Name
|
Region
|
Country
|
Year
|
Session
|
Description
|
Ref(s)
|
Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars)
|
Village of Semezhava in the
Minsk Region
|
Belarus
|
2009
|
4.COM 14.01
|
Rite of the Kalyady Tsars is a celebration that occurs during the Belarusian
New Year. The event involves the performance of the folk drama
Tsar Maximilian, a religious drama about Maximilian, the
pagan
tsar, and Afolf, his son. Children are chosen to perform as the characters dzad and babam, or old man and old lady. Each year, the celebration draws in around five hundred men, who take part by performing as
tsars for families that have unwed daughters. Interest in the event is waning among the youth of the region, leading to concerns by UNESCO that the heritage will be lost.
|
[18]
[19]
|
Bistritsa Babi, archaic
polyphony, dances and rituals from the
Shoplouk region
|
Shoplouk region, the village of
Bistritsa for polyphonic singing
|
Bulgaria
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
Three traditions of the
Shopi people of Bulgaria have been inscribed by UNESCO. The first is
polyphony, a form of singing that consists of multiple
voices combined and sung simultaneously. Participants form a circle and dance as the choir sings. Polyphony is still practiced by the
Bistritsa Babi, a term for the old women of the region. The other inscribed elements are lazarouvane, a springtime ritual for girls entering into adulthood, and the horo dance, a form of folk
round dance that is performed as a communal dance.
|
[20]
[21][
failed verification]
|
Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and
Helena in the village of Bulgari
|
Village of Bulgari in the region of
Mount Strandzha
|
Bulgaria
|
2009
|
4.COM 13.05
|
Nestinarstvo is a ritual where participants dance barefoot on embers, similar to
fire walking. It is practiced as part of the Panagyr celebration, in honour of the Saints Constantine and Helena. The villagers dance as musicians play
bagpipes and drums. The fire dancers, the Nestinari, perform vicariously as they channel the saints. The celebration remains a popular tourist attraction in the village. In the past, the ritual was more widespread, and was practiced in other villages in Bulgaria and nearby Greece.
|
[22]
[23]
|
Falconry, a living human heritage
|
Multiple
[nb 2]
|
Czech Republic
[nb 2]
|
2010
|
5.COM 6.45
|
Falconry involves the use of trained
birds of prey for
hunting. It is also practiced recreationally, as a sport. Falconry is widespread around the world, and is seen in a diverse range of cultures. UNESCO has inscribed falconry as a shared intangible heritage element of eleven countries, including the Czech Republic.
|
[24]
|
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech Republic
|
Villages of Vlčno and Skoronice and towns of
Kunovice and
Hluk in the southeastern region of the Czech Republic
|
Czech Republic
|
2011
|
6.COM 13.13
|
The Ride of the Kings takes place during the Pentecost celebration, a festivity in honour of the
Holy Spirit. According to tradition, the ride commemorates
Saint Wenceslaus as he, wearing a disguise, makes his escape. Lasting two days, the participants of the Ride parade on horses adorned with decorations. Central to the Ride is the King, a role performed by a boy in women's clothing, ten to twelve years old, blindfolded with ribbons and holding a rose with his teeth.
|
[25]
[26]
|
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the
Hlinecko area
|
Town of
Hlinsko and the surrounding region, known as
Hlinecko, in Eastern
Bohemia
|
Czech Republic
|
2010
|
6.COM 6.11
|
Shrovetide festivities occur before
Lent, and were restricted in the past by the
Communist government and the
Catholic Church. Participants of the
carnival celebrate by wearing colourful masks. Traveling in a parade, they visit the homes of villagers to dance for them. A mare is treated as a
scapegoat and given a mock execution in a ritual involving dancing and alcohol.
