This research is concerned with the 2003 UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage, which allows the inscription of activities such as performing arts, skills and traditions into the UNESCO world cultural heritage lists.
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The 2003 UNESCO Convention and their Stance
One practice potentially worthy of consideration for such recognition is Raqs sharqi (‘oriental dance’ in Arabic; a style of belly dance), originating in Egypt in the 1920s and now practiced worldwide.
Egyptian Raqs sharqi, in this thesis, is examined in a way that centralizes the question of how such forms of heritage are embodied and transmitted by people (within and across cultures) via their practices, experiences, and traditions.
The aim is to identify the cultural heritage characteristics of Egyptian Raqs sharqi and evaluate if it can be considered heritage and how it locates itself within the field of ICH.
Introducing Egyptian Raqs Sharqi
In pursuing this aim, this thesis explores the challenges involved in safeguarding Egyptian Raqs sharqi as transcultural, living, and embodied heritage, whilst critically examining the suitability of separating cultural heritage into tangible and intangible forms.
A multidisciplinary, dialogical, and holistic framework for dance/heritage is constructed, connecting dance theory, philosophically influenced sociology (particularly the non-dualistic theories of Merleau-Ponty, Bourdieu, and Giddens) and cultural heritage studies.
An ethnochoreological approach and a qualitative methodology are adopted, analyzing formal aspects of dance (including movements and artefacts) and its socio-cultural context, using: analysis of online videos of dance and textual sources; online ethnography and one-to-one interviews.
The result is a reconstruction of Egyptian Raqs sharqi history and the current discourse around it.
Transculturality of Dance & Holistic Dimension
What emerges is a holistic, ever-evolving phenomenon that develops through the interaction of transculturality, tangible and intangible elements, and dialectic between individual agency and social structures, change, and tradition.
These elements influence the authenticity discourse, heritage transmission, threats, and opportunities for its safeguarding.
Subsequently, a dynamic approach, with four interdependent stages (heritage identification, curation, sharing, and promotion) is suggested for its safeguarding.
As people are central to this type of heritage, the involvement of members of the public is strongly encouraged, at every stage, through public engagement initiatives.
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