UNESCO adds 63 elements to List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Sifelani Tsiko

Innovations Editor

UNESCO has added traditional designs and practices from about 18 African countries to its List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2024.
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage inscribed 63 new elements on the list at the initiative of 90 countries.
With these new inscriptions, 788 cultural practices in 150 countries are now part of UNESCO’s living heritage.
On the list is the Wosana ritual and associated practices of Botswana.
Wosana is a rainmaking ritual that is observed by the Bakalanga community in the northeast and central districts of Botswana.
This is characterised by rituals, prayer, feasts, song and dance. It is also observed in Zimbabwe by the Bakalanga community on the border with Botswana.
Other cultural elements or practices recognised by UNESCO include the Intore dance that is performed by a Rwandese troupe.
The dancers are arranged in lines representing the ranks of warriors on 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.
Every year, UNESCO members meet to discuss and agree on new items to add to their list of intangible cultural heritage.
These can include songs, dances, rituals, dress, festivals, celebrations, ceremonies, dishes, crafts and artworks, etcetera from all over the globe.
In 2023, traditional leadership customs of Zimbabwe were added to the list for their vital role in safeguarding the country’s intangible cultural heritage and community traditions.
“This convention has reinvented the very notion of heritage to the extent that tangible and intangible heritage, places and practices are now inseparable,” said UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay.
“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.”