|
[27]
|
Slovácko
Verbuňk, recruit dances
|
South Moravia and
Zlín regions
|
Czech Republic
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
Slovácko
Verbuňk is a folk dance. Originating in the 18th century, the dance was traditionally performed by young men drafted as
Austrian army recruits. The dance was both celebratory and a symbol of dissent. Practiced by recruits, it was named verbŭnk, based on the German word for recruitment, werbung. The men dance, performing one of many regional variations, as musicians play songs known as
New Hungarian.
|
[28]
[29]
|
Handmade production of Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beads
|
Poniklá and the
Giant Mountains area
|
Czech Republic
|
2020
|
15.COM
|
Handmade production of
Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beads refers to handmade Christmas tree decorations that are produced by blowing a heated glass tube inserted in a brass mould shaped into a string of beads called klaustschata and silvered, coloured and hand decorated. The string of beads is then cut into shorter or individual beads, which are threaded onto wires, thus forming ornaments of many forms. Considered as a key cultural element of the Giant and
Jizera Mountains regions in North Bohemia, where blown glass beads have been produced since the late eighteenth century, the traditional craft is specialized and technically demanding.
|
[30]
|
Busó festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival custom
|
Town of
Mohács in the southern region of Hungary, near the
Danube river
|
Hungary
|
2009
|
4.COM 13.42
|
Busójárás is a six-day-long festival that occurs in honour of the arrival of spring, and is of Croatian origin. Participants dress up in costumes and wear masks, sailing through the
Danube river before parading through the city. This is done, based on traditional accounts, to commemorate the chasing away of Turks during the
Ottoman rule of Hungary. Other events include feasting, costume competitions, displays of carved masks, and playing instruments.
|
[31]
[32]
[33]
|
Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage
|
National
|
Hungary
|
2011
|
6.COM 9.8
|
Táncház is a Hungarian folk dance. UNESCO has inscribed the methods in which the dance is taught. Knowledge of the dance is passed down from older generations, and personal innovation and wide participation are encouraged. Táncház, which means "dance house," is derived from
Transylvanian customs. The popularity of the dance grew in the 1970s, as part of a wider renewal of folk traditions.
|
[34]
[35]
|
Nativity scene tradition
|
City of
Kraków
|
Poland
|
2018
|
13.COM
|
"The Nativity Scene (szopka) tradition in Krakow is a social practice originating from
Christmas celebration customs, centred around constructing cribs. Born in the nineteenth century, the tradition is indissolubly connected to the City of Krakow and based on skills and knowledge passed down for generations."
|
[36]
|
Tree beekeeping culture
|
Shared with Belarus
|
Poland
|
2020
|
15.COM
|
"Tree
beekeeping culture includes knowledge, skills, practices, traditions, rituals and beliefs connected to wild bees breeding in tree
hives or log hives located in forest areas. Tree beekeepers take care of bees in a special way by trying to recreate the primeval living conditions in tree hives without interfering with the natural life cycle of the bees. Tree beekeepers have no goal of intensifying
honey production, which is one of the features that differentiates them from
beekeepers. Tree beekeeping therefore requires advanced skills and knowledge of traditional methods and tools."
|
[37]
|
Falconry, a living human heritage
|
Multiple
|
Poland
|
2021
|
16.COM
|
"Falconry is the traditional art and practice of training and flying
falcons (and sometimes
eagles,
hawks,
buzzards and other
birds of prey). It has been practised for over 4000 years. The practice of falconry in early and
medieval periods of history is documented in many parts of the world. Originally a means of obtaining food, falconry has acquired other values over time and has been integrated into communities as a social and recreational practice and as a way of connecting with nature."
|
[38]
|
Flower carpets tradition for
Corpus Christi processions
|
Towns of
Spycimierz,
Klucz,
Olszowa,
Zalesie Śląskie and
Zimna Wódka
|
Poland
|
2021
|
16.COM
|
"The tradition of arranging flower carpets is inherently linked to the feast of Corpus Christi in Poland. For the feast, which typically involves a
mass followed by a joyful procession from the church to the streets, families in several villages use flowers to arrange colourful and symbolic carpets on the route of the procession, usually on the road section in front of their homes. The flower carpets cover the road running from the church through the village and can reach almost two kilometres in length. The flowers used are picked from the surrounding fields or from family gardens."
