PART A - ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
1. Location
2. Legal Information
3. Identification
4. Management plan
5. Assessment against the Selection Criteria
6. Consultation
7. Nominator

PART B - SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION
8. Assessment of Risk
9. Preservation assessment

1. Location

1.1 Name of documentary heritage/ The indigenous cultural heritage (lore) of Venezuela: musical, vocal and instrumental expressions.

1.2 Country/ Venezuela

1.3 State, Province or Region: Caracas, Federal District

1.4 Address: Av. Zuloaga, Los Rosales, Caracas, 1040. Venezuela.

1.5 Name of Organisation: FUNDEF, Fundacíon de Etnomusicología y Folklore [Ethnomusicology and Folklore Foundation]
 

2. Legal Information

2.1 Owner: The Venezuelan Nation (Cultural heritage)

2.2 Custodian: FUNDEF, Fundacíon de Etnomusicologia y Folklore, Av. Zuloaga, Los Rosales, Caracas, 1040. Venezuela

2.3 Legal Status

(a) State Foundation, organisation answerable to the Consejo Nacional de la Cultura (CONAC) [National Council for Culture]. Set up by the National Executive, in accordance with decree No. 1003 dated 13 September 1990, published in Official Gazette No. 34,558 of the same date.

(b) One of the main aims stated in FUNDEF’s Articles include the preservation and conservation of its collections "b) to investigate, collect, preserve, distribute and promote the cultures of Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean within the field of Ethnomusicology and Folklore."

(c) The collections under the custodianship of FUNDEF are fully accessible to the public, provided the correct procedure laid down for the consultation, loan and copying of materials is observed.

(d) Not applicable.

2.4 Responsible administration

Through its Collections Department, FUNDEF is responsible for the administration and custodianship of the documentary heritage. FUNDEF therefore establishes guidelines for accepting, processing and effectively preserving all materials coming into the collection from various routes as a result of purchases, exchanges, donations and collections. The department is divided into three major areas: a bibliographic collection, an audio-visual collection and an ethnographic collection. Each area includes specialised materials in various formats illustrating aspects of Popular and Traditional Culture: books, magazines, photographs, slides, tapes, DATs, films, videos, travel reports and handicrafts. Most of the items have reached the Foundation as a result of research carried out in Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean since 1947.
 

3. Identification

3.1 Description and inventory

3.2 Bibliographic/registration details

-Guia Clasificatoria del Instituto Interamericano de Etnomusicologia y Folklore, INIDEF.

[Classification Guide of the Interamerican Institute of Ethnomusicology and Folklore]

-Tesauro de Folklore, Cultura Popular y Culturas Indigenas (CIDEF-OEA).

[Thesaurus of Folklore, Popular Culture and Indigenous Cultures]

3.3 Visual documentation: Not applicable.

3.4 History

The nominated series consists of 99 recordings made of the Pemón, Arawak, Wayúu and Piaroa cultural groups during the course of various field trips carried out by Institution researchers between 1973-74 and 1981. The recordings form part of FUNDEF’s audio-visual collection. They are unique documents because, in most cases, they document traditions that have disappeared or changed due to the accelerated process of acculturation.

3.5 Bibliography

The documents included in the proposed series have been used for innumerable papers published on indigenous and other topics in: ANUARIO DE FUNDEF and the Revista Nacional del Folklore – and also audio-visual resources. Similarly, various exhibitions have been organised in Venezuela and abroad where the said documents formed an important part of the various events. The following are an example:

-Terry Agerkop. Piaroa. Cajas Audio-visuales. Caracas: INIDEF, 1983

-Isabel Aretz. Músíca de los aborígenes de Venezuela, Caracas: Ediciones Armitano, 1991.

3.6 Names, qualifications and contact details of independent people...

- Terry Akerkop (Researcher). FUNDEF, Av. Zuloaga, Los Rosales, Caracas.

- Fundacíon Bigott, Av. Francisco de Miranda, Centro Empresarial Parque del Este, piso 6. Caracas. Telephone no.: 237-96-11.

