Paper Short Abstract:

Lithuania's National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage began in 2017, with ten cultural practices from the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor included between 2019 and 2023. This presentation analyzes how these once-closed traditions become part of the public, accessible cultural heritage and how this shift impacts their cultural meaning. It examines the transformation of traditions into heritage, the loss of local control, and the growing influence of cultural heritage authorities and external forces like tourism and festivals.

Paper Abstract:

Lithuania's National Register of Values of Intangible Cultural Heritage began operating in 2017. From 2019 to 2023, 10 cultural objects from the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor (Western part of Lithuania) were included in the National Register of Values of ICH.

This presentation analyzes how the cultural practices of the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor, which were once considered closed traditions, are now becoming part of the open and publicly accessible ICH. Drawing on Owe Ronström's concept of "tradition as a closed space" and "heritage as an open space", the presentation examines how including these traditions in the register of ICH alters their status and cultural meaning.

Contemporary folklore practices integrated into the heritage discourse are no longer exclusively preserved by ethnic communities. Instead, they are transformed into public cultural values that are accessible not only to local communities but also to tourists, festival visitors, and researchers.

This presentation addresses the ongoing transformation of traditions into heritage in Minor Lithuania, reflecting on the broader shift from exclusive community-controlled traditions to publicly accessible intangible cultural heritage. Exploring the impacts of ICH registration highlights how the institutionalization of cultural heritage shifts the power to define authenticity and control over traditions from local communities to cultural heritage authorities and funding bodies. The presentation will reflect on the consequences for local communities, especially their role in reconstructing and adapting traditions to meet the demands of festivals, tourism, and cultural promotion.