2024 256s14
2024 256s14
International Day for the Safeguarding of ICH
The International Day for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is a crucial date to reflect on the richness and diversity of our cultural expressions and reaffirm our commitment to their recognition. From the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America (CRESPIAL), we want to this global celebration and highlight the importance of safeguarding our intangible heritage as a fundamental pillar of our identity.
What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?
Intangible cultural heritage encomes a set of practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and know-how—as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces inherent to them—that communities, groups, and, in some cases, individuals recognize as an integral part of their cultural heritage. It is transmitted from generation to generation, constantly recreated, and evolves.
The Role of CRESPIAL
As a Category 2 center under the auspices of UNESCO, CRESPIAL’s mission is to strengthen the capacities of Latin American Member States to identify, document, research, safeguard, promote, and revitalize intangible cultural heritage through various initiatives, such as cooperation projects, capacity building, and knowledge networks, and to ensure the viability of this invaluable heritage.
Despite efforts, intangible cultural heritage faces numerous challenges, such as climate change and social conflicts. However, there are also great opportunities for its revitalization and promotion. New technologies, for example, offer innovative tools to document and disseminate cultural expressions while growing awareness of the importance of cultural diversity drives community initiatives to safeguard intangible cultural heritage.
On this International Day, we call on all actors involved in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage: governments, communities, cultural institutions, academia, and civil society in general to work together to:
Our intangible cultural heritage is a treasure that connects us to our roots and defines us as people. By safeguarding it, we preserve our identity, strengthen the social fabric, and contribute to a more just and sustainable future. Let us in this collective effort to ensure that cultural expressions continue to flourish for many more generations!
Owan Lay González
General Manager
World Food Day: A banquet of traditions and rights
On October 16, the world celebrates World Food Day, a date beyond simply putting a plate on the table. It is an opportunity to reflect on the deep connection between food, culture, and human rights.
Food is not only a biological act; it is a cultural expression. Each region of the world has its culinary traditions ed down from generation to generation. These traditions, part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage, are much more than recipes; they are stories, relationships, identities, and ways of life.
When we taste a typical dish, we taste history, ancestral knowledge about the relationship with the land and food, and a sense of belonging to a community. These culinary traditions are an invaluable treasure that we must protect and promote.
The right to food
The right to food is a fundamental human right recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, millions of people around the world still lack access to sufficient and nutritious food.
World Food Day reminds us that food is not just a question of quantity but quality. We all have the right to a balanced diet to lead healthy lives.
To guarantee the right to food for present and future generations, we must adopt sustainable agricultural practices that respect the environment and promote biodiversity. Strengthening local production and food distribution systems is essential to preserving culinary traditions.
What can we do?
Each of us can contribute to building a fairer and more sustainable future in of food:
World Food Day invites us to reflect on our relationship with food and commit to building a world where everyone can access healthy and nutritious food.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Rural Women: Guardians of Heritage and Fighters for Their Rights
International Day of Rural Women is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contribution of women living in rural areas to societies. From generation to generation, they have transmitted intangible cultural heritage, a legacy that enriches our identity and links us to our roots.
Rural women are custodians and transmitters of traditions, customs, ancestral knowledge, and unique artistic expressions. From traditional cuisine to crafts, including rituals and indigenous languages, rural women have been the forgers of transmitting this rich cultural legacy. Their knowledge of medicinal plants, cultivation techniques, textile making, and food preparation have been fundamental to the survival of their communities and have shaped the cultural identity of many regions.
Despite their importance, rural women face numerous challenges that put their well-being and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage at risk. These challenges include:
Thus, at CRESPIAL, we believe that to promote the development of rural women and guarantee the protection of intangible cultural heritage, it is necessary to:
Rural women are fundamental to the viability of intangible cultural heritage and the sustainable development of our societies.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
International Day of the Girl Child: Girls as Guardians of Intangible Cultural Heritage
October 11 marks the International Day of the Girl Child, a crucial date for recognizing girls’ rights and worldwide challenges. This year, we propose to reflect on girls’ fundamental role as guardians of intangible cultural heritage.
Girls are direct heirs of skills, knowledge, and expressions learned and translated into songs, dances, recipes, legends, and crafts from their mothers, grandmothers, and other community . But they are not only receivers but also creators. Girls enrich and reinvent traditions through play, experimentation, and adaptation, ensuring continuity and vitality.
The link between living heritage and girls is fundamental to empowering them. Recognizing them as guardians of culture gives them a leading role in society, strengthening their identity and self-esteem.
