) and Dr. Connie Lim (UNIMAS). Financial support came from local and international
members of ICTM. A website was created by Dr. Mayco and his team from Sunway University to collect
and store research materials. MyArchives is also supported by local and foreign scholars such as Dr.
Anis Nor (Nusparc), Rachel Ong (Independent Scholar), Hafzan Zannie (UPSI), Jocelyn Ng (PHM), Adil
Johan (UM), Gini Gorlinski (Independent Scholar) and Margaret Sarkissian (Smith College, US).
Figure 3. A Screenshot of MyArchives’ Website
(Source: https://www.myarchives.online)
Archive Materials
So far, MyArchives has received materials from more than 20 scholars from Malaysia, US, the Netherlands
and Japan. For a start more than 70 materials in the form of audio and video recordings and photographs
have been collected, stored, and annotated. The list can be accessed through the association’s website at
https://www.myarchives.online/database. The oldest materials collected so far are in the form of digitized
recordings of Malay opera songs, Keroncong and stanbul made between 1926 and 1941. These 78 RPM
recordings featured artists such as Miss Riboet, R. Koesbini, S. Abdullah and Ratna Asmara and were
made by recording companies which included Beka, Canary and HMV. Although small in number, it was
a significant start for the archives and the scholars involved.
24 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Figure 4. A List Some of The Old Digitized Recordings
Available on MyArchives
(Source: https://www.myarchives.online)
Patricia Matusky, one of the world’s leading ethnomusicologists, shared her fieldwork recordings of
Kelantanese performing arts done in the 1970’s. These footages of wayang kulit, makyong and main
teri offer rare glimpses of these traditional art forms played by famous masters of the past. Some extinct
art forms such the wayang jawa and tok selampit from Kelantan are also in the recordings. Besides
performing arts in Peninsular Malaysia, the organization also receives materials from East Malaysia.
Gini Gorlinski, an independent scholar form the US, provided her collection of Kenyah songs, recorded
in 1993. Other contributors to MyArchives include notable ethnomusicologists and anthropologists such
as Clare Chan (orang asli), Patricia Hardwick (makyong), Raja Iskandar (nobat), Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof
(wayang kulit) and Aki Euhara (wayang gedek).
Figure 5. A List Some of Matusky’s Materials on MyArchives
(Source: https://www.myarchives.online)
Challenges
Like any other efforts in safeguarding, there are challenges. The first challenge was to get MyArchives
registered with Registrar of Societies (ROS), followed by opening a bank account. The next challenge
is obtaining the archive materials, which are kept by the researchers themselves or certain institutions.
Unlike physical collectors, who would spend hundreds of thousands of ringgit to buy their collections,
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 25
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
MyArchives relies on free sharing of digital materials. However, many are reluctant to give their audio-
visual materials due to copyrights and other issues. Analog materials kept by researchers and collectors
need to be properly restored and digitized and this require manpower, time and financial resources.
Finding a physical space to store these materials is another problem. For MyArchives, the members
decided that only digital sources are archived and stored online through a website. However, like physical
space, digital space too has to be maintained and paid for. Institutional support is important but needs
long-term commitment and so far, Sunway University has provided us with basic support and manpower.
We need to reach out to fellow researchers and scholars from not only Malaysia but also around the
world to share their research materials and provide some financial support.
D. CONCLUSION
Safeguarding the performing arts of Malaysia through archiving needs the coordinated efforts of many
parties and stakeholders. The public needs to be informed of the importance of safeguarding our heritage
and this must begin at schools and higher learning institutions. Information regarding the archiving of
intangible cultural heritage (ICH) especially the performing arts can be disseminated through social
media and other popular platforms. Private initiatives by individuals and organizations in safeguarding
our heritage should be supported by the state and public. MyArchives is just a small initiative by a group
of scholars of Malaysian and Southeast Asian performing arts in safeguarding the region’s traditional
arts. It is still an ongoing process which will need continuous support (financial, technical, promotional
and archive materials) from all stakeholders. Community engagement is also important for this project
to sustain in the long run as suggested by UNESCO. Looking at the technical challenges in setting up
a web-based archive (Artese and Gagliardi 2017), it is going to take more time and effort. Hopefully
MyArchives will grow and gain further support to expand its collection, manage and coordinate the
materials and help in safeguarding Malaysia’s ICH.
E. REFERENCE
Artese, Maria and Gagliardi, Isabella (2017). “Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritage on the Web:
a Life-cycle Approach.” International Journal of Intangible Heritage, vol. 12, pp. 111- 138.
Matusky, Patricia and Tan Sooi Beng (2004). The Music of Malaysia, The Classical Folk and Syncretic
Traditions. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
Mohd Anis Md Nor (1993). Zapin: Folk Dance of the Malay World. Singapore: Oxford University Press.
Mohd Ghouse Nasuruddin (1992). The Malay Traditional Music. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan
Pustaka.
Tan Sooi Beng (1993). Bangsawan: A Social and Stylistic History of Popular Malay Opera. Singapore:
Oxford University Press.
UNESCO (2003). Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Vol. 3 2nd Session).
Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Viken, Sjur (2017). “Challenges in safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through digitization of audio-
visual, archival material.” Memoriamedia Review 1. Art. 6. 2017.
Wilkinson, Richard (1932). “The Nobat In Some Malay Studies.” JMBRAS 10 no. 1 (113) (Jan): 79-86.
Winstedt, Richard (1929). “The Perak Royal Musical Instruments.” JMBRAS 7 no. 3 (Oct): 451-453.
Internet
https://www.myarchives.online
https://www.pusaka.org
https://thericecookershop.com
26 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
MR. ARTHUR TAN
Heritage Research and Assessment Division,
National Heritage Board, Singapore
Mr. Arthur Tan is Manager at the Heritage Research and Assessment Division of the National
Heritage Board, Singapore. He is actively involved in various initiatives to safeguard Singapore’s
intangible cultural heritage, through the promotion and recognition of ICH practitioners and
partnering with practitioners, communities and other stakeholders to enhance the long-term
continuity and sustainability of ICH practices in Singapore.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 27
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
PARTNERING COMMUNITIES IN INVENTORYING AND SAFEGUARDING OF ICH – EXAMPLES
FROM SINGAPORE
Arthur Tan
Heritage Research & Assessment, National Heritage Board, Singapore
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
As living heritage passes on through generations, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) traditions and practices
remain an integral part of societies’ social and cultural fabric and continue to manifest in the everyday
lives of communities. At the same time, the ICH landscape faces challenges in maintaining relevance
in a world wrought with social, demographic and cultural changes, and economic and technological
disruptions. Safeguarding ICH, especially in urban cities and under the pressures of modernisation,
requires the active partnership of governments, communities, practitioners, and other stakeholders to
mitigate such challenges. Drawing on Singapore’s experiences in developing its national ICH inventory,
as well as the efforts of local communities and practitioners to safeguard their ICH practices, this paper
explores how inventorying forms the foundation of preserving ICH and how communities and practitioners
can be actively involved in safeguarding ICH. This paper also highlights the importance of recognising
practitioners as custodians and stewards of ICH knowledge and skills, and empowering ground-up and
community-driven safeguarding efforts. Through case studies from Singapore, this paper also examines
how partnerships and the exchange of expertise across government, communities, businesses, and
diverse stakeholders can result in innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to strengthen the viability of
ICH practices.
Keywords: Community partnerships, ICH documentation, ICH practitioners, Inventorying, Safeguarding
A. INTRODUCTION
Article 12.1 of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
of Humanity states that one or more inventories of ICH should be drawn up in each State Party “to
ensure identification with a view to safeguarding”. In other words, inventorying is not only integral to
the identification and documentation of ICH practices, but it can and should also inform and contribute
to other forms of ICH safeguarding efforts. In particular, inventorying can also “raise awareness about
intangible cultural heritage and its importance for individual and collective identities and the process of
inventorying intangible cultural heritage and making those inventories accessible to the public can also
encourage creativity and self-respect” (UNESCO, 2009) among ICH communities and practitioners.
Singapore ratified the 2003 Convention in 2018 and further affirmed Singapore’s commitment to
safeguard ICH for current and future generations. However, effectively enhancing the long-term
viability and sustainability of ICH practices requires not only the commitment of the state but also the
active participation of and partnerships between governments, communities, practitioners and other
stakeholders. Different stakeholders have different roles and capabilities and collaborative approaches to
inventorying and safeguarding can contribute to the documentation, promotion and transmission of ICH
practices while enabling them to adapt, evolve and stay relevant in response to changing circumstances
and ways of life.
28 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
B. METHOD
As a multicultural city-state with diverse ethnic and religious communities, Singapore has a vibrant
ICH landscape, including the wide range of social practices, rituals and festive events observed and
celebrated by various communities throughout the year and the food heritage that is part and parcel of
many Singaporeans’ daily lives. Over time, these ICH practices have acquired rich cultural significance
and contribute significantly to a sense of identity and belonging, and there has been wider awareness
and growing appreciation of the need to safeguard our living heritage. Indeed, in the national Heritage
Awareness Survey commissioned by the National Heritage Board (NHB) of Singapore in 2018, 88%
of Singaporeans agreed that preserving heritage relating to everyday life, including ICH practices and
elements is important.
At the same time, the ICH landscape in Singapore faces several long-term and structural challenges.
For instance, the proportion of residents aged 65 years and above has risen from 9.0% in 2010 to 15.6%
in 2020 (Ministry of Social and Family Development, 2022), and the demographic challenges posed
by an ageing population is compounded by the lack of younger successors in various ICH trades and
crafts. Changes in lifestyles, cultural preferences and consumption patterns, influenced by globalisation,
urbanisation and technological disruptions, also affect how individuals and communities practice and
engage with ICH.
Nor, are these challenges unique to Singapore’s context, as forces of urbanisation and globalisation are
also reshaping the social fabric, economic landscape and cultural environment in other cities worldwide.
Safeguarding ICH in an urban context requires grappling with the complex and multifaceted issues
presented by rapid social, economic and cultural transformations and given the trend of urbanisation –
56% of the world’s population already live in cities and by 2050 the global urban population will be close
to 70% (World Bank, 2020) these challenges will only become more pressing and vexing.
Therefore, by reflecting on examples of ICH inventorying and safeguarding in Singapore, this paper seeks
to contribute to the discussion about the role of inventorying and documentation in the safeguarding of
ICH and in mitigating the aforementioned challenges, particularly in multicultural and urban settings. This
paper also offers examples from Singapore’s experiences to explore how communities and practitioners
can be empowered to drive documentation and safeguarding initiatives and illustrate the value and impact
of fostering creative partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance the long-term sustainability of
ICH.
C. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
To document ICH practices in Singapore, NHB launched a nationwide survey in 2016, embarking on
the first step in establishing a growing and evolving national ICH inventory. A key part of the survey was
engaging communities, groups, and individuals through oral interviews and audio-visual documentation
of their skills, knowledge, and views on the historical and socio-cultural significance of their ICH practices.
In addition, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with ICH practitioners, NGO representatives,
academics, enthusiasts and youth groups, to seek views across broad segments of society. The resulting
national inventory, launched in April 2018, was informed by these community voices. For example, in
addition to the five ICH domains outlined in the 2003 Convention, an additional domain of ‘Food Heritage’
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 29
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
was added to Singapore’s inventory – this was informed by FGDs with ICH stakeholders and a 2017 public
poll of over 3,000 respondents, where Singaporeans identified ‘Food Heritage’ as an essential aspect of
ICH to them. Since the launch of the inventory, more ICH elements have been progressively added with
the contribution of ICH communities and practitioners and as of September 2022, the inventory includes
101 ICH elements.
To raise greater public awareness and appreciation of ICH elements and to serve as an open repository
of information on ICH in Singapore, the inventory is made available online and accessible to the public
on Roots.sg (https://roots.gov.sg/ich-landing) as of July 2022, the inventory has drawn over 200,000
views since its launch. To ensure that the inventory would reflect the contributions of and feature the ICH
communities and practitioners involved, each element is presented through an article that includes the
experiences of an ICH practitioner and photo and/or video documentation of their practice (Image 1).
Image 1. Section of an Inventory Article on Roots.sg, including Experience
of Practitioners and Video Documentation
National Heritage Board, Singapore, 2022
Crucially, ICH inventories serve not only as a record or repository of information – but the information
gathered through inventorying also deepened NHB and the public’s understanding of ICH in Singapore
and contributed to other aspects of safeguarding, such as raising awareness and appreciation.
Particularly in multicultural and multiracial Singapore, the inventory and the information documented
through inventorying play a key role in supporting efforts to foster greater intercultural understanding
across diverse communities.
For instance, NHB had launched several educational campaigns featuring religious and cultural festivities,
informed by research and documentation undertaken in the inventorying process that contributed to in-
depth features of these festivities and their practitioners. One example is the A Journey of Devotion
– Celebrating Thaipusam in Singapore campaign, which highlighted the voices and experiences
of various practitioners involved in the Thaipusam festival – including the kavadi bearers, as well as
30 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
musicians and volunteers in the annual Thaipusam procession from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to
Sri Thendayuthapani Temple (Images 2 and 3). While the festival is devoted to the Hindu God Murugan,
the procession also involves non-Hindu Singaporeans as participants and observers. The campaign
encouraged more Singaporeans from all cultural backgrounds to witness and appreciate the vibrant
festivities of the Hindu community.
National Heritage Board, Singapore, 2020
Given the role of ICH communities and practitioners as custodians and bearers of ICH knowledge and skills,
their efforts in inventorying and documentation play a key role in safeguarding. Indeed, parallel to NHB’s
efforts to develop the national ICH inventory are community-driven documentation efforts. In particular,
new media and advancements in digital technologies have enabled new forms of documentation and
dissemination of ICH that are more accessible for communities, individuals and the public. For instance,
online communities centered on ICH have emerged on social media platforms such as Facebook (Images
4 and 5), and have become virtual sites for informal, everyday documentation, discussion, and sharing
by ICH enthusiasts. Such online communities are examples of documentation and dissemination that
are driven by the community for the community. They reflect how digital platforms can lower barriers
to information sharing and enable active participation and mobilisation of ICH communities, groups,
individuals or even enthusiasts.
Images 2 and 3. Images and Videos of the Thaipusam
Practitioners from the A Journey of Devotion Campaign
National Heritage Board, Singapore, 2020
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Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Images 4 and 5. Examples of Facebook Groups by ICH Communities and Enthusiasts in Singapore
Besides these organic and digital networks, ICH practitioners and heritage trades in Singapore have also
been actively exploring new forms of documentation to ensure the long-term preservation of ICH skills
and knowledge that are precarious or atrisk of disappearing. An example is Say Tian Hng Buddha Shop,
the last Taoist effigy-making business in Singapore, which utilised 3D scanning technologies to compile a
digital database of their Taoist effigies. Given the time- and labour-intensive nature of hand-carving, and
the lack of skilled hand-carvers, such 3D documentation ensures that the knowledge and craftsmanship
of effigy-carving will still be retained for future generations. Other ICH practitioners have also undertaken
documentation as a means to revitalise vanishing cultural traditions. For instance, heritage consultant
and youth practitioner Ms. Lynn Wong has researched various lesser-known Chinese traditions, including
the Qixi Festival, a traditional Chinese festival no longer widely celebrated in Singapore today. To revive
public interest and awareness of the festival, Ms. Wong has documented the festival and co-written
a publication entitled Reviving Qixi: Singapore’s Forgotten Seven Sisters Festival, to be launched in
October 2022.
Collectively, the broad spectrum of documentation efforts in Singapore formal and informal; government-
led, research-oriented and community-driven illustrates the significant role that inventorying and
documentation play in safeguarding and the value of a holistic approach to inventorying and documentation
that draws on the diverse and complementary capabilities of different actors within the ICH ecosystem.
In developing the ICH inventory, the engagement with communities and practitionershas also deepened
the understanding of the current status and viability of ICH practices, and shed light on the efforts of ICH
practitioners and communities to promote, transmit and safeguard their own ICH practices.
