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Brunei is also involved in the ASEAN Blueprint for the Socio-

Cultural Community 2008-2015. The 13th ASEAN Summit,

held in Singapore on 20 November 2007, agreed to develop

an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint to

ensure that concrete actions are undertaken to promote the

establishment of an ASCC.

Among the initiatives was the building of an ASEAN iden-

tity through the promotion of ASEAN awareness and a sense

of community. The strategic objective was to create a sense of

belonging, consolidate unity in diversity and enhance deeper

mutual understanding among ASEAN member states about

their culture, history, religion and civilization. It also aims to

promote the conservation and preservation of ASEAN cultural

heritage, to ensure its continuity and enhance people’s aware-

ness and understanding about the unique history of the

region and the cultural similarities and differences between

and among ASEAN member states, as well as to protect the

distinctiveness of ASEAN cultural heritage as a whole.

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage

Brunei is predominantly Malay with Islam as the official

language and monarchy as its system of government. The

Bruneian identity is defined as civilization, values and person-

alities governed by the national ideology of the Melayu Islam

Beraja (MIB). With intangible cultural heritage (ICH) being

practiced, we are sure that Brunei Darussalam will be coherent

and the identity of us Bruneians will be sustained whatever

the challenges of the global world are.

The seven Malays have rich cultural heritage. The arts, tradi-

tional medicine, culture, practice, cuisine, traditional motives,

literature and other forms of ICHwere passed on through stories,

legends, folklore, rituals, songs and customs. The role of the Adat

(customary law) and Pusaka (heirlooms of the ancestors) is vital

in maintaining the ICH of the Brunei Malays. The unwritten

legislature of the codification and implementation of the Adat

and its role as a Pusaka takes place in all aspects of society.

In Brunei Darussalam, various government agencies and

institutions have been working hand-in-hand to protect ICH.

The Ministry of Education, through SPN21, has highlighted

the importance of ICH in the subjects of MIB; Social Studies;

and Business, Art and Technology in the curriculum. The

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, through its Culture

and the Arts Section, is working on an inventory of arts,

culture and ICH, in line with the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The

Museums Department and the Brunei History Centre have

been doing anthropological and archaeological studies on the

ICH; so have Universiti Brunei Darussalam and other govern-

ment agencies. The Attorney General Chambers have been

actively involved in the protection of intellectual properties

through Brunei Darussalam’s Emergency (Copyright) Order,

1999. The Brunei Economic Development Board established

the Patents Registry Office early this year.

The Brunei Museums Department was established in 1965

to manage the richly endowed and diversified cultural prop-

erties. The department has expanded tremendously and

embarked on a multidisciplinary and holistic approach in the

collection, preservation, execution of research and disclosure

of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

In 1984 Brunei Darussalam gained its independence. That

year also witnessed the setting up of ministries and depart-

ments which include the Ministry of Culture, Youth and

Sports. In 1985, the Culture and the Arts Section of the

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports was established. One

of the main tasks of the section is to oversee culture and herit-

age and protect them.

Image: DK

The weaving of Kain Jong Sarat and silversmithing are important traditional skills; these traditional textiles and silverware are used in daily cultural

practices in Brunei Darussalam

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