Tag Archives: oral traditions

In celebration of UNESCO’s International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) on 17 October, RILM presents a selective annotated bibliography from over 1,000 writings highlighting influential scholarly writings on the subject. Spanning topics from cultural politics and policy to preservation strategies and research methodologies, the selection underscores the global impact of ICH practices on musical traditions–particularly through efforts to rescue, preserve, and perform them. ICH has increasingly been used in music studies to describe the nonmaterial aspects of cultural traditions that are passed down through music, dance, oral traditions, and rituals. According to UNESCO, ICH encompasses “the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills–as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith–that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.” Communities across the globe recognize living heritage as a core part of their cultural identity, continuously recreated in response to their environment and historical context.

Examples of ICH include oral traditions (languages, folklore, storytelling), performing arts (music, dance, theater, puppetry), social practices, and rituals (festivals, religious ceremonies, rites of passage), traditional craftsmanship, and knowledge systems related to nature or cosmology. ICH is not limited to inherited traditions; it also encompasses contemporary cultural expressions in both rural and urban settings. These practices foster a sense of identity and continuity, support social cohesion, and contribute to sustainable development and economic resilience, ensuring their transmission to future generations.

In the field of music studies, ICH underscores the significance of preserving and documenting musical traditions that are transmitted orally or through performance rather than written or recorded forms. These traditions encompass folk music, traditional song structures, and distinctive musical techniques rooted in local cultural contexts. Recognizing its growing relevance, RILM adopted ICH as an indexing headword in 2022, using the term to index the preservation of nonmaterial cultural phenomena, aligning with UNESCO’s definition. RILM now uses ICH to index performing arts traditions across various countries and to document practices related to conservation, restoration, cultural policy, festivals, language, and thematic areas such as collective memory and cultural sustainability.

This selective annotated bibliography reflects the intersection of ICH imperatives within RILM’s mission to document, safeguard, and preserve the world’s knowledge about all musical traditions, and to make this knowledge accessible to research and performance communities worldwide via digital collections and advanced tools. RILM’s collections include the music scholarship of all countries, in all languages, and across all disciplinary and cultural boundaries, thereby fostering research in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.

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Miguel Molina, Blanca de, et al., ed. Music as intangible cultural heritage: Economic, cultural and social identity (Cham: Springer, 2021). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2021-13178]

Abstract: Offers an interdisciplinary perspective and presents various case studies on music as intangible cultural heritage, highlighting the importance and functionality of music to stimulate social innovation and entrepreneurship. To understand the relationship between immaterial and material uses and inherent cultural landscapes, this volume analyzes the symbolic, political, and economic dimensions of music. The case studies highlight the continuity and current functionality of these artistic forms of expression as well as their lively and changing character in continuous transformation.

You, Ziying. Folk literati, contested tradition, and heritage in contemporary China: Incense is kept burning (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2020). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2020-59339]

Abstract: Explores the role of folk literati in shaping, preserving, and negotiating local cultural heritage. Building on the concept of the elite literati—a well-documented pre-modern Chinese social class influential in cultural production—the research defines folk literati as individuals proficient in classical Chinese, deeply familiar with local traditions, and capable of articulating them through writing. These figures serve as custodians of cultural continuity, a notion locally expressed through the vernacular phrase, “incense is kept burning.” Centered on several villages in Hongtong county, Shanxi province, the study employs oral interviews, participant observation, and textual analysis to reveal how folk literati sustain traditional practices and perpetuate stigmatized beliefs within their communities. The research highlights the contributions of eight folk literati who have actively reinterpreted and negotiated worship traditions surrounding the ancient sage-kings Yao and Shun, along with Ehuang and Nüying–Yao’s daughters and Shun’s wives. Their complex interpersonal dynamics have influenced the evolution of local myths, legends, and historical narratives, shaping the preservation of tradition in meaningful ways. These practices are examined within the broader framework of Chinese cultural policy and UNESCO’s ICH program, illustrating how global and national discourses intersect with grassroots efforts to maintain and redefine living heritage.

