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List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Eastern Europe

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Busó masks on display in Hungary
Busó masks in Mohács, Hungary

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) intangible cultural heritage elements are the non-physical traditions and practices performed by a people. As part of a country's cultural heritage, they include celebrations, festivals, performances, oral traditions, music, and the making of handicrafts.[1] The "intangible cultural heritage" is defined by the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, drafted in 2003[2] and took effect in 2006.[3] Inscription of new heritage elements on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists is determined by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, an organisation established by the convention.[4]

Eastern Europe, as designated by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), consists of ten countries.[5] The groupings used by the UNSD are not indicative of "any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories."[6] All of the countries, with the exception of Russia, are state parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.[7] Six intangible cultural heritage elements have been inscribed as elements of Poland,[8] five as elements of the Czech Republic[9] four as elements of Ukraine,[10] two as elements of Bulgaria,[11] Hungary,[12] Romania,[13] and Russia,[14] one for Belarus[15] and Slovakia,[16] and none for Moldova.[17]

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List of intangible heritage elements

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The table lists information about each International Cultural Heritage element:

Name: official name, worded as inscribed on the list
Region: region within or outside a country where a heritage is still practiced
Country: country, as inscribed on the list
Year: the year the site was inscribed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List
Session: the session and decision in which a heritage is inscribed by the committee[nb 1]
Description: brief description of the heritage
Elements of Eastern Europe
Name Region Country Year Session Description Ref(s)
Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars) Village of Semezhava in the Minsk Region  Belarus 2009 4.COM 14.01 Rite of the Kalyady Tsars is a celebration that occurs during the Belarusian New Year. The event involves the performance of the folk drama Tsar Maximilian, a religious drama about Maximilian, the pagan tsar, and Afolf, his son. Children are chosen to perform as the characters dzad and babam, or old man and old lady. Each year, the celebration draws in around five hundred men, who take part by performing as tsars for families that have unwed daughters. Interest in the event is waning among the youth of the region, leading to concerns by UNESCO that the heritage will be lost. [18][19]
Bistritsa Babi, archaic polyphony, dances and rituals from the Shoplouk region Shoplouk region, the village of Bistritsa for polyphonic singing  Bulgaria 2008 3.COM Three traditions of the Shopi people of Bulgaria have been inscribed by UNESCO. The first is polyphony, a form of singing that consists of multiple voices combined and sung simultaneously. Participants form a circle and dance as the choir sings. Polyphony is still practiced by the Bistritsa Babi, a term for the old women of the region. The other inscribed elements are lazarouvane, a springtime ritual for girls entering into adulthood, and the horo dance, a form of folk round dance that is performed as a communal dance. [20][21][failed verification]
Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and Helena in the village of Bulgari Village of Bulgari in the region of Mount Strandzha  Bulgaria 2009 4.COM 13.05 Nestinarstvo is a ritual where participants dance barefoot on embers, similar to fire walking. It is practiced as part of the Panagyr celebration, in honour of the Saints Constantine and Helena. The villagers dance as musicians play bagpipes and drums. The fire dancers, the Nestinari, perform vicariously as they channel the saints. The celebration remains a popular tourist attraction in the village. In the past, the ritual was more widespread, and was practiced in other villages in Bulgaria and nearby Greece. [22][23]
Falconry, a living human heritage Multiple[nb 2]  Czech Republic[nb 2] 2010 5.COM 6.45 Falconry involves the use of trained birds of prey for hunting. It is also practiced recreationally, as a sport. Falconry is widespread around the world, and is seen in a diverse range of cultures. UNESCO has inscribed falconry as a shared intangible heritage element of eleven countries, including the Czech Republic. [24]
