The Heritage Project is a community-arts concept for children. Participants are guided to make a music-theatre performance based on their cultural heritage. A local folk story is selected along with traditional music and dance, and molded into a script. During the project week the story is dramatized, rehearsed, and performed for friends and family.
The first project took place in Sri Lanka in 2012, where the children from Lunugamvehera and Panama Village dramatized the story of the Sri Lankan folk legend Mahadenamutta. Since then, The Heritage Project has been organized in eight different countries, working with refugees and indigenous communities.
In every project, children from different cultural backgrounds participate, making each performance vibrant and unique. By raising awareness about the importance of cultural heritage, the project contributes to the longevity of local folklore, language, and tradition.
Sri Lanka 2022
Malaysia 2019
Nepal 2017
Thailand 2017
Latvia 2016
Norway 2016
Ecuador 2015
Sri Lanka 2012
The Heritage Project returned to Sri Lanka to mark its 10th anniversary with two inspiring initiatives held in the villages of Pallegama and Wallakanda.
In Pallegama, local children staged a theatrical performance of Sinha Raja—The Lion Queen—a powerful tale celebrating the guardian spirit of the Sinharaja Rainforest.
In Wallakanda, students created and performed their own short plays, all centered around the theme of unity. These original works were proudly presented on Sri Lankan Independence Day.
Together with the Dusun people of Borneo (Malaysia), students from St. David Toboh Primary School in Tambunan brought The Legend of Tambunan to life on stage. The story tells of how the Tamadon and Gombunan tribes overcame their common enemy, Tonsudung, and later united in peace, naming their shared home “Tambunan.”
The Dusun are an indigenous community from Sabah, in northern Borneo, with a rich cultural heritage deeply rooted in nature. Their traditional dances mirror the graceful movements of birds, and their musical instruments are crafted from natural materials. However, both the Dusun language and cultural traditions face the threat of assimilation into mainstream Malaysian society.
Initiatives like The Heritage Project aim to empower children to take pride in their heritage, preserve their mother tongue, and keep their local customs alive for future generations.
The Heritage Project was held at Poolbari Primary School in Nepal in celebration of the Tihar festival. Also known as the Nepali version of Diwali, Tihar is a five-day Hindu festival honoring four sacred animals linked to Yama, the God of Death. Through a theatrical performance, the students portrayed the five symbolic days of Tihar, bringing the festival’s myths and meanings to life on stage.
Nepal is home to a rich tapestry of ethnic groups, with Hinduism being the dominant religion. However, remnants of the traditional caste system continue to perpetuate social inequalities, particularly among marginalized communities. Projects like The Heritage Project seek to foster cultural pride and inclusivity by giving all children a voice in expressing and preserving their heritage.
In the villages of Som Poi and Mor Wa Kee in northern Thailand, local students dramatized the Karen folk tale Pujs Da and Deif Muj Bau. In the story, Deif Muj Bau plots to have her seven stepsons killed. After several failed attempts, the brothers take revenge and kill her. Her spirit returns in the form of a vengeful buffalo, devouring all but the youngest son, Pujs Da. He ultimately frees his brothers, but in a twist of fate, transforms into a buffalo himself.
The Karen are an indigenous people native to Myanmar and northern Thailand, with a distinct language and rich cultural traditions. Following the Burmese insurgency in 1949, the Karen faced persecution and mass displacement. Today, many live along the Thailand–Myanmar border, navigating a precarious existence as a marginalized minority.
Through The Heritage Project, Karen children are given the opportunity to reconnect with their ancestral stories, strengthen their cultural identity, and express their heritage with pride.
The Heritage Project was organized for children participating in the Festival of Latvian Music in Madona. During the week, the students rehearsed and performed the folk tale Sprīdītis at Cesvaine Castle.
In the story, the Mother of the Wind gifts Sprīdītis a magical flute that compels anyone who hears it to dance. Using this power, Sprīdītis defeats the devil who seeks to kidnap the princess. As the only one to succeed, he is granted the kingdom and the princess’s hand in marriage. However, the princess does not wish to marry him and conspires with a witch to have Sprīdītis killed. Fortunately, Sprīdītis possesses a magic ring that allows him to transform into a swan and escape home.
In response to the refugee crisis in Europe, The Heritage Project partnered with an asylum center in Trondheim, Norway. Around fifteen refugees from Africa and Asia proudly shared their cultural heritage through a heartfelt music and dance performance.
Since 2015, Europe has experienced multiple waves of refugees fleeing conflict, poverty, persecution, and climate change. The reception and treatment of these refugees have varied greatly, with many forced to endure years of uncertainty while awaiting decisions on their status.
In a remote community deep within the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, the inhabitants brought to life the Quechuan folk tale The Magic Flute through a captivating dramatization.
The Quechua are an indigenous people of the Andean region in South America, renowned for their rich cultural heritage, unique language, and vibrant traditions.
The Heritage Project began in Sri Lanka, where children from Lunugamvehera and Panama Village dramatized the folk tale Mahadenamutta. The story follows an old guru, reputed to be wise but actually quite fallible, who is tasked with saving the village’s cattle from a fearsome monster. On his journey, he encounters a group of dancers and musicians whose songs have the power to tame the beast. Their plan succeeds, and the monster, enchanted by the music, becomes the village’s protector of the cattle.
Following a long and brutal civil war between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority, Sri Lanka continues to face challenges of poverty and ethnic tension. Cultural initiatives like The Heritage Project, which bring together diverse communities, represent a hopeful step towards reconciliation and unity.
Nepal
Thailand
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Malaysia
Latvia
