Relationship
165 public knowledge systems connected to this registry facet.
Agbamevor and related weaving traditions
Strip-woven cloth traditions where technique, pattern, naming and social use carry histories of making and identity.
Ifa
A Yoruba corpus of verses, interpretation practices and ethical instruction transmitted through specialist lineages and diasporic communities.
L’acupuncture et la moxibustion de la médecine traditionnelle chinoise
Acupuncture and moxibustion are forms of traditional Chinese medicine widely practised in China and also found in regions of south-east Asia, Europe and the Americas. The theories of acupuncture and moxibustion hold that the human body acts as a small universe connected by channels, and that by physically stimulating these channels the...
L'aitysh/aitys, art de l'improvisation
Aitysh/Aitys is a contest centred on improvised oral poetry spoken or sung to the accompaniment of traditional musical instruments – the Kazakh dombra or Kyrgyz komuz. Two performers (''akyns'') compete with one other to improvise verses on topical themes in a battle of wits that alternates between humorous ripostes and penetrating...
Le tissage à la main de la piña des Aklanons
Piña is a textile made from pineapple leaf fibres and woven using a handloom. Farmers harvest the leaves of the pinya Bisaya, a specific pineapple species, and extract the fibres by hand. The fibres are weighed using a local unit of measurement and method involving old coins of different denominations. The knowledge and skills of piña...
L’épopée Al-Sirah al-Hilaliyyah
This oral poem, also known as the Hilali epic, recounts the saga of the Bani Hilal Bedouin tribe and its migration from the Arabian Peninsula to North Africa in the tenth century. This tribe held sway over a vast territory in central North Africa for more than a century before being annihilated by Moroccan rivals. As one of the major...
Les techniques ancestrales et traditionnelles d’élaboration du « Poncho Para’i de 60 Listas » de la ville de Piribebuy, République du Paraguay
The Poncho Para’í de 60 Listas de Piribebuy is a handmade garment from Paraguay consisting of three parts: the body, the fringes and the fajita or guard. Each part entails different crafting procedures which are carried out collaboratively by women weavers. To create the poncho, the practitioners weave three types of cotton threads,...
La cosmovision andine des Kallawaya
The Kallawaya ethnic group, based in the mountainous Bautista Saavedra region north of La Paz, traces its roots to the pre-Inca period. Like many aspects of Andean culture, the Kallawaya’s practices and values have evolved through the fusion of native and Christian religions. The principal activity of the Kallawaya involves the practice...
Antep İşi, une broderie au fil tiré de Gaziantep
Antep Isi, or drawn thread embroidery, is a centuries-old needlework technique that traditionally involves working on white fabric with white thread. The threads are drawn and cut to create designs and patterns that have been passed down for centuries. Today, the embroidery is sometimes made using coloured fabrics and threads. Drawn...
La calligraphie arabe : connaissances, compétences et pratiques
Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting Arabic script in a fluid manner to convey harmony, grace and beauty. The practice, which can be passed down through formal and informal education, uses the twenty-eight letters of the Arabic alphabet, written in cursive, from right to left. Originally intended to make writing...
L’art des croix de pierre arméniennes. Symbolisme et savoir-faire des Khachkars
Khachkars are outdoor steles carved from stone by craftspeople in Armenia and communities in the Armenian diaspora. They act as a focal point for worship, as memorial stones and as relics facilitating communication between the secular and divine. Khachkars reach 1.5 metres in height, and have an ornamentally carved cross in the middle,...
L’art de l’élevage du cheval Akhal-Teke et les traditions des ornements pour chevaux
The Akhal-Teke is a breed of horses created in the territory of modern Turkmenistan. Characterized by their large size, intelligence, agility, strength and shiny coat, Akhal-Teke are hardy and can manage without food and water for long stretches of time. There are many customs and traditions around Akhal-Teke horses, including naming...
L’art des Akyn, conteurs épiques Kirghiz
The predominant form of cultural expression among the Kyrgyz nomads is the narration of epics. The art of the Akyns, the Kyrgyz epic tellers, combines singing, improvisation and musical composition. The epics are performed at religious and private festivities, seasonal ceremonies and national holidays and have survived over the...
L’art de fabriquer et de jouer du kobyz
The kobyz, made and played in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, is a traditional string instrument with an arc shape and two strings made from horsehair. The body is covered with leather and includes detailed decorations made from local wood such as mulberry or apricot tree. A special bow, also made...
L’art de fabriquer et de jouer la mbira/sanza, lamellophone traditionnel au Malawi et au Zimbabwe
The art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi, the finger-plucking traditional musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe, plays a key role in the communities concerned. The basic Mbira/Sansi instrument consists of a wooden board with metal keys attached on top, and the instrument is sometimes mounted on a calabash/wooden resonator. The...
L’art de la fabrication et de la pratique du rubab/rabab
One of the oldest musical instruments in Central, South and Southwest Asia, the rubab is a string instrument made with dried mulberry wood collected in deserts. It is played on many occasions, including for celebrations, weddings, funerals, gatherings and ritual healings. It is also a leading instrument in orchestral and contemporary...
L'art du đờn ça tài tử, musique et chants, dans le sud du Viet Nam
A musical art with both scholarly and folk roots, Đờn ca tài tử is an indispensable part of the spiritual activity and cultural heritage of the people of southern Viet Nam. The music and songs evoke the people’s life and work on the land and rivers of the Mekong Delta region. Performed at numerous events such as festivals, death...
L’art de la construction en pierre sèche : savoir-faire et techniques
The art of dry stone construction refers to the practice of building with stone without using binding material. Practised in various countries in Europe, it requires an innate understanding of geometry and physics, as well as skills to handle the raw materials used. Dry stone construction is achieved through the careful selection and...
L’art de l’enluminure : Təzhib/Tazhib/ Zarhalkori/Tezhip/ Naqqoshlik
Illumination is a centuries-old decorative art practised on the pages of manuscripts, calligraphic texts and miniatures. The main component is gold leaf or gold paint, both of which entail specific knowledge and techniques. Natural pigments are also used, and synthetic paints such as watercolour or gouache have become widespread in...
Les savoir-faire artisanaux et la culture de la baguette de pain
The baguette is the most popular kind of bread enjoyed and consumed in France throughout the year. The traditional production process entails weighing and mixing the ingredients, kneading, fermentation, dividing, relaxing, manually shaping, second fermentation, marking the dough with shallow cuts (the baker’s signature) and baking....
Processus de fabrication de la talavera artisanale de Puebla et de Tlaxcala (Mexique) et de la céramique de Talavera de la Reina et d’El Puente del Arzobispo (Espagne)
The processes of making the artisanal talavera of Puebla and Tlaxcala (Mexico) and ceramics of Talavera de la Reina and El Puente del Arzobispo (Spain) are identified with two communities in both Mexico and Spain. The ceramics have domestic, decorative and architectural uses. Despite changes over time and the developments ceramics have...
