Cultural heritage includes the intangible characteristics – expressions, traditions, beliefs and languages – of a community. It provides a sense of identity and continuity and contributes to people’s wellbeing.
It also includes tangible artifacts and landscapes that reflect a culture. These can be a source of pride and inspiration for communities.
What is it?
Cultural heritage is the set of physical and intangible attributes (art, architecture, building, townscapes, archaeological sites and natural landscapes) that define a community. It is the set of traditions and values that people use to organize their lives, a common history, a sense of belonging.
Tangible cultural heritage includes art, drawings, paintings and prints, sculptures, buildings and monuments, historic districts and archaeological sites of outstanding universal value from the points of view of archaeology, aesthetics, ethnology and anthropology. It also includes the cultural landscapes and waterscapes of cities and towns, heritage canals and heritage routes.
Intangible cultural heritage includes oral histories, performing arts, social practices, traditional craftsmanship and representations, rituals, knowledge and skills that are transmitted from generation to generation within a community. It may include a dizzying array of traditions, music and dances such as tango and flamenco, holy processions and carnivals, falconry, Viennese coffee house culture, Azerbaijani carpet weaving traditions, Chinese shadow puppetry, Kabuki theatre and the polyphonic singing of the Aka of Central Africa.
What is it worth?
Cultural heritage is a precious legacy that reflects shared humanity. It contributes to social cohesion, enhances tourism and fosters a sense of identity among people. It is therefore important to preserve this heritage for future generations.
However, there are many challenges that threaten the preservation of cultural heritage. These include the lack of legal protection, inadequate conservation practices, natural disasters, anthropogenic factors and unsustainable development.
The value of a cultural heritage site, building or artifact is determined by its intrinsic, instrumental and relational values. The latter refers to the underlying social and/or ecological value of the object. Intangible cultural heritage can also be considered of great value, as it includes a variety of traditions and knowledge passed from one generation to the next.
How do we protect it?
There are several ways that individuals can help to protect heritage. One way is to support governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations that work on the front lines of protecting cultural property, especially during conflict and disasters.
Another way is to uphold best practices when visiting cultural sites and museums, not removing or damaging in situ objects or exhibits. This is an essential part of maintaining the value and meaning that we place on cultural heritage.
Illicit trafficking of artifacts and the pillaging of archaeological sites are also threats to cultural heritage. The Smithsonian supports a number of initiatives to combat these criminal activities and educate the public. Finally, individuals can also become vocal advocates of cultural preservation by interfacing with governmental and non-governmental agencies on behalf of heritage. This can be done through attendance at conferences and workshops on the topic, through membership, or even by donating funds to these agencies. This is similar to the ecological concept of sustainability, where individuals can help promote a healthier environment for future generations.
How can we learn from it?
In the same way that we think of sustainability in terms of our environment, cultural heritage looks at sustainable ways to protect the legacy of the past for future generations. It’s preservation can help us all feel more connected to each other, and to the world around us.
It can inspire students, and can connect them with their heritage in a way that helps them find their place in the world. It can also help them to understand more about the cultures of their peers, whether that be the culture they are a part of, or the ones they are curious about.
Students will also learn about the threats that cultural heritage faces, and how they can work to help keep it safe for everyone. It will help them to feel empowered to stand up for the history of their own communities, and will make them more likely to want to protect it. They will feel the need to ensure that monuments and natural cultural heritage continue to be preserved for the next generation, just as it has been for them.