Perception of cultural landscapes by different ethnic groups in Romania

Johannes Gnädinger,

Katalin Solymosi, Inge Paulini & Dóra Drexler

Technische Universität München Corvinus University

Budapest Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj

Overview

1. Development of the ETHLAS group

2. Definitions as first results

3. Landscape perception, a method

4. ETHLAS in Romania

5. Conclusions, discussion

Development of ETHLAS

Research and applied projects in Firtos Area (Szekely Region) Landscape planning, rural development, integrative approaches

Firtos Region © Thomas Heinemann

Development of ETHLAS

data collection field work data assessment

mapping

Development of ETHLAS

Firtos Summer school 2007, 2008

• Collection of basic planning data • First concept of land use distribution and improvement of road network • Overview on flora and fauna • Natura 2000 • Determination of grassland types • Wildlife management (Bachelor Thesis) • River Küsmöd – Structure and water quality assessment (Diploma Thesis) • Design of sewage plants • Concept for agro-tourism • Traditional regional products • Checklist for introduction of crops (e. g. Hemp). • Labelling of eco-regional products • Options for utilization of biomass from grasslands • Regional Development Concept for LEADER (Diploma Thesis) • Styles of traditional architecture • Assessment of the aesthetical values • Design for recreation area at Bözöd-Lake (reservoir) (1st Prize on students’ competition) • Assessment of ecosystem services • Landscape and people - development based on natural and cultural values

Issues of student‘s works (examples)

Development of ETHLAS

• Traditional, authentic landscape, „homeland“, identification • Landscape structure elements (hedgerows, terraces,

orchards, meadows…) • Peculiar, very susceptible landscape, not restorable

What makes a landscape peculiar, unreproducable and

unrecoverable?

Landscape is the dynamic result of a „co-evolution“ between a human population and the specific natural conditions

The elements are imbedded in a cultural background!

Development of ETHLAS

Firtos Summer school 2007, 2008

Enlaka / Inlaceni © Johannes Gnädinger

Implementation of regional development requires consideration of specific social conditions of the region: • In this case on the regional level the cohabitation of

different ethnic groups since centuries (Szekely Hungarians as the main group, Romanians, Roma)

• On the national level the neighborhood of different ethnic groups with their historical and sociopolitical peculiarities (Romanians, Szekely, Saxons, Roma)

• To meet better the different concepts about landscape of

the different ethnic groups, we coined the term „Ethnic Landscapes“.

Hypothesis: Is there an Ethnic Landscape?

Development of ETHLAS

An ethnic group is a society of people, who distinguishes itself from other groups of people due to culture, language, religion, history, identity or other characteristics. (ETHLAS group 2010, cf. Federal Union of European Nationalities and cf. UN Statistics Division)

Liberal definition! …the landscape contributes to the formation of local cultures and […] is a basic component of the European natural and cultural heritage, contributing to human well-being and consolidation of the European identity… (The Council of Europe 2000; European Landscape Convention)

Definitions

Ethnic Landscapes are areas, that are perceived by one or several ethnic groups in a particular way. This perception is frequently connected to the characteristics of the area, which are the result of activities and interactions of human and natural factors. (ETHLAS group 2010)

Development of ETHLAS

Many still traditional, authentic rural landscapes

Various ethnic groups

Many remote or marginalized regions

Dealurile Clujului, © Raluca Voda

Why Romania?

Gyimes, Hungarian © Katalin Solymosi

Examples

Examples

Saschiz, Saxon © Inge Paulini

Examples

Maramures, Romanian © Johannes Gnädinger

Common and different characteristics - isolated areas? - marginalized populations / minorities? - economic and infrastructural situation? - types of land use, e. g. on different levels of altitude? - detailed features of land use and landscape structure? - biodiversity on small scale and landscape level? - meaning of the landscape? – how do the populations perceive it?

Examples

Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors. (The Council of Europe 2000; European Landscape Convention) Landscape is a social construction It‘s a different thing to different people, although physically one thing (spatial area; ecosystem) How to detect these different meanings of a landscape? How to identify the uniqueness of landscapes from an anthropological point of view – instead of just labelling them „cultural landscapes“ or „types of ecosystems“?