To recognise and further empower ground-up and community-driven safeguarding initiatives, NHB
launched the Stewards of ICH Award in 2019. The Award recognises ICH practitioners and organisations
which have demonstrated dedication to the promotion and transmission of their ICH practices and have
made outstanding contributions in their field. Award recipients are also eligible for grant funding of up
to $20,000 to support projects that contribute to the transmission and promotion of ICH knowledge and
skills. Since the launch of the Award, 10 ICH practitioners and organisations have been recognised
(Image 6) spanning a diverse range of practices, such as traditional performing arts from various
ethnic and cultural communities (Chinese Opera, Indian Dance Forms, Malay Dance Forms, Nanyin
and Wayang Peranakan), traditional craftsmanship (Making of Wood-Fired Pottery) and food heritage
32 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
(Popiah-Making and Making of Soya Sauce). Not only do the recipients collectively demonstrate how a
diverse range of cultural traditions can co-exist and thrive within Singapore’s multicultural society, but
their commitment to their respective ICH practices also exemplifies how ICH practitioners can lead as
stewards and champions of their own cultural heritage.
Image 6. Recipients of the Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award
National Heritage Board, Singapore, 2022
The Award and the grant funding have further supported the development and implementation of
community driven safeguarding initiatives through documentation, dissemination and transmission of
ICH knowledge to other communities and new audiences. For instance, Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle, a
2020 Award recipient which operates one of the last wood-fired dragon kilns in Singapore, documented
their kiln through 3D scanning and developed a virtual tour of the kiln (https://www.potteryjungle.com/
virtual-tour). This tour complements their existing outreach programmes and community initiatives
educating the public on the traditional wood-firing process. Similarly, 2020 Award recipient Mr. Michael
Ker, a third-generation popiah maker and owner of 85 year old business Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat
Popiah, organised a series of popiah making workshops catered to underserved communities, such as
elderly homes and individuals with special needs ensuring that everyone can learn about, appreciate and
join in the tradition of popiah making.
In addition, not only did the inventorying process identify practitioners and communities who are making
robust and sustained efforts to transmit and safeguard their ICH but it also revealed where more significant
support and safeguarding measures might be needed and highlighted areas where partnership and
collaboration between the government, the communities and other stakeholders could strengthen the
ICH ecosystem.
In particular, one ICH domain that has come under increasing pressure in Singapore (and across
many other urban cities) is traditional crafts. In consultations and discussions with ICH practitioners,
many highlighted critical challenges to the long-term viability of traditional crafts, including low levels of
awareness and appreciation, public perceptions of traditional crafts as outdated, competition with mass-
produced alternatives and the lack of interested or skilled successors. While documentation plays a
key role in retaining ICH skills, knowledge, guarding against their loss and disappearance safeguarding
ICH also requires innovation and adaptation to ensure that ICH remains relevant to current and future
generations.
Fostering collaborations and partnerships across various sectors can be one approach to encourage
such innovation and adaptation. In particular, there has been growing recognition of the social importance
and economic value of creative industries (UNESCO, 2021) and many ICH practices (including traditional
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 33
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
crafts) form part of the creative economy. Cultural practitioners in different countries and across various
fields have also recognised the value and impact of cross-disciplinary collaborations to reinterpret
traditional crafts including Crafts on Peel, a Hong Kong organisation fostering collaborations between
traditional craftsmen and contemporary artisans and Crafts Lab by Dutch Centre for ICH, which brings
together craft practitioners with artists, designers and vocational students to collaborate on developing
joint prototypes and works.
To foster such exchanges between ICH practitioners and other sectors of the cultural and creative
economy in Singapore, NHB launched the ‘Craft X Design’ scheme in 2021, which pairs traditional craft
practitioners with designers and studios to co-develop products that draw on both contemporary design
trends as well as traditional craft techniques and materials. By offering a sandbox for experimentation,
the initiative demonstrates how design innovation can contribute to the revitalisation of traditional crafts
and how cultural heritage can inspire and enrich designers and their design processes, practices and
outcomes.
The inaugural edition concluded with a showcase of the completed products, which featured a range
of works from fashion to furniture to metalware. An example is the Harmony Spheres lamp (Image
7) co-created by traditional Chinese lantern maker Mr. Jimm Wong and designers from Next of Kin
Creatives (NOK). Reinterpreting the traditional Chinese lantern as a dining lamp. Harmony Spheres
preserves the lighting function and the bamboo strips of a traditional Chinese lantern while adding a
contemporary spin through its unique multi-spherical structure, with intricately carved layers that can
rotate individually. Drawing on Mr. Wong’s experimentation with bamboo’s material properties and the
NOK team’s expertise in 3D design, the structure moulds rigid bamboo ribs to form a sleek curvature held
together by 3D-printed rims.
Image 7. Jimm Wong and Melvin Ong from NOK with their co-created Harmony
Spheres Lamp National Heritage Board, Singapore, 2022
Participants of the inaugural edition including the traditional craft practitioners highlighted the program’s
impact in increasing their access to new ideas opportunities, networks and even potential markets. The
ICH practitioners, in particular, shared that the process of engaging with the design inspired them to
envision new possibilities for their traditional crafts, advanced their craftsmanship by challenging them to
apply their skills to new contexts and mediums, and provided exposure and access to new technologies
34 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
such as 3D design, laser-cutting and digital printing that complemented traditional craft-making. The
participating designers also shared that they valued the opportunity for sustained partnership with ICH
practitioners. The collaboration deepened their understanding of cultural heritage and enabled them to
carve out a distinctive design identity by incorporating elements of local culture and heritage into their
designs.