Les arts, savoir-faire et pratiques associés à la gravure sur métaux (or, argent et cuivre)
Engraving on metals such as gold, silver and copper is a centuries-old practice that entails manually cutting words, symbols or patterns into the surfaces of decorative, utilitarian, religious or ceremonial objects. The craftsperson uses different tools to manually cut symbols, names, Quran verses, prayers and geometric patterns into...
La tradition Âşıklık (de l’art des trouvères)
The Âşıklık (minstrelsy) tradition of Turkey is performed by wandering poet-singers known as ''âşıks.'' Dressed in traditional clothes and plucking a stringed ''saz,'' the âşık is a common performer at weddings, in coffeehouses and during public festivals of all sorts. The âşık is called in a dream to undertake a long apprenticeship in...
Ayeneh-Kari, l’art du travail du miroir dans l’architecture persane
Ayeneh-Kari, or mirror-work, refers to the handcrafted art of decorating architectural surfaces such as ceilings, walls, domes, columns and panels using cut pieces of mirrors. The process entails cutting and shaping mirrors into geometric patterns or organic shapes and gluing them onto the surfaces to create designs that reflect light...
Les cornemuses et la pratique de la cornemuse en Bulgarie : transmission des connaissances et des savoir-faire
The bagpipe is a traditional wind instrument made of a leather bag connected to a chanter (a pipe with finger holes and a reed), a drone (a pipe that produces a continuous tone), and a blowpipe used to fill the bag with air. There are different types based on pitch: high, medium and low. The bagpipe is played at social and cultural...
L’art du bakhshi
Epic poetry plays a crucial role in the musical and poetic heritage of the Uzbek and Karakalpak people of Uzbekistan. Called dostons, the traditional centuries-old poems are based on myths, legends, folk tales and legendary chants, and address varied themes such as patriotism, commitment, love, friendship and solidarity. Bakhshi refers...
La culture apicole en Slovénie, un mode de vie
In Slovenia, beekeeping is a way of life for many individuals, families and communities, who obtain bee products for food and traditional medicine and use their knowledge and skills to care for the honeybees and the environment. The only subspecies kept in Slovenia is the Carniolan bee. Beekeepers have around 200,000 bee colonies, and...
La culture de la bière en Belgique
Making and appreciating beer is part of the living heritage of a range of communities throughout Belgium. It plays a role in daily life, as well as festive occasions. Almost 1,500 types of beer are produced in the country using different fermentation methods. Since the 80s, craft beer has become especially popular. There are certain...
Le boreendo, bhorindo : un ancien instrument de musique traditionnel en voie de disparition, ses mélodies, connaissances et savoir-faire
The boreendo, or bhorindo, is a traditional musical instrument that is deeply rooted in village life and nature amongst the Thari community. It has a hollow, spherical shape with sound holes, and is made of clay that is sun dried and kiln fired. It is played by men, while women are involved in decorating the instrument with clay paint....
La construction et l’utilisation des pirogues monoxyles expansées dans la région de Soomaa
The Estonian expanded dugout boat from the Soomaa region is a canoe-like boat, hollowed out from a single tree (usually aspen), with expanded sides and a shallow base. The building of a dugout boat is a complex process, beginning with the identification of a suitable tree and culminating with the boat’s launch. Dugout boatbuilding is a...
La navigation traditionnelle et la construction de pirogues des îles Carolines
Carolinian wayfinding and canoe making refers to the centuries-old tradition of building and navigating long-distance canoes. Communities in Micronesia, and particularly in the outer islands of Yap State, continue the traditions of building the ocean- voyaging sailing canoes from local materials and of navigating, or wayfinding, without...
Les arts de la céramique en Ouzbékistan
Ceramic art is one of the oldest forms of applied art in Uzbekistan, where deposits of loess clay, including pottery clay, can be found. The practice is used to create large household items used in the everyday life of rural populations, such as large containers for storing food and water, tandoor ovens, jugs and toys. Traditionally,...
La tradition cérémonielle du Keşkek
Keşkek is a traditional Turkish ceremonial dish prepared for wedding ceremonies, circumcisions and religious holidays. Women and men work together to cook wheat and meat called ‘Keşkek’ in huge cauldrons, then serve it to the guests. The wheat is washed with prayers the preceding day, and then carried to a large stone mortar, to the...
Le chapei Dang Veng
Chapei Dang Veng is a Cambodian musical tradition closely associated with the life, customs and beliefs of the Cambodian people. It features the chapei (a type of lute often played at cultural festivals) accompanied by singing. Song lyrics range from the educational and a type of social commentary, to satire while incorporating...
La pêche à la charfiya aux îles Kerkennah
Charfia fishing in the Kerkennah Islands is a traditional, passive fishing technique that capitalises on the hydrographic conditions, seabed contours and natural resources both at sea and on land. The ‘charfia’ is a fixed fishery system consisting of palm fronds embedded in the seabed to create a triangular barrier, blocking the path of...
La danse Chhau
Chhau dance is a tradition from eastern India that enacts episodes from epics including the Mahabharata and Ramayana, local folklore and abstract themes. Its three distinct styles hail from the regions of Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj, the first two using masks. Chhau dance is intimately connected to regional festivals, notably the...
La technique de la xylogravure chinoise
The traditional China engraved block printing technique requires the collaboration of half a dozen craftspeople possessed of printing expertise, dexterity and team spirit. The blocks themselves, made from the fine-grained wood of pear or jujube trees, are cut to a thickness of two centimetres and polished with sandpaper to prepare them...
Les savoir-faire liés à l’architecture traditionnelle chinoise pour les structures à ossature en bois
Standing as distinctive symbols of Chinese architectural culture, timber-framed structures are found throughout the country. The wooden components such as the columns, beams, purlins, lintel and bracket sets are connected by tenon joints in a flexible, earthquake-resistant way. The surprisingly strong frames can be installed quickly at...
Le Chopi Timbila
The Chopi communities live mainly in the southern part of Inhambane province in southern Mozambique and are famous for their orchestra music. Their orchestras consist of five to thirty wooden xylophones, called timbila, of varying sizes and ranges of pitch. The timbila are finely manufactured and tuned wooden instruments made from the...
L'équitation classique et la Haute École de l'École d'équitation espagnole de Vienne
Classical horsemanship at the Spanish Riding School Vienna is the traditional art and practice of breeding, keeping, training and riding Lipizzaner horses. The School’s various social practices and culturally-shaped rituals and ceremonies are based on the long-lasting relationship between breeders, grooms, craftspeople, riders and...
La cobza, connaissances, savoir-faire et musique traditionnels
The cobza is a pear-shaped string instrument with a short neck and wooden body, traditionally used to provide rhythm and harmony in folk music. It can be played solo or in groups and is usually strummed with a folded goose feather. Though its design has changed slightly over time, such as with the recent use of metal strings, the...