- Fundacíon Polar. Los Cortijos de Lourdes. Edif. de la Fundacíon, Caracas.
 

4. Management Plan

The nominated item is designated: the indigenous cultural heritage (lore) of Venezuela; musical, vocal and instrumental expressions. The selection of the series is fully justified in principle under the terms of the General Guidelines to Safeguard Traditional and Popular Culture, approved by the General Conference of UNESCO in its 25th meeting held in Paris on 15 November 1989, which states the following: "... traditional and popular culture forms part of the universal heritage of humanity and is a powerful means of bringing peoples and existing social groups together and affirming their cultural identity." The following Memory of the World Programme criteria may be applied: criterion no. 6: FORM AND STYLE: documentary heritage is of world significance if it is an important example of an outstanding form or style; criterion no. 7: SOCIAL VALUE: documentary heritage is of world significance if it has outstanding social, cultural or spiritual value which transcends a national culture - and secondary criterion No. 2, RARITY: the significance of documentary heritage may be enhanced if it is unique or extraordinarily rare. This collection is important because the unique documents it contains are recordings of music performed at the rites and festivals of various indigenous groups in Venezuela. The recordings were made at a certain, specific, never-to-be-repeated time in the country’s history when traditions were still observed: these traditions subsequently underwent sudden change and accelerated breakdown due to a process of acculturation.

One of the aims of the Foundation of Ethnomusicology and Folklore is the dissemination of the materials in its keeping. It therefore offers a series of public services including a library and audio-visual archive. For this reason, access to collections is free, provided the Foundation’s internal rules for consulting, borrowing and copying audio-visual materials are complied with. These rules are as follows: 1. Application must be made in writing and the application must specify which resource the user wishes to consult or copy, and the use to which the copy will be put; 2. The user must provide blank media (various formats: cassettes, VHS, etc) onto which the copy will be made and pay a previously established rate; 1. An audio-visual resource copy form must be signed to indicate the applicant’s undertaking to FUNDEF that it will put the resource to the use stated in the application. The income from this service is allocated to the conservation of the audio-visual collection. The annual investment allocated to the preservation of audio-visual collections corresponds to 4% of the total fund budget, approximately equal to 4 million Bolivars. The foundation does not have its own preservation unit or qualified regular staff. The services of such personnel are contracted when required.

With regard to the physical location of the collection, the FUNDEF headquarters is a house built during the Twenties for residential use. It covers 8,000m² of land and the building covers 1,650m². In 1986, it came into the possession of CONAC, which made FUNDEF custodian of the building for a period of 50 years. The documentary heritage nominated for the Memory of the World Programme: the Indigenous Cultural Heritage (Lore) of Venezuela, musical, vocal and instrumental expressions, is housed in an audio-visual material store which occupies a total of 61.75m² and is located on the lower floor of the building. This space was recently built specifically to house the resources. It therefore offers the following storage conditions: control of relative humidity and temperature i.e. 60% for relative humidity and 22°C for temperature on average, with minor fluctuations. The air conditioning is not independent. Three dehumidifiers are present. Lighting is by means of fluorescent bulbs (8), but the light is only put on when resources are collected for loans or when cleaning is carried out. The collection is stored in wooden shelves. The resources are efficiently organised on the shelves in accordance with a set order. Each tape is in its own case. No deterioration is noted.

With regard to existing security measures, the store is kept permanently locked and the following people are authorised to enter it: staff working within the audio-visual area (3), the director of Collections and the President of the Foundation. Cleaning is carried out once a month. Equipment is not maintained periodically because the budget is insufficient.

The only means of disaster prevention and recovery are: fire extinguishers, periodic checks on power points and wiring to prevent the risk of short circuit; continuous monitoring of the roof to prevent leaks, humidity etc., and prohibition of smoking within the store.

