Cultural heritage as a social capital in post-migrative communities

Cultural heritage as a social capital in post-migrative communities

Aleksandra Paprot, MA Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland

• Research project "Creating Regional and Local Identity in Western and Northern Lands (with Special Consideration Given to Żuławy and Powiśle)" • Funded by National Science Center in Poland

Western and Northern Lands (so-called Recovered Territories)

 about 31 % of Poland’s area

1945 Repatriates From: USSR, south of Europe and western Poland

People form central nad southeastern Poland Eastern Borderlands Poles form Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine People resettled in 1947 (Operation „Vistula”) Ukrainians, Lemkos, smaller Rusyn groups: Boykos, Dolinianie, Shlakhtov Ruthenians

Settlement action in the Western and Northern Lands

Re-emigrants From western Europe Different national and ethnic minorities Jews, Greeks and Macedonians Settlers from neighboring regions

Displacement of Germans

Building own regional and local identity • First decades after the Second World War  process of social integration • 1989  the Fall of Comunism in Poland and reform of the system • 2004  Poland joined to European Union • Cultural institiutions and local activists start to: create new traditions (invented traditions) negotiate the region’s image

Social capital

Cultural reproduction

• “the sum of current and • potential resources to which a person or a group gains an access thanks to the • possession of a solid network of social connections, more or less institutionalised” (Bourdieu &

it governs the relations between groups and social classes relations take place in a field, the segment of a social structure, that has similar aims and criteria of activity Wacquant 1992). • at the same time its • James Coleman  the most members compete significant aspect is an among themselves for action the position in a group • Robert D. Putnam  it is trust, norms of reciprocity and social networks

Marek Opitz and his Arcade House • Chairman of Nowy Dwór Gdański Enthusiasts Association – Nowodworski Club • He staretd creating his own, private brand in exclusive and commercial way. • Arcade House as a place where Photo made by A. Paprot are: 1. workshops (cheesemaking, brewing, ceramic or tiles creating) 2. photographic sessions 3. training and business meetings Photo made by Studio Delta K. Sendek

• “One can raise objections regarding my activity. Things should be called their names. Such initiatives are conducted by the people of passion and passion is not something that earns you a living. One has to have means for living, paying electricity bills and for renovations. We need to talk about money. I organize numerous charity events connected with the cultural heritage of Żuławy and promotion of this region. I contribute to them financially but at the same time I make my best to work upon the way of self-financing my arcade house. Everything costs”.

J. Rappaport’s structure of social ecosystem Natural resources of the local territory

Economic resources of the local territory

PEOPLE

Cultural resources of the local territory (Based on Kowalik 2006)

Activities for cultural heritage as an example of ecosystem functioning • Resocialization programme: „Let’s save old cemeteries” conducted by Penal Institution in Kwidzyn (Powiśle region)

Photos made by Penal Institution in Kwidzyn

• “Now these places look like a cemetery. Before they reminded us of refuse dump. Maybe these are not our relatives or fellow citizens that were buried here but the dead are owned respect and memory. At least for the work they did on behalf of regulating the Vistula basin. We’ve succeeded at motivating and engaging prisoners who reacted in a very positive way to the proposition of participating in this project”.

Activities for cultural heritage as an example of ecosystem functioning • Educational activities: • 1. School Complex in Ryjewo •  taking care of Mennonite cmetery in Barcice and Evangelical cemetery in Ryjewo • 2. Primary School in Janowo •  moving remnants of gravestones to the memory place in school (exhibition) Photos made by A. Paprot

Summing-up • Activities taken for cultural heritage in Żuławy and Powiśle occur in 1) an individual and 2) collective dimension. • Selection of the cultural heritage from before and after 1945. • Social capital is represented by: 1) private, 2) institutional, 3) resocialisation and educationl activities.

BUILDING REGIONAL AND LOCAL IDENTITY