Le compagnonnage, réseau de transmission des savoirs et des identités par le métier
The French Compagnonnage system is a unique way of conveying knowledge and know-how linked to the trades that work with stone, wood, metal, leather, textiles and food. Its originality lies in its synthesis of varied methods and processes of transmitting knowledge: national and international educational travel (known as the ‘Tour de...
La préparation et la consommation du Mulgi puder, purée de pommes de terre traditionnelle à l’orge dans la région de Mulgimaa, Estonie
Mulgi puder is a traditional dish that is consumed daily in the Mulgimaa region of Estonia. The dish entails placing sliced potatoes in a pot and pouring pre-soaked barley on top. After adding a bit of salt, the ingredients are boiled until soft and then mashed. Mulgi puder is accompanied by pan-fried pork knuckle, which can be added to...
L’artisanat du cuivre de Lahidj
Copper craftsmanship of Lahij is the traditional practice of making and using copperware concentrated in the Lahij community in the Caucasus. The copper-smelting master coordinates the entire process and is accompanied by an apprentice who learns the necessary techniques while helping the master. The coppersmith-hammerer pumps the air...
La culture du corso, défilés de fleurs et de fruits aux Pays-Bas
Dating back to the late nineteenth century, a corso is an annual parade of floats or boats decorated with flowers, fruit, vegetables and, in some cases, people in costumes. Originating in the south of France and Italy, the practice spread to the Netherlands in the nineteenth century. The parade takes place in streets or on rivers, and...
Les techniques artisanales et les pratiques coutumières des ateliers de cathédrales, ou "Bauhütten", en Europe, savoir-faire, transmission, développement des savoirs, innovation
The workshop organization, or Bauhüttenwesen, appeared in the Middle Ages on the construction sites of European cathedrals. Now, as then, these workshops are home to various trades working in close collaboration. The term Bauhüttenwesen in German refers both to the organization of a workshop network dealing with the construction or...
La fabrication et la pratique de l’oud
The oud is a traditional, lute-type instrument played in Iran and Syria. The musician places the short-necked instrument on their leg, fretting with one hand and plucking the chords with the other. In both countries, the oud consists of a pear-shaped sound box made of walnut, rose, poplar, ebony or apricot wood. Crafting an oud takes up...
La facture et la pratique musicale du tar, instrument à cordes à long manche
The Tar is a long-necked plucked lute, traditionally crafted and performed in communities throughout Azerbaijan. Considered by many to be the country’s leading musical instrument, it features alone or with other instruments in numerous traditional musical styles. Tar makers transmit their skills to apprentices, often within the family....
L’artisanat et l’art de jouer du balaban/mey
Balaban (in Azerbaijan) or Mey (in Türkiye) is a centuries-old woodwind instrument made up of three parts: a body, a wide and flat double reed and a clip. The instrument is traditionally made of plum or apricot wood and coated with linseed or olive oil. Once dry, crafters drill several holes into the front of the body and one hole into...
Le savoir-faire de la dentelle au point d’Alençon
The technique of ''point d’Alençon'' is a rare technique of needle lace-making, practised in the town of Alençon in Normandy in north-west France. Alençon needle lace is unusual because of the high level of craftsmanship required and the very long time that it takes to produce (seven hours per square centimetre). The pieces of openwork...
L’artisanat du savon Ghar d’Alep
The crafting of Aleppo ghar soap in the Syrian Arab Republic is based on traditional knowledge and skills that combine natural, locally produced olive oil (metraf) and laurel oil (ghar). In autumn, families pick the wild laurel berries from surrounding forests and boil them in water until they split. When the oil rises to the surface,...
Le savoir-faire de la céramique traditionnelle de Horezu
Horezu ceramics are a unique traditional craft. Handmade in the northern part of Vâlcea County, Romania, they reflect generations of knowledge and craftsmanship. Men and women generally divide the fabrication processes. Men select and extract the earth, which is then cleaned, cut, watered, kneaded, trampled and mixed – transforming it...
Les savoir-faire en mécanique horlogère et mécanique d'art
At the crossroads of science, art and technology, the skills related to the craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics are used to create watchmaking objects designed to measure and indicate time (watches, pendulum clocks, clocks and chronometers), art automata and mechanical androids, sculptures and animated paintings,...
Le savoir-faire lié à l’incrustation de nacre
Mother of pearl inlay is the practice of inserting mother of pearl pieces into wooden objects such as Koran cases, desks, chests, chairs, mirrors, jewel cases and musical instruments. Craftspeople begin by cutting the inner shells of molluscs into different shapes. They draw motifs on a piece of wood, carve out the outlines and shape...
L'artisanat du kente, un textile traditionnel tissé
In Ghana, Kente is a fabric made of strips that are woven from silk, cotton or rayon using horizontal looms. The age, social status and gender of users influence the choice of colour and design of the fabric. Finished products are named with proverbs, sayings and social situations, among others. The craft has been enriched over time...
La culture des haenyeo (plongeuses) de l'île de Jeju
In Jeju Island, there is a community of women, some aged in their 80s, which goes diving 10m under the sea to gather shellfish, such as abalone or sea urchins for a living without the help of oxygen masks. With knowledge of the sea and marine life, the Jeju haenyeo (female divers) harvest for up to seven hours a day, 90 days of the year...
La coutume du costume coréen : connaissances, savoir-faire et pratiques sociales traditionnels en République populaire démocratique de Corée
The Korean costume is an outfit comprised of a jacket and a woman’s skirt or men’s trousers. It is completed with seasonal overclothes, including an overcoat and a waistcoat, and may include other accessories such as a breast ribbon. The costume is created using natural fabrics such as silk, ramie and cotton. The related knowledge and...
Le Daemokjang, architecture traditionnelle en bois
The term ‘Daemokjang’ refers to traditional Korean wooden architecture and specifically to the woodworkers who employ the traditional carpentry techniques. The activities of these practitioners also extend to the maintenance, repair and reconstruction of historic buildings, ranging from traditional Korean houses to monumental wooden...
La fabrication artisanale du dutar et l’art de pratiquer la musique traditionnelle associée au chant
Dutar is a traditional instrument and musical genre from Turkmenistan. The dutar instrument is a long-necked, two-stringed lute with a pear-shaped body covered by a thin wooden sounding board. The resonating body and soundboard are made from a piece of mulberry wood, and the neck is made with the dried trunk of an apricot tree. To make...
Ebru, l’art turc du papier marbré
Ebru is the traditional Turkish art of creating colourful patterns by sprinkling and brushing colour pigments onto a pan of oily water and then transferring the patterns to paper. Known as marbling, the designs and effects include flowers, foliage, ornamentation, latticework, mosques and moons, and are used for decoration in the...
L’équitation de tradition française
Equitation in the French tradition is a school of horseback riding that emphasizes harmonious relations between humans and horses. The fundamental horse-training principles and processes are guided by non-violence and lack of constraint, blending human demands with respect for the horse’s body and mood. Knowledge of the animal itself...
