Culture preservation in rural communities

Naledi Sande Arts Reporter —
Rural communities have been tasked to identify and collect data on elements of intangible cultural heritage from their areas with the aim of safeguarding the country’s culture.

Speaking at the National Intangible Heritage Committee meeting yesterday, Minister of Rural Development, Promotion and preservation of National Culture and Heritage, Abednico Ncube, said awareness-raising and capacity-building workshops have so far been done in rural Chiweshe, Chiredzi and Mberengwa to equip communities with knowledge on cultural heritage preservation.

“Let us ensure that ICH committees cascade down from national to districts, villages and wards so that the people document their indigenous knowledge, medicines, different culinary skills, songs and dances, folk tales and that which gives identity, ubuntu and ownership. We should involve our rural communities and traditional leadership,” said Ncube.

“The government is committed through my ministry to ensure that the best practices are adopted to promote, protect and preserve our intangible cultural heritage.”

Another initiative intangible cultural heritage preservation is the listing of the mbira instrument and mbira playing elements which was recently done at Dzimbanhete Arts Interactions Centre in Zvimba district.

“Let us take the mbira and its elements to nomination level. Let us also involve other SADC mbira playing nations like Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe to join hands with Zimbabwe in submitting a multi-national file for nomination to UNESCO.

“I urge you to assist our communities to get empowered and to access international funding from UNESCO so that they can safeguard our heritage and own the processes and the products.”

Ncube challenged the committee to extend awareness-raising of the 2003 UNESCO convention to all corners of the country. The ICH committee comprises members from universities and culture and heritage organisations.

The meeting also witnessed the nomination of Bridget Chinouriri as the new Vice Chairperson of ICH committee.