Stručni rad
The etnographic collection "Šokačka kuća" in Topolje: family heritage or the fundation of a future open-air museum
Vlasta Šabić
; Muzej Slavonije Osijek
Sažetak
Ethnographic collection in Topolje, a village in Baranya region of the Danube-basin consists mostly of items from Manda Kovačev's family heritage. The initiative of the tradition-preservation lovers and founders of the Baranya Antique Fellowship "Ižip" in Topolje has resulted in exhibition of Topolje collection. This initiative has been supported by the Museum of Slavonia and Croatian Ministry of culture that has supported the Museum of Slavonia for taking part in this project, its expert analysis and presentation although it is a private collection. Besides its museological values, the value of the collection lies in the completeness of the family heritage which made it possible to create an open-air ethnographic museum. It is necessary for both museological and art-conservatory departments to participate. In 2003 the Draž community managed to purchase the project-anticipated estate in Topolje, Republika St. 73 with enough traditional elements. In addition, M. Kovačev was born in that house. Because of these facts we can get necessary information on the way of life on the estate, the purpose of some rooms and buildings, furniture arrangement etc. Residential part with the porch was built in 1923 but the part of the estate with economic purpose opposite the yard is older and was built of packed-earth and adobe, its roof was covered with reed.
The ethnographic collection has mostly been moved to the mentioned house and the items that were found there have been part of the collection. At the beginning of 2004 it was presented to the public by the temporary and incomplete exhibition in the room and in the small room called “kijer” (pictures 3, 4 and 5). The programme that refers to the museum segment started in spring 2002 according to the plan by registration of items. 1093 items have been registered so far, i.e. 1060 inventory numbers in item registration forms. The forms have been completed with basic but more or less detailed data and they will be completed with more extensive information if needed. 148 items have been restored and preserved: items made of wood (furniture, furnishings, appliances and tools) and parts of national costumes made of textile fabrics. The collection items are mainly from the beginning and the first half of the 20th century. There are some older items that were inherited and were used for some other purposes or were laid aside on the attick. Basic collection units are economy, furniture, furnishings, pottery, wickerwork
and items used for some customs and games, textile production, household textiles and national costumes.
The ambience of the exhibited items in a reconstructed typical national 'Sokac' room, a kitchen, a small room kijer and outhouses can depict homestead life in the first half of the 20th century. The old, blue-painted furniture with floral ornaments (picture 3) prevails in the room whereas new, daughter-in-law's (snajin) furniture will be put into the small room “kijer” (picture 4). Besides furniture, household textiles, tools the exhibition will present some segments of seasonal and everyday customs and activities, e.g. appliances used for textile production, the national costumes abundance etc.
These conceptions are the result of the first phase when items and data are registered. Further processing requires data completion and additional information from new tellers. This text is just a preliminary insight into the diversity of material with partial time terms of reference.
In the collection and especially in the house there are many small items that sometimes witness everyday life better than the chosen, representative items.
Numerous items in this collection are documents of various activities typical of a homesetad in the first half of the 20th century. There are tools used for some work on the house or on its equipment, various appliances and tools used around the house such as carpenter's tools etc. Many items were used in farming, cattle-breeding, wine-growing and fishing. The furniture kept up with style changes of the first half of the 20th century and were mostly made by local carpenters. Furnishings witness the everyday life activities. Some pottery, wickerwork vessels and other products of the collection show deary how these items had been used e.g. the way of carrying water in 'krsov'- a pot-bellied earthen jug with a holed-handle to drink from (pictures 15 and 16). Some items connected with customs and games such as a wedding branch or “gusa”, a woven towel that children would play with at Christmas. Linen production items and linen products- various household textiles: bedding, towels used for different purposes, table cloths and sacks. Parts of national costumes were made of house- woven materials such as the basic ladies' wearing apparel “rubina”, then waist slips “krilce”, men's wearing apparel “rubina” and drawers. The wearing apparel gives insight into how different particular types are regarding their purpose and gradual changes in fashion to the the point when national costumes were gradually abandoned. Ladies' wearing apparel “rubina podmrko” (black and blue thread embroidery) for deep-mourning and white “bila rubina” prevail whereas there are very few samples of some other types since they were sold (particularly after the Second World War).
National costumes were undergoing modernization as well, which new materials used for aprons and short coats “bekeš“ illustrate. The latter was a tailoring product. It is no wonder that there are many scarves in the collection since in the last phase of national costumes they replaced small caps.
Besides a few traditional scarves there is a variety of industrial scarves. When in 1960 M. Kovačev changed i.e. stopped wearing national costumes she would cover
her hair with silk scarves that women of that time used to buy in Italy. The collection includes mostly wearing apparel for older persons since they were the last generation to wear traditional clothing. They can be dated back to the period after the Second World War. These units are the most complete.
A certain number of items has not entered in an inventory and these are family photographs or correspondence, not great in number but written in an interesting way. Non-material heritage is of great importance to the collection because the activities of the Baranya Antique Fellowship bring some traditional crafts to life in this way. Furthermore, Manda Kovacev noted down some of her and her grandmother's memories telling. The 'in situ' collection among its present and former owners and tellers offers significant educational possibilités as well as further scientific analysis.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
163563
URI
Datum izdavanja:
6.12.2004.
Posjeta: 992 *