The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia announced that a traditional treasure from Međimurje, Folksong from Međimurje and Art of dry stone walling (knowledge and techniques) are in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Heritage. A decision was made at the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage on Wednesday, 28 November 2018, held in Port Louis, Mauritius.
Folksong from Međimurje is an inevitable part of today’s traditional culture of the Međimurje County and a favorite and recognizable musical and traditional sign of Croatian identity, which attracts attention even beyond state borders.
It is performed by individuals and groups, men and women, in vocal, vocal-instrumental, instrumental, monophonic and multipart renditions, as a musical genre or incorporated into the dance. According to the age of the verses and the metric structure of the melody, the songs can be grouped in the old and the newer pieces, and by style and motive-themed features on the epic and lyrical songs. This lively musical tradition is an important factor in social intercourse and part of the family and friendly gatherings of Međimurje County.
Art of dry stone walling is the art of making stone structures without the use of a binder. It refers to masonry with minimal or unworkable stone, and as a wider term it can include the laying of stone pavements and coverings, then the construction of engineered structures with cast stone without the use of a binder. It is a characteristic product of the drywall construction that appears in various shapes throughout the entire Adriatic-Dinaric karst space and is strongly characterized by its landscape, and a characteristic product of smaller objects of a different purpose.
One of the aims of listing the intangible heritage is to encourage the implementation of programs for the protection and preservation of various traditional knowledge and skills through workshops, educational and extracurricular programs, research, international cooperation, and other activities.
By the end of 2018 more than 160 intangible cultural goods were registered in the Register of Cultural Property of the Republic of Croatia and with these new cultural goods, The Republic of Croatia has a total of 17 cultural goods on UNESCO’s list. This remarkable success has been achieved through the long-term cooperation of the Ministry of Culture, the Croatian Commission for UNESCO and Croatian experts from various scientific and professional institutions and the local community.
In case you’re interested, here is a List of World Heritage sites in Croatia.
