Cultural heritage and folklore: Some observations on a complicated relationship

The UNESCO Convention, with its programmes for safeguarding intangible culture, has attracted considerable scientific interest and raised many questions about what appears to be a process of "construction" of "cultural heritages". The procedures for validating UNESCO-recognised heritage, the actors involved and the changes brought about are extremely interesting from a culturological point of view as they refer to the methods of evaluating culture and ultimately the question of the role and functions of popular culture in late modernity. Starting with Carnival in the Belgian city of Binche, the author critically examines the mechanisms whereby popular culture is prioritised and divided into categories of culture worth protecting and culture lacking certain attributes, which risks falling into oblivion.