Digitizing ICH Recordings

On-site inspection of ICH analog materials at Kosrae Historic Preservation Office, FSM (2019) © ICHCAP

Today, we live in a digital age where a single-finger touch leads us to see at a glance the time and memory of the past. The rapid changes in the recording media brought about by this technological development, however, may have degenerated valuable analogue data and information from the previous era into obsolete artifacts. Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) records are no exception. Many of the older ICH analog materials that are not adapted to a highly electronic environment face a serious risk of damage. In line with this, ICHCAP has been implementing a project called “Digitizing ICH Records” that aims to cover important areas of restorative digitization such as understanding the status of analog audio-visual data related to intangible heritage, restoration, management, utilization, and information dissemination.

Main Activities

  • Selection of partner organization
  • On-site inspection of ICH analog recordings and technical advice
  • Restoration and digitization of ICH analog materials
  • Production of Promotional Digitized Record Set

Target

  • Forty-Eight Asia-Pacific Member States with ICH analog audio-visual materials

Partner Organizations

Member State Organization
Mongolia The Institute of Language and Literature in Mongolia
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands National Museum
Vietnam The Vietnam Institute of Musicology
Uzbekistan The Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Sri Lanka Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Sri Lanka
Philippines The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines
India The Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology
Nepal Music Museum of Nepal
Fiji The Fiji Museum
FSM The Yap State Historic Preservation Office
FSM Kosrae Historic Preservation Office

Outcomes

Member State Audiovisual Collection Link
Mongolia Sounds from Mongolian Grasslands view
Vietnam Cultural Sounds: The Spirit of Vietnam view
Uzbekistan Melodies from Uzbekistan view
Philippines Pagdaloy, Flow of Life view
India Music, Songs and Stories: Archival Selections from India view
Nepal Precious Drops from Nepal’s Fountain of Folk Music view
Fiji Our Cultural Expressions: Indigenous Soul of FIJI view
FSM Yapese Intangible Cultural Heritage: History, Legends, Myths, and Performing Arts of the Federated States of Micronesia view
FSM Kosrae (FSM) ICH: Local Food, Canoe Building,
Weaving and Local House
view