Patrin Foundation

ACERT, February 9^th 2024, Oxford Brookes, UK

Intergenerational Lives and Learning Conference

Imogen Bright Moon; 10.45am-11am

Outline;

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

• What is ICH?

• What does it mean practically and ethically?

• What does it mean for Traveller communities?

• How can we us this as a in moment to safeguard our cultural heritage in our own way and in our own voice?

• Any Questions (if there’s time, otherwise please email questions to patrinfoundation@gmail.com )

• Links and share documents

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?

In 2003, UNESCO created the Convention for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and defined it as;

“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.”

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/what-is-intangible-heritage-00003)

This include thematic areas such as;

• Nature and the universe

• Traditional craftsmanship

• Cooking + Culinary traditions

• Social practices, rituals, festive events

• Performing arts

• Oral traditions & expressions, including Folklore

• + Regional-specific forms of the above pertaining to Wales, Cornwall, England, Scotland, Islands and Northern Ireland.

The above listed themes are the UK Governments round-table topics which are in active consultation now; some have already taken place this week however please check the link with your networks for the ones remaining, and the last one being on February 22^nd specifically for minority Ethnic ICH in the UK, which of course includes Travellers; https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ich-in-the-uk-a-roundtable-discussion-minority-groups-focus-tickets-801642553457?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

Regarding the above list, I know that many of us will have contributions to make in specific areas as living cultural practitioners, specifically our storytellers, poets and performers and those who carry oral histories and are wisdom keepers. I acknowledge you all for your unique cultural knowledge-keeping and as Future Ancestors, and I hope my words are felt with the depth of emotion and recognition I am seeking to convey. It is essential that we recognise what time it is, and how we will be remembered from a place of agency and authority in our voices and our contributions. I specifically want to thank Dee Cooper and Richard O’Neill for their respected community roles as our storytellers and story-keepers, thank you. I hope all of us with Traveller heritage can also see ourselves as our cultural story-keepers and how significant that is to our nomadic heritage and longevity. We all have voices and now is the time to use them.

Back to the UNESCO definitions;

“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. Intangible 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.”

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/what-is-intangible-heritage-00003)

The full text of the Convention can be found here;

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention)

Why is everyone talking about it now?

After a decade of requests made by Heritage Crafts to the UK Government for them to consider the ratification of the UNESCO Convention, it was recently announced in December that it will now be taken through a public consultation phase to establish which forms of ICH are made known and considered for the UK’s entry into the UNESCO convention.

This is significant, as the contribution of various cultures have added to the richness of the ICH of the UK, and this is a historic moment to advocate for all Traveller communities to enter their specific ICH contributions as part of the living heritage of the UK.

There is a live consultation process vis the Department for DCMS comprising of three layers;

• informal round tables (ongoing)

• online consultation survey (deadline is Feb 29^th 2024)

• register of interest for future consultations

From the DCMS;

“The UK is rich in traditions which are passed down from generation to generation. These crafts, customs, and celebrations have helped to shape our communities and bring people together, who continue to shape them in turn. By ratifying this Convention, we will be able to celebrate treasured traditions from every corner of the UK, support the people who practise them, and ensure they are passed down for future generations to enjoy.”

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, 2023

What does it mean practically and ethically?

Practically, as members of Traveller communities, we need to gather a group overview of what we would like to contribute and share, and what we equally don’t feel can be shared. I feel there is a line between reflecting on our cultural practices that are living heritages and how these are recorded for future safeguarding, balanced with the personal and private needs of individuals whereby the option to not share ICH is equally important. This is a main ethical concern and I’d like to hear people’s views on this and how they feel about it.

As far as the practicalities of registering an interest and participating in the government consultation, their deadline for the online survey is on February 29^th which is only a few weeks away. Here is the link; https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/2003-unesco-convention-for-the-safeguarding-of-the-intangible-cultural-heritage

What does it mean for Traveller communities?

“As intangible cultural heritage can only be considered as such when it is recognised by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and share it, it will be these groups and people who will be able to nominate the UK’s cherished traditions to be formally recognised.”

From Department for DCMS;

(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/oh-no-it-isnt-panto-set-to-be-formally-recognised-as-uk-joins-unesco-convention)

I recommend a group effort to gather feedback and complete the online survey needs to be galvanised from within our Traveller communities and also from the charities and organisations that support us; if I may make a public call to action at this timely ACERT conference today; those of you who feel able to do a fast turn-around and add to the consultation who are from the Traveller communities, please do so; those who may be require to assist our communities in making a contribution via the online form; this is a time for direct action and outreach. Equally, Lisa and I are happy to receive input from our extended communities so that we can ourselves contribute to the consultation with somewhat of a collective voice, if possible. Thank you in advance those of you who are able to support us with this by February 29^thvia your networks.

How can we use this as a moment to safeguard our cultural heritage in our own way and in our own voice?

As I mentioned, we need to get the word out for feedback and cultural input, the terms are very clear that the communities themselves must self-represent, so this is an empowering moment for Traveller communities to use this invitation to provide what I think will be significant in our future support in these following ways;

• Safeguarding our heritage as it is actively lived today as a point of pride and meaningful reflection.

• Becoming part of the international cultural record via UNESCO.

• Securing funding for future ICH and living heritage projects once the UK has ratified the convention.

In this regard, charities and organisations may act as facilitators to that end, being one space of direct support between funding allocations and our communities of Gypsy, Romani, Traveller, Showmen and Boater peoples of living heritage, here in the UK.

Please all do think of yourselves as National treasures!

Thank you for your time, and please do find the full text of my talk here at mine and Lisa’s newly-launched Patrin Foundation;

www.patrinfoundation.wordpress.com and also via the ACERT website.

Paper link; https://patrinfoundation.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/acert-conference-2024/

Actions;

*Deadline 29^th February 2024*

Consultation documents can be found here; https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/2003-unesco-convention-for-the-safeguarding-of-the-intangible-cultural-heritage

Round Tables are active now and in the coming weeks;

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ich-in-the-uk-a-round-table-discussion-england-focus-tickets-798663462917

Minority ICH, Thursday 22nd February 10-12pm Thursday 22nd February 10-12pm

Future conferences on ICH;

Heritage Crafts, Culture in the Making, Derby March 16^th 2024