By presenting these works to the public, “Craft X Design” also challenged perceptions of traditional
crafts as outdated and prompted the crowd to re-examine and re-evaluate the value and relevance
of traditional crafts. By fostering partnerships and collaborations between creative industries and ICH
communities, programmes such as “Craft X Design” can encourage the application of ICH skills in new
forms that promote their continued transmission and highlight how partnerships with other stakeholders
can generate new ideas and approaches for ICH safeguarding that draws on complementary capabilities.
D. CONCLUSION
ICH practices form part of Singaporeans’ everyday experiences, reflect the cultural diversity of
Singaporean society, and collectively constitute a key anchor of Singaporean identity. Safeguarding these
ICH practices and ensuring their continued relevance involves promoting, documenting and transmitting
ICH skills and knowledge. While, state institutions such as NHB will continue to engage with practitioners
and communities to inventorise ICH and to implement safeguarding policies and measures, the long-
term sustainability of ICH also requires the active contribution of individuals, groups, and communities.
Safeguarding ICH is both shared responsibility and a continuous journey and as the examples presented
in this paper illustrate, forging stronger partnerships across different stakeholders can enable a more
holistic and collaborative approach to safeguarding, which would strengthen the overall resilience of the
ICH ecosystem and uncover new opportunities and strategies for adaptation and innovation.
E. REFERENCE
Crafts on Peel. (2022). Crafts on Peel. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.craftsonpeel.com/.
Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage. (2020). Crafts Lab. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://
www.immaterieelerfgoed.nl/en/ambachtenlab.
Lifestyle Asia. (2022). “We The People: Ng Tze Yong on the lost art of effigy-making and keeping heritage
businesses alive”. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/culture/we-the-
people-ng-tze-yong-on-the-lost-art-of-effigy-making-and-keeping-heritage-businesses-alive/.
Ministry of Social and Family Development, Republic of Singapore. (2022). Ageing Families in Singapore,
2010 – 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.msf.gov.sg/research-and-data/Research-
and-Data-Series/Documents/Ageing_Families_in_Singapore_2010-2020.pdf.
National Heritage Board, Singapore. (2019). Heritage Awareness Survey 2019. Retrieved October 5,
2022, from https://www.nhb.gov.sg/what-we-do/our-work/sector-development/heritage-awareness-
survey-2019.
National Heritage Board, Singapore. (2020). A Journey of Devotion. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://www.roots.gov.sg/stories-landing/stories/A-Journey-of-Devotion.
National Heritage Board, Singapore. (2021). The Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award.
Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.nhb.gov.sg/what-we-do/our-work/community-
engagement/the-stewards-of-intangible-cultural-heritage-award.
National Heritage Board, Singapore. (2022). Craft X Design. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://
www.nhb.gov.sg/what-we-do/our-work/community-engagement/public-programmes/craft-x-design.
Straits Times. (2022). “Reviving the long-forgotten Seven Sisters Festival in Singapore”. Retrieved
October 5, 2022, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/reviving-the-long-forgotten-seven-
sisters-festival-in-singapore.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 35
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
UNESCO. (2009). Identifying and Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved October 5, 2022,
from https://ich.unesco.org/doc/src/01856-EN.pdf.
UNESCO. (2021). The Creative Economy: Moving in from the Sidelines. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://en.unesco.org/news/cutting-edge-creative-economy-moving-sidelines.
World Bank. (2022). Urban Development. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/
en/topic/urbandevelopment/overview.
36 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
MS. RENEE C. TALAVERA
Chief of the Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts Section,
National Commission for Culture and Arts, Philippines
Renee C. Talavera is a cultural advocate, worker, specialist in anthropology and sociology of
education, and an active spearhead in numerous cultural programs all over the country, as
reflected in her life and work.Ms. Talavera earned her undergraduate and master’s degree in
Anthropology from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. She currently heads the Cultural
Communities and Traditional Arts Section of the Plan/ Policy Formulation and Programming
Division of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Ms. Talavera’s work at the
NCCA has been incredibly diverse, just like the people she has worked with. From programs that
directly provide financial and technical assistance to communities, to more complex development
efforts and international collaborations. Ms. Talavera has also represented the country in different
international events in Southeast, Central, and EastAsia as well as Europe andAmerica. She leads
and provides technical assistance to Peoples’ Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Local
Government Units and other government organizations nationwide particularly focusing on the
safeguarding of Philippine culture. As Ms. Talavera continues to be active in cultural development
work and management, she constantly explores improvements as well as innovative projects and
measures to fit with the times.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 37
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION INVENTORYING THROUGH
THE SCHOOLS OF LIVING TRADITIONS
Renee C. Talavera
National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts Section Ma-
nila, Philippines
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Disasters, its risks, and ways to manage these risks have always been a humanitarian issue. Immediate
effects almost always point towards physically visible effects that may be resolved in the short term – one
of the constant descriptions of “humanitarian” aid. As our understanding about disaster develops further,
a disheartening fact that communities have to accept is that disasters also inevitably affect culture. The
Philippines is geographically situated in a paradox – an archipelago of natural beauty and biodiversity as
well as a lump of land strategically situated along an eternal loop of natural catastrophes. The Philippines
also has over 100 indigenous groups, each with their own peculiarities, knowledge systems and
practices, and age-old traditions with defenses that have been weakening disaster after disaster; not to
mention the conflict that has been happening in fragile regions. NCCA, the country’s cultural agency, has
strived to safeguard both tangible and intangible cultural heritage through its institutional program, the
Schools of Living Traditions. The SLT, as both a physical structure and the community’s resolve, is alas
also affected by disasters. However, one measure that has been effective in mitigating disaster risks is
inventorying – a practice that aims to strategically manage data not only for the purpose of knowledge but
mostly for enabling awareness, discernment, and swift response.The safeguarding of cultural heritage
is important to a nation’s sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and remarkably, disaster
risk reduction and community resilience. (Longworth, 2014) by highlighting the successes of the SLT,
particularly in the context of disaster risk and intangible cultural heritage preservation, it is the aim of
this paper to expound on the crucial points of data management and inventorying to protect culture and
hopefully bridge the gap between indigenous knowledge on disasters and application.