Beyond recognizing and celebrating girls on this particular day, it is essential to take concrete actions to ensure their empowerment and role as guardians of heritage. To do so, it is necessary to:
We invest in a more sustainable, inclusive, culturally diverse future by recognizing their role as guardians of traditions. On this International Day of the Girl, let us celebrate their talent, creativity, and commitment to preserving our legacy.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
International Day of People of African Descent: Celebrating our heritage and fighting for justice
August 31 marks the International Day of People of African Descent, a crucial date to recognize the contributions of people of African descent to Latin America’s cultural and social diversity. This day also serves as a call to action to eradicate racism, discrimination, and all forms of injustice that Afro-descendant communities still face.
The Afro-descendant cultural heritage in Latin America is rich and diverse, manifesting in a wide range of expressions in science, art, music, gastronomy, and religion. From the contagious rhythms of salsa, Bullerengue, and French tomb, through oral and spiritual traditions, to the knowledge and relationship with nature, this intangible cultural heritage is the living testimony of the resilience and creativity of many present and past generations.
However, despite progress, Afro-descendant people in Latin America face significant challenges in exercising their rights. They still face institutional racism and social inequality that permanently limit their opportunities and the development of a whole life with quality of life.
In this context, the International Day of Afro-descendants reminds us of the importance of continuing to work to guarantee equality and justice for all people without distinction of color or ethnic origin.
From the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America, we consider it essential to highlight the importance of Afro-descendant intangible cultural heritage in constructing our identities. We reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing struggle for equality and human rights to build societies where diversity is valued, promoted, and celebrated.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
International Folklore Day: A Bridge to Identity and Inclusion, with a Focus on Latin America
On August 22, we celebrate International Folklore Day, a date established by UNESCO to recognize and value the richness of traditions, customs, and cultural expressions transmitted from generation to generation. This celebration is relevant in Latin America since our region is a rich cultural mosaic where folklore is an essential foundation of our identity.
Latin America is a continent of ancient cultures, where each region holds a unique intangible heritage. Folklore is closely related to intangible cultural heritage since both refer to knowledge, know-how, and expressions transmitted orally through gestures, actions, or products. This heritage includes dances, songs, legends, rituals, crafts, gastronomy, and knowledge about nature.
Adopting measures to protect traditional customs, knowledge, and practices is essential for preserving our cultural identity, collective memory, and diversity. By recognizing and appreciating conventional cultural expressions, we ensure that future generations can inherit an intangible heritage that connects them to their roots and gives them a sense of belonging.
However, these traditional practices face numerous challenges in the context of globalization and accelerated social change. Urbanization and the loss of traditions threaten to erode this legacy. Therefore, it is essential to implement public policies that promote the appreciation and practice of folklore in all areas of society.
Spaces where these cultural expressions can be learned and enjoyed are essential to guarantee their continuity. Cultural centers, festivals, and digital platforms can become spaces for meeting, exchange, and learning, where knowledge and values associated with cultural traditions are transmitted.
Recognizing that safeguarding measures for these cultural expressions is a question of cultural identity and social justice is also crucial. By guaranteeing access to cultural rights, we are building more equitable and inclusive societies where all social groups, especially Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and minorities, can express and celebrate their cultural diversity.
New information and communication technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to document, disseminate, and preserve these manifestations. On the other hand, education plays a fundamental role in raising awareness about the importance of living heritage and promoting its value.
International Folklore Day is an opportunity to reflect on folklore’s fundamental role in our lives. In Latin America, the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage has committed to protecting and promoting our living heritage. Through its actions, CRESPIAL strengthens our identity, fosters intercultural dialogue, and builds a more just and equitable future for all.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Music is an intangible treasure of our culture
At its core, music is a universal language that transcends borders and unites people. Beyond being a form of entertainment, music is a fundamental pillar of our intangible cultural heritage. This heritage, invisible to the eye but deeply rooted in our communities, encomes knowledge, expressions, know-how, and skills ed down from generation to generation.
Despite being a fundamental pillar of our cultural identity, traditional music is at a crossroads. The growing influence of commercial music and mass media threatens its diversity and authenticity, while urbanization and the loss of with rural roots accelerate the oblivion of ancestral music. In addition, the disinterest of new generations, attracted by contemporary rhythms, contributes to the disappearance of this heritage. Globalization, while enriching the artistic panorama, can also homogenize unique musical expressions and marginalize traditional practices essential to specific communities.
In this context, it is essential to develop measures that guarantee the viability of traditional music. We must recognize it as a cultural right and a mirror of our identity. Traditional music, through its melodies and rhythms, reflects our customs, beliefs, history, memory, values , and ancestral knowledge. It also transmits feelings and sensations that connect us with our past to build a new future.