Qi, Yi, ed. Xiaogu chunshe: Jing Jin Ji yinyue lei feiwuzhi wenhua yichan jicheng—Xiongxian juan. Xiaogu chunshe: Jing Jin Ji yinyue lei feiwuzhi wenhua yichan jicheng (Baoding: Hebei Daxue Chubanshe/Hebei University Press; Shijiazhuang: Fangyuan Dianzi Yinxiang Chubanshe, 2020). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2020-68880]

Abstract: The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region boasts a rich array of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), with numerous musical traditions listed on the national ICH registry. Since 2015, a collaborative team of scholars from Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei has undertaken comprehensive ethnomusicological fieldwork, focusing on the documentation of the region’s musical ICH in Xiong county, Hebei province. Their research, grounded in principles of authenticity, thoroughness, and systematic documentation, covers a wide range of traditional musical forms. This includes folk instrumental ensembles like yinyuehui, nanyuehui, shifanhui, chaozihui, and chuidahui; quyi traditions such as Hebei bangzi, pingju, jingju, and local genres like shangsidiao and yunchehui; as well as traditions like xihe dagu and traditional song-and-dance forms including gaoqiao, yangge, wulong, and wushi. Their extensive collection of performance videos, vocal renditions, ritual documentation, interviews, and images of musicians, instruments, scores, and props–alongside written materials–offers a vivid snapshot of traditional music in contemporary folk life. Drawing on this first-hand fieldwork, the scholars have organized their findings into research papers and field notes, supplemented by documentary sources. These materials collectively present a true representation of traditional music, shedding light on its significant artistic and cultural value.

Akagawa, Natsuko and Laurajane Smith. Safeguarding intangible heritage: Practices and politics (Abingdon: Routledge, 2018).  [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2018-57263]

Abstract: The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage came into force in 2006 (after the 2003 Convention), framing the international and national practices and policies associated with intangible cultural heritage. These practices and policies are critically examined, providing an accessible account of the different ways in which intangible cultural heritage has been defined and managed in both national and international contexts. The concept and practices of safeguarding are complicated and often contested, and there is a need for international debate about the meaning, nature, and value of heritage and what it means to safeguard it. A significant cross section of ideas and practices is provided by some of the key academics and practitioners working in the area, whose areas of expertise span anthropology, law, heritage studies, linguistics, archaeology, museum studies, folklore, architecture, Indigenous studies, and history. An overarching analysis of international policy and practice critically frames case studies analyzing practices from a range of countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand, Taiwan, the U.K., and Zimbabwe.

Broclain, Elsa, Benoît Haug, and Pénélope Patrix, eds. Transposition: Musique et sciences sociales VIII (2019): Musique: Patrimoine immatériel? [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2019-24678]

French Abstract: La musique occupe une place de choix au sein du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel (PCI) de l’humanité tel que le répertorie l’UNESCO depuis sa Convention de sauvegarde de 2003. Plus largement, au-delà des Nations-Unies, le « patrimoine immatériel » semble être devenu le paradigme dominant dans les actions de patrimonialisation et de valorisation des pratiques musicales à l’échelle internationale. Devant l’ampleur de ce phénomène, il s’agit d’engager une approche transnationale et comparative des rapports entre musique et « patrimoine immatériel ». En s’intéressant aux façons dont cette notion (et/ou l’appareil patrimonial qui l’accompagne) est mise en oeuvre, reformulée ou contestée sur le terrain, et à ses interactions avec d’autres catégories et modalités d’action en usage, ce numéro de Transposition propose donc de se demander: que fait le PCI à la musique et, inversement, que fait la musique au PCI? La majorité des études réunies ici s’intéressent à des pratiques inscrites sur les listes de l’UNESCO, qui font l’objet de programmes de sauvegarde entamés depuis plusieurs années déjà. Ces situations « post-patrimoniales » y sont examinées dans leur diversité. D’autres articles nous plongent dans le vif du montage d’un dossier d’inscription, et s’interrogent sur les difficultés et les possibles conséquences de la mise en patrimoine d’une pratique musicale. Certaines des pratiques étudiées ne sont pas candidates auprès de l’UNESCO, mais sont inscrites dans des régimes de patrimonialisation locaux qui reprennent les désignations et certains modes d’action et outils afférents au PCI. Enfin, la voix est donnée à des actions de patrimonialisation distinctes ou contestataires. La singularité de la musique au sein du PCI s’esquisse alors sur trois axes principaux: celui de l’« immatérialité » de la musique prise dans ces processus de patrimonialisation ; celui des rapports spécifiques qui s’y articulent entre musique, politique et territoire, notamment au regard de pratiques subalternes ; enfin, celui du caractère performatif des constructions patrimoniales en jeu, saisies comme des fictions opératoires.

