THE BOUNDARIES OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN BRAZILIAN INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract

The recognition of cultural heritage at the intersection of local knowledge and biological diversity is closely linked in Brazil to several legal mechanisms – those aimed at protecting intangible cultural goods and those governing access to biodiversity and associated knowledge. The Department of Intangible Heritage was established in 2004 within the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN), following the promulgation of Federal Decree No. 3.551/2000, which introduced the inclusion of intangible cultural assets in the national heritage framework. This analysis focuses on how biodiversity is integrated into these heritage dynamics. Currently, 52 items of various kinds are listed as intangible heritage, twelve of which involve plant or animal diversity – whether spontaneous, cultivated, or bred. These examples reflect a wide range of understandings of biological diversity, as living beings may constitute the core of the heritage asset or appear as references or elements, whether tangible or intangible, that relate to it. The nature of the relationship with biodiversity varies significantly across these records. Accounting for the interplay between society and biodiversity calls for greater interdisciplinarity among the “active disciplines” in heritage studies – an approach that would help renew essential debates in a context where sustainability is a central concern.