Each region and community has its traditional music, distinguishing them and giving them a sense of belonging. This is expressed through popular songs, religious chants, and rituals. At the same time, traditional music has priceless value because it is a vehicle to educate, socialize, and strengthen community ties, thus being a powerful tool of collective memory.
How to protect and promote traditional music?
Traditional music is an invaluable treasure we must protect and on to future generations. By preserving it, we maintain our identity and history and cultivate our soul.
If you want to learn more about traditional music, we invite you to attend the First Ibero-American Meeting of Musical Traditions as Intangible Cultural Heritage on August 21, 22, and 23. The meeting will be broadcast via CRESPIAL’s Facebook Live.
To learn more about the program, click here.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Guardians of the Earth: A recognition of Indigenous peoples
August 9 marks the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, a pivotal date for recognizing our peoples’ rich cultural diversity and reaffirming our commitment to defending their rights.
Indigenous peoples are the guardians of an invaluable intangible cultural heritage. This ancestral treasure encomes languages, traditional knowledge about medicine and agriculture, the sustainable management of natural resources, artistic expressions, and unique spiritualities. The colorful weavings of the Wayúu women in Colombia, the ancient knowledge of the Amazonian peoples about the healing properties of plants or the Aymara knowledge to interpret the signs of nature and optimize their agricultural activities are just a sample of the deep connection of these peoples with nature and their ancestors. However, this unique heritage is in danger due to, among other reasons, discrimination and the loss of their territories.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage are fundamental milestones in recognizing and protecting indigenous peoples’ cultural rights. These international instruments provide a legal framework for defending their identities and inspire and guide the actions of States, international organizations, and indigenous communities worldwide to ensure the preservation and flourishing of their cultural heritage.
The defense of indigenous peoples’ rights is essential. The right to cultural identity, land, and natural resources is fundamental to guaranteeing communities’ survival and transmitting their knowledge to future generations.
Current challenges and urgent actions
Indigenous people face numerous challenges today, including:
To meet these challenges, it is necessary to:
On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, CRESPIAL renews its commitment to defending the rights and protecting the intangible cultural heritage of Indigenous Peoples and calls on each of you to work together to build a more just and equitable future for all.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Let’s celebrate Pachamama!
On this August 1st, the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America s communities in celebrating Pachamama, our Mother Earth.
Pachamama is the heart of our cultures, the origin of our life, and the sustenance of our knowledge and wisdom. By honoring her, we celebrate our living heritage, that dynamic set of wisdom, practices, expressions, and representations that communities transmit from generation to generation.
Our relationship with Pachamama is a clear example of living heritage rooted in the principle of ayni. Our ancestors bequeathed to us the wisdom of living in harmony with nature, respecting its cycles, and caring for its resources. Ayni, as a system of reciprocity, teaches us to give and receive in balance, ensuring the sustainability of our communities and the preservation of Pachamama. This ancestral knowledge is gaining greater importance in a world facing challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
We reaffirm our commitment to defending our culture’s rights by celebrating Pachamama. These rights include the right to maintain, revitalize, and transmit our heritage to future generations and benefit from its use.
It is time to reflect on our relationship with Pachamama, share our knowledge, and strengthen our community ties.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
World Environment Day: Weaving a sustainable future
World Environment Day, celebrated every June 5, invites us to reflect on the deep connection between our planet and society’s well-being. Restoring degraded ecosystems is urgent to ensure a sustainable future for all beings.
In this context, it is essential to recognize the fundamental role of the system of ancestral knowledge and wisdom transmitted from generation to generation, which are part of the intangible cultural heritage of Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples who have contributed to the control of environmental degradation and the conservation of the environment in their territories; this contribution represents an invaluable source of knowledge about the harmonious relationship that exists between communities and their natural environment.
Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities living in rural areas are ancestral guardians of biodiversity, possessing a vast intangible cultural heritage linked to environmental conservation. Their sustainable agricultural practices, forest management techniques, organizational methods, and traditional knowledge systems on flora and fauna, for example, are clear examples of how ICH contributes to the sustainability and restoration of ecosystems.
However, various factors threaten the preservation of ICH, such as the vulnerability of the communities that guard it, discrimination, limited access to services, and lack of legal recognition. Coupled with the loss of intergenerational transmission of their knowledge, these factors put the disappearance of this valuable heritage at risk.
Guaranteeing communities’ right to exercise their human rights and, therefore, their cultural rights, which implies the practice of their intangible cultural heritage, means empowering them so that they can make decisions about their future, protect their ancestral territories, and contribute to the conservation of the environment in a sustainable and participatory manner.
