site.bta20 Years Since Proclamation of Bistritsa Babi as Masterpiece of Humanity's Oral and Intangible Heritage

November 25, 2005: Twenty years ago on Tuesday, at a formal ceremony in Paris, France, a Bulgarian project titled "The Bistritsa Babi - Archaic Polyphony, Dances and Rituals from the Shoplouk Region" was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

An international jury, chaired by the Princess of Jordan, Basma bint Talal, approved the Bulgarian nomination.

The Masterpiece Diploma was presented by UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura to Ambassador Irina Bokova, Bulgaria's Permanent Representative to UNESCO.

Also attending the ceremony was Prof. Mila Santova of the Institute of Folklore at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, under whose supervision the project had been developed. She was personally congratulated by Matsuura.

At the Third Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Istanbul, November 4-8 , 2008, when the 90 items proclaimed as Masterpieces were integrated into the newly established Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Bistritsa Babi became the first Bulgarian entry to be inscribed on that List.

The village of Bistritsa (15 km southeast of Sofia) is one of the last areas in Bulgaria in which this cultural expression has been maintained over the centuries. The Bistritsa Babi is a group of elderly women who are among the few remaining representatives of traditional Shoppe polyphony in which one or two voices build the melody consisting of izvikva (shouting out) and bouchi krivo (crooked rumbled roars), while other singers hold a monotone drone that is doubled or trebled to produce a more sonorous sound that accompanies the lead singers.

Although the social function of the polyphonic singing has changed over the twentieth century, as it is now primarily performed on stage, the Bistritsa Babi are regarded as an important component of the region’s cultural life, promoting traditional expressions among the younger generations.

Following is the original English-language coverage in the BTA External Service of the appreciation for the Bistritsa Babi by Bulgaria's Culture Minister Stefan Danailov following the November 20 proclamation:

114 CULTURE MINISTER - BISTRITSA BABI

Bistritsa Babi Ensemble Receive Gifts from Culture Minister Danailov

Sofia, November 30, 2005 (BTA) - Culture Minister Stefan Danailov presented the Bistritsa Babi ensemble with dark red Dutch roses and a digital camera on Wednesday. This is a recognition for the proclamation of the Bistritsa Babi Archaic Polyphony, Dances and Ritual Practices from the Shoplouk Region as UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The singers and Prof. Mila Santova, leader of the project and Director of the Folklore Institute with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences were also granted diplomas by the Culture Ministry for their contribution to the development and popularization of the Bulgarian culture.

The recognition comes in the eve of Bulgaria's ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage due in January next year.

A 1,000-page file and two films were sent to UNESCO to present the work of Bistritsa Babi. 

Culture Minister Danailov defined the UNESCO recognition as big success for the Bulgarian culture achieved through the joint efforts of the Culture Ministry, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Bistritsa community centre. /TK/