DOCUMENTS OFF TO UNESCO TO APPLY FOR SKN CHRISTMAS SPORTS TO GET ON REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF ICH
(Dept. of Cultural Heritage, St. Kitts, April 16, 2026): On March 31st, a comprehensive compilation of documents was sent off to UNESCO from the Department of Cultural Heritage in the Ministry of Small Business, Entrepreneurship, Cooperatives and the Creative Economy to enable St. Kitts and Nevis to apply for nomination for its Christmas Sports to receive Inscription on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
The documents that include videos of interviews of individual Traditional Knowledge Bearers and Folklore group consents and a 10-minute video displaying the Federation’s Christmas Sports was sent along with written consents, traditional knowledge bearer information and the necessary completed UNESCO forms that were key to the application process. This followed several months of hard work put in by Traditional Knowledge Bearers, Cultural Heritage Staff, Nevis Cultural Development Foundation Staff and Volunteers from the public that included videographers, video editors, writers, print editors, photographers, interviewers, and community liaisons.
Also of critical importance was the assistance provided by Secretary-General the St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission to UNESCO Ambassador Nerys Dockery and staff and Permanent Delegate of St. Kitts and Nevis to UNESCO Ambassador David Doyle and the Staff of the Jamaica Office to UNESCO.
The nine Christmas Sports that were represented are The Bull Play, Mummies, and Actors specific to St. Kitts, Johnny Walkers and Cake Walk out of Nevis and Masquerades, Mocko Jumbies, String Band and Clowns that are relevant to both islands. Should the initial application for nomination be successful another application can be submitted for additional Christmas Sports to be added.
“This initiative is a major milestone in raising the profile of our Christmas Sports and recognizing their tremendous significance of our cultural heritage in shaping our sense of identity,” Director of Culture Pierre Liburd said addressing the significance of the submission. “The role of these traditional art forms in maintaining our human dignity, exemplifying our resilience and creativity and aiding in our social cohesion and economic advancement is undeniable. We honour the practitioners and communities that continue to safeguard these traditions. We are proud to put them forward for their well-deserved, international recognition as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”
Benefits of such an inscription include Cultural Preservation and Transmission of the Federation’s Christmas Sports, Community Empowerment and Recognition instilling a sense of pride in the communities where they originate or rehearse, Economic and Tourism Development as they now perform outside of the Christmas and Culturama periods, and International Support and Cooperation that are necessary for the cultural performances to continue to survive at home and abroad.
The final decision is expected to be announced in December of 2027. The Department of Cultural Heritage and the Nevis Cultural Development Foundation will continue to provide updates to the practicing communities and to the country at large as the nomination file nears its final evaluation by UNESCO.
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