Rounds of Kurenti inscribed to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Kurent is a part of world treasures
In December 2017, at the 12th session of the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the “Door-to- door rounds of Kurenti” were inscribed to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This was the final stepping stone in the years-long efforts of the city of Ptuj and Repulic of Slovenia, representing a historical achievement in the efforts to preserving our national cultural heritage and is at the same time positioning Kurent on the prestigious world map of cultural heritage.
The former mayor of Ptuj, Mr. Miran Senčar, said the following at the enlisting of Kurent to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: “First of all, I want to thank all the generations of Kurents and Korants, who have been preserving the cultural heritage of Door-to-door rounds of Kurenti for centuries, and to all the organizations and individuals, who put their countless efforts into ensuring Kurent’s enlistment on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I would also like to pass my gratitude to all the other carnival and ethnographic groups and characters, which are an indispensable part of Ptuj’s carnival tradition. The fact that Door-to-door rounds of Kurenti became part of the world most prominent cultural heritage treasures is a great honour.”
The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is one of the most noticeable international means of preserving intangible cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage of humanity consists of practices, presentations, knowledges, skills and instruments, objects, products, and cultural areas, which are a known part of cultural heritage for communities, groups and individuals. Vice-president of the Federation of European Carnival Cities and president of the Kurentovanje International Festival Mr. Branko Brumen said that Kurent and its rituals establish Ptuj and Slovenia as a destinations, respecting and caring for the centuries-long tradition of cultural heritage and ethnographic spirituality of humanity: “Ethnographic cultural heritage presents an essential ground for the creation of cultural identity and heritage of individuals, cities, nations and humanity. That is why the protection, care and preservation of this heritage are crucial for generations to come.”
UNESCO’s outstanding recognition.
In 2012 Door-to-door rounds of Kurenti were enlisted to the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovenia by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia. 21 keepers of this custom are enlisted in the register. Following that, Kurent was pronounced a live masterpiece of national importance. In the end of 2015 the Slovenian government pronounced Door-to-door rounds of Kurenti as Intangible Cultural Heritage of national importance. In 2014 20 associations of Kurents established the Kurent Associations Network to emphasize the importance of the character for the region. The Network holds more than 900 members and played a key role in the UNESCO nomination. The president of the Network, Mr. Vlado Hvalec, in convinced that enlisting Kurent to the Representative List plays an important role in the preservation of cultural heritage: “We are talking about an outstanding milestone, which represents the peak of our efforts to preserve the heritage of Kurent. It praises our ancestors who have helped maintaining this tradition. Furthermore it is a responsibility of the coming generations, as they will be the ones to appreciate, respect and preserve this tradition.”
At the same session UNSECO discussed 35 applications, among them the “Cultural aspect of Serbian Kolo dance” and the “Skill of mastering windmills in the Netherlands”. So far the list has 365 entries from 108 countries. Some organizations played an important role in the preparation of the nomination, filed by the Slovenian Ministry of Culture in the name of the Republic of Slovenia. Those are SRC Bistra – Ptuj, Kurent Associations Network, The Slovene Ethnographic Museum (coordinating the conservation of intangible heritage) and Culture Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia. The help of the Slovenian embassy in Paris was indispensable as well.
Kurent – the nation’s sweetheart.
Door-to-door rounds of Kurenti are Slovenia’s second entry to UNESCO’s list beside the Škofja Loka Passion Play. The Ministry of Culture filed another application to the list in the name of the Republic of Slovenia: the Lacemaking tradition in Slovenia. The Republic of Cyprus also filed a multinational application for the craft of Dry stone walling in collaboration with nine countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Nominations will be discussed in 2018.
Door-to-door rounds of Kurent are one of the most visible traditional customs in Slovenia and Kurent is the most popular and well-known traditional ethnographic character, dating back to historical documents in 1880. Kurent, who by popular believes chases away the bad and brings happiness and satisfaction to people, is also one of the symbols of Slovenia’s national identity. At the Kurentovanje International Festival in Ptuj as far as 1000 Kurents and Korants can be seen performing their dance and rituals.
Foto Langerholc
