The Committee
- Takes note that Guatemala has nominated Technique of making the giant kites of Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, Guatemala (No. 01991) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
The tradition of making and flying kites in Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, Guatemala dates back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The kites are made over several months and exhibited during the fairs of the Day of the Saints and the Dead, with the aim to communicate with the ancestors. There are five steps to the process: (a) design; (b) preparing the canvas (the visible face of the kite); (c) decorating the canvas using multi-coloured tissue paper; (d) making the lining (the reverse of the kite); and (e) assembling the canvas, lining, fringes and tail. The designs address themes related to the environment, the fight against violence, and human rights. The kites are then publicly exhibited or flown during the fairs in each community. People of all ages, genders and abilities participate. Craftspeople are affiliated to committees, and their Boards are responsible for organizing the fairs, establishing the rules, and awarding prizes, with support from local municipalities and the private sector. The tradition is transmitted informally through participation in the process. It is perceived as a means of connecting with ancestors, warding off negative spirits and promoting renewal. It also results in the creation of community spaces that promote dialogue and inclusion.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: The element involves the tradition of making and flying kites in Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango in Guatemala. The bearers and practitioners are women, children, men, elderly people and people living with disabilities. The local municipalities and the private sector support the logistics and organisation of the events. The tradition is transmitted informally through participation in the making and flying of the kites. The element is seen as a means of connecting with ancestors and warding off negative spirits. The designs of the kites present themes with social dimensions, the environment, the fight against violence, and human rights. The element also promotes dialogue and social inclusion.
R.2: The element contributes to gender equality, inclusive economic development, environmental sustainability, and peace and social cohesion. Inscription of the element will strengthen the social fabric, local identity and relevance of the element in all municipalities, thereby encouraging the bearers to continue practising and sensitizing younger generations to intangible cultural heritage. It will encourage dialogue between the kite craftspeople and the observers of the kite flights while promoting a healthy co-existence among Guatemala’s cultural groups. The form further indicates that the element and its successful inscription will promote research, documentation, creativity, innovation, and the sustainable use of resources. The submitting State provided a video and a set of letters from the communities that support the statements explaining the link between the element to the various areas of sustainable development.
R.3: The file describes various safeguarding efforts by the communities concerned to ensure the viability of the element. For instance: (a) the Technical Directorate of Intangible Heritage created pedagogical kits to introduce the cultural expression in public schools and educational institutions; (b) the community, in collaboration with their representative committees, organizes the making and flying of the kites; and (c) the Ministry of Culture and Sports supports the dissemination of the tradition through publications on social networks and on research and information platforms. Other measures include conducting cultural events such as the exhibition of giant kites in public spaces throughout the country, as was done in the national tour to promote this element in 2021 and 2022. The community also developed safeguarding measures after thorough analysis of the threats, vulnerabilities and actions that affect the cultural expression of the element.
R.4: Participation of the community in the nomination process of the element was ensured. Communication was established with the relevant organizations through in-person, digital and telephone channels. Meetings were held with representatives of the committees and associations of kite craftspeople in each municipality to explain the project’s stages and the work methodology. During the presentation of the nomination to authorities, practitioners held an exhibition of the kites, and a number of events and activities were organized at the regional level. The project was presented to authorities, representatives, officials, technical experts, cultural bearers and the media to solicit their endorsement and participation. Many consent letters were submitted with the nomination file.
R.5: The element was included in the National and Descriptive Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Guatemala in 2022. The inventory is managed by the Intangible Heritage Technical Directorate, Ministry of Culture and Sports and is updated every two years through the fifty-seven Cultural Development Centres where constant updates of records and inventories are carried out. The inventorying process is carried out with the active and wide participation of bearers, practitioners and other stakeholders.
- Decides to inscribe Technique of making the giant kites of Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, Guatemala on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.