Kgatleng to pilot intangible cultural heritage

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Thursday March 25, 2010 00:00

 

A statement from the ministry says the Department of Culture in collaboration with the Kgatleng District Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Committee is launching the Pilot Project on Community-Based Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage at Grassroots level.

According to the ministry, the aim of the launch is to inform the public about the ICH pilot at grassroots level that will take place in Kgatleng District starting April 20 to October 20.

The project is intended to empower community members in conducting inventorying, documentation and safeguarding of their ICH to support its transmission to future generations in a sustainable manner. In addition, the project will serve as a model for future inventorying of ICH nationwide, according to the statement.

Unlike tangible heritage that is conventionally managed by heritage experts, like architects, archaeologists and conservators, ICH requires a participatory approach to safeguarding involving various stakeholders, most important of whom are the communities concerned.

The launch will be characterised by folk choirs, poetry, drama and exhibitions showcasing the different domains of ICH.

The project is funded by the Flemish government and facilitated by UNESCO and participating sub-Saharan countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia.

Six pilot communities (one in each country) will be selected in a demand-driven manner. An initial training workshop will be followed by several months of fieldwork by the communities and cultural officers to inventory ICH.

Follow-up sessions will be organised to evaluate the quality of exercises and improve methodologies, the ministry says.