Intangible heritage

What is intangible heritage?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines intangible cultural heritage as:

‘the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.'

It can be expressed in the following ways:

• Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage
• Performing arts
• Social practices, rituals and festive events
• Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and
• Traditional craftsmanship.

Examples of intangible heritage in Victoria

There are many examples of intangible cultural heritage relevant to Australia.

Indigenous intangible cultural heritage includes creation stories, cultural values, rituals and celebrations that have been passed down through generations.

For further information on Indigenous heritage, contact Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

Other intangible cultural heritage can be specific to a community or cultural group while others permeate across our shared experience.

Although the shared heritage is modern in comparison to other cultures, here are some examples which resonate with our community;

• Cultural festivals and events in Victoria which can be specific to a cultural group e.g Chinese New Year
  
• Moomba parade
• Agricultural shows in regional and rural areas in Victoria
  
• The ritual of attending sporting events such as Australian Rules football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Sorry Day - 26 May each year - is when Australia acknowledges the hurt caused by the forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families, community and culture by governments and missionaries. Sorry Day is an annual event, with marches, speeches and presentations being held through the country.
• ANZAC Day - 25 April each year - is when Australia remembers the sacrifice made by those who have died in war. The Commemoration Ritual is at the heart of all remembrance ceremonies and follows a sequence of spoken word, bugle calls and a minute of silence.

Our activities on intangible heritage

We recognise the significant contribution our shared intangible cultural heritage makes to places and objects on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Our heritage strategy, Victoria’s Heritage: Strengthening our communities identifies ways to broaden recognition of Victoria’s cultural heritage.

Two of its key directions are ‘to recognise the richness and diversity of Victoria’s cultural and natural heritage’ and ‘to tell Victoria’s stories to the community and visitors’. These offer opportunities for us to recognise and record the stories, celebrations and communities that contribute to our relationship with, and understanding of, the places and objects that are of significance to our collective heritage.

We help promote and celebrate intangible cultural heritage through a number of projects funded by the Strategy. Some examples are:

• Koorie Heritage Trust’s oral history collection

• The Chinese Museum’s podcast walking tour around Melbourne's Chinatown

• The Inglewood community’s oral history project to capture memories of the local eucalyptus distillery in its heyday.

Resources

For further information on intangible cultural heritage, visit:

• UNESCO Intangible Heritage

• Aboriginal Affairs Victoria
  
• Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts approach to preserving indigenous languages