Only through t and committed action can we create a future in which intangible cultural heritage, human rights, cultural rights, and the environment mutually strengthen each other, guaranteeing the well-being of people and the protection of our planet.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Earth Day: A call to action from the perspective of PCI and Human Rights
Earth Day, celebrated every April 22, invites us to recognize our deep connection with our planet and to value its care as an act of responsibility towards ourselves and future generations. The Earth is the home of human beings and the stage where humanity’s cultural diversity flourishes. Each person’s traditions, beliefs, and artistic expressions are deeply rooted in nature, taking inspiration, resources, and symbolism from it.
The traditions, practices, expressions, and living knowledge transmitted from generation to generation within a community are related to music, dance, crafts, gastronomy, traditional medicine, religious beliefs, and much more. Often, these traditions are pillars of cultural identity and provide a sense of connection with the land. They are deeply rooted in the natural environment and depend on it for survival.
Example of ancestral practices:
Communities have developed a rich legacy of traditional practices that endure over time. In agriculture, the Andenes stand out, a pre-Hispanic terrace system in the Andes that takes advantage of the slopes to create microclimates and grow various products. In the Amazon, we find the chakra, a rotational cultivation system where a small forest area is cleared, cultivated for one or two years, and then left fallow to recover the soil’s fertility. Both techniques are characterized by using local varieties of plants adapted to the climatic conditions and ecosystem biodiversity.
Crafts: Textiles made with alpaca, vicuña, and llama wool reflect the people’s worldview, depicting animals, plants, and geometric figures. Ceramics, handmade with clay and baked in wood-burning ovens, and basketry, which uses natural fibers such as totara, reed, and chonta, are examples of the artisanal skill of our people.
Traditional medicine: A vast knowledge transmitted from generation to generation through oral tradition. It is used to treat a wide range of diseases and includes practices such as shamanism, which seeks to heal the body and spirit through rituals, songs, and medicinal plants; traditional midwifery, an ancestral practice of assisting childbirth performed by women who use natural techniques to relieve pain and care for the health of the mother and baby; and various rituals and celebrations that connect communities with the land, marking agricultural cycles, giving thanks for the harvests and honoring the spirits of nature.
However, many human activities have generated a significant impact on the planet, putting at risk not only biodiversity and ecosystems but also human beings themselves, especially the most vulnerable populations, whose lives are affected by deforestation, pollution, and climate change, making it impossible for them to safely access their fundamental rights such as access to clean water, pure air, food, a healthy environment, and natural resources, all of which are essential pillars for a dignified life. The most vulnerable groups, such as indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and marginalized communities, are often the most affected by environmental degradation and climate change. It is essential to protect their rights and ensure their participation in decision-making related to the environment.
A healthy planet guarantees the right to life, health, culture, and sustainable development. By working together to protect the environment, we can ensure that people’s survival is not threatened and that living traditions continue to enrich our cultures, connecting us to our past, present, and future, and are practiced and enjoyed by future generations.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
World Art Day: A recognition of creativity, diversity and freedom
On April 15, 2019, UNESCO proclaimed World Art Day, a date dedicated to celebrating and encouraging art’s growth, dissemination, and safeguarding in all its manifestations. This date commemorates the importance of art in the creativity, innovation, and cultural diversity of societies worldwide.
Today, we honor the vast diversity of artistic expressions that enrich humanity. Through expressions such as music, dance or theater, painting, and crafts, art connects us with our essence, cultural roots, stories, and identities.
Art inspires and beautifies our lives, encouraging intercultural dialogue, exchanging knowledge, and constructing a more peaceful and inclusive world. By promoting artistic freedom and fostering spaces where artists can express themselves freely, we contribute to a more tolerant future for each of us. This day allows us to reflect on the importance of artistic expression and to recognize the valuable contribution of artists, especially traditional artists, to the sustainable development of our communities.
It is also a day to reflect on inequalities in access to culture and the diversity of cultural expressions. Existing barriers limit the enjoyment of diverse cultural manifestations to many people, especially those in vulnerable situations, such as women, indigenous peoples, and Afro-descendants, as well as other marginalized groups, who face additional challenges as a result of the social gaps that affect them.
To preserve and enrich art in the present and future, we face a double challenge: to artists and cultural institutions while guaranteeing cultural rights through participation, equal access, and enjoyment of art by all. It is also essential to achieve justice and equality by listening to and considering the diverse voices of the artistic world to adequately understand and address the needs and challenges facing this sector.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
Let’s celebrate World Water Day and its connection to intangible cultural heritage!
