When most people think of cultural heritage, they often picture artifacts and historical monuments. However, the concept of cultural heritage actually encompasses a wider range of things.
It includes both tangible and intangible heritage. Tangible heritage comprises buildings, sites and monuments and intangible heritage includes traditions, values and beliefs.
UNESCO defines cultural heritage as “the material and spiritual traces that transmit the cultural features of a community”. This includes monuments, town sites, archaeological sites, and works of art.
Cultural Property
With tangible cultural property becoming a frequent target of intentional destruction and pillage during recent armed conflicts, academic scrutiny of the rules of international humanitarian law governing its protection has been growing. An existing comprehensive framework of normative and institutional mechanisms exists for this purpose, although maximizing their impact remains a daunting challenge.
The broad definition of ‘cultural property’ in the 1954 Hague Convention, for example, covers not only museums and other institutions but also private bodies and individuals holding works of art or archaeological objects; but it excludes natural heritage and land. A more specialized legal meaning is also used to include buildings and sites of historic interest as well as intangible cultural heritage such as traditions, representations and expressions, knowledge and skills that communities, groups or individuals recognize as their own.
Institutional arrangements for the protection of cultural property exist, both governmental and nongovernmental, worldwide. These are often supervisory or advisory in nature, based on treaty-based statutory governing bodies, but they may also be rooted in domestic arrangements.
Cultural Sites
Cultural heritage sites include historic buildings and towns, archaeological sites and works of art. They may also include natural monuments and landscapes. Historically, when people have created their cultural heritage, they have attached values to the objects they have selected for preservation. The resulting collection of objects is then passed on to future generations.
Cultural sites and traditions help define identity and give one a sense of belonging. They preserve historical narratives, enabling us to learn from the past and avoid repeating mistakes. They are also a testament to humanity’s diversity and encourage respect for different cultures and traditions.
Many cultural heritage sites are endangered. They are often destroyed during wars and civil conflicts, or damaged by natural disasters. They are also vulnerable to neglect and the illicit trade. Many governments do not have effective protections in place for their cultural heritage. Federico Lenzerini, a law professor at the University of Siena, says that cultural property is often overlooked because people do not understand its value or feel that it does not belong in the hands of their government.
Cultural Traditions
Cultural heritage includes both tangible and intangible elements of a culture. The tangible elements include works of art, monuments and buildings, historical sites, archaeological remains, and other material traces. The intangible elements of a culture include traditions, customs, social practices, and beliefs.
Often, cultural traditions involve the transmission of artistic expressions and aesthetic values from one generation to another. This may take place through festivals, parades, and other cultural celebrations that showcase a wide array of artistic traditions and styles. Artistic traditions also play an important role in religious and spiritual rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations.
The concept of cultural heritage also involves the transfer of knowledge and skills between members of a community through apprenticeships and other forms of learning. Cultural exchange and collaboration encourage creativity, innovation, and revitalization of artistic traditions. However, people should be aware of the risk of importing harmful or negative cultural traditions and beliefs. They should be courageous and let go of any traditions or beliefs that don’t align with their truth.
Cultural Identity
A person’s culture is a core component of their identity and provides a sense of belonging. It influences their values, beliefs, and behaviors and provides a window into the past. Cultural heritage is also a source of inspiration and creativity.
Individuals engage with a wide variety of cultural elements, including cultural property, traditions, and symbols, which are continually reinterpreted in response to changing social circumstances. This dynamic process is referred to as cultural change.
Cultural heritage is transmitted and preserved not only through personal memory, but by various media that extend the capacities of human cognition and communication. Institutionalized collectives, such as nation-states, hold significant power in shaping and transmitting cultural heritage through their control of distribution channels.
It’s important to have a clear understanding of what cultural heritage and identity are, so that they can be properly protected. But, it’s also OK to let go of negative or harmful traditions and beliefs if they don’t align with your own personal truth.