Asia
China: 2001 Kunqu Opera
India: 2001 Kathiyadam Sanskrit Drama
Uzbekistan: 2001 Cultural Spaces in the Boonson District
Japan: 2001 Noh Drama and Rhapsody
Korea: 2001 Royal Ancestral Ceremony of the Jongmyo and Music of the Shrine
Philippines: 2001 Hadhad Chants of the Ifugao People
Europe
Georgia: 2001 Georgian Polyphonic Chanting
Lithuania: 2001 Crucifixion Crafts and their Symbolization in Lithuania
Spain: 2001 The Mystery Plays of Elche
Italy: 2001 Sicilian Puppetry
Russia: 2001 The Semeskiy Oral Culture
South America
Belize City: 2001 Galifuna Language, Dance, and Music
Ecuador and Peru: 2001 The Oral Heritage of the Zapela People and the Cultural Phenomena
Bolivia: 2001 Oruro Carnival
Africa
Benin: 2001 Oral Tradition of the Jeled
The Dominican Republic: 2001 Oral Tradition of the Holy Spirit Hand of Vila? Cultural space of the Holy Spirit's brotherhood in Mylakangos
Ivory Coast: 2001 Horn music of the Tabana people
Morocco: 2001 Cultural space in the square of djamaa el-fna
Guinea: 2001 Cultural space of the Niagasso "Soussou Bara".
Kunqu - China Kunqu is one of the oldest and most influential types of Chinese theater. Kunqu is performed in many parts of China. An opera usually consists of at least 24 folds, including solos, complex main and secondary story lines, and subjects involving people or gods. Kunqu is performed by a cast of 12 actors through gestures, stances, fighting moves, acrobatics, and some programmed dancing and singing, accompanied by orchestral and percussion instruments for chanting and acting. Kunqu originated from the operas of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), and after the founding of New China in 1949, the government opened training academies and research institutes for traditional theater and music. These were suppressed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), and in the early 1980s the Ministry of Culture mobilized all surviving kunqu performers and actors from other genres to devote themselves to performance, creation, and the resumption of their acting careers. Generations of newcomers were then nurtured. Threats: Lack of a unified and fixed performance form, and only sporadic performances on stage since 1990. Conservation Programs: The Academy has begun to focus on collecting editions, photographs, audio and video recordings of kunqu scripts. The government plans to support six existing kunqu theaters, training for new students, revival of rare plays, and organization of various programs.
Kathiyadam Sanskrit Drama - India Kathiyadam Sanskrit Drama is a form of sacred theater derived from the temple dramas of the period between the 12th and 17th centuries. Sanskrit drama consists of elaborate rituals, sets, orchestras and stage props. The torches that symbolize sanctity, the holy stage, the actors who are pure of heart, and the solemn and sacred performances show the religious origins of Sanskrit drama. Kathiyadam Sanskrit theater performances have been handed down from generation to generation in the chakyar, nambiar and nangiar tribes of Kerala. The preservation of Sanskrit drama is so important: for Kerala, the Malayalam dialect is in dire need of preservation; for the whole of South India, the Dravidian culture of Sanskrit drama lives on through the ages; for India, it is a national treasure. Threat: Kathiyadam Sanskrit theater is in danger of fading away due to lack of financial support. In addition, fewer and fewer chakyar families are making a living by performing Sanskrit theater, with only 5 out of 18 families continuing the profession. Conservation plan: It is proposed to establish an archive and resource library of Kathiyadam Sanskrit theater. Plans include organizing training workshops, making props and costumes and other related supplies, training ambassadors for the show, and calling for two more traditional theaters for Sanskrit performances.
Cultural space in the Boonsonton region - Uzbekistan The Boonston region, located from the plains of Asia Minor to India, is one of the oldest inhabited regions in the world, and still preserves ancient cultures and religions such as Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Islam. Many of the traditional rituals associated with the seasons and the family still exist, and the people celebrate festivals with songs, dances and music. They ask for rain by placing a muppet in a river and sucking it full of water, a ritual that comes from Zoroastrianism. Other customs that have survived include weddings, funerals and exorcisms to cure illnesses. Threats: Soviet-era cultural policies ignored the traditional arts of Boonson. Conservation programs: Local organizations are collecting and organizing folk traditions. Folklorists, musicologists and ethnographers will work on these threatened traditions. Music and songs will be reproduced in publications, concerts and festivals.
Noh theater and rakugo - Japan The creation of noh theater and rakugo can be traced back to the 8th century, with subsequent developments incorporating a variety of artistic expressions such as acrobatics, song, dance and burlesque. Today, it has become Japan's premier traditional theater. The play consists of traditional literature, masks, costumes, props and dance. There are two types: Noh theater and kyogen. In "Noh plays" supernatural heroes are transformed into human beings to tell stories. Masks are used to represent ghosts, women, children and the elderly. "Rhapsody" is performed with comic dialog, and the script is written in the language of the Middle Ages. Threats: Young people are not interested in ancient theater. Preservation Programs: Since 1957, when they were listed as Intangible Heritage, Noh plays and kyogen and their artists have been given the protection they deserve. The Japanese government provides financial support to train theater actors. A whole program to document the ancient theater is in preparation.
Royal Ancestor Ceremony and Shrine Music at JONGMYO Jongmyo Jongmyo - South Korea The Royal Confucian Shrine hosts unique performances of songs, dances, music, and other performances due to the fact that it is dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty. Every first Sunday in May, the descendants of the royal family organize an ancestor festival. This typical clan temple festival is based on traditional Chinese classics, and through ancestor worship and acts of filial piety it is hoped that the souls of the ancestors will rest in eternal peace. Costumed religious priests wear crowns to represent the royal family, and ceremonial food and wine are set out in sacred vessels. Gongs, bells, pipas, sitars, flutes, and 64 dances represent yin and yang, and one of the dances, the mumnu, represents the battle between the kings and shows the power of yin and yang. Threats: Modernization has caused the population to lose interest in the rituals and traditional music of the temple. Conservation program: The ritual and music have been placed on the National Intangible Heritage Conservation List, and legislation was enacted in 1982 to protect cultural heritage and traditional artists. A training program to increase the number of ritual performing artists is forthcoming. The Committee for the Revival of Traditional Rituals has been supported in its historical research, and the National Center for Korean Traditional Drama and the National Conservatory of Music have begun joint research on the restoration of traditional costumes, related items, song sheets, and musical instruments.
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There's a lot more to see for yourself. I can be lazy,! -_-