Water: Source of Life, Culture, and Heritage
Every March 22, the world celebrates World Water Day, highlighting this natural resource’s vital importance for all living beings. This day urges us to reflect on the need to guarantee universal access to it as a fundamental human right. Water is the essence of life, an essential component of culture, and an invaluable resource we must preserve for present and future generations.
Water as a fundamental human right:
Although access to drinking water is an inalienable right, it remains an unattainable luxury for many. Poverty, population growth, inequality, and environmental degradation are obstacles that prevent millions of people from meeting this basic need.
Water as the basis of culture:
Water is deeply linked to culture. Since ancient times, it has been revered in rituals and inspired artistic expressions that forged cultural identity. It symbolizes fertility, purity, and renewal and is the object of ceremonies and offerings to ensure its availability and purity. The first civilizations settled near water sources, recognizing its crucial role in cultural development.
The invaluable legacy of water-related PCI:
Water-related PCI practices are an invaluable cultural heritage that we must protect. The knowledge, practices, and traditions transmitted from generation to generation regarding water are part of the identity of the communities, which developed ingenious irrigation and water management systems to grow their crops and sustain life in their environments, such as the Inca agricultural terraces, the organization of water management through the Corongo water judges, the sowing and harvesting of water, or the Aztec Chinampas.
However, this legacy is in danger of disappearing if this resource needs to be adequately and responsibly preserved.
PCI manifestations related to water:
Rites and traditions: Water is present in various rituals and cultural traditions, from ceremonies offering water deities to dances and songs celebrating the arrival of rain.
Ancestral knowledge: Indigenous and local communities possess vast knowledge about water management, including irrigation techniques, well construction and storage systems, and the tradition of planting and harvesting water ed down through generations.
Crafts: Traditional crafts reflect the importance of water in everyday life, using symbols and designs related to this element in various forms of artistic expression.
A call to action:
Water is a fundamental resource for the existence of life on earth. Likewise, it is vital to make visible and value the practices of the ICH related to the use of water, along with the recognition of the bearers who transmit and revitalize these traditions, without whom these manifestations could not survive.
On this World Water Day, let us reflect on our relationship with this vital resource and celebrate the knowledge and know-how of using water, a living heritage of humanity.
Owan Lay González
General Manager
2019
Cada 9 de agosto se conmemora el Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, en conmemoración de la 1era reunión del Grupo de Trabajo de las Naciones Unidas sobre Poblaciones Indígenas celebrada en 1982. Esta fecha es una oportunidad para la reflexión en torno a la situación de estas poblaciones, su gran riqueza y diversidad cultural y lingüística así como los grandes peligros y exclusiones que enfrentan día a día.
Los Pueblos Indígenas tienen un rol fundamental en la construcción de soluciones para enfrentar el cambio climático. Los conocimientos y tecnologías ancestrales relativas a su relación con la naturaleza y el medio ambiente, pueden ayudarnos a tener una visión mucho más sostenible del mundo y ser vitales para la futura supervivencia del planeta.
La Agenda 2030, nos muestra el gran aporte que tienen los pueblos indígenas en el desarrollo de los 17 Objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS), desde la producción de los agricultores indígenas a pequeña escala hasta la igualdad de a la educación para los niños y niñas indígenas.
En este marco, la capacidad organizativa y política que las comunidades indígenas han adquirido en términos de representatividad, derechos colectivos, organización territorial y gobernanza cultural, son también fundamentales para tener una visión más integral, humanista y sostenible del mundo, siendo así indispensables tanto para la implementación de los ODS como para la salvaguardia del Patrimonio cultural Inmaterial (PCI).
Este 2019, siendo el Año Internacional de las Lenguas Indígenas, es importante llamar la atención sobre el peligro de desaparición en las que se encuentran. El Foro Permanente para las Cuestiones Indígenas de las Naciones Unidas ha indicado que el 40% de las 6,700 lenguas que se calcula que se hablan en el mundo estaban en peligro de desaparición, siendo la mayoría de ellas, lenguas indígenas.
La pérdida de las lenguas no es solo un problema lingüístico, implica también la pérdida de sistemas de conocimiento complejos, de culturas e identidades y de formas de vida que pueden ser decisivas para el futuro del mundo.
Desde el CRESPIAL, nosotros queremos nuevamente agradecer a los Pueblos Indígenas por ser quienes resguardan los conocimientos ancestrales y gran parte de la diversidad lingüística a nivel mundial. La lucha diaria que realizan por sus derechos, es finalmente la lucha por una humanidad más justa, intercultural y sostenible para vivir.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
Vivimos un tiempo de grandes cambios sociales con respecto a los derechos de las mujeres a lo largo de todo el mundo.
