|
Cultural mapping
Cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations such as monuments and objects that have been preserved over time. This notion also encompasses living expressions and the traditions that countless groups and communities worldwide have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their descendants in most cases orally. As previously highlighted in our past editions, the Cultural Mapping program was initiated to safeguard the iTaukei culture and tradition. In perspective, it targets a specific strand of culture that many refer to as the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). This particular aspect of culture exists within each cultural group in intangible forms and is expressed in interesting artistic and sometimes peculiar ways.
The transmission of this knowledge is of major concern considering the advent of modernization and rising trend of rural to urban migration. ICH exists in various forms and the passing away of custodians and practitioners, and attraction to the more popular mass culture gave rise to ongoing concern that ICH can be forgotten or lost. The question that arose from this concern is; what are we going to do? At the international level as encapsulated in the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the establishment of National Inventories and nomination of ICH elements to be inscribed in UNESCO ICH representative and urgent safeguarding list as safeguarding measures. Other international regimes such as the Convention for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are supportive of this notion and promote related activities that ensure safeguarding or protection of indigenous ICH. Cultural Mapping therefore is Fiji’s efforts to facilitate documentation of iTaukei traditional knowledge and cultural expressions which has been proved to be critical in the safeguarding of this important entity.
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php
Networking
The institute given the technicality involved in its process is keeping a close tab on its commitment with its external partners. This includes regional and international associates who have seen the importance of work being carried out and have pledged support in various means and forms. Support comes in the form of capacity building exercises and provision of technical assistance and funding for various projects within the institute.
Regional partners include the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) the Melanesian Spearhead Group secretariat, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, whilst sub-regional partners includes the Japanese Research Institute and the Asia Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) of Japan, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia Pacific (ICHCAP) of Korea. International partners include the trade arm of the European Union (EU), TradeCom. TradeCom is currently facilitating funding for the consultant who is responsible for the drafting of the Policy and Decree on Traditional Knowledge & Expressions of Culture (TK&EC). Another notable partner is the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) who has been instrumental in various initiatives that will see the finalization of the TK&EC Policy and Decree. WIPO has also expressed interests in entering into a bilateral arrangement with Fiji to ensure timely completion of consultations on the TK&EC Policy and Decree before final endorsement by cabinet.
The first draft of TK&EC Policy is complete and has been circulated to relevant parties for their perusal and comments. Parties include government departments, non-governmental organizations, regional and international partners. As the secretariat, the institute has so far received comments and invitations to make representations on the said decree which is envisioned to have positive impacts on custodians, practitioners, and resource owners upon endorsement and implementation. In addition, the institute is working closely with the Department of Environment to look at linkages between Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity.
Click
here to return to top
|
QUICK LINKS 
