Africa-Press – Mozambique. Tchiloli, the theatre of São Tomé and Príncipe, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding, taking place until Saturday in New Delhi, India.
Meanwhile, Mozambique’s Xigubo, a warrior dance traditionally practised in the south of the country and also a candidate for the UNESCO list, was not inscribed because UNESCO considered that “the information included in the dossier is not sufficient” to enable the Committee to determine the criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) congratulated São Tomé and Príncipe on its first inscription, recognising the country’s “perseverance and commitment in completing the application process” of Tchiloli, a journey that began in 2015.
According to documentation on the UNESCO website, new studies on Tchiloli were launched in 2023, following the loss of documentation, to support the application process, culminating in the inclusion of Tchiloli in São Tomé’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024.
Tchiloli, a popular theatre form dating back to the tragedy of D. Carloto, is performed in open spaces during festivals or public events and involves actors, musicians and audience participation.
“The story [of Tchiloli] revolves around a murder trial and involves about thirty actors. These actors represent different roles in the judicial system: the victim’s family, the emperor and his court, and various legal and public figures,” reads the documentation, with the main scene depicting “a public trial where the emperor’s son is accused of the crime,” “illustrating the value of equality before the law.”
To protect and promote this cultural practice, UNESCO proposes safeguarding measures to be implemented by the Tchiloli Network with technical, financial and logistical support from the São Tomé government. These include organising competitions and events, disseminating theatrical materials, transmitting knowledge and skills related to the practice with a focus on training young people, expanding the Tchiloli Network, and creating resource centres, a living museum, and scientific symposiums on Tchiloli.