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech Republic Villages of Vlčno and Skoronice and towns of Kunovice and Hluk in the southeastern region of the Czech Republic  Czech Republic 2011 6.COM 13.13 The Ride of the Kings takes place during the Pentecost celebration, a festivity in honour of the Holy Spirit. According to tradition, the ride commemorates Saint Wenceslaus as he, wearing a disguise, makes his escape. Lasting two days, the participants of the Ride parade on horses adorned with decorations. Central to the Ride is the King, a role performed by a boy in women's clothing, ten to twelve years old, blindfolded with ribbons and holding a rose with his teeth. [25][26]
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko area Town of Hlinsko and the surrounding region, known as Hlinecko, in Eastern Bohemia  Czech Republic 2010 6.COM 6.11 Shrovetide festivities occur before Lent, and were restricted in the past by the Communist government and the Catholic Church. Participants of the carnival celebrate by wearing colourful masks. Traveling in a parade, they visit the homes of villagers to dance for them. A mare is treated as a scapegoat and given a mock execution in a ritual involving dancing and alcohol. [27]
Slovácko Verbuňk, recruit dances South Moravia and Zlín regions  Czech Republic 2008 3.COM Slovácko Verbuňk is a folk dance. Originating in the 18th century, the dance was traditionally performed by young men drafted as Austrian army recruits. The dance was both celebratory and a symbol of dissent. Practiced by recruits, it was named verbŭnk, based on the German word for recruitment, werbung. The men dance, performing one of many regional variations, as musicians play songs known as New Hungarian. [28][29]
Handmade production of Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beads Poniklá and the Giant Mountains area  Czech Republic 2020 15.COM Handmade production of Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beads refers to handmade Christmas tree decorations that are produced by blowing a heated glass tube inserted in a brass mould shaped into a string of beads called klaustschata and silvered, coloured and hand decorated. The string of beads is then cut into shorter or individual beads, which are threaded onto wires, thus forming ornaments of many forms. Considered as a key cultural element of the Giant and Jizera Mountains regions in North Bohemia, where blown glass beads have been produced since the late eighteenth century, the traditional craft is specialized and technically demanding. [30]
Busó festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival custom Town of Mohács in the southern region of Hungary, near the Danube river  Hungary 2009 4.COM 13.42 Busójárás is a six-day-long festival that occurs in honour of the arrival of spring, and is of Croatian origin. Participants dress up in costumes and wear masks, sailing through the Danube river before parading through the city. This is done, based on traditional accounts, to commemorate the chasing away of Turks during the Ottoman rule of Hungary. Other events include feasting, costume competitions, displays of carved masks, and playing instruments. [31][32][33]
Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage National  Hungary 2011 6.COM 9.8 Táncház is a Hungarian folk dance. UNESCO has inscribed the methods in which the dance is taught. Knowledge of the dance is passed down from older generations, and personal innovation and wide participation are encouraged. Táncház, which means "dance house," is derived from Transylvanian customs. The popularity of the dance grew in the 1970s, as part of a wider renewal of folk traditions. [34][35]
Nativity scene tradition City of Kraków  Poland 2018 13.COM "The Nativity Scene (szopka) tradition in Krakow is a social practice originating from Christmas celebration customs, centred around constructing cribs. Born in the nineteenth century, the tradition is indissolubly connected to the City of Krakow and based on skills and knowledge passed down for generations." [36]
Tree beekeeping culture Shared with Belarus  Poland 2020 15.COM "Tree beekeeping culture includes knowledge, skills, practices, traditions, rituals and beliefs connected to wild bees breeding in tree hives or log hives located in forest areas. Tree beekeepers take care of bees in a special way by trying to recreate the primeval living conditions in tree hives without interfering with the natural life cycle of the bees. Tree beekeepers have no goal of intensifying honey production, which is one of the features that differentiates them from beekeepers. Tree beekeeping therefore requires advanced skills and knowledge of traditional methods and tools." [37]
Falconry, a living human heritage Multiple  Poland 2021 16.COM "Falconry is the traditional art and practice of training and flying falcons (and sometimes eagles, hawks, buzzards and other birds of prey). It has been practised for over 4000 years. The practice of falconry in early and medieval periods of history is documented in many parts of the world. Originally a means of obtaining food, falconry has acquired other values over time and has been integrated into communities as a social and recreational practice and as a way of connecting with nature." [38]
