Cultural Heritage: Definition, Characteristics and Examples in Latin America

The cultural heritage it is the tangible and intangible heritage of a town or community that has been bequeathed to be conserved and transmitted to the following generations. It includes beliefs, knowledge, artistic expressions, norms and values, social practices, traditions and customs, places, objects and any other expression of culture.

Through the cultural heritage is expressed and represents the historical process of formation and life of a people, because it is the visible and tangible synthesis of the elements that characterize it. Heritage or cultural heritage reproduces elements associated with the way of life, the value system, beliefs and traditions of a people.

Through this legacy the regional or national identity and the sense of belonging to a people are reinforced. Since it is the product and expression of human creativity, the cultural heritage is transmitted, recreated and modified. It passes from generation to generation and can be destroyed if it is not known how to appreciate and preserve its cultural and historical value.

Definition and concept

The cultural heritage is the set of physical elements and intangible attributes that represent a people or society, which have been acquired by social inheritance of the ancestors. This heritage includes tangible cultural elements represented in buildings and monuments, objects and works of art.

These elements are also represented in books and other literary creations, musical instruments, costumes, gastronomy, etc. Likewise, there are elements of an intangible nature, such as folklore, traditions, language and knowledge of different kinds.

Cultural heritage is a good that has value for the people; for this reason it is a heritage that is appreciated, preserved and transmitted.

Classification

The cultural heritage or cultural heritage is classified as:

Tangible cultural heritage or material

It is composed of all movable and immovable property made by the ancestors of a town.

Movable property

They are composed of paintings, books, manuscripts, sculptures, coins, manuscript costumes, etc.

Property

They cover historical sites (churches, cemeteries and tombs, monuments) and archaeological sites.

Underwater cultural heritage

In this category are the submerged cities and the ruins of civilizations, along with the wrecks and everything that is under water and has a cultural or historical value.

Intangible and intangible cultural heritage

This type of inheritance constitutes the intellectual heritage of a people and gives it its social physiognomy, making it unique. Here are represented traditions, literature, gastronomy, scientific and architectural knowledge, philosophy, music, dance, religion, rites and patterns of social behavior.

It encloses the knowledge, traditions and beliefs (legends, sayings, stories) of a community, which are a set of knowledge and daily ways of life. Through the cultural heritage, ways of thinking and being that have been transmitted orally or in writing are evoked.

Popular and traditional celebrations are also part of the cultural heritage and include dance, music, theater and other manifestations, added to popular knowledge that is expressed through crafts, gastronomy and other expressions.

This category includes the symbolic places of a town: fairs, markets, squares and other spaces where there is manifestation of unique social practices.

characteristics

- It has a social character; that is, it is done by and for society. It is appreciated and enjoyed by the community.

- Its importance lies not only in the cultural manifestation itself, but in the historical heritage value that it contains. The knowledge and techniques that are transmitted through it are very valuable.

- It is traditional and contemporary at the same time. It shows distinctive or peculiar features of a specific society.

- It is original and has the ability to modify or recreate from its own characteristics, along with the rhythm of the cultural evolution of the community. Therefore, an ancestral rite can be a living heritage recreated at any time.

- Due to its didactic nature, the cultural heritage must serve the purpose of teaching and learning about the past of a community.

- It serves as an integrating element and contributes to reinforce the cultural identity.

- It is representative, it is transmitted from one generation to another and is based on the social activity of that community.

- The cultural heritage can be destroyed if its value and historical-cultural significance is not preserved so that it lasts over time, whether it is a monument or a tradition.

Examples of cultural heritage in Latin America

The dancing devils of Yare, Venezuela

It is a religious festival celebrated during Corpus Christi in the town of San Francisco de Yare, Miranda state, Venezuela. Its organization and execution corresponds to the Societies of the Most Holy, which is the oldest brotherhood of the entire American continent. Its origin dates back to about 300 years old.

The dancing devils of Yare were declared by the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Cartagena Colombia

In the city of Cartagena there is a set of fortifications containing the cathedral, castles and Andalusian style palaces, as well as old colonial houses.

During the viceroyalty of Santafé, it was one of the most important cities in South America. All the precious metals that went to Spain passed through there.

City and National Park of Palenque, Mexico

This pre-Hispanic city is located in the state of Chiapas and is part of the Palenque National Park. In this archaeological zone one of the most sacred sites of the Mayan culture is kept.

90% of its territory remains unexplored and in this one you can observe pyramids, stone sculptures and hieroglyphics. It is one of the best preserved ruins in Mexico and the world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Tikal National Park, Guatemala

They are dazzling Mayan ruins conformed by some 3000 structures, between palaces, temples and altars and temples. They are in the middle of the Petén jungle and were discovered in 1848.

It is the largest archaeological site in America excavated so far. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.

Rituals of the jaguar shamans of Yuruparí

The shamans of Yuruparí represent the ethnic heritage of the peoples who settled on the banks of the Pirá Parana River, located in southeastern Colombia. They have a rich and diverse calendar of ceremonial rituals.

These rituals include the healing of the sick, the prevention of diseases and the revitalization of nature, among others. Their dances and songs are part of the ritual with which they manage to create a unique atmosphere. They were inscribed as Intangible Heritage by UNESCO in 2011.

Cave of the hands, Argentina

It was made by the ancestors of the Argentines in Patagonia. In this cave one of the oldest artistic manifestations of the pre-Hispanic peoples of South America is represented. Here lived hunter and gatherer peoples who lived between 13,000 and 9,500 years ago.

The cave exhibits hands, geometric figures, figures of cats and hunting scenes painted with mineral pigments. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999.

References

1. Intangible Heritage. Consulted from unesco.org
2. Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Living Culture of Peoples. Consulted by academic.oup.com
3. Basic characteristics of a cultural heritage asset. Consulted of patrimoniointeligente.com
4. Intangible cultural heritage in Latin America and The Carribbean (PDF). Consulted from unesdoc.unesco.org
5. Cultural heritage. Consulted by ecured.cu
6. Cultural heritage in Latin America. Consulted by aarp.org
7. What is the intangible cultural heritage? Consulted by ich.unesco.org
8. Material and intangible heritage. Consulted by sc.jalisco.gob.mx
9. The 9 intangible assets that Colombia gives to humanity. Consulted of matadornetwork.com