As part of FUNDEF’s general management plan, programmes are currently being implemented with technical advice and financial backing from other national and international institutions and organisations (National Library, OEA, Venezuelan Banking Foundation, MINDUR). The resulting significant improvements will ensure the preservation and conservation of the collections. The improvements include: construction of new areas, installation of new electrical wiring and overhaul of existing wiring, waterproofing to control humidity, relocation, fumigation, purchase of equipment, courses in conservation and standardisation for plant personnel, etc. In general, the nominated documentary heritage is in a good state of repair. No mould is observed and handling procedures are effective. Recording clarity is excellent, considering that the recordings were carried out in the field, and 15 or 20 years ago. They have not been subject to any treatment or intervention by specialised engineers.
 

5. Assessment against the selection criteria

5.1 Assessment of the documentary heritage against each criterion described in annex 2

As indicated in the Introduction to the Management Plan, the following Memory of the World selection criteria are applicable to the nominated documentary heritage:

• No. 6: FORM AND STYLE. Documentary heritage is of world significance if it is an important example of an outstanding form or style. Application of this criterion to the nominated documentary heritage is justifiable because indigenous cultures cannot treated in the same way as societies whose main form of cultural expression is the written word. These cultures have until recently been illiterate, i.e. without writing, and the spoken word has therefore been their primary means of expression. Their collective memory takes the form of a huge collection of poems and stories handed down from generation to generation. The creative potential of the people is thus expressed through this oral tradition. An anthropological examination of the myths, stories, legends, shamanic songs and initiation ceremonies etc., provides us with a comprehensive picture of a way of life similar to that lived by other people in other parts of the world, which is tending to disappear as time goes by, at least in its present form.
• No. 7: SOCIAL VALUE. Documentary heritage is of world significance if it has had social, cultural or spiritual value which transcends a national culture. The application of this criterion is fully justified if we consider that indigenous cultures represent the primary roots of all present-day societies. Although many such cultures have disappeared for different reasons (colonisation, transculturation, ethnocentrism), certain autochthonous groups still survive today. A study and analysis of the way such peoples eat, dress, and built houses and also of their social customs, morals, teachings, parentage, language and mythological beliefs about the origin of the world provides an invaluable source of information for future generations. Such information is crucial to our understanding of the way mankind has evolved.
• Secondary Criteria No. 2: RARITY: The significance of documentary heritage may be enhanced if it is unique or extraordinarily rare. This criterion also applies because: oral creations possess aesthetic value in their own right but are also a harmonious distillation of aspects of daily life as it is lived in these societies: work, production, parental relationships, rituals, beliefs and most particularly the way the people interact with the nature of which they are a part. The oral tradition expressed in the stories and musical forms is founded on a unique way of life highly specific to such societies. Such forms express an overall cosmological view which we may benefit from but which risks being lost to us forever.

The selection of recordings made from four indigenous Venezuelan groups for the Memory of the World Programme forms part of the audio-visual collection of the Foundation of Ethnomusicology and Folklore. Such recordings display highly specific features which are significantly different from those of manuscripts or printed documents, because they represent Aboriginal cultures until recently illiterate, whose chosen means of broadcasting knowledge was the spoken word. These people were only able to hand down their culture from generation to generation through the oral tradition. The sound resources in this selection were collected in the course of field trips carried out by researchers, mainly during the Seventies. The collection is a valuable resource, because the most representative samples were taken from each culture. The people recorded were chosen on the basis of their local prestige. Many of them are now dead and in many cases have not been replaced. The choice of the Pemón, Curripaco, Wayúu and Piaroa cultural groups was basically dictated by geographical, demographic and cultural factors. These 4 groups represent areas of Venezuela where the highest proportion of indigenous groups are currently concentrated. The fact that these ethnic groups have big populations allows us to hope for relative permanency. The most important factor in the selection of these groups, however, was their cultural richness and diversity. Despite the penetration of their culture, these people maintain a well-defined ethnic and cultural awareness which has allowed them to co-exist with native Venezuelans in relative normality whilst still maintaining their customs, rituals, mythology, etc.

5.3 An evaluation of the authenticity

The authenticity of these materials is indisputable because they represent the results of research promoted and funded by the Institute, in accordance with general programme aims.

5.4 An assessment of rarity

As already stated, these documents are unique because they were recorded in the field and made by specialists who worked in accordance with requirements dictated by their various disciplines: folklore, ethnomusicology, language and anthropology. The recordings reflect different aspects of traditional and authentic artistic expressions of acculturalised American cultures. Many of the vocal and instrumental musical expressions recorded in these documents have already disappeared due to an accelerated process of acculturation.
 

6. Consultation

6.1 Details of consultation about the nomination with the

(a) Owner

(b) Custodian: Fundación de Etnomusicologia y Folklore, FUNDEF.

(c) Relevant National Memory Of The World Committee: National Executive Committee of the Memory of the World Programme in Venezuela
 

7. Nominator

7.1 Name: Emilio Mendoza

7.2 Relationship to documentary heritage: President of FUNDEF

7.3 Contact person: Beatriz García Cardona - Director of Collections

7.4 Contact details: Av. Zuloaga, Los Rosales, Caracas, 1040 Venezuela.
 

8. Assessment of risk

8.1 Nature and scope of threat to the documentary heritage

Venezuela has been a democratic country for more than thirty years and its political structure provides absolute backing for its institutions. The documentary heritage is therefore subject to no real threat. During the last five years, the country has undergone an economic and financial crisis which considerably effected the budget allocated to the cultural sector. This was reflected in a reduction of state contributions to this sector, although a process of recovery is clearly taking place at the moment. Despite being a tropical country, climatic conditions in Venezuela are not extreme. FUNDEF is nevertheless adopting essential procedures to control environmental conditions within the collection site. Within the audio-visual store where the documentary heritage nominated for the Memory of the World Programme is kept, the following are constantly monitored: relative humidity, temperature, light, cleanliness and efficient material handling by staff within the centre. FUNDEF’s current headquarters is a building built during the Twenties for residential use. In 1986, it was given to CONAC, which put it at the disposal of FUNDEF for a period of 50 years. It displays the following characteristics, two floors and a brick and cement structure.

Because the building was initially used as a place of residence, it is not designed to house collections. The FUNDEF management is nevertheless carrying out substantial improvements to ensure the preservation and conservation of the heritage. These include the following: construction of new spaces, installation of new electrical wiring and overhaul of existing wiring, waterproofing to control humidity, relocation, fumigation etc.

The store where the nominated item is located occupies a total of 61.75m². It is located on the lower floor of the house and was built recently. Its state of repair is good and it remains constantly closed to prevent the entry of external contaminants, such as insects.

The budget allocated to the preservation of audio-visual collections is in the order of 4 million Bolivars, which represents 4% of the total Foundation budget.

The collections kept by FUNDEF are freely accessible to the public, although due to their subject matter and specific features, the majority of users who consult the works are university students and researchers in the area of folklore and popular and traditional culture.
 

9. Preservation assessment

In general, the nominated item is in a very good state of repair. No signs of mould or inappropriate handling are noticed. The clarity of the recordings is excellent, considering that the recordings were made on site fifteen or twenty years ago.

None of the resources in the audio-visual file have undergone revision by qualified personnel due to budgetary restrictions. Measures are nevertheless taken to prevent deterioration: necessary environmental controls are carried out, the area is kept clean and so on.

Since FUNDEF was set up in 1990, the audio-visual collection has been stored under the conditions described in the above paragraph. Before this date, the resources belonged to other institutions, such as the Centre for Popular and Traditional Culture, the Museum of Folklore and the National Institute of Folklore. The materials are currently all in good condition because the above institutions attempted to maintain the collections under the best possible conditions allowed by their budgets at the time.

A project is currently under way to ensure better preservation of the audio-visual materials including the nominated resource. This will be achieved with advice from the National Library of Venezuela and the financial backing of other organisations (OEA, Venezuelan Banking Foundation). The aim of the project is to ensure a suitable physical environment and the following factors will be standardised to meet international guidelines: heat, relative humidity, light, pollutants, handling and safety.

Five thousand documents from the audio-visual collection have been put into a MICRO-ISIS database named AUVIS. This figure represents 5% of all resources in the Foundation’s audio-visual collection. The software was specially designed for information gathered during field trips made by the Institute’s researchers because this data is too specific and individual to adapt to any of the internationally recognised formats.