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- Convenor:
-
Lourdes Arizpe
(National University of Mexico)
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- Track:
- The World of the Mind and the Mind in the World
- Location:
- University Place 2.218
- Sessions:
- Wednesday 7 August, -, -
Time zone: Europe/London
Short Abstract:
Intangible cultural heritage is an optimal site to allow researchers and practitioners to examine the role of memory and aesthetics in fostering both individual self-hood as well as unity in a collective commons; and the contrasts of diversity and choice that foster innovation.
Long Abstract:
Given the changes in the frontiers of the human experience due to genetics, neurological and technological advances, in the coming years, people will conduct an infinite number of experiments in ways of being human and, at the same time, "living together" to create a sustainable world. Anthropology must be central in participating and fostering a new understanding of such experiments by linking ideas and practices about the past with cultural practices in the present leading to the future. Intangible cultural heritage is an optimal site for engaging in this endeavour by allowing researchers and practitioners to examine the role of memory and aesthetics in fostering both individual self-hood as well as unity in a collective commons; and the contrasts of diversity and choice that foster innovation
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Wednesday 7 August, 2013, -Paper short abstract:
Re-living cultural heritage in ways that create new meanings and social networking possibilities may contribute to a greater resilience among culture practitioners and stakeholders in developing future identities.
Paper long abstract:
n the past decades anthropology has focused, rightly, in registering and working with cultural practitioners to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage. In the present context of uprooted and deterritorialized cultural migrants who come together in plural social and cultural settings, greater attention must be given to the development of forms of identity which coalesce into new cultural narratives. Re-living cultural heritage in ways that create such new meanings and social networking possibilities may contribute to a greater resilience among culture practitioners and stakeholders in developing future identities.
Paper short abstract:
The paper analyzes the role of Intangible Cultural Heritage in creating mechanisms for emotional regulation within communities, in developing collective mechanisms of coping and resilience; and in achieving forms of integration for the neurodiversity of human groups.
Paper long abstract:
The paper will analyze how practices, representations and expressions of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) play an important role in creating mechanisms for emotional regulation within communities. It will also address the role of ICH in developing collective mechanisms of coping and resilience and in achieving different forms of integration for the neurodiversity of each human group.
Cultural beliefs, values and practices shape social behavior in profound ways, and, at the same time, neurobiological substrates (genetic and cognitive processes) influence the emergence and transmission of cultural traits. Several aspects of human cognition have been shown to be strongly influenced by sociocultural practices, including the representation of self-hood, language processes, emotions , time perception and decision-making. A contemporary challenge for anthropologists, neuroscientists and social cognitive neuroscientists is to understand the core mechanisms in the human brain that facilitate complex social behavior.
Paper short abstract:
The aim of the study is to understand the symbolism on Naga handloom and its significance through understanding the way of textiles being made, the purposes of using , the varieties and names of the textile, the meanings of symbols, inter culture interpretation of symbols and changing patterns.
Paper long abstract:
The culture is a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which people communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes towards life (Clifford Geertz, 1973).The anthropological study of symbolism developed in the 1960s to investigate what symbols stand for and the processes by which meaning is attributed to them. Turner saw symbols and symbolic action as the important means by which societies maintained solidarity.
The aim of the study is to understand the symbolism on Naga handloom and its significance through understanding the way of textiles being made, the purposes of using , the varieties and names of the textile, the meanings of symbols, inter culture interpretation of symbols and changing patterns.
Five major tribes i.e., Angami, Ao, Lotha, Sema and Chakhesang have been studied. The area under study was in Kohima, Phek and Dimapur districts of Nagaland.
The Nagaland handlooms are reputed for their production of colourful and high textured woven clothes. The motifs and designs differ according to the tribes preparing it. The symbols on the textiles are the animal figures, arms and armor, currency, human head, geometrical patterns, star, moon, sun, goat's hair, cowries, beads and colours.
The rich tradition of textiles weaving incorporates a variety of patterns or motifs to show socio-cultural identity, social status, education, tribe and clan differences, tribal belonging, migration routes and wealth.
Paper short abstract:
Globally recognizing the nomination of cultural items on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list necessitates reworking culture, identity and community in a glocal context. The consequence is that the long-standing concepts of culture, identity and community themselves have been challenged.
Paper long abstract:
In my presentation, I will examine the joint efforts of local people in Korea and Japan to invent and/or redefine the culture of female fisher-divers known as haenyeo (Korea) and ama (Japan), in preparation for the nomination of this activity for inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Analyzing these movements in the glocal context, as examples of both globalization and localization, it becomes apparent that they are illustrative of how culture, identity and community are constantly produced and reproduced in response to the ever-changing world. While these movements may be considered simply as reflecting an interest in redefining local culture, identity and community within the framework of a globally-recognized organization such as UNESCO, the deeper, broader and socio-cultural implications of the movements are much more visible when considering them from the glocal point of view. We can see, for example, that the movements represent continuous efforts to define and redefine culture, identity and community over time; moreover, they highlight a shift in conceptualizing culture, identity and community themselves, from monolithic (one country, one culture) concepts to pluralistic, multi-sited ones comprising local and global networks.
Paper short abstract:
Seven-day Memorial Ceremony is a common folk funeral custom in China, implying the symbol “+”. It has been promoted to the public ceremony of national level to create a new way to the social links to provide all the citizens from various religions to participate in it.
Paper long abstract:
The Seven-day Memorial Ceremony is to pledge the resurrection of the dead at cycles of seven days in Chinese folks. It has been promoted to public ceremony of national level since Wenchuan earthquake in 2008.
Seven is a figure of life in ancient China. For example, Nuwa, a god in Chinese, created the world in seven days, and the female reproductive cycle is marked by seven years. Large amount of ritual items were unearthed in ancient ruins in Sichuan and Tarim basins.
The marvel of figure seven is originated from Big Dipper, which consists of seven stars.
12 earthly stems divide whole sky into 12 zones, called zodiac coordinates, with the rotation of Big Dipper which looks like a spoon. Bronze tree No1 in Sanxingdui and the Sun Bird in Jinsha which both located in Sichuan Basin showed this coordinates.
The seventh stem of 12 earthly stems, which is Noon, symbolizes sexual intercourse and origin of life in ancient Chinese legends. The symbols "X" in Sanxingdui, the oracle "+" in Yin Ruins, the bronze crucifix in Jinsha, and § in pictures of Fuxi and Nvwa who were considered as primitive ancestors, are all pictographic symbols and prototypes of figure seven.The painting Qingming Shanghetu (Ascending the River at Qingming Festival) also described the folk custom of erecting crucifixes on memorial day of Qingming Festival.
All above shows that figure seven is the most living heritage of the mankind in China as the figure of life and the invisible crucifix.