Tying shoelaces becoming a heritage skill of the past

Many people have, at some point, pulled out their grandmother's recipe book to prepare a delicious dish. Traditional songbooks can reveal ancient folk songs, while old knitting guides might feature intricate mitten patterns. These are just a few examples of heritage skills that have been passed down from generation to generation, yet have gradually fallen into obscurity.
Elo-Hanna Seljamaa, associate professor of Estonian and comparative folklore at the University of Tartu, gave an example on Raadio 2's program "Piltlikult öeldes" of how tying shoelaces is becoming a heritage skill. "Footwear has become more convenient, with Velcro straps or zippers, so there's no longer a need to make loops with your hands to tie laces," Seljamaa explained.
What are heritage skills?
The concept of heritage skills is multifaceted. In the simplest terms, it refers to the skills passed down by previous generations that are valued and preserved within society. These include, for instance, Estonia's traditional mitten patterns, the crafting of national costumes, the Seto leelo singing tradition and way of life, the making of old tools and much more. Heritage skills help explain and justify why a particular nation does things in a certain way.
According to Elo-Hanna Seljamaa, the notion of heritage skills is a modern phenomenon that reflects growing awareness of life's ever-changing nature and the disappearance of certain ways of living and traditions. "We feel regret when we see these skills fading away. That's when values, identity and choices come into play," Seljamaa explained.
Heritage skills have multiple layers. On one hand, they are skills passed down from generation to generation. On the other hand, they always involve an element of choice. Seljamaa emphasized that heritage skills are, in essence, a selection from the past — a decision about which skills we choose to value, preserve and pass on.
Roland Burk, the head of Lahemaa Pärimuskoda and a woodworking master, pointed out that today's children are unfamiliar with the old folk song "Viisk läks Tartust Viljandi" and have no idea what traditional Estonian viisud (bark shoes) are. Burk promotes and practices old techniques and tools to ensure that these skills and traditions are not lost. "We must preserve traditions, objects and expressions that originate from both Southern and Northern Estonia. That way, students will still know 40 years from now what a wooden mallet is," Burk said, describing the importance of safeguarding heritage skills.
Retaining heritage skills
According to Seljamaa, traditions endure when they have something meaningful to convey, though their significance and role may evolve over time. For example, an activity that was once essential for survival may take on a symbolic meaning. Preserving heritage skills often requires stepping out of one's comfort zone. "Potatoes saved Estonians from famine, making potato farming a heritage skill. Today, it's much easier to go to the store and buy potatoes and it's often also the cheaper option," Seljamaa noted.
Everyone can contribute to preserving heritage skills. These skills are maintained through practice and by being open to experimenting. Engaging with older generations is also crucial. "Spend time with parents and grandparents, bring different generations together and simply communicate more within society," Seljamaa explained as ways to keep heritage skills alive.
Economic benefit from tourism
In smaller regions, income sources are often limited. Introducing and applying heritage skills can provide a significant advantage to these areas if such skills can be marketed and used as a source of income. Aet Annist, associate professor of Ethnology at the University of Tartu, highlighted that the most direct economic benefit of heritage skills comes from the tourism sector. Society is primarily interested in skills that can be marketed, presented in an engaging way and offered to tourists. As a result, a commercial aspect has been attached to heritage skills.
However, this approach has its downside. "If only a select few skills that benefit certain residents are valued in declining regions, those who don't possess or practice these skills are left out," Annist explained. This can create divisions within the community. She suggested that it's essential to think beyond activities aimed solely at attracting tourists. For example, communities should identify which heritage skills can currently be useful for living more sustainably or fostering stronger communal ties.
Annist offered an example of how the skills of mending or altering clothes have long carried a negative connotation. Patching holes in clothing has often been associated with poverty. Yet this is a heritage skill that could help reduce consumption and promote sustainable living. It's easy to throw away a damaged item and buy a new one from the store. However, every item consumes resources in its production and has inherent value. A more community-oriented lifestyle would encourage people to turn to a skilled neighbor or an older member of the community who could repair the item and give it a new life.
Such practices could also promote more sustainable living and help reduce the generational divide. "This isn't the kind of heritage you can sell to tourists. It seems to me that by moving away from a community-oriented way of life, we've severed a whole set of essential relationships and understandings that would help us adapt to the future and live more sustainably," Annist emphasized.
The article was produced as part of the University of Tartu course "Journalistic Practice." The authors are master's students Siim Šinkarev, Richard Särk, Silvia Luik and Triin Koorits.
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Editor: Sandra Saar, Marcus Turovski