Textile Memories from decades – Welcome to the Branka on Textiles Blog, I hope you should wish me good luck, especially since in my retirement days, I am just entering this new digital world
Textile Memories from decades – it is usually thought that the retirement population has a place, if not with grandchildren, then in retirement associations. However, I am a member of the Club for Recreational Swimming of Seniors of Novi Sad, which is extraordinary, but a completely different type of activity.
Let me get back to the point. For a long time, I have been setting up some issues from my professional narrative. I directed the texts in accordance with the SEO parameters in order for Google not to leave me in some cyber abyss. I study blogging instructions on the Net, and I took several relevant online internet communication courses.
If you ask why the answer is that I am persistent in fulfilling the goals I set during my work as an ethnologist-museologist in my efforts to create a legacy for future generations. Regarding the practice of old weaving, for sure, it was at the last time chance.
I was aware that I needed to understand the mysterious women’s weaving jobs that took place in our villages in a lonely and intimate way. Although the attention of the environment was focused on the product, on the beauty and variety of weaving, quality. There was no interest in facts about procedures, but they emphasized phrases about creativity, imagination, and weaving skills. They admired the skills of weaving and the talent to improvise, fit and invent new patterns. I knew the reason for the general, descriptive evaluation of domestic weaving.
If you analyze data, you will interpret weaving techniques
Bratislava Vladić Krstić had recorded the material and interpreted weaving techniques. That was the clue for me. Because, I did not know the details of the weaving process, composition, and functions of the devices. So, I knew that I would not really understand weaving. I would be left with the usual superficial description of the appearance and function of the handicraft It was not my choice but turned over a new page.
I gathered content about traditional weaving by visiting old weavers who stopped weaving a long time ago and removed their looms. As lost their sight, their hands were trembling, and their backs were bent. Sometimes, on such occasions, their own family members would show real interest for the first time, and listen to their grandmothers talk about life’s passion and pain.
Investment of decades of effort for a couple of published books
Textile Memories from decades – For a couple of published books, I invested decades of work. Obviously, they find readers but with not enough interest. Years pass without a significant reaction to them. That is why now I have found this place “neither in heaven nor on earth”. All in the hope that it will be easily accessible if some people are really interested.
My age in this case is not the only unusual one. Perhaps it is an even bigger challenge than I write texts in English, although is not my native language. Not only that, but I haven’t been in an English-speaking environment for a long time.
However, I rely on a strong motivation to overcome that barrier. During my working life, I was too “tired” of professional translators Because routinely they do not know weaving terminology. I helped so much during the translation with plenty of references in English, an abundance of missing terms…
That’s why I preferred to start translating texts myself. This means that in between two solutions in the quality of translation, I choose the one with more precise meanings, for example, instead of stylistic manners.
Textile Memories from decades – Life experiences and memories during my 70 years will someones seem like an eternity
If you find yourself at this blog spot, I will understand if you experience my stories as a confused “time machine”. For reason, life experiences and memories during my 70 years will seem like an eternity to someone.
As a teenager, I enjoyed the generally accepted projection of a rosy future. From childhood, when lived in the tradition, I reached post-war progress. After the modest classics of the crisis years, when the redesigned clothes were worn even before the war, magazines of fashion trends are arriving. And quite quickly, in my Aleksinac, a small town on the main European road.
Then and later in adulthood, with my taste and through my professional interest in traditional values, obtained my own view on clothing culture. Usually preferred to mark the new season with a piece that I ultimately need. Mostly it would be the only novelty but in my opinion the perfect choice. A small wardrobe, a pair of shoes for the season, and a necessary accessory. I wore the coat until I “grew out” of it.
My idea is to present knowledge and experience, describe my experience and express my opinion on long-lasting value in textiles
I’m just starting a blog, with the intention of making something different from modern mainstream themes. The modern lifestyle is, of course, a wide field for the young blogger population. My idea is to describe the experience, present my attitude and express my own opinion about some lasting values in textiles, as my potentials enable.
About my early 30 years, the thought of a colleague stuck with me while we were “smart-talking” over coffee. The moment when you stop having illusions about the future is the starting point when feeling that youth really passes away. Now, nothing to talk about this, but only observe that it often falls on my mind.
By the way, my elders used to say something like this: Listen to the elders carefully, but don’t be walking behind them. It is intended for young people to touch them, maybe encourage them, but wisdom eludes jokes as if you don’t smell the winds that escape the old man’s digestion.
If not get too bored I hope that in time, my ideas and discussions about them will be received.
From the very beginning in the Museum, I felt a commitment to the future
Since involving the development of handicrafts, I support the preservation of memory. But life goes on, it changes and inevitably gets new expressions…
However, the obligation of my profession is to research, design, publish — archive the documentation of the past so that it is available at least to science and our successors in the future. I have clearly understood that from Archaeology. Because, although they have some material remains, the way of life in those ancient times is still largely assumed.
If the Living culture, in Ethnology, is not maintained carefully, leaves no (intangible) traces. Sometimes I catch a reflection of someone’s thoughts… “Well, every grandmother knows that.” It is very bad news that generations of grandmothers are changing and simultaneously, the sources and funds of available living memory.
Therefore, I firmly hope that readers will be interested in the content.
After the initial campaign, I plan to publish about twice a month
I am going to write about topics and experiences from the past. As well as try to follow current textile topics and events, from my own angle and attitude, of course. Relying on my own authentic honesty to gain attention, at least the rare ones with a similar area of interest.
As an exhibition guide, I have long been accustomed to dealing with a group that slowly disperse apart. Usually, a few remain who eventually feel richer for some new information new knowledge and satisfied with the knowledge they gain.
As appreciated this profile from the very beginning, I was determined to reach the attention of these groups of visitors or readers.
In further, I will regularly announce what I am preparing for the next Post. I also hope for suggestions from you.
Until the next time, with best wishes, Branka on Textiles