English abstract: Music holds a key place in the intangible cultural heritage of humanity as inventoried by UNESCO since its 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH. More broadly, beyond the United Nations, intangible heritage seems to have become the dominant paradigm in processes of heritage making and the recognition of music practices at the international level. Given the vast scope of this phenomenon, the aim here is to initiate a transnational, comparative approach to the relations between music and intangible heritage. Looking at the ways in which this notion–or the heritage apparatus that comes with it–is implemented, reformulated or contested in the field, and at its interactions with other categories and modes of action in use, we are invited to ask: what does ICH do to music and, conversely, what does music do to ICH? Most of the case studies here address the practices inscribed on the UNESCO lists, which are the subject of safeguarding programs already in effect for some years. These “post-heritage” contexts are analyzed in their diversity, while other discussions delve into the complexities of preparing ICH applications, revealing the challenges and implications of formalizing musical traditions as heritage. Some practices, though not UNESCO-listed, engage with local heritage-making systems that adopt ICH terminology and tools. Additionally, the study highlights alternative heritage-making efforts, including those used as forms of protest or resistance. The unique position of music in ICH can be summed up in three recurring themes: the intangibility of music caught up in these heritage-making processes; the specific intersections between music, power dynamics, and territory in this context, particularly regarding subaltern practices; and the performative nature of the heritage constructions at play, conceived as operative fictions.

Meeker, Lauren. Sounding out heritage: Cultural politics and the social practice of quan họ folk song in northern Vietnam. Southeast Asia: Politics, meaning, memory (Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2013). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2013-10998]

Abstract: Explores the cultural politics that have shaped the recent history and evolving practice of quan họ, a distinctive style of folk song originating in Bắc Ninh province, northern Vietnam. Tracing its transformation over the past 60 years–from a village-based tradition to a professionalized performance art–the research offers a richly contextualized ethnographic account of the quan họ soundscape. By weaving together analyses of folk music, cultural nationalism, and heritage discourse, it reveals how quan họ has been redefined through shifting social practices and institutional recognition. Village practitioners–ordinary individuals who sang quan họ for personal and communal enjoyment–have had to navigate growing external attention and their designation as “living treasures”. Meanwhile, professional performers, with distinct styles and representational approaches, have been integrated into the quan họ landscape to promote Bắc Ninh’s cultural identity on a national stage. The study highlights the nuanced politics of rescuing, preserving, and performing folk music, demonstrating how traditions can be consciously reframed as heritage and elevated to national icon status. Quan họ’s inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 further complicated the dynamic between village and professional expressions, raising critical questions about authority, representation, and authenticity in international heritage discourse. Ultimately, this research illustrates how cultural politics shape the meanings and practices of quan họ, showing that a tradition may carry multiple significances for different communities.

