PICTURE: An unidentified Tsonga/Shangaan boy (squatting) gives Intangible Cultural Heritage
to tourists on how to brew ilala beer called Vucema in Tsonga at Mahenye in Chipinge South
INTANGIBLE Cultural Heritage (ICH) refers to the process of collecting objects, traditions and living expressions that are inherited from ancestors and are passed on to their descendants. The passed traditions include music, dances, theatre, folk stories, rituals, oral traditions, arts and crafts, designs, social practises, traditional knowledge about nature, lifestyle of locals, values, language, religion, traditions, events, surviving skills and food security.
Since 2003 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has been working towards safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at international level. It seeks to consider the importance of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a main spring of cultural diversity and a guarantee of sustainable development.
On this regard, Intangible Cultural Heritage has become one of the richest aspects that communities possess and can pass from generation to generation. While in the past communities used to pass the Intangible Cultural Heritage on social grounds, ICH knowledge can be passed on commercial basis.
One may wonder how. This is possible in this wake of cultural tourism. In cultural tourism circles, culture will be the main motivation for a person’s travel. The tourist will be aiming at experiencing new culture for holiday making or educational purposes. Cultural tourism helps to create employment for host communities and help alleviate poverty.
There are four main categories of cultures: high culture, global culture, sub culture and popular culture. Each cultural category has its sub categories.
Most communities in Zimbabwe and African fall into the sub culture category. This category has cultural values and aspects that are exclusive to their respective societies. Mbira musical instrument is a cultural heritage that identifies Zimbabwe as Samba dance identifies Brazil.
The globilisation of communities can have a negative impact on sub culture communities if due care is not taken. The young generation might shun or dilute their originality in order to match the global trends. But if one considers cultural tourism, s/he would find out that cultural tourists prefer to consume the sub culture in its original form.
Consider the following two example. If a cultural tourist from abroad descends on Tsonga/Shangaan communities in Chiredzi and Chipinge to experience cultural tourism and is served with European dishes instead of food like mopane worms and bull frog dishes and taste traditional brews like ilala wine and maheu, will that make the tourist really enjoy his/her holiday? Will s/he campaign for the country’s cultural tourism to other prospective tourists back in his/her country?
Also, if a domestic tourist travels to Chiredzi to enjoy cultural festivals only to find songs for Xinombela dance being played from a music player like a radio, will the tourist be satisfied that s/he has consumed proper culture?
This explains why Intangible Cultural Heritage should be preserved in its original form in order to continue attracting both domestic and foreign cultural tourists.
A lot of tourism players in the communities around the Great Limpopo Trans Frontier Conservation Areas are striving to keep Intangible Cultural Heritage alive and stirring tourism.
MaChangana Festival that takes place at Mahenye in Chipinge South is striving to keep Tsonga/Shangaan music, dance and food security alive. Traditional dances like Xokoto, Xinombela and Muxongolo headline the gala. Tsonga/Shangaan traditional fishing ceremony called Saila is the main food security attraction.
The Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve has partnered with Kambako Cultural Village in Chiredzi North to give Intangible Cultural Heritage to tourists who chose the conservancy for holiday making.
The Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair held at Boli Muhlanguleni in Chiredzi South is protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage for Tsonga/Shangaan communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Cultural procession, music, dance, food and traditional attire headline the festival. The multi-cultural village at Boli Muhlanguleni offers undiluted African life to tourists.
Intangible Cultural Heritage is really key to tourism.