Flower carpets tradition for Corpus Christi processions Towns of Spycimierz, Klucz, Olszowa, Zalesie Śląskie and Zimna Wódka  Poland 2021 16.COM "The tradition of arranging flower carpets is inherently linked to the feast of Corpus Christi in Poland. For the feast, which typically involves a mass followed by a joyful procession from the church to the streets, families in several villages use flowers to arrange colourful and symbolic carpets on the route of the procession, usually on the road section in front of their homes. The flower carpets cover the road running from the church through the village and can reach almost two kilometres in length. The flowers used are picked from the surrounding fields or from family gardens." [39]
Timber rafting Multiple  Poland 2022 17. COM "Timber rafting in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Spain originated in the Middle Ages, when rafts were used to transport wood, goods and people using natural water flows. In the past, rafters traveling to remote destinations spent weeks living and working together on their raft. As a result, a community sharing the knowledge, skills, techniques and values of making and navigating timber rafts emerged. The tradition has been cultivated for generations and remains strong thanks to continuous oral communication, observation and participation, including through youth camps, local schools, festivals and workshops." [40]
Polonaise, traditional Polish dance National  Poland 2023 18.COM "The polonaise is a joyful Polish group dance, which can be enacted by a few to even several hundreds of pairs marching in procession, following a trajectory proposed by the first pair. As it is widely present in Polish culture, general awareness of the dance and its social meanings are increased by literature, music and film. A form of joint celebration, the polonaise commemorates important moments in family and community life and symbolizes cooperation, reconciliation and equality." [41]
Căluş ritual Olt County of southern Romania and regions in Bulgaria and Serbia inhabited by Vlachs  Romania 2008 3.COM The Căluşari, a fraternal group, perform an annual group dance, the Căluş, as a ritual. The dance may have origins as a fertility rite, and a 17th-century written account is the earliest attestation of its performance. The participants carry wooden stick and wear a costume covered with bells, and dance while the musicians play with the accordion and the violin. Special hats and a bearded mask are also worn. [42][43]
Doina National  Romania 2009 4.COM 13.69 Doina is a form of Romanian folk music, characterized by a free meter and heavy ornamentation. Songs in the style explore various themes, and are performed individually, sometimes with an instrument. The different regional types of doina are diverse, each with distinct characteristics and known by a different local name. [44][45]
Cultural space and oral culture of the Semeiskie Transbaikal region, east or "beyond" Lake Baikal, in Siberia  Russia 2008 3.COM The Semeiskie migrated to Transbaikal region because of religious persecution. They are Old Believers, a religious group that split from the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century during the raskol schism. UNESCO inscribed the community's "cultural space," located east of Lake Baikal, and the group's tradition of musical performances. Until the 20th century, the Semeiskie lived isolated, separated from the surrounding population. [46][47]
Olonkho, Yakut heroic epos Sakha Republic in the Russian Far East region  Russia 2008 3.COM The olonkho is an epic performed by the Yakuts consisting of ten to fifteen thousand verses. It describes the cosmological beliefs of the Yakuts, including a creation myth, and the gods and legends of the region's indigenous religion. Modern events and themes are also integrated into the performance. The epic is transmitted within the family, and is used as a form of educational recreation. [48][49]
Fujara and its music Central Slovakia  Slovakia 2008 3.COM The fujara is a shepherd's flute originating from central Slovakia. The instrument is long, and consists of a mouthpiece and three tone holes on the main tube. The flutes are made of wood from elder trees or maple trees. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the popularity of the flute spread beyond shepherds. It is still performed during celebrations and by folk music groups. [50][51]
Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk art Village of Petrykivka, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast  Ukraine 2013 8.COM [52]
Cossack’s songs of Dnipropetrovsk Region Dnipropetrovsk Oblast  Ukraine 2016 11.COM [53]
Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics City of Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast  Ukraine 2019 14.COM [54]
Ornek, Crimean Tartar design elements Crimea  Ukraine 2021 16.COM

