The Committee

1. Takes note that Spain has nominated Tamboradas drum-playing rituals (No. 01208) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

Tamboradas drum-playing rituals are loud, group rituals based on the simultaneous, intense beating of thousands of drums, played uninterruptedly for days and nights in public spaces in towns and villages. Each year, this creates a captivating landscape of sound and identity in an atmosphere charged with emotion and an intense feeling of collective communion. The tamboradas are part of the Catholic Holy Week celebrations, and have special significance according to different places, days and times. Everywhere, whether religious and devotional or secular and playful, the practice creates a landscape of sensations and mutual respect. The costumes, instruments, drum beats and drum rolls generate a rich local craft in which families and women play an important role. Shared meals in public spaces also enhance the feeling of friendliness. Communities prepare for the ritual all year round and are organized into different groups. The practice and knowledge are transmitted within these groups by the most experienced individuals, and the transmission process generates a strong sense of belonging to the group and a deep connection with the ritual among the entire community. Various events ensure the intergenerational transmission of the practice, such as children’s and national tamboradas, drum roll and embroidery workshops, and competitions.

2. Decides 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:   Tamboradas drum-playing rituals are a living tradition with significant social and cultural functions shared by all the practising communities, with respect to their local differences. Deeply rooted in the social life of local communities, tamboradas are continuously transmitted within families and organized groups of tradition bearers, with the support of local governments. The practice of drum playing is inclusive and plays an important integrating role within the communities concerned, fostering a sense of belonging and strengthening ties among people of different ages, genders and origins.

R.2:   Percussions play a central, creative role in many cultures worldwide. The inscription of tamboradas would highlight the expression of different emotions through simple drum beats. The towns where tamboradas drum-playing rituals are practised network among themselves and implement joint initiatives such as the National Exaltation Days, and the element unites different communities with the same goals and shared values, promoting dialogue. Local differences and nuances foster human creativity and testify to the adaptability of the element. The practice also inspires other artistic fields such as literature, photography and poster design.

R.3:   The safeguarding measures develop the existing effective organization of related events shared by the groups of practitioners and local governments. They aim to enhance the transmission of the drumming skills and other skills related to tangible aspects of the tamboradas. Documentation and awareness-raising activities will be carried out through small community museums and state-funded research. The local governments continue to protect associated cultural spaces and provide technical and financial support for organizing tamboradas. The safeguarding measures were drawn up with the wide participation of the practitioners and local communities.

R.4:   The nomination was initiated by local communities and regional governments, which were involved in the entire nomination process through regular meetings. As representative bodies, local authorities reviewed the nomination form. Consent to the nomination and the potential inscription was provided by a large number of individuals, groups of practitioners, related local authorities and other organizations, testifying to the great value the communities attach to their cultural heritage and general consensus concerning the nomination of the tamboradas.

R.5:   The nomination covers the tamboradas in five Spanish regions. In all these regions, the element was included in regional inventories of intangible cultural heritage between 2008 and 2016. The inventories are periodically updated by competent institutions. The extracts provided contain exhaustive documentation of the individual inventory entries.

3. Inscribes Tamboradas drum-playing rituals on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
4. Commends the State Party for the improved file following the referral of this nomination in 2014;
5. Reminds the State Party that updating is an important part of the inventorying process and invites it to include detailed information in its next periodic report on the implementation of the Convention at the national level concerning the periodicity and mode of updating of its inventories, in accordance with Article 12.1 of the Convention.