Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) or what some call “Living Heritage” encompasses many traditions, practices and customs. These include the family events we celebrate, our community gatherings, the languages we speak, the songs we sing, knowledge of our natural spaces, our healing traditions, the foods we eat, our holidays, beliefs and cultural practices.
Specific examples of our intangible traditions include—among many other customs, skills and practices—the Christmas mummering traditions, and boat building skills. Our ICH can also include Aboriginal languages and cultural knowledge, our various regional dialects, and the expressive culture, values and beliefs of the diverse cultural groups of Newfoundland and Labrador. Many of us play music; some of us know about fishing grounds or berry picking spots; others know about curing illnesses; some of us play cards or skateboard.
It is not only inherited “old” traditions which comprise ICH but also the contemporary rural and urban customs and traditions practiced by our diverse cultural groups and incorporated into contemporary expression.
Our communities value these everyday traditions, which are learned by doing. They are passed along not only over time from generation to generation, but also shared between groups across space.
