IJIH

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Foreword

Author : Kwang Seop Shin

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Editorial

Author : Amareswar Galla

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Finding the 'First Voice' in rural England: the challenges of safeguarding intangible heritage in a national museum

Author : Rhianedd Smith

This paper is an attempt to explore the challenges of defining intangible heritage and ‘community’ in England. It uses as its case study the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading: an urban museum with a rural theme. The paper examines current theoretical discourse around the concept of the ‘first voice’ and debate about the role of museums in the preservation of intangible heritage. It then examines the relevance of these concepts to the identification of ‘rural’ intangible heritage stake holders in England. In this way, it shows the potential for concepts of intangible heritage to influence national museums. However, by applying theory and practice which is designed to support work with well-defined ‘originating communities’ to a national museum, it also highlights the challenges of initiating community engagement in a multicultural society.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Conceptualising intangible heritage in the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam: the Layla and Majnun story as a case study

Author : Sadiah Boonstra

The Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, was founded as a colonial museum in the 19th century in which experts (‘outsiders’) presented their view of other cultures. In the 20th century the Netherlands became a multicultural society. As a result, the museum had to redefine its function in society. In an attempt to rethink the relation between the content of its exhibitions and its audience, the Tropenmuseum refurbished all the museum galleries between 1990 and 2008. During the refurbishment the museum started to experiment with intangible heritage for which the story of Layla and Majnun was chosen as a case study. The museum collected four separate contemporary cultural expressions of the story, accompanied by audiovisual recordings of performances. The experiment was so successful that it functioned as a catalyst for the final refurbished gallery, entitled Travelling Tales, which is entirely devoted to intangible heritage. Based on research into the Layla and Majnun collection, I argue that the voices and views of the artists mirror the manifold perspectives that people have to various forms of intangible and tangible culture. The presentation of this multitude of views in the exhibition reflects the complexity of identification processes and therefore goes beyond notions of ‘self’ and ‘other’. In this respect, the Tropenmuseum functions as a forum where various opinions meet and as a space for intercultural encounters.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Reading the intangible heritage in tangible Akan art

Author : Kwame Amoah Labi

The intangible aspects of Akan art give it content that has to be ‘read’ in order for it to fulfil its purpose and be enjoyed. Hence there is an inextricable link between the intangible and tangible parts of an artwork, with the tangible explaining the subject matter. It is the interpretation, and the meanings given to Akan art that makes it function effectively as an integral part of Akan culture. In some situations, art functions as a form of coded language representing the Akan world view, values, proverbs and aesthetics, in other words, the intangible aspects of their culture. Their art is thus made up of two components, the invisible and visible parts. Akan artworks are not only works of aesthetic value, they provide cultural and historical evidence of the time and period in which they were made. They reveal the technology, materials, beliefs, cultural practices and the circumstances under which they were made as well as their relations with other cultures and peoples. They are a valid source of evidence for people studying the Akan. Their art has the status of legible documents, the tangible aspects of their intangible culture. This article seeks to establish the link between the unseen components of Akan art and its visible, physical components, and to show how these dual but complementary aspects can be understood and appreciated.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Let the objects speak: online museums and indigenous cultural heritage

Author : Saskia Vermeylen & Jeremy Pilcher

This paper seeks to contribute to the critical debate about curatorial practices and how museums can be transformed into cultural centres that are ‘decolonising’ their objects whilst simultaneously providing social agency to marginalised groups such as indigenous peoples. An exploration of new media theory, installation art and online museums allows us to examine to what extent an online museum might provide scope to further the debate about how indigenous heritage can be displayed and curated. Through a case study of a hypothetical online museum of the San’s culture, we theorise and explore in what shape and form an online museum might play a role in the communication, support, and safeguarding of the culture and heritage of the San. While online museums may, and have, taken various forms, we argue that a digitised reproduction of three dimensional objects within virtual rooms is not a valuable method for achieving inclusivity. Instead, inspired by new media art, we engage with a new way of classifying material which allows interactivity and communication between the visitor and curator (i.e. indigenous peoples) through the creation of both the database of, and the interface(s) to, the material archived in the online indigenous museum.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Len Dong- spirit journeys in contemporary urban Vietnam

Author : Ngo Duc Thinh

Len dong (going into a trance) is a ritual whereby a medium incarnates the souls of gods and spirits. It is associated with the religions and belief systems of various ethnic groups. This paper describes Len Dong as it is practiced as part of the cult of the Holy Mothers to minister to the needs of the population and bring good health and prosperity. This form of Len Dong originated in rural agricultural society, however, as society has changed and a market economy has developed, the ritual has become urbanised and is particularly popular today among small businessmen and tradesmen. It has now become a familiar phenomenon in urban society in Vietnam. The medium’s trance provides individuals and groups with a way to relieve the stresses and strains that are features of urban, industrial society, it helps them achieve a sense of balance, gives them an idea of how to behave and gives them a way of integrating with their community. Some people also find in Len Dong a sense of security and trust in the spiritual life that brings them success and good fortune. There are also people who simply see it as a form of entertainment.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Investigative research towards the designation of shamanic village rituals as 'intangible cultural properties' of the Seoul Metropolitan Government

