Each year a special UNESCO committee meets to evaluate cultural norms from around the world that are put forward for consideration for a list like no other – The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The list is made up of intangible heritage elements that demonstrate the diversity of that particular heritage raises awareness about its importance. Many of these cultural element are in urgent need of safeguarding because they’re at risk of disappearing forever, despite the efforts of the community, group, individual or State to preserve them. In December 2017, 12 more heritage elements where added:

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Kazakhstan  – Kazakh traditional Assyk games

Kazakh Traditional Assyk Games are an ancient tradition in Kazakhstan; each player has their own set of Assyks, traditionally made out of a sheep bone, and a ‘Saka’ dyed in bright colours. The community of practitioners mainly comprises children aged between 4 and 18, but young people and adults are also involved. The game is a good model for positive collaboration, social inclusiveness and a sense of friendship, and is primarily transmitted through observation from older boys to younger ones.

Portugal  – Craftmanship of Estremoz clay figures

The Craftmanship of Estremoz Clay Figures dates back to the 17th century and involves a process lasting several days. The clay figures are dressed in regional attires of Alentejo or religious clothing and follow specific themes; the very characteristic aesthetic features of the figures make them immediately identifiable, and the craft is strongly attached to the region. Artisans ensure the viability and recognition of their craft through non-formal workshops and pedagogical initiatives, as well as through local, national and international fairs.

Germany  – Organ craftsmanship and music

Organ craftsmanship and music has shaped Germany’s musical and instrument-making landscape for centuries, and there are a diverse number of traditions around constructing and playing the organ. The highly specialized knowledge and skills of organ makers are significant markers of group identity and organ music constitutes a universal language that fosters interreligious understanding. Knowledge and skills related to the element are transmitted through a direct teacher-pupil experience as well as in vocational schools, universities, and organ construction workshops.

Greece  – Rebetiko

Rebetiko is a musical and cultural expression directly linked to song and dance that initially spread among urban working-class populations. Rebetiko songs are now a standardized repertoire in social occasions, containing invaluable references to the customs and traditions of a particular way of life. Rebetiko is transmitted orally, as well as by the media and in music schools, conservatories and universities, and musicians and enthusiasts continue to play a key role in keeping the practice alive.

India – Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela, the festival of the sacred Pitcher, is a peaceful congregation of pilgrims during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. The congregation includes ascetics, saints, sadhus, aspirants-kalpavasis and visitors. The tradition plays a central spiritual role in the country, encapsulating a diverse range of cultural customs. Knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela are mainly imparted through the teacher-student relationship, but transmission and safeguarding are also ensured through oral traditions and religious and historical texts.

Indonesia  – Pinisi, art of boatbuilding in South Sulawesi

Pinisi, or the Art of Boatbuilding in South Sulawesi, refers to the famed ‘Sulawesi schooner’ and represents the epitome of the Archipelago’s indigenous sailing craft. Today, boatbuilding centres are located at Tana Beru, Bira and Batu Licin, where shipbuilding and sailing are central to the community’s social, economic and cultural fabric. Knowledge and skills are transmitted from generation to generation both within and outside of the family circle, and local shipwrights are engaged in active marketing initiatives to safeguard the practice.

Iran (Islamic Republic of)  – Chogān, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytelling

Chogān is a horse-riding game traditionally played in royal courts and urban fields and accompanied by music and storytelling. In Chogān, two rider teams compete and the aim is to pass the ball through the opposing team’s goal post using a wooden stick. Chogān has a strong connection to the identity and history of its bearers and practitioners. It is transmitted informally within the family sphere, as well as by dedicated associations through training and support for local masters.

Iran (Islamic Republic of); Azerbaijan  – Kamantcheh, The art of crafting and playing with a bowed string musical instrument

The art of crafting and playing Kamantcheh/Kamancha (‘little bow’), a bowed string instrument, has existed for over 1,000 years. In the Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan, it is a major element of classical and folkloric music, and performances occupy a central place in many gatherings. Kamantcheh is both a key source of earning a living and a strong part of the communities’ living heritage. Knowledge relating to the art of crafting and playing Kamantcheh is transmitted both within families and in musical institutions.

Ireland  – Uilleann piping

Uilleann Piping is a musical practice in which a particular type of bagpipe (known as ‘uilleann’, ‘Irish’ or ‘union’ pipes) is used to play traditional music. Bearers and practitioners include participants of all ages, dispersed throughout the world. Uilleann Piping offers an important way of socializing, providing a sense of rootedness and connection to the past. Knowledge and skills are transmitted using both long-established and modern practices, and the practice is primarily safeguarded through the efforts of the group Na Piorabairi Uilleann.

Italy – Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’

The art of the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ is a culinary practice consisting of four different phases relating to the preparation of the dough and its baking in a wood-fired oven. The practice originates in Naples, where around 3,000 Pizzaiuoli now live and perform, and plays a key role in fostering social gatherings and intergenerational exchange. Knowledge and skills related to the element are primarily transmitted in the ‘bottega’ of the Pizzaiuolo, where young apprentices can observe their master at work.

