24 July 2013
The Institute of African and Asian Studies (IAAS) of the University of Khartoum has finalized a project aiming at assessing the needs to safeguard the important collection of audio visual materials of traditional Sudanese Music housed in the Folklore and Traditional Music Archives of the University of Khartoum. Through a financial assistance of US$12,167 by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, an action plan for the management and preservation of the Archives has been set up.
The Folklore and Traditional Music Archives constitute a valuable collection containing more than 3,000 audio recordings and photographs of traditional Sudanese music collected since 1963 as a result of different research initiatives on folklore and oral traditions from diverse Sudanese communities. Several challenges for the preservation of these fragile archives include the urgent need of capacity-building to create an improved mechanism for data acquisition, digitization, storage and retrieval, as well as implementing adapted measures to ensure the security and safety of the Archives. This unique collection testifies the diversity and the richness of the Sudanese intangible cultural heritage.