Desde el patrimonio cultural inmaterial, la lucha por nuestros derechos humanos, es también una lucha por nuestros derechos culturales. En este sentido, el rol de la mujer en la transmisión de conocimientos relacionados a las diversas expresiones culturales es fundamental.
El papel de las mujeres como agentes culturales en nuestros pueblos es permanente e integral. Desde la transmisión de la lengua materna, la salvaguardia de la memoria local hasta la participación dinámica en la sostenibilidad medioambiental y alimentaria, las mujeres, en todas las esferas de la vida, apostamos a generar un mejor futuro.
Hay muchas batallas por librar en nuestra región, las cuales luchan por construir mejores condiciones de vida para las mujeres. Desde mayores oportunidades de participación y liderazgo en la salvaguardia de nuestras manifestaciones culturales, hasta la inclusión de la mujer, en las diversas transformaciones culturales de nuestras tradiciones.
Los vínculos entre género y patrimonio cultural inmaterial, nos invitan hoy, no solo a replantear los papeles de cada género en relaciones más justas y diversas, sino nos ofrecen nuevas posibilidades comunitarias para salvaguardar nuestras expresiones culturales.
Este 8 de marzo, desde el CRESPIAL, celebramos a las mujeres latinoamericanas que día a día, son fuentes de conocimiento, identidad y diversidad cultural.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
2018
El CRESPIAL se une hoy a las diversas voces alrededor del mundo para celebrar el Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas. Esta fecha nos recuerda la importancia fundamental de los pueblos originarios para enfrentar los actuales problemas relativos al cambio climático y también nos invoca a la búsqueda de soluciones para la grave situación que viven los pueblos indígenas en la actualidad.
Las comunidades originarias guardan conocimientos y tecnologías ancestrales del manejo de los recursos naturales y de su relación con la “Madre Tierra” que siguen siendo fundamentales para la vida. Es prioritario mantener y garantizar la diversidad de los pueblos originarios y sus vínculos con los ecosistemas ambientales, para la supervivencia del planeta y de la especie humana. Son los pueblos indígenas, en su constante lucha por preservar sus prácticas y modos de vida, los que nos muestran que no hay un camino único para el desarrollo económico y ambiental, sino múltiples posibilidades que deben ser respetadas y consideradas como oportunidades que nos permitan viabilizar nuestro futuro como humanidad.
En este marco, es un reto de la comunidad internacional, articular los principios enunciados en la Convención UNESCO 2003 para la salvaguardia del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial (PCI) con los principios del Convenio 169 de la OIT sobre pueblos indígenas y tribales y plantear así, distintos procesos en la región que nos permitan garantizar los derechos de las comunidades indígenas de manera integral.
El trabajo en torno a la salvaguardia del PCI busca contribuir a una visión amplia y diversificada sobre qué significa la garantía de los derechos colectivos de los pueblos indígenas y nos puede ayudar a visibilizar los grandes retos que debemos asumir en la región: La autodeterminación y gobernanza cultural de los pueblos indígenas para salvaguardar su PCI; la protección de los derechos colectivos alrededor de los conocimientos tradicionales; la comprensión y reconocimiento de distintas territorialidades basadas en los elementos simbólicos, espirituales y cosmovisiones de las propias comunidades indígenas; el desarrollo y puesta en práctica de las distintas visiones de bienestar colectivo y desarrollos propios, entre otros temas relevantes.
Desde México, el Centro de las Artes Indígenas Totonaca, inscrito en el Registro de Buenas Prácticas para salvaguardia del PCI de la UNESCO, es un ejemplo de una iniciativa del propio pueblo totonaca de construir una institución educativa que busca generar mecanismos para la transmisión intergeneracional de enseñanzas y valores culturales para el desarrollo de capacidades de sus propias comunidades.
Otro ejemplo de la región, es la reciente declaratoria como patrimonio cultural inmaterial de la Nación del “Sistema de Conocimiento Ancestral de los pueblos kogui, wiwa, arhuaco y kankuamo de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta” en Colombia, en donde la lengua y tradición oral, la organización social, los conocimientos sobre la naturaleza y el universo y los espacios culturales de los cuatro pueblos indígenas que habitan en la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, buscan salvaguardar sus conocimientos, saberes y prácticas tradicionales para el cumplimiento de la Ley de Origen. Ésta última, representa los códigos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de todo el sistema de conocimiento de los cuatro pueblos, los cuales deben garantizarse y ser respetados para generar un equilibrio de los elementos que constituyen la Madre Tierra y permitir así la convivencia social.
