The Heritage Conference in Sharjah reviews Arab experiences in preserving cultural heritage
Sharjah, 8 July / WAM / The sessions of the second day of the third edition of the Heritage Conference organized by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage under the slogan “Oral Traditions in a Changing World: From Live Performance to Digital Media” discussed the reality of oral traditions in a number of Arab countries. They also reviewed specialized research experiences in documenting and preserving intangible cultural heritage, in addition to highlighting the role of digital media in preserving popular memory and transmitting it to future generations in a way that enhances the sustainability of the Arab cultural heritage.
The fifth session, chaired by researcher Mohammed Saeed Al Balushi from Qatar, witnessed the presentation of three scientific papers that addressed various Arab models in preserving oral heritage. Researcher Fatima Al Mansouri reviewed the role of Nabataean poetry in the UAE as an oral record that documented the details of traditional life, especially diving and hunting trips and the associated values, customs, preparations, and stages that begin with preparing for the trip and ending with returning from it, stressing that this poetry contributed to preserving an important aspect of national memory.
She praised the efforts of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul,” in reviving this heritage, especially by supporting the sport of falconry and launching the initiative to return falcons to their original habitats.
Dr. Yahya Lutf Al-Abali addressed the reality of intangible cultural heritage in Yemen, reviewing the most prominent challenges facing efforts to preserve it under the current circumstances, praising the role played by Yemeni tribes and families in protecting and preserving popular heritage and transmitting it to future generations despite the challenges.
Dr. Amani Al-Junaidi from Palestine discussed, via the virtual platform, the experience of documenting Palestinian oral stories and narrations and the importance of preserving this heritage as part of the national and cultural identity.
In the sixth session, which was chaired by Ali Al-Abdan, His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, President of the Institute and Chairman of the Conference, presented a research paper that dealt with mythical creatures in Emirati tales between oral narration and blogging, reviewing the experience of documenting about 37 mythical creatures mentioned in Emirati folklore.
He explained that the study relied on tracing the historical origins of these characters and returning to the environments in which they were famous and linking them to ancient Arab sources, indicating that a number of these creatures have roots in Arabic literature and that the book adopted a research approach supported by illustrations to revive the imagined image of these characters in popular memory.
Dr. Sayed Hamid Hariz also reviewed Sudan’s cultural contributions to the formation of Arab oral traditions, and touched on the transformations witnessed by Sudan that affected its cultural heritage, indicating the history of Sudan and some of the age stages over previous centuries and the social influence that some regions of Sudan witnessed.
Mohammed Saeed Al-Balushi gave a reading of the reality of oral traditions in the State of Qatar in light of social and technological transformations, while Dr. Saif Al-Badwawi discussed the development of geographical place names and their transition from oral circulation to the documented geographical record.
The seventh session was chaired by Aisha Al-Hussan, Director of the Arab Heritage Center at the Heritage Institute, and discussed a number of papers that dealt with oral traditions as a fundamental pillar in preserving intangible cultural heritage. Dr. Ahmed Al-Naqbi reviewed the relationship between oral traditions and intangible cultural heritage, while Noura Al-Kindi discussed the role of oral traditions as a cultural memory that preserves societal identity.
Dr. Adi Ould Adab presented a reading of the Hassani folk proverbs in Mauritania and its neighbourhood, as an incubator of identity, while Maryam Al Mazrouei shed light on the memory of water and the Aflaj systems as a component of environmental and cultural heritage.
The eighth session discussed the challenges facing oral heritage in the digital age, where Dr. Hafsa Abboud presented a study on traditional medicine in northern Morocco under the influence of algorithms, while Dr. Afaf Abdel Hafeez from Sudan discussed digital transformation and the dangers of illegal exploitation of oral heritage, reviewing policies and protection mechanisms.
Fahd Al-Maamari also reviewed models for preserving and preserving intangible cultural heritage and the patterns and forms adopted in preserving this heritage.
The ninth session focused on documenting and archiving intangible cultural heritage, where Khaled Al-Badour reviewed the Emirati experience in archiving heritage and the challenges it faces, while Dr. Wadha Hamdan discussed the relationship between the Emirati artistic experience and oral traditions in light of algorithms. The session concluded with a paper presented by Dr. Mariamah Al-Maliki, which dealt with oral traditions as a system for producing and sustaining intangible cultural heritage.
On the sidelines of its sessions, the conference witnessed the signing of a number of publications specialized in heritage.
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