The Alentejo cante was classified as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) this morning. The distinction was approved by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee, which is meeting this week in Paris.
The final decision was scheduled for yesterday, Wednesday, but a delay in the work meant that the announcement was only made today.
The last two days were, therefore, of expectation in Paris and Alentejo. Antero Silva, who coordinates the choir group Vozes Femininas de Amoreiras-Gare (Odemira) and the Canto ao Baldão group and is part of MODA – Associação do Cante Alentejano, director of MODA, told the same thing to Sul Informação. “I've been on the lookout for the past two days. MODA representatives, who are in Paris, were sending messages, first to say that the decision was postponed, after the announcement should be made around 11 am, but it turned out to be earlier».
For Antero Silva, the inclusion of Alentejo cante in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity «is a source of great satisfaction and pride to see Alentejo culture recognized worldwide».
The feeling of the groups is, according to the MODA leader, of “joy, but the distinction will also bring greater responsibility, not only to the groups, but also to local authorities, institutions and cultural groups, so that they can do something for the song”.
The UNESCO distinction can also revitalize this way of singing. « Above all, it can give new impetus to singing, there are unbelieving, aging groups and this can be a tonic to give them more strength, to encourage them. There are groups that are more established and organized, but there are others less active and this distinction can give them a new soul».
Antero Silva reinforces the role of local authorities in this new phase in the life of Alentejo cante. “The interest of the cameras may now be greater. There are some that really support, but there are others that the sing passes by. They can take on a different role for the better. It's a chance to re-evaluate the culture and highlight the song that transmits the Alentejo soul».
One of the biggest advantages of the distinction is, for Antero Silva, the greater visibility that the singing will have and the curiosity that this will arouse in people.
“UNESCO recognition can bring new audiences. There will be many people curious to listen to the groups, who want to be closer to this reality», he considers.
Can fado be heard in fado houses, and can singing be heard in “sing houses”? «The Alentejo Regional Tourism Authority has already launched the idea of the cante houses. These are different realities in relation to Lisbon and fado, which has a much larger tourist volume, but if the groups have a seat – and those who do not have the right to receive – where they can sing at the right time and day, where the visitors , tourists and local people know that there will be a group singing at that time, it can work», concludes Antero Silva.
The declaration of the Alentejo cante as a World Heritage Site was made at 11:18 am, French time, less one hour in Portugal, five minutes after the evaluation began.
The Choir and Ethnographic Group of the Casa do Povo de Serpa then took to the stage in the room and echoed the Alentejo chant in Paris as a way of thanking those present. This group has been in the French capital since the beginning of the week, having traveled 1800 kilometers by bus, according to the Público newspaper, loading the vehicle with two roast piglets, a ham, cheese and paper bags of Alentejo bread.
Cante Alentejano's application for World Heritage was submitted to UNESCO in March 2013, after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided, in 2012, to postpone its presentation, considering that the process did not meet the conditions to be accepted.
The application was promoted by the Municipality of Serpa/Casa do Cante, with the contribution of the Regional Tourism Entity of Alentejo and Ribatejo, of Casa do Alentejo, in Lisbon, of the Confraria do Cante Alentejano e da Moda – Associação do Cante Alentejano.
Yesterday, UNESCO had already classified another Portuguese-speaking cultural expression as Intangible Heritage of Humanity, capoeira, originally from Brazil.
Updated at 11:50 am with statements by Antero Silva and inclusion of details about the candidacy and the meeting.
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