Keywords: Disaster, Disaster Risk Management, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Inventorying, Safeguarding,
Schools Of Living Traditions
A. INTRODUCTION
The Philippines is highly prone to natural hazards including tropical cyclones, hydro-meteorological
disasters, typhoons including the most recent Rai or Odette and earthquakes which even happened on
the day of the conference, October 26, 2022 in the northern Philippines with a magnitude of 6.7 (Sarao,
2022). The infamous Typhoon Yolanda, known internationally as Typhoon Haiyan and dubbed one of the
deadliest Philippine typhoons on record. Some of the impacts brought about by these disasters include
damage to the environment and cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, resulting to the disruption
of traditions, lost customs, beliefs and practices. This paper aims to discuss intangible cultural heritage
(ICH) safeguarding efforts in the Philippines, particularly the country’s flagship program, the Schools of
Living Traditions or the SLT.
B. METHOD
This study involved already existing structures and inquired already implicit practices that have not been
38 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
otherwise integrated in the overall SLT program. In order to properly ascertain the effectiveness of the ICH
and DRR initiatives, the study made use of mixed methods involving direct and participant observation,
focus group discussions, and a short causal survey. Despite the valuable insights that individual cultural
masters can bring, personal interviews were no longer pursued because the response rate of the SLTs
as a group were sufficient. There was also no need to build rapport with the groups. The use of mixed
methods gave the study sufficient flexibility in terms of the flow leaving for the generation of conclusions
that may not have been initially expected.
The questionnaires were crafted using a mix of multiple choice, rating scale, open-ended, and close-
ended questions. 11 out of 23 questions were scaled questions that required respondents to rate their
individual inclinations. Most questions were open-ended or dichotomous.
For the structured FGDs, it was mostly through the regular gatherings of the SLTs and the NCCA. It
was also through the project “Organizing UNESCO Training Workshop for Intangible Cultural Heritage
in Emergencies” with UNESCO Jakarta. The survey was consequently attached to this program and
distributed electronically via Google Forms. The survey was composed of 23 questions including personal
information and was distributed to the participants identified through purposive sampling before and after
the training workshops were conducted.
C. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The Philippines as State Party to the Convention
As a state party to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH, the Philippines is among the
pioneering signatory states, especially considering the fact that it has a diverse range of ethnolinguistic
groups.
ICH in the Philippines
While the Philippines is one of the earliest signatories of the Convention, it was only recently that the
country took robust measures to act upon the goals and mandates of the convention. Admittedly, there
has been a palpable predisposition towards tangible heritage though not because of explicit disregard,
but a question of how we as cultural workers tend to prioritize things that we see.
Albeit, the Philippines’ School of Living Traditions which safeguards numerous ICH has been established
since 1995 and the Philippines pursued several safeguarding activities by supporting the continuous
practice of traditions during community celebrations and festival, documentation of rituals, supporting
local research and documentation and publication, capacity building activities, and video/ e-learning
resources production.
The Philippines currently has three (3) elements inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of Humanity
including the Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao, Darangen epic of the Maranao people of Lake Lanao, and the
Punnuk Tugging Ritual, and one (1) element inscribed in the Urgent Safeguarding List, the Buklog thanks
giving ritual system of the Subanen. Last December 2021, the School of Living Traditions Program was
inscribed in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices reflecting of the spirit of the 2003
Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH placing great emphasis on the central role of communities,
groups, and individuals, and in particular, indigenous community, in safeguarding their ICH.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 39
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
At the international level, the NCCA has been collaborating with various UNESCO-linked institutions
such as IRCI, ICHCAP and CRIHAP. Recently, the NCCA and UNESCO Jakarta office became active
partners in ICH safeguarding.
Laws and Policies Related to ICH
The 1987 Philippine Constitution supports ICH safeguarding along with Republic Act No. 7355 “Manlilikha
ng Bayan Act”, Republic Act No. 8371 “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997,” and Republic Act
No. 1006 “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.”
The NCCA as a Bastion of Philippine Culture and Arts
The NCCA is the overall policy-making body, coordinating and grants giving agency for the preservation,
development and promotion of Philippines arts and culture. As the lead agency in the implementation
of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH, the NCCA has been developing projects
and programs, conducting inventorying, researching, documenting, implementing policies, carrying out
awareness-raising initiatives, organizing workshops and conferences, providing technical assistance
to communities in nominating elements to the UNESCO Representative and Urgent Safeguarding
Lists and liaising with diverse local and international networks for the safeguarding of ICH elements
in the Philippines. Under the NCCA, the Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts
with its National Committees on northern, central and southern cultural communities composed of
representatives from the different clusters of indigenous and cultural communities in the three major
islands of the country Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, serve as channels of communication between the
communities and the NCCA.