Esuwa, prières chantées en Harakbut des Wachiperi du Pérou
The Wachiperi are an indigenous ethnic group speaking the Harakbut language and living in Peru’s southern Amazon tropical forest. The Esuwa or sung prayer is an expression of Wachiperi religious myths, performed for healing or as part of traditional ceremonies such as the drinking of masato, a traditional beverage made of fermented...
Le falak
Falak, meaning ‘heaven’, ‘fortune’ and ‘universe’, is the traditional folklore music of the mountain people of Tajikistan. The expressive and philosophical musical genre may be performed by a male or female soloist, either acappella, or with a single instrumental accompaniment or an ensemble and dancers. Characterized by their high...
Le fest-noz, rassemblement festif basé sur la pratique collective des danses traditionnelles de Bretagne
Fest-Noz is a festive gathering based on the collective practice of traditional Breton dances, accompanied by singing or instrumental music. The strong Breton cultural movement has preserved this expression of a living and constantly renewed practice of inherited dance repertoires with several hundred variations, and thousands of tunes....
Le Gagaku
Gagaku, characterized by long, slow songs and dance-like movements, is the oldest of the Japanese traditional performing arts. It is performed at banquets and ceremonies in the Imperial Palace and in theatres throughout the country, and encompasses three distinct arts. The first, Kuniburi no Utamai, features ancient Japanese songs,...
Le repas gastronomique des Français
The gastronomic meal of the French is a customary social practice for celebrating important moments in the lives of individuals and groups, such as births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, achievements and reunions. It is a festive meal bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking. The...
Le Gbofe d’Afounkaha, la musique des trompes traversières de la communauté Tagbana
The Gbofe is mainly performed in the village of Afounkaha in the Tagbana community. The term Gbofe is used both for the transverse horns and for the performance as a whole, which encompasses music, song and dance. The Gbofe horns are made of roots covered by cowhide. Six of these horns are used together, ranging in length from 50 to 70...
Le glasoechko, chant d'hommes à deux voix dans le bas Polog
Male two-part singing in Dolni Polog is a traditional form of vocal music, known locally as Glasoechko, which is characteristic to the region. Songs are sung in a polyphonic manner with the drone voice moving contrapuntally in relation to the melodic leading voice, often accompanied by a shepherd’s flute and a bagpipe. Glasoechko is...
Le Guqin et sa musique
The Chinese zither, called guqin, has existed for over 3,000 years and represents China’s foremost solo musical instrument tradition. Described in early literary sources and corroborated by archaeological finds, this ancient instrument is inseparable from Chinese intellectual history. Guqin playing developed as an elite art form,...
La musique et la danse highlife
Highlife music and dance is a popular form of musical expression and storytelling known for its lively rhythms, lyrics and strong connection to everyday life. It features a mix of instruments, including guitars, horns, drums, xylophones and percussion. The music is often built around call-and-response singing, with the lead singer...
Le ftira, art culinaire et culture du pain plat au levain à Malte
Il-Ftira, culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta, is a key part of the cultural heritage of the inhabitants of the Maltese archipelago. Ftira has a thick crust and light internal texture, characterized by large, irregular holes (an open crumb). It is flatter than other Maltese breads and has a hotter baking...
Le Jultagi, marche sur corde raide
Tightrope walking is a widespread form of entertainment that in most countries focuses purely on acrobatic skill. The traditional Korean performing art of Jultagi is distinctive in that it is accompanied by music and witty dialogue between the tightrope walker and an earthbound clown. Jultagi is performed outside. The tightrope walker...
Le Karagöz
Karagöz is a form of shadow theatre in Turkey in which figures known as ''tasvirs'' made of camel or ox hide in the shape of people or things are held on rods in front of a light source to cast their shadows onto a cotton screen. A play begins with the projection of an introductory figure to set the scene and suggest the themes of the...
Le Katta Ashula
Katta Ashula (literally ‘big song’) is a type of traditional song that forms part of the identity of various peoples of the Ferghana Valley in Uzbekistan, which is also home to Tajiks, Uyghurs and Turks, and of some regions of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. An original genre, Katta Ashula combines performing arts, singing,...
L’art traditionnel kazakh du dombra kuï
The art of DombraKuy refers to a short solo composition performed on a traditional pear-shaped, long-necked, two-stringed, plucked musical instrument known as a dombra. The music aims to connect people to their historic roots and traditions through classical and improvised pieces that engage the audience at a spiritual and emotional...
Le festival de lutte à l’huile de Kırkpınar
The Kırkpınar oil wrestling festival takes place in Edirne, Turkey. Thousands of people from different age groups, cultures and regions travel every year to see ''Pehlivan'' (wrestlers) fight for the Kırkpınar Golden Belt and the title of Chief Pehlivan. Each festival is launched by its patron, the ''Kırkpınar Aga,'' in a ceremony...
Connaissances, techniques et savoir-faire du verre artisanal
Traditional handmade glass production entails shaping and decorating hot and cold glass to produce hollow glass objects, flat glass and crown glass. It is characterised by the high degree of craftsmanship inherent to the work and by strong team values due to the need to respect the previous steps performed by other glassmakers. Most...
Le kun lbokator, un art martial traditionnel au Cambodge
Kun Lbokator is a martial art dating back to the first century. It aims to develop the mental and physical strength and discipline of its practitioners through self-defence techniques and a philosophy of non-violence. The training of Kun Lbokator is not only about physical techniques and skills, but also about mental disciplines on how...
Le koures au Kazakhstan
Kuresi in Kazakhstan is a type of wrestling that requires players to battle it out on foot, the objective being to get the opponent’s shoulders on the ground. It is a traditional practice where trainers would coach young boys who would then take part in local contests. These days, kuresi in Kazakhstan is a national sport practised by...
Le théâtre sanscrit, Kutiyattam
Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre, which is practised in the province of Kerala, is one of India’s oldest living theatrical traditions. Originating more than 2,000 years ago, Kutiyattam represents a synthesis of Sanskrit classicism and reflects the local traditions of Kerala. In its stylized and codified theatrical language, neta abhinaya...
Le Malhoun, un art poético-musical populaire
Malhun is a popular form of poetic expression in Morocco. The verses are sung in dialectical Arabic and sometimes Hebrew. They are accompanied by music played on traditional instruments, notably the lute, the violin, the rebab and small drums. Popular topics include love, the joys of life, the beauty of people, nature, religious prayer...
La sonnerie manuelle des cloches
In Spain and Italy, traditional manual bell ringing is a form of communication that is tied to the classification, acoustics and shapes of bells, bell towers and belfries, as well as to the knowledge, skills and techniques of the campanari (bell ringers, in Italian). The bells are played as musical instruments, individually or in...
