<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the communities of male artisans that have had the most significant impact on the development of contemporary Estonian handicraft. A wide range of artisans were surveyed in the course of this research, from professionals who earn a living from handicraft to amateurs, small enterprises and handicraft instructors. The authors concentrate on the motifs and background of different categories of handicraft agent. Details of handicraft practice such as mastering specific items, local peculiarities and materials used will be also explored. The analysis is predominantly based on the artisans’ views on proper ways of making handicraft items, their marketing strategies and the needs of developing their skills. The study* demonstrates that artisanal initiatives support the material reproduction of cultural locations through constant renewal of heritage ideology and practice.</p></abstract>

On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the communities of male artisans that have had the most significant impact on the development of contemporary Estonian handicraft. A wide range of artisans were surveyed in the course of this research, from professionals who earn a living from handicraft to amateurs, small enterprises and handicraft instructors. The authors concentrate on the motifs and background of different categories of handicraft agent. Details of handicraft practice such as mastering specific items, local peculiarities and materials used will be also explored. The analysis is predominantly based on the artisans’ views on proper ways of making handicraft items, their marketing strategies and the needs of developing their skills. The study* demonstrates that artisanal initiatives support the material reproduction of cultural locations through constant renewal of heritage ideology and practice.

From ‘Heritage Adepts’ to Historical Reconstructionists: Observations on Contemporary Estonian Male Heritage-Based Artisanry

Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the communities of male artisans that have had the most...

From ‘Heritage Adepts’ to Historical Reconstructionists: Observations on Contemporary Estonian Male Heritage-Based Artisanry

Published Online: Jul 17, 2018

Page range: 21 - 48

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2018-0003

Keywords
crafts, artisans, heritage, hobby, woodwork

© 2018 Madis Rennu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

From ‘Heritage Adepts’ to Historical Reconstructionists: Observations on Contemporary Estonian Male Heritage-Based Artisanry

Published Online: Jul 17, 2018

Page range: 21 - 48

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2018-0003

Keywordscrafts, artisans, heritage, hobby, woodwork

© 2018 Madis Rennu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
crafts, artisans, heritage, hobby, woodwork