posted by admin on Dec 13
Just like the UNESCO Heritage Sites are saved for future generations - now the Tango will live on too!
Since 2001 the United Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have been recognizing living traditions that cannot always be held or preserved physically such as dancing and certain rituals as worth preserving for the future.
These intangible heritages are vital for family groups across the world. The knowledge of these acts is passed down from family to family; father to son and mother to daughter.
They represent a part of the community, a part of their lifestyle that just cannot be simply copied by others - it needs to be felt. And how can someone know what to feel, if they have not learnt from someone who already knows.
What Else Is Worth Saving?
Such things already on the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) include China’s Dragon Boat Festival, Lace Making in Croatia and the Indonesian Batik. There are many other virtually unheard of traditions, festivals, musical and dance related events from around the world that are vitally important to those countries, and those communities, no matter how large or small they are.
The UNESCO listings offer documents, photographic slideshows and video footage of all these events in action, to show readers why it is so important to preserve. And it’s not just the actions that make them unique, it’s the history, the meaning and the passion that brings them alive they are literally embodied by the participants.
What Can You Do?
So, what UNESCO hopes to do, is to make sure that they work with communities and countries to ensure that maximum participation is encouraged to ensure that these traditions are learnt for generations to come. They need to keep an interest in these cultures - not just for the people themselves, but for visitors from across the world to enjoy.
What better way to learn the Tango than from an Argentinian Dancer actually living in Argentina?
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