From Monday until Saturday 1 December takes place in the capital in the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis, the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco, appointment in which it meets once a year to supervise the application of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, legal instrument ratified by 178 state.
Among the issues being addressed is intangible heritage in emergency situations, the monitoring of elements already inscribed on the intangible heritage lists or the use of the resources of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.
further, the committee will examine some nominations for inscription on the list of intangible heritage that requires urgent safeguarding measures, as well as 40 registration requests on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Among the latter appears the theme that summons us, Well, Jamaica applied for reggae to be included in this list of world heritage sites.
The Convention promotes the safeguarding of traditions and living expressions transmitted from generation to generation, including oral traditions, performing Arts, social practices, the rituals, holiday events, knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe or knowledge and skills to produce traditional handicrafts.
“It will be a great success if we get Unesco to declare the designation, to ensure that reggae music is recognized around the world as the creative result of the people of Jamaica”, said Olivia Grange, the island's Minister of Culture.
“Reggae was preceded by the 'Mento', early jamaican pop music, or ‘Ska’, a popular form of Jamaican music from the late 50 and later ‘Rock Steady’, all jamaican inventions, that have become what we call reggae today. The music originated within a cultural space that was home to underrepresented marginalized groups, mainly west of Kingston (…) Over time, Neo-African styles were incorporated into the element, North American soul and rhythm and blues, gradually transforming Ska into Rock Steady and then Reggae”, points to the presentation of the Jamaican delegation to explain the importance of this music generated in the most marginalized sectors.
“Your contribution to the international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity, underlines the dynamics of this element that is both cerebral, sociopolitical, sensual and spiritual”, add the text.
Now it only remains to wait until the committee makes its decision between now and Saturday..