Le Mariachi, musique à cordes, chant et trompette
Mariachi is a traditional Mexican music and a fundamental element of Mexican culture. Traditional Mariachi groups, made up of two or more members, wear regional costumes adapted from the charro costume and interpret a broad repertoire of songs on stringed instruments. Ensembles playing ‘modern Mariachi’ include trumpets, violins, the...
Le culte et les rituels de Mazu
As the most influential goddess of the sea in China, Mazu is at the centre of a host of beliefs and customs, including oral traditions, religious ceremonies and folk practices, throughout the country’s coastal areas. Mazu is believed to have lived in the tenth century on Meizhou Island, where she dedicated herself to helping her fellow...
Le Biyelgee mongol, danse populaire traditionnelle mongole
The Mongol Biyelgee – Mongolian Traditional Folk Dance is performed by dancers from different ethnic groups in the Khovd and Uvs provinces of Mongolia. Regarded as the original forebear of Mongolian national dances, Biyelgee dances embody and originate from the nomadic way of life. Biyelgee dances are typically confined to the small...
L’art mongol du chant Khoomei
The Mongolian art of singing: Khoomei, or Hooliin Chor (‘throat harmony’), is a style of singing in which a single performer produces a diversified harmony of multiple voice parts, including a continued bass element produced in the throat. These singers may perform alone or in groups. Khoomei is practised today among Mongolian...
La calligraphie mongole
Mongolian calligraphy is the technique of handwriting in the Classical Mongolian script, which comprises ninety letters connected vertically by continuous strokes to create words. The letters are formed from six main strokes, known as head, tooth, stem, stomach, bow and tail, respectively. This meticulous writing is used for official...
Le tir aux osselets mongol
Mongolians revere certain parts of bones of their domestic livestock and use them in religious rites, plays and traditional games. One such popular team-based game is knuckle-bone shooting. Teams of six to eight players flick thirty domino-like marble tablets on a smooth wooden surface towards a target of sheep knuckle-bones, aiming to...
L’art traditionnel du Khöömei mongol
Khöömei is a form of singing originating in western Mongolia, in the Altai mountains. The performer imitates sounds of nature, simultaneously emitting two distinct vocal sounds: along with a continuous drone, the singer produces a melody of harmonics. Khöömei literally means pharynx, and it is believed to have been learned from birds,...
Le Caftan marocain : art, traditions et savoir-faire
The caftan is a long tunic worn by people of all genders and ages for special occasions and celebrations. It comes in different styles and fabrics and can be worn with or without a decorative belt. Emanating from diverse cultural backgrounds, the traditional garment is known for its central opening, buttons and rich, hand-made...
La musique des Bakhshis du Khorasan
In Khorasan Province, the Bakhshis are renowned for their musical skill with the ''dotār,'' a two-stringed, long-necked lute. They recount Islamic and Gnostic poems and epics containing mythological, historical or legendary themes. Their music, known as ''Maghami,'' consists of instrumental and/or vocal pieces, performed in Turkish,...
L’art ñai’ũpo, un artisanat ancestral de la céramique
Ñai’ũpo is a traditional ceramic craft that involves making blackish cooking and eating utensils by hand using natural materials and techniques that have been passed down through the generations. Practiced by communities organised in associations of potters in Itá, Tobatí and Yaguarón, the process is both practical and cultural,...
Le Naqqāli, narration dramatique iranienne
Naqqāli is the oldest form of dramatic performance in the Islamic Republic of Iran and has long played an important role in society, from the courts to the villages. The performer – the Naqqāl – recounts stories in verse or prose accompanied by gestures and movements, and sometimes instrumental music and painted scrolls. Naqqāls...
Programme national de sauvegarde de l’art traditionnel de la calligraphie en Iran
The tradition of calligraphy has always been associated with the act of writing in Iran, and even when the writers had limited literacy, calligraphy and writing were still intricately linked. But with the advent of printing and the emergence of computer programmes and digital fonts, this art gradually declined and the emphasis on pure...
Le noken, sac multifonctionnel noué ou tissé, artisanat du peuple de Papouasie
Noken is a knotted net or woven bag handmade from wood fibre or leaves by communities in Papua and West Papua Provinces of Indonesia. Men and women use it for carrying plantation produce, catch from the sea or lake, firewood, babies or small animals as well as for shopping and for storing things in the home. Noken may also be worn,...
Le nuad thai, massage thaïlandais traditionnel
Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massage is regarded as part of the art, science and culture of traditional Thai healthcare. As a non-medicinal remedy and manual therapy, it involves bodily manipulation in which the practitioner helps rebalance the patient’s body, energy and structure to treat illnesses believed to be caused by the...
La cérémonie Ong Chun/Wangchuan/Wangkang, les rituels et les pratiques associées pour entretenir le lien durable entre l’homme et l’océan
The Ong Chun ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping Ong Yah, a deity believed to protect people and their lands from disasters. Developed in China’s Minnan region between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, the element is now centered in the coastal areas of Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay, as well as...
L’ortéké, un art du spectacle traditionnel au Kazakhstan : danse, marionnettes et musique
Orteke is an indigenous Kazakh performing art that combines theatre, music and puppetry. This folk art entails a music performance with a dombyra, a traditional two-stringed instrument, and a dance performed by a wooden puppet. Attached to the surface of a traditional drum with a metal rod, a wooden puppet in the shape of a mountain...
Le bateau Oselvar, adaptation du processus d’enseignement traditionnel de sa construction et son utilisation dans un contexte moderne
Previously western Norway’s main mode of transportation, also used for recreation, the wooden oselvar boat almost became obsolete with the introduction of modern boats in the 1940s, as well as government price restrictions forcing builders to find alternative work, and greater road transport in the 1960s. To help safeguard the...
L'Oshi Palav, plat traditionnel et ses contextes sociaux et culturels au Tadjikistan
Oshi palav (pilaf) is a traditional dish of communities in Tajikistan recognized as a part of their cultural heritage. Otherwise known as the ‘King of meals’, it is based on a recipe using vegetables, rice, meat and spices but up to 200 varieties of the dish exist. Considered an inclusive practice that aims to bring people of different...
La tradition et la culture du palov
There is a saying in Uzbekistan that guests can only leave their host’s house after palov has been offered. Palov is a traditional dish made and shared throughout rural and urban communities of Uzbekistan. It is prepared with ingredients such as rice, meat, spices and vegetables and in addition to be enjoyed as a regular meal, is served...
Les chants épiques Pansori
Pansori is a genre of musical storytelling performed by a vocalist and a drummer.This popular tradition, characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, a repertory of narratives and gesture, embraces both elite and folk culture. During performances lasting up to eight hours, a male or female singer, accompanied by a single barrel...
L’opéra de Pékin
Peking opera is a performance art incorporating singing, reciting, acting, martial arts. Although widely practised throughout China, its performance centres on Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. Peking opera is sung and recited using primarily Beijing dialect, and its librettos are composed according to a strict set of rules that prize form...
