Each year, UNESCO compiles traditions, knowledge, skills and art from communities across the globe, in a list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage." The chosen items are not historical monuments or artifacts, but rather "living expressions inherited from our ancestors." In a time of rapid globalization, the list serves to recognize and celebrate cultural diversity and highlights how traditional ways of life interact with the contemporary world. From the navigation skills of Micronesian wayfarers to a thousand-year pottery tradition carried by women in northern Peru, here's a snapshot of this year's list.
Awajún People's Pottery Practices
Peru
For the last thousand years, pottery has been a way for the Awajún people to connect with nature through intricate designs that mimic natural patterns, and for women specifically to express themselves through art. Women elders, the Dukúg wisewomen, teach their skills to the younger generations, while instilling the culture's values.
Corpus Christi Festivital
Panama
Burlesque dancers, theater troupes, drag queens and priests come together to put on this fete, a combination of Catholic traditions, local cultural customs and folklore. Costumed and masked participants dance in the streets, visiting one another's homes for food and drinks. Children participate, too, by making their own masks and taking dance classes.
Ceebu Jën Culinary Art
Senegal
Ceebu jën is a fish-and-vegetable dish mothers pass down to their daughters in Senegal's fishing villages. Along with the recipe, cultural practices accompany the meal; for example, diners must hold the bowls in their left hands, and no grains of rice can fall to the ground. The ingredients hold significance as well; cooks choose them based on the importance of the event—or how much they like their guests.
Tbourida Equestrian Performance
Morocco
Riders and their steeds re-enact the techniques once used by ancient warriors in this equestrian tradition preserved for centuries through oral tradition. While riders dress in the historic fashion, their horses get glammed up too, donning hand-embroidered bridles and saddles with traditional designs.
Namur Stilt Jousting
Belgium
A tradition with roots in the early 1400s, stilt jousting remains an important cultural totem in the city of Namur today. Players compete on teams to try and knock each other to the ground—all while dressed in costume and wobbling around with extra wooden legs. While historically practiced only by men, the official stilt jousting association opened programming to women in 2018.
Truffle Hunting
Italy
Truffle hunters have been a part of Italy's rural communities for hundreds of years, known for their unique skill set and knowledge of the natural world, passed down through oral tradition and fables. Locating truffles is a difficult feat in itself (specialized dogs help with the job), but safely removing the fungus from the soil is a different challenge altogether, requiring deep knowledge of climate and soil conditions to preserve the mushroom's environment.
Hüsn-i Hat Calligraphy
Turkey
Turkish calligraphers, or hattats, write using ancient methods and tools to create letters in the traditional aesthetic as a visual art as well as a way to transmit ideas. Hattats pass down the skills to young apprentices, who continue the cycle. Hüsn-i Hat is used today in texts of faith, mosque art and at Turkish baths.
Bakhshi Performance Art
Uzbekistan
Beloved by children and adults alike, this is an art form in which skilled orators tell ancient epic poems of local folktales and myths, with themes like love, friendship and community. The stories—accompanied by instruments—are performed by heart despite their length.
Durga Puja Hindu Festival
India
This 10-day festival celebrates the Hindu goddess Durga, known as the protective mother of the universe. In the months leading up to it, people collect clay from the Ganges River to sculpt the goddess. On the first day, they paint on her eyes and the celebration commences. Local artisans create exhibits and Bengali drummers perform traditional beats. On the last day, Durga's sculptures are submerged in the river, symbolizing her return home.
Nora Dance Drama
Thailand
A form of dance more than 500 years old, Nora is steeped in acrobatic movements and fast music. Nora performers tell stories of the Buddha, along with local legends of cultural importance. The costuming is incredibly ornate, complete with brightly colored headdresses; long, curling fake nails; and beaded wares.
Carolinian Wayfinding and Canoe Making
Micronesia
These wayfinders' canoes are built by community members with local timber. They are able to withstand long distances across the sea and are navigated using signals from the environment only. Throughout history, the wayfarers helped their communities settle in the islands throughout the Pacific. But today, their practices are dwindling—in part, due to climate migration and environmental destruction. UNESCO has classified this item as "in Need of Urgent Safeguarding."