Norton, Barley and Naomi Matsumoto, eds. Music as heritage: Historical and ethnographic perspectives. SOAS musicology (Abingdon: Routledge, 2019). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2019-714]

Abstract: As economic, technological, and cultural change gathers pace across the world, issues of music heritage and sustainability have become ever more pressing. Discourse on intangible cultural heritage has developed in complex ways in recent years, and musical practices have been transformed by safeguarding agendas. Taking stock of these transformations, new ethnographic and historical perspectives are brought together to bear on encounters with music heritage. The cultural politics, ethics, and audiovisual representation of music heritage; the methods and consequences of music transmission across national borders; and the perennial issues of revival, change and innovation are evaluated. UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage provides an essential reference point for studies of music heritage. However, there are also important spheres of musical activity that lie outside of UNESCO’s reach and the reasons why some repertoires of music are chosen for safeguarding while others are not. Some practices of art music in Europe explored here have received little attention despite being susceptible to endangerment. Developing a comparative framework that cuts across genre distinctions and disciplinary boundaries, the study explores how music cultures are being affected by heritage discourse and the impact of international and national policies on grassroots music practices.

Pätzold, Uwe U. “Turutlah ilmu padi: Semakin berisi semakin merunduk”–Über den “Reifungsprozess” des traditionellen Pencak Silat zum neuem Bestandteil des UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage-Weltkulturerbes”, KITA: Das Magazin der Deutsch-Indonesischen Gesellschaft II/3 (2020) 173–184. [RILM Abstracts of Music of Literature, 2020-67353]

German Abstract: Am 12. Dezember 2019 wurden sowohl die „Traditions of Pencak Silat“ (Tradisi Pencak Silat) Indonesiens als auch das “Silat Malaysia” (Seni Persilatan Melayu) in die „Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” (ICH)-Programm der UNESCO aufgenommen. Der Bericht zeigt, mit einem Fokus auf den indonesischen Antrag, detailliert auf wie es hierzu kam, welche Erfordernisse, Wünsche, Hoffnungen, Ideen, Initiativen, Reflektionen und Verantwortlichkeiten seitens der Träger in den jeweiligen indonesischen Kulturen mit der schließlichen Anerkennung seitens der UNESCO einhergehen, und welche Bedeutung diese Anerkennung für alle Beteiligten haben kann. Der Autor hat diesen Prozess als passiver Beobachter seit 2014 begleitet.

English Abstract: On 12 December 2019, Indonesia’s traditions of pencak silat and silat were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The process leading to this recognition is explored, focusing on Indonesia’s application and the various aspects involved–such as the requirements, hopes, ideas, initiatives, reflections, and responsibilities of the cultural stakeholders. This culminated in UNESCO’s acknowledgment of pencak silat as a vital part of Indonesia’s intangible cultural heritage. The significance of this recognition is highlighted, not only for the communities directly involved but also for the broader cultural landscape of Indonesia.

Planke, Terje, Anne Kristin Moe, and Thomas Michael Walle, eds. By og bygd 47 (2018): Immateriell kulturarv på museum. [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2018-52212]

Abstract: Explores how Norwegian museums engage with intangible cultural heritage, particularly in traditional music and dance. Historically, museums have been closely tied to the preservation of tangible cultural materials, yet they now play a growing role in safeguarding intangible heritage as well. The impact of the UNESCO 2003 Convention’s introduction of the concept of intangible cultural heritage on museum practices in Norway is discussed. While there are no definitive criteria for determining which cultural expressions should be protected, the notion of heritage increasingly emphasizes intergenerational transmission. The case studies also highlight a linguistic complication: the term “intangible” has been translated into Norwegian as “immaterial”, creating a problematic dichotomy. Cultural expressions, though not always physically fixed, possess form and substance; objects and crafts often embody ideas and knowledge. In this sense, the museum’s evolving role in protecting and educating differs from its previous focus on preserving and conserving. By repositioning practitioners as custodians of cultural competence, the 2003 Convention marks a significant shift in the museum’s authority. It is no longer assumed that expertise resides solely within the institution, even though many museums have long collaborated with skilled culture bearers.