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The .COM abbreviation is used by UNESCO for committee sessions. 3.COM represents the third session of the committee, 4.COM represents the fourth session, and so on. The numbers following the abbreviation, like 14.01, represent the inscription decision number.
  2. ^ a b The heritage was also inscribed as a heritage of the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, France, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Syria.

References

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  1. ^ "What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Text of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  3. ^ "The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Functions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings". United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use". United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  7. ^ "The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)". UNESCO.
  8. ^ "Poland and the 2003 Convention". Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Czech Republic — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Ukraine and the 2003 Convention". UNESCO. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  11. ^ "Bulgaria — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Hungary — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Romania — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  14. ^ "Russian Federation — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  15. ^ "Belarus — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Slovakia — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  17. ^ "Republic of Moldova — Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  18. ^ "Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars)". UNESCO. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  19. ^ E. Anthony Swift (30 December 2002). Popular Theater and Society in Tsarist Russia. University of California Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-520-22594-7. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  20. ^ "Bistritsa Babi, archaic polyphony, dances and rituals from the Shoplouk region". UNESCO. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  21. ^ Mercia MacDermott (1998). Bulgarian Folk Customs. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-85302-485-6. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  22. ^ "Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and Helena in the village of Bulgari". UNESCO. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  23. ^ Simon Broughton; Mark Ellingham; Richard Trillo (1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rough Guides. pp. 37. ISBN 978-1-85828-635-8. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  24. ^ "Falconry, a living human heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  25. ^ "Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech Republic". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  26. ^ Craig Stephen Cravens (30 August 2006). Culture And Customs of the Czech Republic And Slovakia. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 61–62. ISBN 978-0-313-33412-2. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  27. ^ "Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko area". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  28. ^ "Slovácko Verbuňk, recruit dances". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  29. ^ Asiedu, Dita (29 November 2005). "UNESCO proclaims Czech "Verbunk" Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Radio Prague. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  30. ^ "Handmade production of Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beads". UNESCO Culture Sector. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  31. ^ "Busó festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival custom". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  32. ^ Andrew Beattie (6 January 2011). The Danube: A Cultural History. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-19-976835-6. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  33. ^ "Masked revellers celebrate the Buso carnival in Hungary". MSN News. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  34. ^ "Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  35. ^ Oksana Buranbaeva; Vanja Mladineo (30 September 2011). Culture and Customs of Hungary. ABC-CLIO. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-313-38369-4. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  36. ^ "Nativity scene (szopka) tradition in Krakow". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  37. ^ "Tree beekeeping culture". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  38. ^ "Falconry, a living human heritage". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  39. ^ "Flower carpets tradition for Corpus Christi processions". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  40. ^ "Timber rafting". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  41. ^ "Polonaise, traditional Polish dance". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  42. ^ "Căluş ritual". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  43. ^ Gabrielle H. Cody (2007). The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama. Columbia University Press. p. 1148. ISBN 978-0-231-14424-7. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  44. ^ "Doina". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  45. ^ Bela Bartok (1 October 1992). Bela Bartok Essays. U of Nebraska Press. pp. 103–105. ISBN 978-0-8032-6108-2. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  46. ^ "Cultural space and oral culture of the Semeiskie". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  47. ^ Juha Pentikäinen (1 January 1996). Shamanism and Northern Ecology. Walter de Gruyter. p. 370. ISBN 978-3-11-081167-4. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  48. ^ "Olonkho, Yakut heroic epos". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  49. ^ John A. Grim (1987). The Shaman. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 37–39. ISBN 978-0-8061-2106-2. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  50. ^ "Fujara and its music". UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  51. ^ "Slovakian shepherd's flute, the "Fujara" wins worldwide note". Agence France-Presse. 23 December 2005. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  52. ^ "Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk art". UNESCO. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  53. ^ "Cossack's songs of Dnipropetrovsk Region". UNESCO. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  54. ^ "Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics". UNESCO. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
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