UNESCO lists barkcloth as heritage masterpiece

Dec 13, 2007

THE United Nation Education Scientific and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) in 2005 selected barkcloth as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The director general of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, proclaimed 43 new masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritages of humanity.

By Vision Reporter

THE United Nation Education Scientific and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) in 2005 selected barkcloth as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The director general of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, proclaimed 43 new masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritages of humanity.

This is UNESCO’s third proclamation of masterpieces of the oral and tntangible heritage, an international distinction destined to raise public awareness of the value of this heritage. It includes popular and traditional oral forms of expression, music and dance, rituals and mythologies, knowledge and practices concerning the universe.

Often vulnerable, this heritage, a repository of cultural diversity, is essential to the identity of communities. The UNESCO world heritage list includes 812 properties. The 30-month (October 2006–April 2009) revitalisation project of barkcloth-making in Uganda is spearheaded by Uganda National Commission for UNESCO. The estimated cost is $91.

“Barkcloth makers have been over time marginalised in society and the practice is considered to be for low communities. As a result, only old men are very active in practicing the skill. In this situation, the only way to revamp the interest of the youth and in the trade is to integrate the programmes to train the youth in their school activities,” said Augustine Omare-Okurut, the UNESCO secretary general representative.

He added that it is against this background that this project was implemented into an action plan. “It was submitted to the Candidature File for the revival of the barkcloth making in Uganda.
The activities will range from raising the appreciation, the cultural value of the barkcloth to the selection and the planting of the species to the level of production and commercialisation of barkcloth,” he adds.

The mandate for cultural and artistic expressions falls within the Department of Gender and Culture in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. But the department of Antiquities and Museums in the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry is responsible for the preservation of antiquities.

The two departments with artisans have a joint programme to train the youth and communities on the value of barkcloth.
This will involve the skills of planting, nurturing and proper care of the mutuba tree to be led by National Forest Authority.

The National Curriculum Development Centre will be responsible for developing the curricula, while the Ministry of Education and Sports will ensure its inclusion in the teaching syllabus at tertiary schools.

The Government recognises the importance of culture in the lives of Ugandans and their attachment to their cultural identity.

The pilot project will run for 30 months and will be implemented in the context of the action plan for the revival of the barkcloth-making in Uganda, submitted together with the national candidature file.

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