Macau announced today the official recognition of eight individuals as promoters of intangible cultural heritage, with Miguel de Senna Fernandes included on the list for his promotion of Patuá theater, a Creole dialect of Portuguese origin.
Patuá is a linguistic system created by Macau’s Luso-descendant community over the last four hundred years, using Portuguese as its foundation while mixing it with Malay, Cantonese, English, and Spanish.
Following the third plenary meeting of the Cultural Heritage Council held today, the president of the Cultural Institute of Macau, Leong Wai Man, announced that the department received more than 10 applications, selecting eight individuals for the national-level transmission list.
The designated heritage transmitters are Tsang Tak Hang (Woodwork Sacred Image Carving), Ng Peng Chi (Taoist Ritual Music), Au Kuan Cheong (Narrative Songs), Chan Kin Chun (Belief and Customs of A-Ma), Cheang Kun Kuong and Ip Tat (Belief and Customs of Na Tcha), Lo Seng Chung (Belief and Customs of Tou Tei), and Henrique Miguel Rodrigues de Senna Fernandes (Patuá Theater).
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“Over the years, this group of transmitters has continued to actively promote the protection of Macau’s intangible cultural heritage,” Leong stated during the press briefing.
Following this formal recognition, the transmitters are eligible to receive institutional support, funding, and official government certificates to better promote their respective cultural fields.
When questioned about the specific budget allocated for awards and financial support for the eight newly recognized transmitters, Leong Wai Man noted that the award amounts are still being finalized.
The official added that Macau’s intangible heritage inventory currently boasts 24 distinct items and recalled that 19 protection units had already been established in previous cultural conservation initiatives.
