Dialectrock, with Drenthe bands such as Mooi Wark, is included on the list of intangible heritage. It raises the question: what exactly is intangible heritage, and why is it so important to record it?
According to the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center, intangible heritage concerns traditions, rituals and customs that are passed on from generation to generation. So it is not about buildings or monuments, but about things that you do, experience and pass on. It is precisely this living character that makes heritage vulnerable, but also valuable, according to the knowledge center.
Anyone who looks at Drenthe sees that intangible heritage is all around us. For example, the flower parade in Eelde, carbide shooting and keeping flocks of sheep are already on the national inventory, according to data from the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center.
The culture surrounding pirate music and old crafts such as oil beating have also been given a place. Behind all these traditions are groups of people who are committed to keeping them alive.
In the meantime, the list continues to grow. More than sixty forms of heritage are scheduled to be added, ranging from crafts and festivals to customs from daily life. Dialect rock is one of them, but naoberschap and Low Saxon are also scheduled to be added to the inventory in the short term.