Author : Jongsung Yang

Shamanic rituals taking place in Aegissidang, Mount Bonghwa Dodang, and Bamseom Bugundang, were thoroughly investigated by three experts appointed by the Board of Cultural Properties of Seoul Metropolitan Government. This religious belief and its related practices is still carried on by many shamans, religious specialists and their followers with the doctrines being handed down orally rather than in the form of written scriptures. Nonetheless, it is still a struggle to convince many Koreans of the cultural worth of shamanism. Owing to a deeply ingrained and stereotypical definition of what constitute religious doctrines and practices, its value as cultural heritage is often rejected. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and its Board have taken the initiative in designating these rites as ‘intangible cultural properties’ and hope this will lead to a more positive understanding of shamanism as a significant and valuable part of Korean traditional culture.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Safeguarding intangible heritage: five key obstacles facing museums of the North East of England

Author : Michelle L. Stefano

As international awareness of the importance of intangible heritage grows, the issue of how it can be effectively safeguarded has been increasingly debated. In recent years, museums have been called upon to engage more with intangibles due to their shared concerns for both culture and preservation. However, traditional museology has tended to focus on tangible expressions of heritage as opposed to those of an intangible, or living, nature. In response to this debate, the following paper brings to light five key obstacles facing six museums in the North East of England with regard to safeguarding intangible heritage. Uncovering these obstacles has been achieved through an analysis of data from policies and documents, observation and in-depth interviews with professionals holding high levels of responsibility within these institutions. It is argued that these key obstacles, including the perceptions, efforts and limitations on which they are based, can negatively affect the effectiveness of safeguarding approaches with respect to intangible heritage.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Seeking tangible benefits from linking culture, developemnt and intellectul property

Author : Wend B. Wendland

Culture is a tool for development as well as part of the process of development. Taking this proposition as its starting point, WIPO’s Creative Heritage Project provides practical training to local communities and museums and archives in developing countries on recording, digitizing and disseminating their creative cultural expressions and in managing IP issues.
In partnership with the American Folklife Center/Library of Congress and the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, WIPO ran a pilot training programme for the Maasai community of Laikipia, Kenya and the National Museums of Kenya in September 2008. The intensive, hands-on curriculum included project planning, research ethics, photography, sound and audio-visual recording techniques, digital archiving methods and database and website development. In cooperation with the US Copyright Office, WIPO staff provided the IP component of the training. WIPO will purchase a basic kit of recording equipment and knowledge management software for the community, help the community and museum to develop their own IP protocols, continue to foster a mutually beneficial working relationship between the community and the museum and further develop links established between the community, the museum and the national IP offices in Kenya. Lying at the interface between the safeguarding of living heritage and its legal protection, the programme seeks to advance a range of valuable policy goals - promoting cultural diversity, fostering economic development, using culture as a communications tool in development, bridging the ‘digital divide’, promoting responsible tourism and creating local cultural content.
Early results from evaluation of the pilot are encouraging, and WIPO and its partners have received several requests from other communities and museums and archives to participate in such a programme. However, something so ambitious presents many challenges and it remains an unpredictable cultural and legal experiment. This article will describe how and why the programme was conceived, its various objectives, the challenges, expected results and lessons learned so far.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Drwawing-up a nation-wide inventory of intangible heritage in Portugal

Author : Paulo Ferreira da Costa

The Institute for Museums and Conservation is the body of the Ministry of Culture which is responsible for promoting the study, documentation, recording and safeguarding of Portuguese intangible heritage by developing standards, guidelines and information systems for inventorying and providing public access to IH. The drawing up of the National Inventory of Intangible Heritage is a task to which the Institute of Museums and Conservation is presently committed according to both its mission statement and to the legal framework soon to be implemented under Portuguese Heritage Law. The text discusses the main legislative, institutional and scientific issues that must be taken into consideration in order to implement this inventory and that must be considered as opportunities and/or strengths in the implementation of the National Inventory of IH and, simultaneously, as key factors for the success of the Portuguese administration’s strategy for the safeguarding of IH.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Investigating the impact of World Heritage site tourism on the intangible heritage of a community: Tsodilo Hills World Hertage site, Botswana

Author : Susan Keitumetse & Olivia Nthoi

In places that are not World Heritage sites, communities produce material culture continuously as a form of interaction between themselves and their environments. In the Okavango Delta region, crafts are a good example of such material culture. Today, the concept of ‘World Heritage’ is led by socio-economic needs – through tourism - rather than socio-cultural interactions. In this process, the indigenous systems of knowledge that create intangible heritage are modified, usually in a negative way, and this affects the social networks that sustain the practices of craft production. The results of research projects conducted in June-August 2003 and June-July 2007 are used to illuminate this discussion. The paper concludes that while in the developing world, giving a site World Heritage status is likely to encourage tourism, the impact on the resident community’s intangible heritage must be considered and safeguarded.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

The role of cultural and heritage education at Bakoni Malapa Open Air Museum: demonstrations of cultural practices and craftwork techniques

Author : Dan Musinguzi & Israel Kibirige

Open air museums are of vital importance in preserving and safeguarding culture and intangible heritage. This paper explores how Bakoni Malapa Open Air Museum preserves the culture of the Bakoni people by showcasing their cultural heritage and educating visitors about it. Although various methods are used to preserve the culture of the Bakoni people, this paper’s analyses are based on just two of the museum’s main activities in connection with intangible heritage – putting on demonstrations of traditional cultural practices and demonstrating craft techniques. We also discuss what other cultures around the globe can learn from the way Bakoni cultural heritage is presented at Bakoni Malapa.

IJIH volumes Vol.4

Brief biographies of the Authors

Author : Volume 4

IJIH

Volume 4

Main Papers

Short Papers