The Schools of Living Traditions (SLT)
As NCCA’s flagship program, the School of Living Traditions (SLT) considered as community centers
of learning is a five year community development initiative that is geared towards the safeguarding
of traditional culture and practices through the transfer of indigenous knowledge and skills to the next
generation by the cultural masters in the community.
Since its inception, SLTs have been established in hundreds of communities around the country and has
recently been enhanced which envisions a more holistic and proactive approach towards sustainability.
This includes an emphasis in providing sustainable livelihood and economic opportunities for artists and
cultural workers in each community. The SLT is also considered a strategy included in the Philippine
Development Plan 2017-2022. Through this, the importance of culture and all the communities involved
in its safeguarding has been highlighted by the national government as factors in uplifting the lives of the
Filipinos. The said program has also shown effectiveness in the promotion, preservation, development and
revitalization of the Philippines’ ICH, and was inscribed in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding
Practices.
As of this moment, there are 29 SLTs that are currently being assisted by the NCCA and its partner
community-based organizations under the enhanced framework. All the SLTs undergo a similar
implementation process, namely: Year 0 for the preparatory stage which would include the formulation
of the master plan and the construction of the SLT center, Year 1 to 3 for the training proper which
is essentially the transfer of knowledge and skills, Year 4 for the product development to assist the
readiness of the community in harnessing their products for livelihood, and lastly, Year 5 which is the
marketing aspect of the program to explore possible platforms for businesses or tourism.
40 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
ICH in the SLTs
Through these non-formal community centers of learning, the SLTs are actively safeguarding various
ICH. However, despite the importance of the program, the indigenous cultural communities who serve as
lead implementers of the SLTs still remain as one of the vulnerable sectors in the country, particularly in
times of emergencies or state calamities.
Intangible Cultural Heritage – Disaster Risk Reduction and Inventorying
In 2019, the SLTs were first introduced to the concept of ICH in emergencies through a two day capacity
building workshop for local coordinators which included inventorying ICH elements in the SLTs. The
Philippines also participated in the Expert’s meeting on ICH in Emergencies in Paris which discussed
inputs to the operational principles and modalities for safeguarding ICH.
In December of the same year, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH, as
a response to the endorsement of the operational principles and modalities for safeguarding ICH in
emergencies (Decision 14.COM 13), UNESCO developed training modules on ICH in emergencies. The
Philippines, being a disaster-prone country, was selected as a pilot area for the implementation of training
workshops using the said modules.
NCCA organized the online national and local training workshops on Safeguarding ICH in the Context of
Disasters, in collaboration with UNESCO Jakarta, and the SLTs coordinating teams and cultural masters
in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The collaboration is essential to the country as it provides awareness
and knowledge on safeguarding ICH in emergencies to key stakeholders at the national and local level,
particularly, the communities at risk of disasters in the three (3) Island clusters of the country – Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao. This ensured the involvement of the community, developed the capacities of the
participants and enabled them to develop and implement plans and policies for the institutionalization of
ICH - DRR in local DRRM.
Coinciding with the IP month celebration, the local training workshop series in Mindanao gathered the
Local Coordinating Teams of the 11 Schools of Living Traditions with representatives from the Local
Government Units. Topics included safeguarding ICH in emergencies, DRRM in the context of ICH
safeguarding, prevailing safeguarding measures globally, exemplary cases of safeguarding measures,
and DRR instruments and frameworks in the Philippines, and an introduction to the 2003 Convention on
the Safeguarding of ICH including the participation of organizations, local communities, individuals, and
SLTs in Safeguarding. The outputs are drafted plans or policies for ICH safeguarding in the context of
disasters. One of the safeguarding measures being implemented by the country is the Philippine ICH
Inventory. Through the SLTs, the inventory of their artforms is updated continuously to serve as reference
for the monitoring of their ICH’s status and the appropriate safeguarding measures to be undertaken.
As a result of the national training, the Philippine ICH inventory has been updated prior to the local training
workshops to include DRR key concepts on threats or hazards, their impacts on the ICH elements,
reasons for their impact, safeguarding measures in place and required for preparedness, prevention/
mitigation, response and recovery.
D. CONCLUSION
The “tangibility” of the Schools of Living Traditions is able to fully support the intangible cultural heritage
safeguarding needs of its community. It can to provide a home for the transmission of values and world
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 41
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
view to the next generation through the cultural masters and elders, sharing and making their history
while protecting their language and weaving their indigenous knowledge.
E. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to UNESCO through its UNESCO Office in Jakarta and
the Government of Switzerland for providing financial support during the implementation of the national
and local training workshops on Safeguarding and Mobilizing Intangible Cultural Heritage in Emergencies.
Moreover, we would like to thank the following Schools of Living Traditions in the Philippines for their
efforts in continuously safeguarding their ICH.
