Evolutionary Heritage & Body Reclamation
Imagine a world where every human form is celebrated… where, history of our species - from evolutionary biology to rise of ancient civilisations - informs a cultural revolution that dispels millennia of body-shame and social ills. World War II concluded on September 2, 1945. United Nations was established on October 24, 1945. UNESCO was established on November 16, 1945, which constitution begins:
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”
UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity features a diverse array of cultural practices and expressions from around the world, not ranked by prominence or citation frequency. At the time of writing (February 2025), 183 countries have ratified the convention and the list includes 788 elements, of which 97 are shared between more than one country. The element shared by the highest number of countries (24) is falconry. Interestingly, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have not ratified UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and United Kingdom only ratified it in 2024.
Our journey begins millions of years ago with the emergence of H. sapiens sapiens, a species that gradually evolved to be relatively harmless hairless. This biological transformation was not an aesthetic accident but a feature shaped by our ancestors’ adaptation to changing climates and environmental pressures. As early humans lost body hair, they faced new challenges: protection from sun, injuries and climatic elements. This need sparked memetic evolution of body adornments, from practical coverings to decorative accessories.
Over time, clothing and body decorations such as jewellery, paints and dyes evolved not only for protection but also for social and cultural signalling. These practices helped mark social status, celebrate rites of passage and communicate group identity. Personal choice in decoration became a profound expression of individuality and community, from biological origins to modern cultural practices.
Ancient Civilisations and Rise of Concealment
As human societies evolved into complex civilisations, clothing took on a dual role. Beyond protective qualities, garments began to function as symbols of power and social order. In many ancient cultures, human bodies were cloaked not merely to guard against elements but also to mystify form - a phenomenon that may have laid groundwork for systematic gender discrimination. In such societies, selective concealment of bodies contributed to power dynamics that subtly devalued natural beauty and fostered an environment where personal worth was often measured against imposed standards of modesty.
Use of clothing as a tool for concealment also gave rise to what might be called “body-shame”, a cultural narrative that has had both positive and negative effects. On one hand, it spurred the creation of exquisite art forms, intricate fabrics and ornate body decorations that continue to be celebrated today. On the other hand, it entrenched social hierarchies and contributed to a legacy of inequity and systematic abuses of power - issues that still resonate in our global discourse.
Indigenous Cultures
Despite adoption of clothing - as norm,
Indigenous cultures ignore body, in form.
In Amazonia, various tribes continue practices that eschew reasons of shame but use minimal coverings and elaborate body paints rich in cultural symbolism. Similar traditions persist among some communities in Africa, where indigenous rituals and daily practices emphasise beauty of the unadorned body, celebrating its form through art and adornment without connotations of shame. In parts of Asia and Australasia, ancient customs reveal a longstanding acceptance of social nudity - a living testament to a time when the body was not a source of taboo, albeit sometimes a canvas for cultural expression.
Body Decorations and Naturist Practices
Body decorations - jewellery, paints or dyes - are more than superficial adornments. They play in personal identity, social cohesion and cultural continuity:
Individually, they empower people to express unique identities.
Socially, they serve as markers of shared heritage and community belonging.
Culturally, these practices remind us of a time when our ancestors celebrated the human form.
Today, remnants of ancient practices of concealment have morphed into a pervasive cultural norm that can sometimes lead to unbridled political and economic abuses of power. This persistent culture of body-shame, inherited from the mystification practices of early civilisations, now risks contributing to conflicts on a global scale - raising a spectre of catastrophic consequences in an already volatile geopolitical climate.
Rethinking Naturism for Future:
It’s time to update UNESCO’s official list of “cultural heritage”: multinational recognition of Naturism - a practice of being unashamed of one’s natural body - offers an opportunity to reconnect with evolutionary roots, whilst challenging outdated social constructs that marginalise and divide. By embracing naturist practices, we allow for personal choice in aesthetic decoration and practical clothing for environmental protection, without punitive associations of body-shame. Furthermore, International Naturist Federation - established in 1950s - has not updated its “definition” since 1974 (more than 50 years ago), thus failing to reflect current understandings of cultural and biological evolution. It is incumbent upon us all to modernise this perspective, to advocate for a reinterpretation that aligns with contemporary realities and to counter systematic abuses of power of deep historical roots. For survival of our species - and for creation of a more equitable, honest and expressive global society - it is time to dispense with the outdated concept of body-shame. By nominating Naturism for inclusion on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, we honour not only our evolutionary past but also our future: free from oppressive legacies of concealment and discrimination. By embracing Naturism, we step toward uniting diverse cultures and nations in recognition that our bodies are a source of beauty, strength and communal identity. The call is clear: reclaim the human form as a symbol of freedom and progress; reject vestiges of history that divide. By revisiting our evolutionary journey and reimagining our cultural traditions, we can chart a new course where beauty is celebrated, body-shame is left behind and individual expression contributes to a more just and peaceful world.
Request Ministries of Culture and UNESCO delegations in all nations to specify Naturism as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
