Thailand waits for its iconic Nora dance art to get Unesco recognition
Nora, a form of traditional, folk performing art popular in the South of Thailand, is expected to win Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage for Humanity honour on December 16, the Department of Cultural Promotion said.
If it wins the listing, Nora will join Khon (traditional masked dance-drama) and traditional Thai massage as Thailand’s cultural heritage.
The status of the performing art will be considered at the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to be held at Unesco headquarters in Paris from December 13-18.
The official registration of Nora will be announced in a press conference at the Thailand Cultural Centre on December 16 along with a live broadcast of Unesco’s announcement from Paris.
Nora, a dance routine that has been passed down generations, is essentially a ritual to worship ancestors and is seen as a tool to strengthen communities.
The dance drama, which can last as long as three days and nights, usually retells the mythological story of a local prince who goes off to rescue Manohra (Nora), a woman-bird princess. The dance is generally composed of 12 positions and 17 movements that are marked by extremely expressive finger movements specified by long fake nails.
The Department of Cultural Promotion is broadcasting the “Nora, the Kingdom’s Wisdom” documentary on the Thai PBS channel from December 13 to 17 at around 8.30pm after the royal news segment.
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