Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Developing sustainable heritage-based livelihoods: an initial study of artisans and their crafts in Viljandi County, Estonia

2011; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 17; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13527258.2011.589199

1470-3610

Priit-Kalev Parts, Madis Rennu, Liisi Jääts, Ave Matsin, Joosep Metslang,

Rural development and sustainability

Abstract This paper examines the role of traditional woodworking and building crafts as a local resource in a country in transition from socialism to a market-based economy. The authors use an applied anthropological approach to integrate the preservation of intangible heritage (in the form of traditional crafts) and sustainable heritage-based livelihoods into a contemporary institutional framework. The paper starts with a theoretical discussion of skills as a form of tacit knowledge, a mode of knowing that does not easily submit to verbal explanation and transfer. The authors then discuss the methodology, purposes, procedures and precedents of collecting information about artisans and their skills. Relying on fieldwork data collected in Viljandi County, Estonia in the summer of 2008, the authors sketch an overview of relations between artisans and the communities they live in. The paper also examines several related phenomena such as economic sustainability of the crafts, intergenerational transmission of skills, changes in the relationship between the artisan and the customer, and relevant implications for crafts-related institutions and policies. Keywords: sustainable heritage-based livelihoodscraftstacit knowingintangible heritagecraft-related institutions and policies Acknowledgements This paper was written under the aegis of the Regional Colleges as Local Centres of Competence programme, funded by the Estonian Ministry of the Interior and implemented by the Enterprise Estonia Foundation. The publication also benefited from research grant PP2VK08906 of the University of Tartu and SF2007 of the Estonian University of Life Sciences. The authors wish to extend their gratitude to Professor Art Leete from the Institute of Cultural Research and Fine Arts of the University of Tartu for his advice on conducting the study reported above. The authors also thank the anonymous referees and the editor of the IJHS for useful comments on an earlier draft of the paper. Last, but not least, the authors remain indebted to Ain Rada and Meelis Leesik for their patience in reflecting on our ideas and in helping us express them in the English language in a way that the readers – at least those who have borne with us so far – have hopefully found accessible. Notes 1. According to a study (Kalmus and Keller Citation2004, p. 101) conducted in Estonia, 2% of male respondents regarded themselves as actively engaging in artisanal activities, and 4% in fine woodcutting activities. Respectively, 14 and 37% of male respondents said they had tried their hand in those fields at some point. Among women, however, the pursuit of handicrafts was and is far more popular both in the past and the present (Teppor Citation2008). There are currently at least 227 clubs and societies in Estonia who pursue (handi)crafts in one form or another (Vanamölder Citation2009, p. 5). 2. The Development of a Crafts Cluster in Viljandi County project (2007−2008) was initiated by the Department of Native Estonian Crafts of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy and supported by the Enterprise Estonia Foundation in the framework of the Development Programme of Regional Colleges as Local Centres of Excellence. The project comprises the following actions:(1) Developing advanced training and retraining courses for log builders.(2) Launching a traditional Estonian woodworking course at Olustvere School of Land Economy and Services.(3) Introducing log building as a trade specialisation in the Viljandi United Vocational Schools.(4) Launching the specialisation of traditional Estonian textiles at the Olustvere School of Land Economy and Services.(5) Setting up a research centre for inherited Estonian technologies. 3. With respect to this project, the priorities of researchers were determined by the fact that two programmes are already taught at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy Department of Estonian Native Crafts: Estonian Native Textiles (since 1994) and Estonian Native Construction (since 2005). 4. We were inspired by the programmatic 'relaxed attitude' of the family of developmental approaches and methods, which has also been referred to as 'relaxed rural appraisal' (although it is probably better known as 'rapid rural appraisal', 'participatory rural appraisal', etc.). The goal of these approaches is 'to enable local people to share, enhance and analyse their knowledge of life and conditions, to plan and to act' (Chambers Citation1992, p. 1). In addition to that, emphasis is also placed on methodological flexibility, ability to improvise and to be economical ('principles of optimal ignorance') (Mikkelsen Citation1995, p. 69). 5. As a Finno-Ugric language, Estonian lacks grammatical gender – the word käsitööline (literally 'handworker') is not gender-specific. However, as described in the Discussion section, the words käsitöö ((handi)craft) and käsitööline (craftsperson, artisan) do have gender-specific associations in contemporary Estonian. These words are associated with what have traditionally been regarded as female crafts, such as textile arts. In the course of the research project, this fact was to prove the cause of many misunderstandings and funny incidents. 6. Kale is a traditional clinker-planked sailboat used for trawling on Lake Võrtsjärv (Viljandi County). For further information, see the webpage of the MTÜ Kaleselts [non-profit organisation, the Kale Society] (in Estonian): http://www.kaleselts.ee/?keel=est. 7. See, for instance, the blog site of dugout carvers: http://haabjas.blogspot.com or http://www.soomaa.com/?id=139&lang=eng. 8. Database of Viljandi County Artisans Possessing Inherited Skills: http://rahvuslik.kultuur.edu.ee. Full access to the database is limited to the group of researchers involved in the project. 9. The interviews were conducted in Estonian. The excerpts used in this paper have been translated by Meelis Leesik. 10. According to the website of Statistics Estonia, the average gross salary in Estonia in 2008 was 12,912 EEK (€825). Available from: http://www.stat.ee/37965 (in Estonian). 11. Karu talu (Karu Farm): http://www.hot.ee/karumesilane. 12. When the fieldwork of the project was carried out, the 2008 economic downturn had not yet hit Estonia. Still, some of the interviewees mentioned that the situation was likely to change. They also pointed out that the change could bring new opportunities – in a tighter economy, it would be easier to hire employees, and those hired would probably be more motivated (Mart Vaiksaar, DAPIS 2008). 13. See, for example, Eesti Ajalooliste Laevade Selts [Estonian Historical Ships Society]: http://www.lodi.ee/historicships/index.php/en. 14. See, for example, Põhuehitajate kohtumispaik [Straw-bale builders' forum] http://savikodu.ee. 15. The Information Centre for Sustainable Renovation (http://www.srik.ee) also has a branch office in Viljandi, at which training events are organised on a regular basis (http://www.srik.ee/index.php?region=3&amenu=0). 16. In the Soviet Union, everyone was supposed to be employed with a state or collective employer. This meant that everybody was supposed to have a 'day job' – in fact, not having a job carried a stigma and could make one liable to sanctions. 17. Oppisopimuskoulutus [Finnish Apprenticeship Training Framework]. Available from: http://www.oppisopimus.net. 18. Rules for implementing workplace-based programmes of study – a regulation of the Estonian Minister for Education and Research (see References for details). 19. The assessment of Inna Soonurm, specialist at the Vocational Education Department of the National Examination and Qualification Centre (from the interview conducted by Parts, 23 July 2010). 20. The corresponding training primarily includes product development, entrepreneurship, online marketing, etc. ESF measure 1.3. 'Inclusive Labour Market', project No. 1.0301-0144 'Handicrafts as a job' (2004−2007) and ESF measure 1.3.1 'Increasing the Availability of Qualified Labour Force', project No. 1.3.0102.09-0036 'Handicraft for Job 2' (2009−2010).