On November 27, 2011, Fado was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. This piece of news sent cheers around Portugal and couldn't have come at any better time. Portugal is experiencing melancholy at present. Last month my electricity bill increased by a third. VAT alone jumped from 6% to 23% amounting in real terms to over 14 Euros on electricity consumption. Cost of living is becoming more expensive even as unemployment rate stands at 12%. Last Thursday 24th November 2011, Portugal was hit by general strike against austerity cuts. Hundreds of thousands of workers took part in a 24-hour strike against proposed austerity measures leading to grounding of flights and halting of public transport. Portugal was the third EU country after Greece and the Irish Republic to receive a 78bn euros bailout. Then nation is in deep recession. It is currently implementing a series of austerity measures as well as planning a series of privatisations to fix its shaky finances and reduce its debt burden. The country is highly indebted to Spain, and its banks are owed 7.5bn euros by Greece.Intangible culture is the counterpart of culture which is tangible or touchable, whereas intangible culture includes song, music, drama, skills, crafts, and the other parts of culture that can be recorded but cannot be touched and interacted with, without a vehicle for the culture. These cultural vehicles are called "Human Treasures" by the UN.Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
My first experience of Fado occurred in December 2010 at the invitation of the Erasmus coordinator for UMinho, Carlos Santos to a Fado Concerto Show at the rectory in Braga. I had no idea what it was. I enjoyed it very well. After the programme, my Portuguese friend Monica Santos explained to me that Fado is a collection or tradition of longing songs usually sang during the days of exploration by lonely wives left behind at the seashore. The colour of the dressing (predominantly black) reflects the mood of the singer. This summer I heard several versions of traditional Portuguese songs and one friend Silvia remarked that they are not singing but mere shouting and noise-making. They have high pitches. Portugal is currently facing its biggest economic challenges in many years.
Fado is probably the oldest urban folk music in the world and represents the heart of the Portuguese soul, and for that matter fado performance is not successful if an audience is not moved to tears. History of Fado Listening to Fado is like visiting Lisbon, meeting the Portuguese people, those that once upon a time faced the unknown sea. This type of music that connected nobles, vagabonds and seafarers, is still nowadays a shared passion by all Portuguese. Fado A shawl, a guitar, a voice and heartfelt emotion. These are the ingredients of Fado, the celebrated form of world music that captures what it is to be Portuguese.
Inspiration for Fado can come from almost any source. Although there are predominance of themes like: destiny, deep-seated feelings, disappointments in love, the sense of sadness and longing for someone who has gone away, misfortune, the ups and downs of life, the sea, the life of sailors and fishermen, and last but not least “Saudade” (one of the main themes used in fado, that means a kind of longing). Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Mafalda Arnauth, and Cristina Branco are amongst the most famous individuals associated with the genre.
Inspiration for Fado can come from almost any source. Although there are predominance of themes like: destiny, deep-seated feelings, disappointments in love, the sense of sadness and longing for someone who has gone away, misfortune, the ups and downs of life, the sea, the life of sailors and fishermen, and last but not least “Saudade” (one of the main themes used in fado, that means a kind of longing). Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Mafalda Arnauth, and Cristina Branco are amongst the most famous individuals associated with the genre.
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognizes the value of intangibles such as tradition, custom and cultural spaces and the local actors who sustain these forms of cultural expressions through a Proclamation.It entails the commitment of states to promote and safeguard these treasures, while UNESCO finances plans for their conservation.
Parabens Portugal for getting Fado inscribed. I hope the joy and cheer that greeted the announcement will lift the gloom and bring hope that is deep-seated within the nation like no other as Fado music. Ghanaians, this is a lesson to start getting hilife to be among the list of intangible cultural heritage. Indeed Portugal could not long for anything more than the fast disappearing good olds and fado provides that reminder even with its recognition by UNEsCO. For more information, login to WWW.FADO.COM
