“ Si'oto'ofa 'Etita: Dear readers please take note that: (that is, what culture is over what culture does) at the end of paragraph 2 in bracket should now correctly read: (that is, what culture does over what culture is). Malo fau and my sincere apologies for the trouble. 'Ofa lahi moe hufaki. Hufanga.
On the Matter of Cultural Heritage: Tangible, Physical or Material Versus Intangible, Nonphysical or Nonmaterial?
Tongan arts are classified either as body-centred or non-body-centred into three genres, namely, faiva (performance), tufunga (material) and nimama'a (fine) arts as opposed to their classification into tangible and intangible arts over the physical and nonphysical or material and nonmaterial, strictly problematised and imposed by UNESCO.
In Tongan philosophical thinking of the practice of art, the performance art of poetry (faiva ta'anga) is considered as tangible, physical or material as the material art of boat-building (tufunga fo'uvaka) and fine art of bark-cloth-making (nimamea'a koka'anga) -- all three are taken from a philosophical point of view as far from being intangible, nonphysical or nonmaterial.
As far as this problematics, as well as many such distinctions between art and craft and customary and contemporary, are concerned, a consistent yet constant call for a radical shift in the axis of the praxis of UNESCO, where they are transformed from a condition of imposition to a state of mediation. The state of affairs thus envisioned is the true spirit of freedom.
'Ofa lahi moe tapuaki,
Hufanga ”