El día de los pueblos indígenas se encuentra hoy marcado por la lucha de estos pueblos por sus derechos. Una lucha contra la vulnerabilidad a la cual estas comunidades están sometidas hace siglos. Desplazamiento, pobreza y prejuicio son solo algunos de los desafíos que enfrentan las comunidades originarias aun hoy, a pesar de todos los avances obtenidos.
A los representantes de los pueblos originarios, nosotros desde el CRESPIAL les agradecemos por actuar como guardianes de los conocimientos de los ancestros, por perpetuar culturas excepcionales y por encarnar una gran parte de la diversidad lingüística a nivel mundial. Esperamos poder seguir juntos en ese proceso de resistencia, de garantía de derechos y de valoración de la diversidad humana y social, que es finalmente, lo que la salvaguardia del PCI significa.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
Como latinoamericanos, somos la suma de muchas identidades, pueblos y culturas. Sabemos de la gran riqueza que hemos heredado de generación en generación, pero también sabemos que muchas veces, nuestra diversidad cultural, se encuentra en riesgo por voces que apuestan por la intolerancia, la discriminación, la ignorancia y la violencia.
Desde el CRESPIAL, día a día buscamos defender la diversidad cultural porque ella es la base para el dialogo y el desarrollo de nuestros pueblos, no puede existir una verdadera salvaguardia del Patrimonio cultural inmaterial sin una base de dialogo y respeto intercultural.
En tiempos donde la homogenización busca cubrir todos los ámbitos de la vida y donde la cultura es convertida en mercancía, la importancia de defender la diversidad cultural es esencial y es nuestro derecho.
Desde la Declaración Universal de la UNESCO sobre la Diversidad Cultural (2001), este instrumento ha marcado un hito internacional de gran importancia, llamándonos a integrar la dimensión cultural en el desarrollo integral del ser humano.
Desde los pueblos, comunidades y culturas de Latinoamérica, aprendemos múltiples prácticas, conocimientos y saberes vinculados a la vida y a la naturaleza. Son estas expresiones las que nos enseñan a comprender la complejidad del mundo y a impulsar el diálogo intercultural.
Este 21 de mayo, desde el CRESPIAL celebramos el Día Mundial de la Diversidad Cultural para el Diálogo y el Desarrollo, trabajando en el proyecto multinacional Salvaguardia del patrimonio cultural inmaterial de las comunidades aymara de Bolivia, Chile y Perú. Es mediante el trabajo colaborativo internacional entre diversas instituciones y organizaciones, que vamos construyendo puentes de diálogo y de respecto entre nuestros pueblos.
Somos aymaras, quechuas, mapuches, mayas, huicholes, guaranís, garífunas, nahuas, afrodescendientes, somos latinoamericanos, somos diversos.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
Nuestra historia como humanidad depende de la tierra, es nuestra fuente de vida y de conocimiento. La Tierra se encuentra hoy severamente afectada por el cambio climático y por la falta de responsabilidad en su conservación y cuidado, estamos en un momento histórico donde todos y todas, necesitamos buscar vivir en armonía con la naturaleza, comprometernos a cuidarla.
La salvaguardia del patrimonio cultural inmaterial tiene una relación inherente con la tierra y el medio ambiente. Desde las diversas expresiones culturales latinoamericanas, el vínculo con la madre tierra es fundamental en la vida cotidiana de los pueblos. Fuente de sabiduría y de nuestra conexión espiritual con el mundo, es con la madre tierra con la cual aprendemos sobre el equilibrio, la reciprocidad y la vida en colectividad.
En Venezuela, la tradición del cultivo y procesamiento de la curagua, no solo nos habla de técnicas vinculadas a la planta, sino de prácticas sociales, transmisión intergeneracional del conocimiento, tradición oral y sustento de vida para las comunidades de la región de Aguasay.
Son las comunidades indígenas, uno de los sectores de la población que más está sufriendo los impactos del cambio climático. La pérdida de tierras cultivables es de 30 a 35 veces superior al ritmo histórico. Este factor, junto con el aumento de las sequías, la desertificación y la extinción de especies, hacen que sea indispensable tomar medidas urgentes para cuidar nuestra tierra.
En la comunidad de Chinchaypucyo en la región de Cusco (Perú), sus pobladores buscan transmitir sus saberes agrícolas vinculados a la alimentación y la salud, mostrándonos la crianza mutua entre humanos, plantas, animales y deidades espirituales, a través de una dinámica activa de su tradición e identidad, como una posibilidad real y actual, de contrarrestar el contexto de riesgo global en el cual vivimos.
