"The sound of the bells": an experience using new media to promote intangible heritage

Abstract

In 2009, the "Toque dos Sinos" (Bellringing) and the "Ofício de Sineiro" (Bellringer's Craft) were registered by the Institute for National Artistic and Historical Heritage (IPHAN) as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Brazil. The registration is the result of an inventory that maps, in 9 cities of Minas Gerais, more than 40 types of bell ringing, which form a sonorous language through which the inhabitants of the cities of Minas Gerais communicated, especially between the 17th and 19th centuries. There were distinctive bells to announce the death of a man, woman, or child; other rings identified masses, processions, festivals, fires, and childbirth. The ringing of bells is a form of non-verbal communication that carries several meanings, made up of the memories and stories of the inhabitants of the region. The bell ringers, who are responsible for ringing the bells, pass on their knowledge of ringing, chimes, rhythm, and harmony to new generations in the context of oral/aural tradition. It is taught and learned through observation, listening, and practice, at the top of the towers, during festivities, on mass days - but only at the appropriate times for bell ringing.