Perception of cultural landscapes by different ethnic groups in Romania

Johannes Gndinger, Katalin Solymosi, Inge Paulini & Dra Drexler

Technische Universitt Mnchen

Babe-Bolyai University Cluj

Corvinus University Budapest

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

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

field work

data collection

data assessment

mapping

Development of ETHLAS
Issues of students works (examples)
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 Ksmd Structure and water quality assessment (Diploma Thesis) Design of sewage plants Concept for agro-tourism Traditional regional products Firtos Checklist for introduction of crops (e. g. Hemp). Summer school Labelling of eco-regional products 2007, 2008 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 Bzd-Lake (reservoir) (1st Prize on students competition) Assessment of ecosystem services Landscape and people - development based on natural and cultural values

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!

Firtos Summer school 2007, 2008

Enlaka / Inlaceni Johannes Gndinger

Development of ETHLAS
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?

Definitions

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)

Development of ETHLAS

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)

Why Romania?
Many still traditional, authentic rural landscapes Various ethnic groups Many remote or marginalized regions

Dealurile Clujului, Raluca Voda

Examples

Gyimes, Hungarian Katalin Solymosi

Examples

Saschiz, Saxon Inge Paulini

Examples

Maramures, Romanian Johannes Gndinger

Examples
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?

Landscape perception

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 Its 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
FILTERING & MODIFICATING conceptual - cognitive Factors and conditions influencing perception:

1. individual Culture Period Society Ethnicity

functional - utilitarian

2. milieu
emotional - aesthetical

3. situational Output: mental map

Korff 2005 Solymosi 2011

Landscape perception

The viewer emphasizes certain aspects of the surroundings according to his background, so the filters get different dominance The perception of landscape is never balanced between the three layers nor is it balanced between different individuals nor between different (ethnic) groups Output: The mental maps of a landscape will be pretty diverse

Landscape perception

Insiders und outsiders view If we investigate the perception of a landscape of a specific ethnic group A we collect original informations from the members insiders view We also can ask outsiders an adjacent ethnic group B, or visitors how they perceive the landscape inhabited by group A outsiders view

The expert is a special case of outsider and insiders are best experts (cf. Marc Antrop)

Landscape perception
Input: spatial structures
FILTERING & MODIFICATING conceptual - cognitive Factors and conditions influencing perception:

1. individual Culture Period Society Ethnicity Insiders/ Outsiders 3. situational

functional - utilitarian

2. milieu
emotional - aesthetical

Output: mental map

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. dont 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 outsiders view - insiders try to satisfy outsiders expectations - arrangement of landscape according to expectations

INPUT OUTSIDERS OUTPUT GYIMES LANDSCAPE + INSIDERS

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

Aims Activities
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)

Conclusions

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

Publications

Gndinger, 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 Outsiders View. Nature and Culture 6(1): 64-90. Gndinger, 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 & Gndinger 2006: Landscape protection and development in the Firtos Region Experiences of an international students`project. _ In: Tjptszeti s Kertmvszeti 4/2006: 31-36. Gndinger & Drexler 2006: Nachhaltige Perspektiven fr Transsilvanien? In: Politische kologie 96: 58. Gndinger, Heinemann & Drexler 2006: Perspektiven fr eine osteuropische Kulturlandschaft Die Firtos-Region in Siebenbrgen (Transsilvanien, Rumnien). Anliegen Natur 1/2006: 5-12.

Technische Universitt Mnchen

Babe-Bolyai University Cluj

Corvinus University Budapest

Traditional clothes of Stana Gellny,K.