Nuestra madre tierra es el hogar de la humanidad, el único que tenemos, está en nuestras manos cuidar la vida y la cultura, antes que sea muy tarde.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
Así como es difícil imaginar un mundo sin cultura, también es difícil imaginarlo sin agua. La fuerte conexión entre cultura y agua, es parte de nuestra vida y nuestra historia. El Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial (PCI) también expresa este vínculo, a través de las múltiples manifestaciones asociadas al agua y su manejo.
Tal como el agua, el PCI es fundamental para la supervivencia en las comunidades, en la medida que el PCI contribuye a mantener la identidad y los conocimientos tradicionales, muchos de ellos, vinculados a la naturaleza.
El PCI latinoamericano, nos muestra una gran diversidad de expresiones relacionadas al agua: técnicas tradicionales de irrigación, construcción de ruedas de agua, producción de alimentos, pesca artesanal, técnicas de sanación, conservación de ríos.
Desde Perú, el Sistema Tradicional de Jueces de Agua de Corongo, nos muestra una estructura organizativa para la gestión y distribución del agua, estrechamente ligada a la memoria e identidad local, promoviendo en las nuevas generaciones la solidaridad, la equidad y el respeto a la naturaleza.
En Chile, las ruedas de agua de Larmahue, se convierte en un elemento identitario y emblemático de la zona, al ser valoradas como una tecnología tradicional sustentable y vigente, basada en el uso y cuidado del agua para el regadío de los cultivos locales.
Estos son solo algunos ejemplos que viven día a día nuestros pueblos, cuando el PCI y el agua caminan juntos.
En ese contexto, las mujeres suelen tener un papel fundamental, ya que muchas de ellas, son las responsables del manejo y distribución del agua en sus comunidades, desde su traslado y producción de alimentos, hasta sus usos sociales y rituales.
El universo del agua desde su aspecto simbólico y espiritual, es otro factor de fuerte valor identitario en las comunidades de nuestra región. El agua como dadora de vida, como espacio y elemento sagrado, desempeña un rol fundamental en el universo y el imaginario de los pueblos, siendo sus historias, rituales y cosmogonías, ejes de una compresión de la humanidad integrada totalmente a la naturaleza.
El manejo cultural del agua, es un eje fundamental para el desarrollo sostenible y la adaptación al cambio climático en el mundo. La manera de afrontar su actual crisis, atraviesa la necesidad de una mirada integral, donde diversas temáticas como género, producción de energía limpia, producción de alimentos, crecimiento demográfico y usos tradicionales del agua, puedan construir juntas, una gestión del este recurso más ecológica, justa y sostenible para el mundo.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL
En este mes de marzo, las múltiples voces que buscan impulsar la igualdad entre hombres y mujeres, se han escuchado en todo el mundo. Los 15 países que conforman el CRESPIAL, no son ajenos a este movimiento mundial y presentan de diversas maneras, sus múltiples luchas e iniciativas, para contribuir al cambio de mentalidad y al surgimiento de mejores condiciones de vida para las mujeres en nuestra región.
En el marco de los procesos vinculados a la cultura y el patrimonio cultural inmaterial (PCI), es importante destacar, la necesidad de fortalecer los procesos de participación y liderazgo de las mujeres sobre la salvaguardia de sus manifestaciones culturales, de manera equitativa con los hombres. Si bien la actuación de la mujer se encuentra siempre presente en este tipo de procesos, falta visibilizar el papel integral de la mujer en las manifestaciones del PCI, así como impulsar su liderazgo en la toma de decisiones en torno a la salvaguardia.
El papel de las mujeres en la cultura, también impulsa múltiples procesos sociales, como la transmisión de la lengua materna, el fortalecimiento de los lazos comunitarios, el buen vivir, la memoria local, la sostenibilidad ambiental, entre diversos factores que contribuyen al desarrollo social de nuestros pueblos.
En un escenario social donde la desigualdad y violencia hacia las mujeres, es aun alarmantemente alta, es importante unir esfuerzos para impulsar la igualdad entre hombres y mujeres, basada en el respecto a la diversidad cultural.
Por otro lado, es fundamental reconocer y salvaguardar, el papel central de las mujeres en la transmisión intergeneracional de las manifestaciones del PCI. En este aspecto, el fortalecimiento de la gestión pública en materia de PCI debe cada vez más, expresarse en el desarrollo de herramientas de reconocimiento y salvaguardia, a nivel local, nacional y regional.
Solo uniendo acciones y voluntades, podremos transformar la vida de las mujeres y con ello, construir una sociedad más justa, igualitaria y prospera para todas las personas.
Adriana Molano Arenas
Directora General del CRESPIAL