Performance and intangible cultural heritage

Can performance, normally thought of as “intangible” and “ephemeral,” be protected and safeguarded? What would that entail? The two questions, which sound straightforward, are extremely complicated, maybe even irresolvable. When Lourdes Arizpe, an eminent Mexican anthropologist who served as Assistant Director-General for Culture for UNESCO (1994-8), and I met in New York in 2000, these were the questions we asked each other. As someone who has worked on multiple international cultural preservation projects, including UNESCO's World Heritage program, Lourdes Arizpe insisted that protecting intangible cultural heritage was vital - just as great works of art must be conserved, she said, cultural expressions of great significance must also be preserved, particularly those that are rapidly disappearing owing to economic and social change. Furthermore, safeguarding ancient or original forms of expressions allows the preservation of unique creativities that give continuity to meanings and loyalties vital to many groups. Some in UNESCO argued that some societies do not have buildings they want to preserve - no Taj Mahals or Auschwitzes or cathedrals - and thus world heritage sites have been disproportionately located in the “First World.” These are signs of cultural power and capital, but underrepresented communities have defining practices and traditions that need crediting and safeguarding. Some are disappearing, while others are changing drastically. Without UNESCO's development of a Convention to Safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage, communities of practice could not make claims for recognition and support. They would be threatened with extinction. That was Arizpe's commitment to the question.