Le pinisi, art de la construction navale en Sulawesi du sud
Pinisi, or the Art of Boatbuilding in South Sulawesi, refers to the rig and sail of the famed ‘Sulawesi schooner’. The construction and deployment of such vessels stand in the millennia-long tradition of Austronesian boatbuilding and navigation that has brought forth a broad variety of sophisticated watercrafts. For both the Indonesian...
Les pratiques et connaissances traditionnelles liées au terere, boisson guaraní ancestrale au Paraguay, dans la culture du pohã ñana
The practices and traditional knowledge of Terere in the culture of Pohã Ñana, Guaraní ancestral drink in Paraguay, are widespread in the Paraguayan territory and involve a variety of bearers. Terere is a traditional drink prepared in a jug or thermos, in which cold water is mixed with Pohã Ñana crushed in a mortar. It is served in a...
La poterie de Quinchamalí et Santa Cruz de Cuca
Chili's Quinchamalí and Santa Cruz de Cuca pottery is embedded in the mestizo cultural tradition of central Chile and is characterized by black functional and decorative objects with white accents, created using techniques dating back centuries. Functional items include pots, fountains and tableware. Decorative items include figurines...
Le Radif de la musique iranienne
The Radif of Iranian music is the traditional repertoire of the classical music of Iran that forms the essence of Persian musical culture. More than 250 melodic units, called ''gushe,'' are arranged into cycles, with an underlying modal layer providing the backdrop against which a variety of melodic motifs are set. Although the main...
Le raï, chant populaire d'Algérie
Raï is a popular folk song from Algeria. A means of conveying social reality without taboos or censorship, Raï music touches on topics such as love, freedom, despair and social pressures. It was originally practised in rural settings by doyens who sang poetic texts in vernacular Arabic, accompanied by a traditional orchestra. At the...
Les centres régionaux de l'artisanat, stratégie pour sauvegarder le patrimoine culturel de l’artisanat traditionnel
The Werkraum Bregenzerwald, Hand.Werk.Haus Salzkammergut, and Textiles Zentrum Haslach are three centres in Austria run by local, traditional craftspeople who, for the past 15 years, have been collaborating with international artists, educational institutions, craft businesses and other entities to help safeguard their practices for...
Les rickshaws et la peinture sur rickshaw à Dhaka
The rickshaw is a small, three-wheeled passenger vehicle that is pulled by one person. It is a recognized feature of Dhaka and Bangladesh as a whole. Traditionally made by hand by a small group of craftsmen, almost every part of a rickshaw is painted with colourful floral patterns, natural imagery, birds and animals, creative depictions...
La danse rituelle au tambour royal
The ritual dance of the royal drum is a spectacle combining powerful, synchronized drumming with dancing, heroic poetry and traditional songs. The entire population of Burundi recognizes it as a fundamental part of its heritage and identity. The dance calls for at least a dozen or so drums, always in an odd number, arranged in a...
Le programme de sauvegarde pour le Yimakan, les récits oraux des Hezhen
At the time of the initial inscription, only five storytellers were still capable of performing certain Yimakan cantos, and the traditional practices associated with the Hezhen oral narratives faced several threats. In this context, a well-structured programme has engaged families, communities, schools, local authorities and the State...
Le programme de sauvegarde de la tradition de la kobza et de la vielle à roue
The Ukrainian kobza and wheel lyre tradition is a nomadic music tradition involving visually impaired musicians who sing and play string instruments such as the kobza. Becoming a kobza performer traditionally entailed initiation rites conditioned by a strong knowledge of the music and of the practitioners’ secret language. To regulate...
Stratégie de sauvegarde de l’artisanat traditionnel pour la consolidation de la paix
The safeguarding strategy of traditional crafts for peace building addresses the weakening of traditional crafts through a system of intergenerational transmission of knowledge between master and apprentice based on the non-formal ‘learning by doing’ method. The safeguarding strategy aims to train different sectors of the population,...
La tradition du tracé dans la charpente française
The purpose of the scribing tradition is to master in three dimensions the design of a complex wooden building. This traditional expertise runs counter to modern standardization by emphasizing the role of the builder in the construction process and giving a creative impulse to the structures themselves. Scribing is a combination of the...
La sériciculture et l’artisanat de la soie en Chine
Sericulture and silk craftsmanship of China, based in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces near Shanghai and Chengdu in Sichuan Province, have an ancient history. Traditionally an important role for women in the economy of rural regions, silk-making encompasses planting mulberry, raising silkworms, unreeling silk, making thread, and designing...
La sériciculture et la production traditionnelle de soie pour tissage
In sericulture and the traditional production of silk for weaving, farmers care for the silkworms through their entire lifecycle, growing the mulberry trees that provide leaves upon which the worms feed and produce silkworm eggs. The fibres are reeled from the cocoons, spun into silk threads, cleaned and dyed. The threads are then used...
Le silat
Silat is a combative art of self-defence and survival rooted in the Malay Archipelago. Traced back to the early days of the Langkasuka Kingdom, Silat has evolved into a fine practice of physical and spiritual training also encompassing traditional Malay attire, Silat musical instruments and customs. There are many styles of Silat,...
Les savoir-faire des couvreurs-zingueurs parisiens et des ornemanistes
Parisian zinc roofing encompasses the knowledge and skills required to restore the roofs of Haussmann-style buildings constructed in Paris during the nineteenth century. These roofs are characterized by the shape of the attic space and the use of zinc as roofing material. Zinc is a lightweight metal that reduces the size of the roof...
Stratégie pour la sauvegarde de l'artisanat traditionnel : Le Programme des détenteurs de la tradition des arts populaires
In 1997, the National Institute of Folk Culture (NIFC) began to implement the project ‘Folk Trades and Handicrafts in the Czech Republic’. The project focused on the film documentation of traditional crafts. The fieldwork to identify producers revealed that most workshops were struggling financially and had difficulty selling and...
La stratégie de formation des futures générations de marionnettistes du Fujian
Fujian puppetry is a Chinese performing art consisting mainly of string and hand puppetry. Puppetry in Fujian Province in south-eastern China has developed a set of characteristic techniques of performance and crafting puppets, as well as a repertoire of plays and music. Since the 1980s, however, the number of young people learning...
Le Taekkyeon, un art martial traditionnel coréen
Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art that makes use of fluid, rhythmic dance-like movements to strike or trip up an opponent. The graceful movements of a well-trained Taekkyeon performer are gentle and circular rather than straight and rigid, but can explode with enormous flexibility and strength. The feet play as important a...
Le tahteeb, jeu du bâton
In ancient Egypt, tahteeb was used as a form of martial arts. Its role has since changed to that of a festive game but some of the symbolism and values associated with the practice remain. Performed in front of an audience, it involves a brief, non-violent interchange between two adversaries, each wielding a long stick while folk music...
