Publisher International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP (original) (raw)
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Heritage & Society, 2013
This article examines the educational approaches taken by the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Museums Field School in Lamphun, Thailand, organized by the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre (SAC). Since 2009, the Field School, which takes place over a period of two weeks, has brought together fifty-five heritage professionals from throughout South East Asia to learn about intangible cultural heritage and its safeguarding. Through classroom lectures and discussions, participants are introduced to both the practical and theoretical aspects of sustaining intangible cultural heritage. Through in situ, community-based exercises, participants are given an opportunity to apply research tools and approaches that encourage building collaborative relationships with local communities, as well as learning about intangible cultural expressions from the perspectives of their practitioners and within their source environments. The Field School also actively promotes critical reflection on the limits and challenges of implementing the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) mandate as they emerge from the field practicum exercise. Such challenges include issues of representation, power relations, and decision-making within the community-complex issues which are left unaddressed in both the 2003 UNESCO ICH Convention and the 2012 Operational Directives.
Cultural Heritage and Extremism in Pakistan: Re-focusing on the Kalasha of (Chitral) Pakistan
Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 2020
This study attempts to explore, investigate and analyse causes and consequences of the pliability of the cultural heritage of Pakistan which is showing the signs of disappearing on the eve of extremism in Pakistan particularly of the Kalasha by focusing on the Kalasha people. The Kalasha were raided by the Muslims in the 14th century. The demarcation of Durand Line (Pak-Afghan border) in 1893 became their lifeline when they fell to the British Indian government while their tribe fellows at the other side of the Pak-Afghan border in Afghanistan were forcefully converted as a whole in 1896. Somehow, the Kalasha of Pakistan were leading their life according to their dastoor (culture & religion) and then military coup of 1977 brought ill-fate for them under pseudo Islamization of military ruler Gen. Zia-ul-Haq. The Talibanization/extremism suppressed the Kalasha indigenous tribe. The event of 9/11 devastatingly hit the tribe for their faith and their strategic location. As reactions and chain reactions of War on Terror many extremists and terrorist groups mushroomed, especially in tribal agencies and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan recently threatened the Kalasha to convert their faith or to be ready for genocide. The Kalasha people are seeking their survival through their unique identity. They could earn soft image trait for Pakistan, but unfortunately, extremism, terrorism and ill-governance of the state losing it for decades. If the government failed to protect them, we will lose a unique tribe and culture.
Community engagement in archaeology and heritage in Pakistan
Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage, 2022
This special issue is designed to draw attention to community-engaged projects that have been ongoing in Pakistan through archaeology, museums, and heritage work. Although the focus is on contemporary practices, this project is a future-oriented endeavour as it provides an alternative view of what is possible in the archaeology of Pakistan. Given the strength and range of the articles within this collection, I anticipate this journal issue will become a touchstone for many future projects in the region.
Human Organization, 1988
Her affiliation with the MCRC began in 1980, and continued through her dissertation research and preparation. As director of the MCRC. she stresses the need for Tribes to manage their own cultural resources, and works to train Tribal people to accomplish this task. She also works to educate anthropologists about the rights and responsibilities of Tribal people in social science research. Greig W. Arnold was the director of the Makah Cultural and Research Center from 1977 until 1988, when he resigned to pursue other cultural interests. As authors, we have tried to inform individuals outside the Tribal Museum world about the MCRC and its role on the Makah reservation in terms of its cultural resource management function. Tribal museums and cultural centers are forging a new path for Tribal people in relation to social science research and its applications. We think that the time has come for Tribes to assert their rights in regard to research and cultural resource management, and to approach research in a spirit of collegiality, not adversity. Then, it becomes the responsibility of non-Tribal people and groups to meet this challenge.
Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, 2016
The major functions of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations (TIAC), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad include promotion of researches on different disciplines and aspects of both physical and social sciences. Functioning as a research-oriented institution the TIAC is dedicated to academic excellence and high quality of research in various areas, subjects and disciplines. It is an international seat of advanced intellectual learning that illuminates the human minds and broadens the vision. Similarly, the TIAC is also mandated with exploring the ancient history of Pakistan by carrying out archaeological and ethnographical surveys, excavations and researches in different parts of the country. The TIAC envisages extensive scientific research and archaeological field work throughout Pakistan, but it has particularly concentrated on areas, which have not so far been explored for their archaeological wealth. Its academic programme focuses on enrolling students in Masters in Archaeology and MPhil/PhD in Asian Studies. While theoretical education is imparted to these students at the campus, they are frequently and extensively exposed to archaeological activities in the field, which include archaeological surveys, documentations and archaeological excavations at the potential sites of different phases of our hoary past. TIAC has so far conducted archaeological survey and documentation in different areas within its own meager resources, while archaeological excavations have also been conducted at many important archaeological sites and some activities are still continuing. While it is not possible to undertake any major activity, we seek financial assistance from different sources to initiate such academic and research pursuits, with the primary objective to embark on serious primary research along with different aspects of Pakistan archaeology, but at the same time to provide opportunities of hands-on practice to our students. It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction and encouragement that the Higher Education Commission has always generously supported this noble cause and timely extended the much-needed financial support, for which we are grateful to Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman, Higher Education Commission, Islamabad. We are also appreciative to other officers Ms. Ghayoor Fatima and Dr. Tahir Ali Shah of the Commission, who consider our genuine demands sympathetically and thereby contribute to the noble cause. I also take this opportunity to thank the former vice-chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Masoom Yasinzai, who wholeheartedly supported our proposal for archaeological survey and documentation of endangered cultural heritage of Pakistan under Thematic Research Grant (Phase-II) of the Higher Education Commission. The support extended by Prof. Dr. Eatzaz Ahmad during his stint as the Vice Chancellor was equally commendable. I am also grateful to the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Javed Ashraf for his continuous patronage and encouragement for our vital activities. My colleagues Dr. Ghani-ur-Rahman, co-principal investigator and Senior Researcher and Dr. Sadeed Arif, need special mention for their untiring efforts at campus and in the field and ensuring completion of all scheduled activities in time, while at the same time performing many unscheduled activities as well. The support in decipherment of some sellected ṥārada and Tibetan inscriptions by Dr. Mueezuddin Hakal, and compilation of this work by him and the support of Abdul Basit is acknowledged here. The notable contribution in the field by Ms. Rukhsana Said Khan, Mr. Arslan Butt and Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim, PhD Scholars and Research Assistants of the Project and Ms. Sundus Aslam Khan, Sayeda Tahira Azhar, Mr. Abdul Rehman, MPhil Scholars, is highly appreciated. I am sure that they gained much first-hand knowledge and field experience through practical participation in all field activities. By this way, the TIAC has also lived up to its reputation as an excellent research institution. I also expect that the kind of activities that we have undertaken and not being presented in the form of this publication, will encourage other similar institutions as well to carry on the unfulfilled mission of mapping the entire cultural wealth of the country for their protection and preservation. We are also indebted to the following individuals and institutions for their active support during the survey in Azad Jammu and Kashmir: Dr. Mohsin Shakeel, Assistant Professor, Medical college Muzafarabad; Ms. Midhat Akram, Joint Secretary, Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir; Mr. Abdul Ghani, Principal, Dosat High School; Prof. Dr. Khawaja Abd-uroi-Rehman, University of Kotly; and Director General, Department of Tourism and Archaeology, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. I am thankful to Mr. M. H. Khan Khattak, former Director of Archaeology and Visiting Faculty at the TIAC for going through the entire manuscript and making useful additions to this publication. For the thorough revision, proof reading and corrections of the report for the reprint I am highly obliged to Dr. Ghani-ur-Rahman and Dr. Rukhsana Khan and I again thank them for their untiring continuous efforst to make it a better research report.
Sikh Museums as Model of Knowledge Tradition
Historically, collecting, maintaining, and studying the artefacts have been the primary functions of museums. This monograph attempts to analyse crucial role played by advanced Sikh museums in stabilising knowledge and transmitting it to the audience. Sikh Heritage Museum in different cities are playing vital role in conservation of their heritage and traditions. Three Museums are revisited in different cities, Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar, displaying antique weapons, manuscripts and portraits to illustrate Sikh history and culture. Khalsa Heritage Centre-'Virasat-e-Khalsa', Anandpur sahib, Ropar, Punjab, with its 400seater auditorium, permanent exhibition spaces, two-storey library with historical manuscripts from Sikh History and Heritage; Baba Baghel Singh Sikh Heritage Multimedia Museum, New Delhi-emphasizing Sikh principles through artwork, murals, digital screens, multilingual sound. As reported by The Economic Times, Virasat-E-Khalsa has emerged with most foot traffic, over 5000 tourists visiting daily. These museums have connected generations with their history and heritage by expanding their horizon beyond the traditional bounds. Hence, proving useful in imparting knowledge not merely developing as informational sources but as agents of social and economic transformation. This paper also emphasises on creating awareness among suburbs and creating more and more archives and museums to bring all into one-fold of imparting knowledge traditions among us.