|
[39]
|
Timber rafting
|
Multiple
|
Poland
|
2022
|
17. COM
|
"Timber rafting in
Austria,
Czech Republic,
Germany,
Latvia,
Poland and
Spain originated in the
Middle Ages, when rafts were used to transport wood, goods and people using natural water flows. In the past, rafters traveling to remote destinations spent weeks living and working together on their raft. As a result, a community sharing the knowledge, skills, techniques and values of making and navigating timber rafts emerged. The tradition has been cultivated for generations and remains strong thanks to continuous
oral communication, observation and participation, including through youth camps, local schools, festivals and workshops."
|
[40]
|
Polonaise, traditional Polish dance
|
National
|
Poland
|
2023
|
18.COM
|
"The polonaise is a joyful Polish group dance, which can be enacted by a few to even several hundreds of pairs marching in procession, following a trajectory proposed by the first pair. As it is widely present in
Polish culture, general awareness of the dance and its social meanings are increased by literature, music and film. A form of joint celebration, the polonaise commemorates important moments in family and community life and symbolizes cooperation, reconciliation and equality."
|
[41]
|
Căluş ritual
|
Olt County of southern Romania and regions in Bulgaria and Serbia inhabited by
Vlachs
|
Romania
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
The
Căluşari, a fraternal group, perform an annual group dance, the Căluş, as a ritual. The dance may have origins as a
fertility rite, and a 17th-century written account is the earliest attestation of its performance. The participants carry wooden stick and wear a costume covered with bells, and dance while the musicians play with the
accordion and the
violin. Special hats and a bearded mask are also worn.
|
[42]
[43]
|
Doina
|
National
|
Romania
|
2009
|
4.COM 13.69
|
Doina is a form of Romanian folk music, characterized by a free meter and heavy ornamentation. Songs in the style explore various themes, and are performed individually, sometimes with an instrument. The different regional types of doina are diverse, each with distinct characteristics and known by a different local name.
|
[44]
[45]
|
Cultural space and oral culture of the
Semeiskie
|
Transbaikal region, east or "beyond"
Lake Baikal, in
Siberia
|
Russia
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
The Semeiskie migrated to
Transbaikal region because of religious persecution. They are
Old Believers, a religious group that split from the
Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century during the
raskol schism. UNESCO inscribed the community's "cultural space," located east of
Lake Baikal, and the group's tradition of musical performances. Until the 20th century, the Semeiskie lived isolated, separated from the surrounding population.
|
[46]
[47]
|
Olonkho, Yakut heroic epos
|
Sakha Republic in the
Russian Far East region
|
Russia
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
The
olonkho is an
epic performed by the Yakuts consisting of ten to fifteen thousand verses. It describes the cosmological beliefs of the Yakuts, including a
creation myth, and the gods and legends of the region's indigenous religion. Modern events and themes are also integrated into the performance. The epic is transmitted within the family, and is used as a form of educational recreation.
|
[48]
[49]
|
Fujara and its music
|
Central Slovakia
|
Slovakia
|
2008
|
3.COM
|
The fujara is a shepherd's flute originating from central Slovakia. The instrument is long, and consists of a
mouthpiece and three
tone holes on the main tube. The flutes are made of wood from
elder trees or
maple trees. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the popularity of the flute spread beyond shepherds. It is still performed during celebrations and by folk music groups.
|
[50]
[51]
|
Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk art
|
Village of
Petrykivka, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
|
Ukraine
|
2013
|
8.COM
|
|
[52]
|
Cossack’s songs of Dnipropetrovsk Region
|
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
|
Ukraine
|
2016
|
11.COM
|
|
[53]
|
Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics
|
City of
Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
|
Ukraine
|
2019
|
14.COM
|
|
[54]
|
Ornek, Crimean Tartar design elements
|
Crimea
|
Ukraine
|
2021
|
16.COM
|
|
|