Le taijiquan
Taijiquan is a traditional physical practice characterized by relaxed, circular movements that works in concert with breath regulation and the cultivation of a righteous and neutral mind. Originating during the mid-seventeenth century in Wenxian County in the Henan Province of central China, the element is now practised throughout the...
L’art de l’élevage de l’alabay turkmène
The alabay is a breed of dog known for its physical characteristics (large head, flat forehead, small eyes, strong muscles and large size) as well as for its loyalty, guarding skills and calm demeanour. The breed has been carefully preserved by the practising communities over many centuries. People of all ages, genders and levels of...
L'art de la perle de verre
The art of glass beads is closely linked to the wealth of knowledge and mastery of a material (glass) and element (fire). The art covers specific knowledge and shared skills, reflects the use of specific traditional tools and processes, and includes various stages. In Italy, technical knowledge related to the production takes two forms:...
La yole de Martinique, de la construction aux pratiques de navigation, un modèle de sauvegarde du patrimoine
Created several centuries ago, the Martinique yole reflects the importance of traditional boats in the history of the region. A yole is a light, fast, shallow-draught boat with a tapered shape, which can sail with one or two sails. Crew members must perch off the hull on long movable poles to balance the boat, requiring great agility,...
La pratique de fabrication de l’asin tibuok, le sel de mer artisanal des Boholano de l’île de Bohol aux Philippines
Asin tibuok, or whole salt, is a traditional type of sea salt made through a long and careful process amongst the Boholano of Bohol Island. The final product looks like a white egg inside a brown shell. It is handmade using natural materials and traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations. The salt-making...
Le costume féminin de cérémonie dans le Grand Est de l'Algérie : savoir-faire associés à la confection et à la parure de la Gandoura, la Melehfa, le Caftan, le Quat et le Lhef
The Gandoura and Melehfa are traditional attires worn by women in Eastern Algeria for festive occasions such as weddings, ceremonies, and national and religious festivities. The Gandoura is a long, flared robe made of satin or velvet and embroidered with floral and animal motifs using techniques such as gold thread and beadwork....
Le radelage
Timber rafting in Austria, Czechia, 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...
Le savoir-faire artisanal tiniote du marbre
The art of marble-carving is an expression of the cultural identity of Tinos. Marble craftspeople possess empirical knowledge of the composition and structure of marble-bearing rock, the properties of each kind of marble, and the manipulation of its veins. Marble-carving workshops produce a range of traditional motifs, patterns and...
La tradition des céramiques peintes de Kossiv
The tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics – which include dishes, ceremonial items, toys and tiles – arose in the 18th century, reaching its golden age in the mid-19th century. The products are made using local grey clay, watered with a white clay of creamy texture; when dried, they are painted using a metal stick scratching technique to...
Le travail traditionnel de la pierre d’Ahlat
Traditional Ahlat stonework refers to the knowledge, methods, skills and aesthetic understanding surrounding the extraction of volcanic Ahlat stones, shaping and ornamenting the stones, and then using them to create structures and artefacts. Ahlat stone is a volcanic stone extracted by miners from the foothills of the Mountain Nemrut in...
L’art et le symbolisme traditionnels du kelaghayi, fabrication et port de foulards en soie pour les femmes
Rooted in traditions found along the Great Silk Road, the art of Kelaghayi is concentrated in two locations in the Republic of Azerbaijan: the city of Sheki and the Basgal settlement. Kelaghayi making consists of several stages: fabric weaving, dyeing and woodblock decoration. Weavers choose thin silk threads from sericulture producers...
L’art traditionnel du tissage du tapis azerbaïdjanais en République d’Azerbaïdjan
The Azerbaijani carpet is a traditional handmade textile of various sizes, with dense texture and a pile or pile-less surface, whose patterns are characteristic of Azerbaijan’s many carpet-making regions. Carpet making is a family tradition transferred orally and through practice. Men shear sheep in spring and autumn, while women...
L'art traditionnel du tissage jamdani
Jamdani is a vividly patterned, sheer cotton fabric, traditionally woven on a handloom by craftspeople and apprentices around Dhaka. Jamdani textiles combine intricacy of design with muted or vibrant colours, and the finished garments are highly breathable. Jamdani is a time-consuming and labour-intensive form of weaving because of the...
La fabrication et la pratique de la cornemuse traditionnelle (gayda/tulum)
The traditional bagpipe (Gayda/Tulum) is a traditional woodwind instrument that is made and performed across the area that includes the Republic of North Macedonia, and the Eastern Black Sea and Thrace regions of Türkiye. In North Macedonia, it consists of four parts: a melody pipe, a drone pipe, a blowing pipe and an air reservoir. In...
Les costumes traditionnels en Norvège, artisanat et pratique sociale
In Norway, traditional costumes are tailored garments, decorated with embroidery, ribbons and fabrics, made of natural materials such as silk, wool and linen. The production process involves a variety of craftspeople to embroider the costumes and make the accessories. Often made by hand, a traditional costume may last a lifetime and be...
La conception et les pratiques traditionnelles de construction des ponts chinois de bois en arc
Wooden arch bridges are found in Fujian Province and Zhejiang Province, along China’s southeast coast. The traditional design and practices for building these bridges combine the use of wood, traditional architectural tools, craftsmanship, the core technologies of ‘beam-weaving’ and mortise and tenon joints, and an experienced...
Les marionnettes à gaine traditionnelles
Al-Aragoz is an old form of Egyptian theatre using traditional hand puppetry. Performances are highly popular events during which puppeteers remain hidden inside a small portable stage while an assistant interacts with the puppets and crowd. Al-Aragoz takes its name from the main puppet, whose distinctive voice is created with a voice...
Le jeu traditionnel d’intelligence et de stratégie: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme
Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme is a traditional game which can be played on special boards or improvised ones such as pits on the ground. The game can be played with pellets made of stone, wood, metal and bone, nuts, or seeds, which are distributed across the pits; the player who...
Connaissances et savoir-faire traditionnels de la fabrication des yourtes kirghizes, kazakhes et karakalpak (habitat nomade des peuples turciques)
The yurt is a nomadic dwelling with a collapsible wooden circular frame covered with felt and braided with ropes. It can be easily assembled and dismantled within a short period of time. Yurts are made from natural and renewable raw materials. Men and their apprentices make the wooden frames by hand, along with wooden, leather, bone and...
Les connaissances et savoir-faire traditionnels liés à la fabrication des tissus atlas et adras
Atlas and adras are two kinds of traditional woven fabrics produced in Tajikistan. Atlas is made from silk threads, and adras is woven with silk and cotton threads, but the technique of creating both cloths is similar. There are many steps in the process, from gathering cocoons and collecting cotton, to spinning, wrapping, dyeing and...
Les connaissances et savoir-faire traditionnels relatifs à la fabrication de saké à base de koji au Japon
Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from grains and water that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Craftspeople use koji mould to convert the starch in the ingredients into sugar. They oversee the process to make sure the mould grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as needed. Their work determines the...
