Copyright Salt Lake City Deseret News
Switzerland’s government is seeking approval from UNESCO to add the centuries-old tradition of yodeling to the organization’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a global register honoring living traditions that shape cultural identity. The United Nations cultural agency, headquartered in Paris, is expected to decide by the end of the year, according to The Associated Press. Yodeling, once used by Swiss herders to communicate across mountain valleys, has evolved into a national identity and artistry. While the practice also exists in neighboring Austria, Germany and northern Italy, Swiss yodeling is known for its distinctive vocal techniques and regional styles, according to National Geographic. “For me, actually, in Switzerland we have four languages but I think we have five languages. We have a fifth: The yodel,” said Nadja Räss, a professor at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, which became the first Swiss university to teach yodeling about seven years ago. Switzerland’s four official languages include Romansh, French, German and Italian. Räss explained that traditional “natural yodeling” consisted mainly of wordless vocal calls and vowel sounds. Today, many performances include verses and melodies, bridging a gap between folk music and contemporary song, according to The Associated Press. “Yodeling has always been transformed and updated,” said Julien Vuilleumier, a scientific adviser for the Federal Office of Culture, who is leading Switzerland’s bid. According to the Swiss government, around 12,000 yodelers perform across roughly 780 groups affiliated with the Swiss Yodeling Association. Yet, according to Vuilleumier, the exact origins of yodeling are still unknown. “Some say it’s a means of communication between valleys, using these very distinctive sounds that can carry a long way,” Vuilleumier said, per AP. “Others believe it’s a form of singing.” UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list was created to help preserve living traditions — from dance and crafts to rituals and oral expressions — by raising awareness and encouraging cultural transmission. Countries submitting nominations are asked to outline how they will keep these traditions alive for future generations. Räss said that one way Switzerland hopes to do that is through education. “We figured out some projects to bring it to the future,” she said, according to Euronews. “One of those is that we bring the yodel to the primary school. One of my life goals is that when I will die, in Switzerland every school child will be in contact with yodeling during their primary school time. I think it’s a very good chance for the future of the yodel to be on that list.” Nominations alongside the Swiss’ request for yodeling to be included on the list are traditions like Myanmar’s Thanakha face powder, Ghanaian highlife music, a fermented Kyrgyz beverage Maksym, and the Venezuelan music and dance tradition El Joropo, according to AP.