Landscape perception

Input: spatial structures

functional - utilitarian

emotional - aesthetical

FILTERING & MODIFICATING

conceptual - cognitive

Factors and conditions influencing perception:

1. individual

2. milieu

3. situational

FILTERING & MODIFICATING FILTERING & MODIFICATING

Output: „mental map“

• Culture • Period • Society Ethnicity

Korff 2005 Solymosi 2011

Landscape perception

The perception of landscape is never balanced between the three layers nor is it balanced between different individuals nor between different (ethnic) groups

The viewer emphasizes certain aspects of the surroundings according to his background, so the filters get different dominance

Output: The „mental maps“ of a landscape will be pretty diverse

Landscape perception

Insider‘s und outsider‘s view

If we investigate the perception of a landscape of a specific ethnic group „A“ we collect original informations from the members insider‘s view We also can ask outsiders – an adjacent ethnic group „B“, or visitors– how they perceive the landscape inhabited by group „A“ outsider‘s view The „expert“ … is a special case of outsider … … and insiders are best experts (cf. Marc Antrop)

Landscape perception

Input: spatial structures

functional - utilitarian

emotional - aesthetical

FILTERING & MODIFICATING

conceptual - cognitive

Factors and conditions influencing perception:

1. individual

2. milieu

3. situational

FILTERING & MODIFICATING FILTERING & MODIFICATING

Output: „mental map“

• Culture • Period • Society Ethnicity

Insiders/ Outsiders

Korff 2005 Solymosi 2011

Landscape perception

Empirical study: Gyimes region in Romania A marginalized, but self-conscious, traditional ethnic group The outsiders (tourists) have idealising perceptions of the Gyimes landscape • landscape fullfills all expectations • landscape should stay as it is now • farmers should not use modern machines but continue traditional land use forms • typical hungarian landscape etc. • don‘t clearly see that traditional landscape is threatened by land abandonment or

intensification Paradise-like romantic place where the people (minority) still live in harmony with nature and manage to keep their rich folk culture alive amid the surrounding majority Semi-structured interviews by Solymosi in 2006 and 2009 In: Solymosi 2011

Landscape perception

Reaction - insiders adopt outsider‘s view - insiders try to satisfy outsider‘s expectations -arrangement of landscape according to expectations

OUTSIDERS

GYIMES LANDSCAPE +

INSIDERS

INPUT

OUTPUT

Indirect influence on landscape by - emphasizing positive aspects - ignoring negative aspects - leaving marks - expectations Solymosi, 2011

Landscape perception

Aims of the „Ethnic Landscapes (ETHLAS)“ research • To distinguish „cultural landscapes“ with respect to the inhabitants • To explore the theoretical basis • Interdisciplinary and integrative research • To develop methods for implementing the results in landscape planning,

spatial planning and land use politics Activities • Research group (interdisciplinary, international) • Research proposals • Field studies + theoretical studies • Publications • Workshops • Homepage (http://ethniclandscapes.wordpress.com)

Aims Activities

Term „Ethnic Landscapes“ allows to examine how space is perceived by different population groups and how big the influence of one group on the shaping and perception of a landscape is New approach of landscape planning, because it considers the non-material needs of the inhabitants and the insiders views, not only the expert‘s views Commited to the European Landscape Convention: Only if we know how landscapes were formed and transformed and how they are perceived and appreciated, we can preserve and design them Study of relation between activities of people and natural factors (Ethno-

Ecosystems, Ethno-Ecology) Hypothesis has to be verified, if ethnic influences can be detected at all

Conclusions

• Gnädinger, Drexler, Heinemann, Solymosi, Paulini & Egyed (in prep.): Ethnic Landscapes - A new approach to analyze, to protect and to develop traditional cultural landscapes.

• Solymosi, Katalin 2011: Landscape perception in Marginalized Regions of Europe: The Outsider‘s View. – Nature and Culture 6(1): 64-90.

• Gnädinger, Drexler, Heinemann, Solymosi & Paulini 2011: Ethnische Landschaften – Ein neuer Ansatz zur Analyse, zum Schutz und zur Entwicklung traditioneller Kulturlandschaften – In: Laufener Spezialbeitrage 2011: 134-137.

• Sallay, Drexler & Gnädinger 2006: Landscape protection and development in the Firtos Region – Experiences of an international students`project. _ In: Tájépítészeti és Kertmüvészeti 4/2006: 31-36.

• Gnädinger & Drexler 2006: Nachhaltige Perspektiven für Transsilvanien? – In: Politische Ökologie 96: 58.

• Gnädinger, Heinemann & Drexler 2006: Perspektiven für eine osteuropäische Kulturlandschaft – Die Firtos-Region in Siebenbürgen (Transsilvanien, Rumänien). Anliegen Natur 1/2006: 5-12.

Publications

Technische Universität München

Corvinus University Budapest

Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj

Traditional clothes of Stana © Gellény,K.