#BTColumn – Understanding cultural heritage

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.

by Suleiman Bulbulia

At the start of Heritage month at the beginning of June, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture, John King, spoke to the linkages with heritage and the creative economy. And he further reiterated: “Our heritage is what makes us unique as Barbadians.
It is what has been handed down to us by our forefathers – whether it is the tangible heritage in terms of our finest mahogany furniture…, our clay pottery ware, chattel houses, plantations and bungalows or intangible heritage, such as the way we prepare our food, our burial traditions, language, music and other cultural practices. Let us celebrate and preserve our heritage because our past strengthens our future.”

I have recently become acquainted with intangible cultural heritage and it is fascinating learning what makes up this aspect of our heritage which we largely tend to ignore or overlook.
The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) website defines ICH as follows: “The term ‘cultural heritage’ has changed content considerably in recent decades, partially owing to the instruments developed by UNESCO. Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects.

It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

“While fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization, an understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life.

“The importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next. The social and economic value of this transmission of knowledge is relevant for minority groups and for mainstream social groups within a State, and is as important for developing States as for
developed ones.

“Intangible cultural heritage is: “Traditional, contemporary and living at the same time: intangible cultural heritage does not only represent inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part; “Inclusive: we may share expressions of intangible cultural heritage that are similar to those practised by others. Whether they are from the neighbouring village, from a city on the opposite side of the world, or have been adapted by peoples who have migrated and settled in a different region, they all are intangible cultural heritage: they have been passed from one generation to another, have evolved in response to their environments and they contribute to giving us a sense of identity and continuity, providing a link from our past, through the present, and into our future.

cultural heritage does not give rise to questions of whether or not certain practices are specific to a culture. It contributes to social cohesion, encouraging a sense of identity and responsibility which helps individuals to feel part of one or different communities and to feel part of society at large;

“Representative: intangible cultural heritage is not merely valued as a cultural good, on a comparative basis, for its exclusivity or its exceptional value. It thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities; “Community-based: intangible cultural heritage can only be heritage when it is recognized as such by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and transmit it – without their recognition, nobody else can decide for them that a given expression or practice is their heritage.”

I have repeated the entire explanation because I believe it is important that interested readers understand fully what ICH is about, as I too had to do. Understanding ICH gave me a greater appreciation of what aspects of my own culture I took for granted and also caused me to reflect on several practices that are beginning to die out.

I noted that Heritage Month did not feature much of ICH in Barbadian society but I expect going forward ICH will become more prominent as we look at our cultural heritage. And more importantly as we seek to link the various expressions of our heritage with building our economy. We much seek to use the limited resources and our own unique assets to benefit us economically.

Many countries and communities throughout the world do this successfully.
As Minister King noted there are linkages with heritage and the economy. We just have to be creative in how we bring the two together to our benefit. And several Barbadians have done so quite effectively already.

We are familiar with our tangible heritage and continue to build on that. Additionally, now we turn our attention to our intangible heritage which can further enhance our country’s offerings on the world stage but more importantly link the younger generations with their past in a manner that they will be comfortable and feel enthusiastic to be involved.

Safeguarding our intangible cultural heritage is all part of sustainable development and helps in maintaining a positive sense of identity. This is extremely crucial at this juncture of our history when many are seeking that identity and when several are asking who we truly are.

The transmission of knowledge, skills and cultural identity must continue from one generation to another for us to truly build upon the foundations set by our ancestors. If we fail to transmit such knowledge and information we are dooming the generations to come to seek such knowledge from other foreign places and sources.

The majority of Barbadian ancestors were trafficked as slaves, forcibly uprooted from their homes, carrying only recollections of a way of life as they faced an uncertain future.
Unversed in the enslavers’ language and custom, their past was mentally retained and transmitted through oral expressions and cultural products.

That is being eroded as time passes and similarly many of our recent past cultural habits will suffer the same fate unless we seek to document and resuscitate them to help inspire and motivate. Such knowledge can be taught in schools and spoken about more frequently.

I am happy to have been invited to join a group of eminent persons in this field and to contribute in some meaningful way to a better understanding of the different intangible cultural heritage expressions found in Barbados. Hope is that it can be used to better our nation and to help in driving the creative economy.

Suleiman Bulbulia is a Justice of the Peace; Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association; Muslim Chaplain at the U.W.I, Cave Hill Campus and Chair, Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition. Email: suleimanbulbulia@hotmail.com