Le séga mauricien traditionnel
Traditional Mauritian Sega Tipik is a vibrant performing art, emblematic of the Creole community and performed at informal private family events or in public spaces. Songs sung in a minor key gradually increase in tempo, as dancers move their hips and hands to a percussive beat, using short steps to manoeuvre around each other in a...
La musique traditionnelle du Morin Khuur
The two-stringed fiddle morin khuur has figured prominently in Mongolia’s nomad culture. String instruments adorned with horse heads are attested to by written sources dating from the Mongol empire of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The fiddle’s significance extends beyond its function as a musical instrument, for it was...
La musique traditionnelle pour flûte tsuur
Tsuur music is based on a combination of instrumental and vocal performance – a blending of sounds created simultaneously by both the musical instrument and the human throat. Tsuur music has an inseparable connection to the Uriankhai Mongolians of the Altai Region, and remains an integral part of their daily life. Its origins lie in an...
Les savoir-faire traditionnels du tissage des tapis à Kashan
Long a centre for fine carpets, Kashan has almost one in three residents employed in carpet-making, with more than two-thirds of the carpet-makers being women. The carpet-weaving process starts with a design, elaborated from among a series of established styles, including motifs such as flowers, leaves, branches, animals and scenes...
Les savoir-faire traditionnels liés à la fabrication et à la pratique du dotâr
The traditional skills of crafting and playing the Dotār are one of the most prominent social and cultural components of the folkloric music among the ethnic groups and communities of the Dotār regions. Bearers and practitioners are mostly farmers, including male crafters and players and female players. The Dotār is a folkloric plucked...
Les savoir-faire, les techniques et les connaissances traditionnels liés à la conservation et à la transmission de l’architecture en bois au Japon
The conservation and transmission of wooden architecture consists in a set of traditional skills, techniques and knowledge to build new wooden structures and restore existing ones. This includes skills such as plastering, the cultivation and harvesting of raw materials, lacquer painting of traditional structures, and many more....
Le soufflage du verre traditionnel syrien
Traditional glassblowing in Damascus is the artisanal craft of creating glass objects using pieces of waste glass. To create an object, pieces of glass are placed inside a handmade brick oven to melt. The craftsman twists the molten glass around a hollow metal rod. He then blows into the rod to inflate the glass, using metal tongs to...
Les techniques traditionnelles de transformation du thé et les pratiques sociales associées en Chine
China’s traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices entail the knowledge, skills and practices around tea plantation management, tea-leaf picking, manual processing, drinking and sharing. Based on natural conditions and local customs, tea producers have developed six categories of tea: green, yellow, dark,...
Le savoir-faire traditionnel du violon à Crémone
Cremonese violin craftsmanship is highly renowned for its traditional process of fashioning and restoring violins, violas, cellos and contrabasses. Violin-makers attend a specialized school, based on a close teacher-pupil relationship, before being apprenticed in a local workshop, where they continue to master and perfect their...
La construction traditionnelle de bateaux en bois à Carriacou et à la Petite Martinique
Traditional wooden boatbuilding is a centuries-old tradition practised in Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada. The men, women and children in the boat-building communities each have specific roles and functions during each stage of the process. Established shipwrights build the boats, felling trees that have been hand-selected...
Les traditions du pencak silat
In addition to their sporting element, Traditions of Pencak Silat also encompass mental-spiritual, self-defence and artistic aspects. The moves and styles of Pencak Silat are strongly influenced by various elements of art, involving a unity of body and movement fitting the accompanying music. The term ‘pencak’ is better known in Java,...
Les chants populaires ví et giặm de Nghệ Tĩnh
Ví and Giặm songs are sung by a wide range of communities in Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh Provinces of north-central Viet Nam. Specific songs are sung without instrumental accompaniment while people cultivate rice in the fields, row boats, make conical hats or lull children to sleep. Ví and Giặm lyrics use the specific dialect and linguistic...
La technique des cloisons étanches des jonques chinoises
Developed in South China’s Fujian Province, the watertight-bulkhead technology of Chinese junks permits the construction of ocean-going vessels with watertight compartments. If one or two cabins are accidentally damaged in the course of navigation, seawater will not flood the other cabins and the vessel will remain afloat. The junks are...
Le langage sifflé
Whistled language is a method of communication that uses whistling to simulate and articulate words. The practice developed as a result of the steep mountains and rugged topography of the region, which required the local population to find an alternative way to communicate across long distances. The practitioners are mainly agricultural...
Le langage sifflé de l’île de la Gomera (îles Canaries), le Silbo Gomero
The whistled language of La Gomera Island in the Canaries, the Silbo Gomero, replicates the islanders’ habitual language (Castilian Spanish) with whistling. Handed down over centuries from master to pupil, it is the only whistled language in the world that is fully developed and practised by a large community (more than 22,000...
L’imprimerie chinoise à caractères mobiles en bois
One of the world’s oldest printing techniques, wooden movable-type printing is maintained in Rui’an County, Zhejiang Province, where it is used in compiling and printing clan genealogies. Men are trained to draw and engrave Chinese characters, which are then set into a type-page and printed. This requires abundant historical knowledge...
L’ensemble d’instruments à vent et à percussion de Xi’an
Xi’an wind and percussion ensemble, which has been played for more than a millennium in China’s ancient capital of Xi’an, in Shaanxi Province, is a type of music integrating drums and wind instruments, sometimes with a male chorus. The content of the verses is mostly related to local life and religious belief and the music is mainly...
Xtaxkgakget Makgkaxtlawana : le Centre des arts autochtones et sa contribution à la sauvegarde du patrimoine culturel immatériel du peuple totonaque de Veracruz, Mexique
The Center for Indigenous Arts was designed as a response to a long-term desire of the Totonac people to create an educational institution to transmit their teachings, art, values and culture, while also providing favourable conditions for indigenous creators to develop their art. The structure of the centre represents a traditional...
Le yoga
The philosophy behind the ancient Indian practice of yoga has influenced various aspects of how society in India functions, whether it be in relation to areas such as health and medicine or education and the arts. Based on unifying the mind with the body and soul to allow for greater mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, the values...
L’opéra Yueju
The Chinese tradition of Yueju opera combines Mandarin operatic traditions and Cantonese dialect. Rooted in the Cantonese-speaking provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi in south-eastern China, Yueju opera is characterized by a combination of string and percussion instruments, with elaborate costumes and face painting. It also incorporates...
Le Yuki-tsumugi, technique de production de soierie
Yuki-tsumugi is a Japanese silk-weaving technique found principally in Yuki City and Oyama City, along the Kinu River, north of Tokyo. The region boasts a warm climate and fertile lands, which are ideal for the growth of mulberry trees and sericulture. The Yuki-tsumugi technique is employed to produce pongee silk (also called raw silk)...
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