BATCH 1
1. Kankana-ey and Ibaloi SLT in Benguet
2. Ayangan, Kalanguya, and Tuwali SLT in Ifugao
3. Akeanon and Ati Malindog SLT in Aklan
4. Panay Bukidnon SLT in Iloilo
5. Ati SLT in Negros Occidental
6. Boholano SLT in Bohol
7. Dumagat Remontado SLT in Quezon
8. Manobo SLT in Agusan del Sur
9. T’boli SLT in South Cotabato
10. Blaan and Sangir SLT in Davao Occidental
11. Yakan SLT in Basilan
BATCH 2
1. Itneg and Tingguian SLT in Abra
2. Balangao SLT in Mountain Province
3. Sumacher SLT in Kalinga
4. Dumagat SLT in Bulacan
5. Panay Bukidnon SLT in Capiz
6. Ati SLT in Antique
7. Pala’wan SLT in Palawan
8. Ata SLT in Davao City
9. Mangguangan and Dibabawon SLT in Davao del Norte
10. Higaonon SLT in Bukidnon
11. Subanen and Bangsamoro SLT in Zamboanga del Sur
BATCH 3
1. Ikalahan and Kalanguya SLT in Nueva Vizcaya
2. Dumagat Remontado SLT in Rizal
3. Ati SLT in Guimaras
4. Mandaya SLT in Davao Oriental
5. Bagobo Tagabawa SLT in Davao del Sur
6. Manobo Kulamanen SLT in North Cotabato
42 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
BATCH 4
1. Ata SLT in Malabog
F. REFERENCE
Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. (n.d.).
Disaster Risk Reduction in the Philippines / Basics in Disaster Risk Reduction and Intangible Cultural
Heritage [Slide show; PowerPoint].
Training Workshop on Safeguarding and Mobilizing Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Context of
Disasters - Schools of Living Traditions in Mindanao, Philippines.
National Commission for Culture and the Arts. (n.d.). School of Living Traditions. Retrieved November
11, 2022, from https://ncca.gov.ph/school-of-living-traditions/
Republic Act No. 7355 “Manlilikha ng Bayan Act.”
Republic Act No. 8371 “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997.”
Republic Act No. 1006 “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.”
Sarao, Z. (2022, October 27). Magnitude 6.4 earthquakes rocks Abra, felt as far as Metro Manila.
INQUIRER.net. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 43
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
DR. EYO LENG YAN
Director Intangible Culture Heritage Division, Department of
National Heritage, Malaysia
Dr. Eyo Leng Yan received her early education at Chinese primary school and then Malay
secondary school in Kelantan. Holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in History and Malay
Literature from National University of Malaysia in 2001. She then continued her studies at the
same university in 2011 and was awarded a Master of Philosophy in Management of Performing
Arts in 2013. In 2016, she has continued her studies in Performance Studies at the Faculty of
Creative Arts, University of Malaya and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2021.
She started her career as a Curator in 2001 in the Department of Museums Malaysia until 2016.
She was later transferred to the Department of National Heritage and given the responsibility of
leading the Intangible Heritage Division until now. Her areas of expertise include the management
of traditional performing arts (specialization in the field of Wayang Kulit Kelantan/ Kelantan’s
shadow puppet), intercultural relations, intercultural communication, cultural assimilation and
Peranakan Chinese of Kelantan.
44 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH SHARED HERITAGE
Eyo Leng Yan
Intangible Heritage Division, Department of National Heritage, Malaysia
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Malaysia is well known by the name “Malaysia Truly Asia”. The main reason because of its culture where
it has greatest multiracial, multicultural, multilingual, and multi-religious.. The ethnic diversity has created
a diversity of shared cultural heritage inter racial in Malaysia or even shared between Asian countries.
We share a culture and heritage in the areas of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) include customs,
performing arts, language and literature, festivals and ceremony, traditional games, fine arts and crafts
and heritage food. Recognizing the trans-border nature of ICH, the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the
safeguarding of the ICH focused the mechanism for multinational nominations. True to its mandate to
make culture a platform of mutual understanding and dialogue, UNESCO encourages State Parties
to consider multinational nominations, thus making the listing process an opportunity for international
collaboration over the promotion of nationalistic goals. Malaysia believes that shared cultural heritage is
a unifying factor to bring countries together and one of the platforms for culture heritage conservation.
Keywords: Safeguarding on ICH, Shared heritage, Multinational nomination, UNESCO
A. INTRODUCTION
Malaysia famous with tagline “Malaysia Truly Asia” because of the diversity culture in its country with
roots and influences from the Chinese, Indians and even British Colonialists, Malaysia is one of the
world’s greatest melting pots. Malaysia, as everyone knows is a cosmopolitan multiracial, multicultural,
multilingual, and multi-religious country with its Malay, Chinese, Indian and many other equally important
indigenous tribes. This ethnic diversity has created a diversity of shared cultural heritage. As a result,
it has created intercultural relations and encouraged mutual respect between communities. The most
notable example is sharing through food. In Malaysia, every ethnic either Malay, Chinese, Indian and
numerous other ethnics love “nasi lemak”, “roti canai”, drink “teh tarik” (milk tea) and variety of traditional
sweet or kueh. If we see on food culture, we see different culture, recipes and dishes, it helps create a
sense of familiarity and fosters a community.
Based on literature review and observations, it is found that there are some cultures and heritages are
either shared or have similarities between Asian countries. Due to the history of exchanges amongst
communities and people, even kingdoms, Asian Countries is particularly rich in shared heritage. This
heritage sharing allows the Asian countries to share and collaborate in various fields especially in the
field of intangible cultural heritage (hereafter called ICH). In Article 2 (1) of the 2003 Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the “intangible cultural heritage” is defined as follows:
“The intangible cultural heritage” means the practices, representations, expressions,
knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated
therewith that communities, groups and in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their
cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation,
is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their
interaction with nature and their history and provides them with a sense of identity and
continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity (Scovazzi, T.
2012. P.179).
For ICH, we share a culture and heritage in the areas of customs, performing arts, language and literature,
festivals and ceremony, traditional games, fine arts and crafts and heritage food. It is a good example
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 45
Department of National Heritage / Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
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