Roda, Jessica. “Des Judéo-espagnols à la machine unesquienne: Enjeux et défis de la patrimonialisation musicale”, Cahiers d’ethnomusicologie XXIV (2011) 123–141. [RILM Abstracts of Music of Literature, 2011-25833]

French abstract: À travers l’expérience d’une « participation observante » au sein de la section du Patrimoine culturel immatériel (PCI) au siège de l’Unesco à Paris, cet article vise à saisir les enjeux éthiques de cette nouvelle machine patrimoniale institutionnelle qui fait tant couler d’encre. Les débats et les discussions qui animent le processus autour de la liste représentative de la Convention de 2003 pour la sauvegarde du PCI sont mis en exergue, en prenant à témoin la première réunion de l’Organe subsidiaire qui a eu lieu en mai 2009. Plusieurs tensions et paradoxes de l’entreprise patrimoniale émergent, notamment les controverses autour de la notion de patrimoine, l’utilitarisme de la culture, et l’évidente modification du statut des pratiques culturelles qui acquièrent le label UNESCO.

English abstract: Draws on participant observation within the intangible cultural heritage sector at UNESCO headquarters in Paris to examine the ethical complexities of an increasingly prominent institutional patrimonial framework. Anchored in the deliberations surrounding the Representative List established by the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the research focuses particularly on the inaugural meeting of the subsidiary committee held in May 2009. Through this vantage point, the study reveals the tensions and contradictions embedded in the patrimonialization process–highlighting debates over the definition of heritage, the instrumentalization of culture, and the transformative impact of UNESCO recognition on the status and meaning of cultural practices.

Howard, Keith D. ed. Music as intangible cultural heritage: Policy, ideology, and practice in the preservation of East Asian traditions. SOAS musicology series (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2012-6417]

Abstract: Examines the policy frameworks, ideological underpinnings, and practical approaches to the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in East Asia. For the first time, Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan—pioneering states in legislating and institutionalizing Indigenous traditions—are analyzed collectively. The growing urgency to safeguard ICH, amplified by increasing UNESCO involvement, reflects a regional response to the perceived erosion of cultural diversity driven by globalization, modernization, urbanization, and mass media proliferation. The research offers a foundational overview of state-level policies and practices related to musical ICH in each country, complemented by a series of ethnographically grounded case studies. These include traditions ranging from Confucian ritual and Kam big song to the Okinawan sanshin, illustrating how policy implementation has shaped musical heritage. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, the case studies present both insider and outsider perspectives, critically engaging with the intersections of policy, ideology, and practice.

Hafstein, Valdimar Tr. Making intangible heritage: El condor pasa and other stories from UNESCO (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2018). [RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2018-54282]

Abstract: Recounts the development of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Convention through the lived experiences of a folklorist and official delegate, offering an ethnographic perspective that moves beyond formal narratives. It reveals the institutional dynamics of UNESCO, the evolving concept of ICH, and their global implications. In addition to accounts of compromise and solidarity, the research exposes the behind-the-scenes diplomacy—alliances forged and dissolved, moments of confrontation and resistance—that shaped both the 2003 Convention and the conceptual framework of intangible heritage. The study explores the internal narratives circulating within UNESCO about the origins of ICH, examining how these stories construct coherence, highlight contrasts, and serve as guiding frameworks for action at both international and local levels. By viewing UNESCO through an ethnographic lens, the research demonstrates how folklore concepts migrate beyond academia, influencing global policy and reshaping how communities understand and enact their cultural practices. Case studies range from the Jemaa el-Fna marketplace in Marrakech to the Ise shrine in Japan, illustrating the multifaceted outcomes of safeguarding intangible heritage. These include the creation of heritage lists, the revitalization of festivals, the emergence of new community identities, and the orchestration of cultural difference in contemporary societies. The study critically engages with both the positive and problematic outcomes of heritage-making, offering a nuanced account of how global frameworks intersect with local societies.