Page 52 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, ur. 2021. Mitska krajina: iz različnih perspektiv. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem.
P. 52
ja Hrobat Virloget
of Baba, which can be recognised in both the Slavic and the Romance narra-
tive tradition and landscape. In addition to the comparisons known so far,
based on examples from Italy and France, similarities with the old woman
also exist in the Spanish narrative tradition which is also associated with
some parts of the landscape. Such a prevalence of oral tradition concerning
old women most likely indicates their archaic nature. Unfortunately, tradi-
tion cannot be dated, unlike cases where it refers to the material world. By
using maps, the oldest Baba as a stone monolith from Istria, on the bor-
der between the Venetian Republic and Austria, dates back to the 18th and
16th century (see map Panjek 2015, 124), while the drawing of Baba on the
church wall in Gračišće in Istria dates back to the 15th century (Vince-Pallua
2018). Further analyses were undertaken of the Baba boundary locations
and their connection with mythical toponyms derived from the word ‘deva’
(meaning girl, a virgin) and other toponyms. According to tradition, Baba
is a fundamental element of the cosmological system, as it is still found in
many villages’ areas today. Among other things, it is one of the fundamental
points of the ‘tročan’ system in the so-called ‘staroverci’ tradition (‘Old Faith
Believers’) (Medvešček 2015; Pleterski 2015). At the same time, the author
draws attention to the changeability of the tradition, and thus the mythical
toponyms, which, in the case of the Baba from Rodik, proved to be unstable
and the subject of different interpretations.
The analysis of the mythical landscape ends with a revision of our knowl-
edge regarding the ‘sacredness’ of cadastral boundaries, where folklore and
ritual traditions indicate not only contact between two areas of neighbour-
ing villages, but also contact between the world of the living and the dead
(Hrobat 2010a; Young 2020).
The chapter concludes with guidelines and problems related to the preserva-
tion of the narrative tradition of the Mythic Park. It is especially emphasised
that if the narrative tradition remains only in todays, ‘petrified’ form of pre-
sentation and does not come to life (again) in people’s stories, then the park
will lose its meaning. The author especially warns of the danger of trivial-
ising the narrative tradition and misinterpretations, when instead of the
narrative or mythical tradition, we are talking about myths that have not
been preserved in Europe. She also emphasises the importance of the con-
nection between narrative tradition and landscape. The last warning refers
to the completely wrong connection between mythical tradition and con-
temporary national identities, where it is especially important the active
critical engagement of the professionals. The author, who based on her re-
search conceptually designed the Mythic Park in cooperation with the local
community, concludes with the question to which extent the ‘petrified’ nar-
rative tradition of the park will come to life in its creativity and variability,
and whether heritage can become tradition again. And how will intangible
heritage change under the influence of tourism and ethnology?
52
of Baba, which can be recognised in both the Slavic and the Romance narra-
tive tradition and landscape. In addition to the comparisons known so far,
based on examples from Italy and France, similarities with the old woman
also exist in the Spanish narrative tradition which is also associated with
some parts of the landscape. Such a prevalence of oral tradition concerning
old women most likely indicates their archaic nature. Unfortunately, tradi-
tion cannot be dated, unlike cases where it refers to the material world. By
using maps, the oldest Baba as a stone monolith from Istria, on the bor-
der between the Venetian Republic and Austria, dates back to the 18th and
16th century (see map Panjek 2015, 124), while the drawing of Baba on the
church wall in Gračišće in Istria dates back to the 15th century (Vince-Pallua
2018). Further analyses were undertaken of the Baba boundary locations
and their connection with mythical toponyms derived from the word ‘deva’
(meaning girl, a virgin) and other toponyms. According to tradition, Baba
is a fundamental element of the cosmological system, as it is still found in
many villages’ areas today. Among other things, it is one of the fundamental
points of the ‘tročan’ system in the so-called ‘staroverci’ tradition (‘Old Faith
Believers’) (Medvešček 2015; Pleterski 2015). At the same time, the author
draws attention to the changeability of the tradition, and thus the mythical
toponyms, which, in the case of the Baba from Rodik, proved to be unstable
and the subject of different interpretations.
The analysis of the mythical landscape ends with a revision of our knowl-
edge regarding the ‘sacredness’ of cadastral boundaries, where folklore and
ritual traditions indicate not only contact between two areas of neighbour-
ing villages, but also contact between the world of the living and the dead
(Hrobat 2010a; Young 2020).
The chapter concludes with guidelines and problems related to the preserva-
tion of the narrative tradition of the Mythic Park. It is especially emphasised
that if the narrative tradition remains only in todays, ‘petrified’ form of pre-
sentation and does not come to life (again) in people’s stories, then the park
will lose its meaning. The author especially warns of the danger of trivial-
ising the narrative tradition and misinterpretations, when instead of the
narrative or mythical tradition, we are talking about myths that have not
been preserved in Europe. She also emphasises the importance of the con-
nection between narrative tradition and landscape. The last warning refers
to the completely wrong connection between mythical tradition and con-
temporary national identities, where it is especially important the active
critical engagement of the professionals. The author, who based on her re-
search conceptually designed the Mythic Park in cooperation with the local
community, concludes with the question to which extent the ‘petrified’ nar-
rative tradition of the park will come to life in its creativity and variability,
and whether heritage can become tradition again. And how will intangible
heritage change under the influence of tourism and ethnology?
52
