In this issue we present:

• BRAZIL - A Complex Simplicity. An Insight into Brazilian Funeral Art.
• P.R. CHINA - Hakka Funeral. Ancestor Worship Customs
• P.R. CHINA - Huizhou Ancestral Sacrifice. Cultural heritage created by laboring people.
• COLOMBIA - Alabaos and gualies. Songs that say goodbay to the souls
• HUNGARY - All Saints’ Day Candle Lighting. The History and Renewal.
• INDONESIA - Toraja people. Living with Death.
• JAPAN - Cremation rituals. Way into the spirit world.
• MEXICO - Pan de muerto. Simple sweet bread baked to celebrate the lives od the dead.
• MEXICO - Xoloitzcuintle dog. Spiritual guide and soul companion on the journey to eternal rest.
• POLAND - Cracow's Rękawka. An old-Slavonic spring ritual to honour the deceased.
• POLAND - Funeral customs of the Kurpie Białe. A community that supports its members during mourning time.
• SPAIN - Huessos de santo. Sweets for All Saint's Day.
• SWEDEN - Funeral hymns. Songs that brings comfort and hope in the face of death.
• UNITED KINGDOM - Corpse Roads. The ancient pathways to a final resting place.

Read the Funeral Heritage Report 2024 online

Printed copies will also be distributed to attendees at the FIAT-IFTA 2024 Convention in Krakow, Poland.

The editorial team and the FIAT-IFTA Board are extremely grateful to all contributors to the FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Report 2024: FIAT-IFTA National Members, especially the assistance of CFA – China Funeral Association and Sveriges Begravningsbyraaers Forbund from Sweden as well as FIAT-IFTA Active Members especially GALLARDO CARGO S.A. de C.V. from Mexico, FUNERAL SUPPORT SERVICES CO. LTD. from Japan and many independent authors, specialists, and enthusiasts of intangible funerary heritage.

What do we mean by Intangible Cultural Heritage?

Intangible Cultural Heritage is a term used to broadly refer to the cultural practices, expressions, and knowledge that shape a group’s identity and sense of belonging. This includes language, music, dance, craftsmanship, rituals, and artistic expression that are passed on from generation to generation. Intangible Cultural Heritage is an important part of humanity’s global cultural heritage, and its preservation is essential in order to maintain cultural diversity.

In 2003, UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which aims to protect and promote the diversity of Intangible Cultural Heritage in all its forms. The Convention is based on the idea that intangible heritage is an essential part of the world’s cultural heritage and should therefore be preserved and protected. It outlines the responsibilities of governments to protect Intangible Cultural Heritage and encourages international cooperation in its promotion. The Convention also sets up a framework for the establishment of a list of Intangible Cultural Heritage items that should be protected. This list, known as the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, includes items such as the Japanese tea ceremony, the Indian kathak dance, and the Brazilian martial art of capoeira. The list is regularly updated, and currently includes around 400 items from around the world.

There are five broad ‘domains’ in which intangible cultural heritage is manifested: