This paper focuses on the custom of making of the Nativity scenes in Kraków. The tradition of making meticulous constructions depicting miniaturized Kraków buildings and architectural details as a scenography for the Nativity scene accompanied by various local and national figures set in the 19th century. Today this Christmas related custom is promoted by the City of Kraków as well as by national institutions as an “authentic” intangible cultural heritage. The paper analyses, how the Nativity scene tradition relates to the heritagisation of the city of Kraków itself. The process is depicted in relation to the two UNESCO Conventions (1972, 2003) and a changing concept concerning the “authenticity” of heritage. Heritagisation is presented here as a process involving practices, objects and the cityscape. The author also discusses the commodification of the Nativity scene tradition in Kraków and analyses attempts to transform this tradition into a national brand.
The region of Lusatia in Germany is characterised by a permanent state of uncertainty – as a consequence of decades of resettlements due to lignite mining as well as structural changes resulting from the German reunification. This article discusses an inclusive concept of post-mining landscapes and the presencing of their pasts in regional discourses, given that lignite mining in Lusatia mainly took place in the settlement area of the autochthonous minority of the Sorbs/Wends. Since the end of lignite mining is planned for 2038, historicizing perspectives such as a World Heritage initiative are becoming increasingly important, leading to a new conceptualisation of the post-mining landscape primarily as a practice of past presencing itself, which functions as a coping mechanism for facing up to new uncertainties, thereby emerging as a new action arena for the negotiation of regional identity, belonging and power structures.
The article seeks to provide insight into the process of establishing Slovenia’s oldest folklore festival named Jurjevanje in the town of Črnomelj through a discursive approach. Focused on the Zeleni Jurij (Green George) ritual as the basis of the festival, the article captures the local discourse and explores the festival’s historical development and its connection to broader folklore festivalisation in Slovenia. Key events in the 1930s related to various folklore events and festivals at that time within the region and outside it played pivotal roles. After the Second World War, Črnomelj attempted to revive regional folklore by hosting folk dance group displays, resulting in the emergence in 1964 of the Jurjevanje festival, which blended socialist ideology with heritage preservation. Today, it embodies heritage, identity, and development goals, showcasing the marketability of regional traditions globally.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.