Kyrgyzstan  – Kok boru, traditional horse game

Kok boru, a horse game, is a synthesis of traditional practices, performances and the game. The game is played by two teams on horseback, who compete by trying to score as many ‘ulaks’ (a mould in modern-day games) into their opponents’ goal as possible. The element is an expression of the cultural and historic tradition of its practitioners and unites communities regardless of social status. Related knowledge and skills are primarily transmitted through demonstration, as well as during festive and social events.

Malawi  – Nsima, culinary tradition of Malawi

Nsima, the Culinary Tradition of Malawi, is a compound name for the culinary and dietary tradition of Malawians as well as a single component of this tradition, a form of thick porridge prepared with maize flour. Nsima is prepared through an elaborate process requiring specific knowledge, and eating it is a communal tradition in families. Communities safeguard the element through continued practice, publications, festivals and revitalization activities, and knowledge is transmitted both informally and through on-the-job training and education.

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The upcoming Golden Globe Awards will present yet another man its Best Director award, giving the cold shoulder to female directors such as Greta Gerwig, Dee Rees, Patty Jenkins and Kathryn Bigelow.

But a new report on films from 2007 to 2017 reveals a larger problem than a lack of award nominations for female directors. Diversity in the director’s chair is virtually nonexistent, and gender in the executive ranks of major companies remains grossly imbalanced. 

The report, entitled “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair?” analyzes new data on movies released in 2017. Authored by Professor Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the report is the most comprehensive intersectional analysis of directors of motion pictures to date, combining data on the gender, race and age of 1,223 filmmakers working on 1,100 top-grossing films released between 2007 and 2017. The analysis also focuses on women in executive and leadership ranks at major media companies. The results reveal that for female, Black and Asian directors, the doors to Hollywood remain mostly closed.

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Only 4% of all directors across the 1,100 top films from 2007 to 2017 were female, a ratio of 22 males to every one female director. Moreover, only four Black females, two Asian females, and one Latina have worked as directors on those 1,100 films over the span of 11 years analyzed. There has been no change over time.

“Hollywood’s ‘female director problem’ has been the source of much dialogue over the past several years. The evidence reveals that despite the increased attention, there has been no change for women behind the camera,” said Dr. Smith. “Mere conversation is not the answer to these problems—and the time for conversation is up. Until major media companies take concrete steps to address the biases that impede hiring, nothing will change.”
The majority of female directors (83.7%) worked on only one top-grossing film across the time frame, including all four of the Black female directors. Slightly more than half (55.3%) of male directors only worked once over the 11-year sample. Notably, the 8 female directors added to the list in 2017 are all new to the study—which the authors state is another indicator that little progress has been made.

“As we said last year, most female directors are ‘one and done’ when it comes to helming popular films, particularly women from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups,” said Dr. Smith. “In 2017 none of the women entering the ranks of 100 top film directors appeared in our study previously. This is not true progress. Real change means that we see women working across multiple years and that the number of opportunities for female directors expand each year.”
The number of films directed by both males and females over the 11-year time frame was assessed. Male directors worked on as many as 15 films, while females did not exceed 4. One explanation for this disparity is the age at which directors work. Men create films over a span of nearly 60 years, from their 20s to their 80s. Women, however, work across only four decades, from their 30s to their 60s.

The study also explores the small percentages of Black and Asian directors working behind the camera. Only 5.2% of the 1,223 directors of 1,100 top films were Black, and 3.2% were Asian. This translates into 31 individual Black directors and 20 Asian directors of popular movies released from 2007 to 2017. Again, no change over time was observed.

The researchers suggest that the lack of opportunities for Black directors is tied to who appears in the films they direct. For Black directors, 81% of the movies they helmed had a Black actor among the two top-billed cast. “Hiring patterns that rest on ‘matching’ director race to the race of the top cast partially explain why we see little change over time,” said Dr. Smith. “The identity of the director must be uncoupled from industry expectations about what kind of stories he or she can tell if any progress is to be made.”

The report details the number of films by female, Black, and Asian directors released by each of the major film distributors over the 11 years studied. Warner Bros. released the most female-directed films, with 12 movies between 2007 and 2017. Lionsgate topped the list for Black directors, putting out 18 movies—15 of which were helmed by Tyler Perry. Universal released 13 movies with an Asian director between 2007 and 2017, the leader in that category. Importantly, Disney did not release a single movie with a Black director from 2007 to 2017.

Women are Underrepresented in the Executive Ranks at Major Media Companies
The new report also includes a profile of the executive ranks at seven major entertainment companies. Across all seven corporations, 18.8% of the board members are female, along with 17.9% of the C-suite positions (CEO, CFO, CTO, etc.). Looking more closely at film executives in particular, 31% of those ranks are filled by women. In the executive ranks, females are more likely to appear in EVP, SVP, and VP positions than at the apex of organizations in President or Chairperson jobs.

“It is no surprise that an industry which does not hire female directors also lacks women in leadership roles across the organizations that finance and distribute content,” said Dr. Smith. “Inclusion is not a one-time problem to be solved, it is a systemic issue that must be addressed by individuals at all levels of these companies. If these companies are going to meet the push for 50/50 by 2020, this data shows how far they have to go.”

Other report highlights include an assessment of the genre of films made by women, Black, and Asian directors. The authors also offer solutions for consumers and shareholders to address the ongoing disparities behind the camera. The report is the latest from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, and can be found online here.

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