The Intore dance from Rwanda, and Ghana’s traditional woven textile Kente are among 63 new inscriptions on the Unesco Intangible Heritage lists.
The Unesco Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, meeting in Asunción (Paraguay) from December 2 to 6, inscribed the new elements on the lists, on the initiative of 90 countries.
With these new inscriptions, 788 cultural practices in 150 countries are now part of Unesco’s living heritage.
“This Convention has reinvented the very notion of heritage, to the extent that tangible and intangible heritage, places and practices, are now inseparable. With these 63 new practices and traditions, our Convention continues to achieve wonders, not only by linking our generation to all those that have gone before, but also by constantly strengthening the links between the 183 States Parties to the Convention,” Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay said.
The Intore dance and Kente cloth were among the new additions to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Intore is a dance performed by a troupe in Rwanda. The dancers are arranged in lines representing the ranks of warriors in a battlefield.
Through their movements, they mimic a battle with an invisible adversary, leaping and wielding their spears and shields to the rhythm of the traditional drums and horns. They are supported by songs and poems of triumph.
An expression of power, the dance is at the centre of community events and festivities, including harvest festivals and the reception of distinguished guests.
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 and social situations, among others. People of all genders are involved in the production process, and the fabric promotes information transfer and exchange. It is also a means of identity construction, reflecting the social histories of various communities.
The other new additions to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity are Xeer Ciise: Oral customary laws of Somali-Issa communities in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia; the Mangwengwe dance from Zambia; and the Wosana ritual and associated practices from Botswana.
Xeer Ciise is the oral customary laws of the Somali-Issa communities in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. A highly structured system of democratic governance, it has three main components: (a) a political constitution, which defines the distribution of power and decision-making processes; (b) a penal code, which establishes community justice; and (c) a code of social conduct, which regulates collective and individual behaviour. These laws help ensure peaceful coexistence within the community and with other ethnic groups.
A dancer soars during Inganzo Ngali's 'intore' performance at the Hobe Rwanda Festival held in the Kigali Serena Hotel on September 13, 2014.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The Mangwengwe is a traditional dance that is performed by the Mambwe and Namwanga people in Zambia. It is characterised by circular movements of the shoulders and sometimes waist.
Reserved for important events such as weddings, funerals and traditional ceremonies, the performance involves singers, dancers, hand-clappers and musicians.
The rhythm is set by the rubbing of wooden stools against the bottoms of clay pots. Practitioners compose their own songs, which generally describe everyday life, the land, leaders and current events.
Wosana is a rainmaking ritual that is observed by the Bakalanga community in the Northeast and Central Districts of Botswana. It is characterized by rituals, prayer, feasts, song and dance.
It is a collaborative practice involving traditional leadership, distinct roles, and the participation of the entire community. The related knowledge and skills are transmitted through observation and mentoring, with new practitioners being sworn to secrecy regarding the sacred aspects of the practice.
Among the elements presented this year, 16 were multinational inscriptions submitted by 62 countries, an increase of one third compared to the previous session.
This 2024 session also marks the first inscription for 5 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Ghana, Myanmar, Rwanda and Somalia.
These inscriptions reflect the growing role of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention in strengthening dialogue and cooperation between States, as well as their shared desire to promote this living heritage beyond their national borders.
Africa’s commitment to safeguarding its living heritage was confirmed at this session with the inscription of 9 elements by 12 countries and the announcement of the ratification of the Convention by two additional countries: Sierra Leone and South Africa.
The next meeting of the Committee will take place in December 2025 in New Delhi, India.
