Ride of the Kings added to UNESCO heritage list

The Ride of the Kings – an annual tradition practiced in the Slovácko region of southeastern Moravia in the Czech Republic has been entered onto UNESCO’s list recognizing intangible cultural heritage. The decision was taken by the UNESCO inter-government committee meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Overall, the committee is to assess 84 cultural traditions from around the world.

The famous Ride of the Kings is held in Hluk, Kunovice, Vlčnov and Skoronice - all in the Slovácko region. According to some researchers the tradition originated in pagan times when young boys competed in putting cattle out to pasture – where the best ‘became king’. Other ethnographers explain the origin of the ride as related to the flight of Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus from Czech King George of Poděbrady in the 15th century. In order to mask his identity Corvinus dressed in women’s folk costume and put a rose in his mouth.

The folk festival is highly colorful and is accompanied by folk music. The Czech Republic sought the Ride of the Kings being added to the UNESCO heritage list for several years. The Ride of the Kings is not the first Czech tradition on the UNESCO list. The Slovácko folk dance of military recruits that originated in the 18th century was entered in 2005. The Shrovetide processions with masks in the region of Hlinsko, East Bohemia, as well as falconry, whose roots go back to the 9th century Great Moravian Empire, were added last year.