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- Convenors:
-
Katriina Siivonen
(University of Turku)
Ullrich Kockel (University of the Highlands and Islands)
Kirsi Laurén (University of Eastern Finland)
Riina Haanpää (University of Turku)
Send message to Convenors
- Chairs:
-
Riina Haanpää
(University of Turku)
Kirsi Laurén (University of Eastern Finland)
- Discussants:
-
Pauliina Latvala-Harvilahti
(University of Turku)
Catherine McCullagh (Heriot-Watt University)
Mairéad Nic Craith (University of the Highlands and Islands)
Katriina Siivonen (University of Turku)
- Formats:
- Panel
- Stream:
- Environment
- Sessions:
- Monday 21 June, -
Time zone: Europe/Helsinki
Short Abstract:
Traditions associated with natural environments add understanding to human-nature relationships. In the current ecological crisis, we need to think more seriously than ever about what kind of interactions of people and nature may be sustainable. What is the changing role of heritage in this process?
Long Abstract:
Traditions associated with features of nature such as forests, mires, mountains, lakes, and maritime environments, extend beyond history and memory. They are aspects of cultural heritage adding understanding to our relationships with nature and changes taking place in it. The human-nature relationship is affected by changes in society. However, because of ecological crisis, we need to think more seriously than ever about what kind of interactions of people and nature may be sustainable. In this cultural-ecological context natural areas have become physical and symbolic sites not only for travel, recreation, and documentation, but also for active intervention conveying political messages and artistic dialogue.
Our aim is to look analytically at the relationships of human and non-human components of place and to seek out possibilities for more sustainable human agency. How has the human-nature relationship changed in the current ecological crisis? What kinds of new acting in nature have emerged in the 21st century? Are there alternative rules in engaging with natural areas and understanding the communal value of nature? Can art or media influence the values and attitudes associated with nature? What is the role of heritage work and museums in the ecological crisis?
We invite papers that address and problematize the ways that culture, and cultural heritage, are involved with nature. Empirical examples may include, e.g., environmental/political art, video performances, oral narratives, community events, sports, carnivals, visual images, or media texts. In the roundtable we concentrate on the combination of human-nature relationships, sustainable human agency and changing cultural heritage.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Monday 21 June, 2021, -Paper short abstract:
Based on the analysis of new interview material, mire art provides meaningful experiences of being part of nature and its ecosystem. I regard mires as sites of dynamic, living heritage that connect time levels. I use the concept of future agency to underline the importance of future consciousness.
Paper long abstract:
Nature-related (participatory) art projects have evoked change by raising the awareness of our fragile natural environment. Abut more actively, a concept for combining art and activism, artivism, refers specifically to contemporary artists with activist aims, broadly related to aspects of cultural sustainability (e.g., agency, dialogue, use of local heritage in art) and the roles of cultural policy.
Based on the analysis of new interview material, mire art provides meaningful experiences of being part of nature and its ecosystem, in the chain of generations. The interviewed artists (30) include e.g. photographers, musicians, visual artists and dancers, who have collaborated with local people, experts, environmentalists and local politicians in their performances. I will explore what are the main components of artists' dialogue with mire(s) and future agency. Through art, cultural meanings and potential futures of mire landscapes are created together. The artists use the mire landscape and space, vertical and horizontal levels in many ways, which emphasize the existing nature and animals.
To understand the cultural meanings of mires, a more nuanced examination is required. I regard mires as sites of dynamic, living heritage that connect time levels and various heritage categories.
I use the concept of 'future agency' in order to underline the importance of the growing future consciousness of both artists and audience/volunteers. Artists emphasize the agency of nature as equal to humans. The future agency embraced by artists refers to a willingness to do something for a sustainable future and reflect values of nature.
Paper short abstract:
The role, contribution and perspective of sustainable living communities in an urban environment are analyzed in the paper. The artistic part of the paper is based on the works of photographer Reinis Hofmanis "Garden on the Island" (2020), available at: https://atstatuvums.wrong.lv/darzs-uz- salas
Paper long abstract:
Lucavsala is a territory rich in natural and cultural heritage, mentioned in the sources already in 1559, and included in the city of Riga in 1904. The length of the island – 2 km, width – 1 km, 89 residents. One of the sources of livelihood for the islanders has traditionally been vegetable gardens. With the growth of the public and private sectors in the 21st century Riga, aggressive infrastructure development plans are being developed that do not take into account the interests of the small neighbourhood community. Companies have tried to implement massive construction, but for various reasons so far it has failed. Also in 2020, a huge real estate development company planned to invest more than 260 million euros in the development of the territory, but this idea was stopped by COVID-19.
Due to the long-term precarious situation, the municipality makes contracts with the residents only for a year, as a result of which the community lives in ignorance and uncertainty about its future. Nevertheless, the community seems accustomed to the threat of instability and continues to live up to its internal rhythm and values. Even more, recently, it is increasingly joined by young people who are implementing permaculture, sharing, DIY, Zero Waste and other sustainable living ideas.
The artistic part of the paper is based on the works of photographer Reinis Hofmanis "Garden on the Island" (2020), which were created within the framework of the "Art Needs Space" foundation’s project "Atstatuvums" (curator Katrīna Jaunupe), available: https://atstatuvums.wrong.lv/darzs-uz- salas.
Paper short abstract:
This presentation explores the relationship between cultural diversity and the current ecological crisis. With reference to the indigenous language of Ireland, It queries the potential role of indigenous languages in ensuring a more sustainable future and better human-nature relationships
Paper long abstract:
In Wisdom Sits in Places, Bassi (1996) argued that a sense of place is strongly impacted by the cultural and linguistic environment. Language gives a sense of rooted-ness. It situates us in our particular environment. The vocabulary of an indigenous language reflects the natural environment (Steiner 1997). While Bassi explored the significance of placenames among the Western Apache, this presentation focuses on Irish and the indigenous cultural practice of naming places. The landscape was full of memories both communal and individual; and places were named with regard to natural features and folklore. Focusing on two particular documents written by a peasant fisherman on the Great Blasket Island at the beginning of the twentieth century, the paper explores the human-nature relationship that was implicit in the indigenous practice of place-naming. It analyses how islanders invested the natural landscape with meaning. Cronin (2020) recently argued that the decline of Ireland’s indigenous language has ruptured the relationship between people and landscape. He proposes that indigenous languages (such as Irish) offer an alternative human-nature relationship that can equip us with invaluable skills for the future. The paper focuses on the link between linguistic diversity and a sustainable environment and asks whether the renewal of languages such as Irish could influence values and attitudes associated with nature. It explores the impact of cultural diversity on the current ecological crisis and the potential role of an indigenous language in ensuring a sustainable future.
Paper short abstract:
In earlier Millenniums humans adapted slowly to the changes in the nature along the Eurajoki river valley. In the 18th century humans started to steer the nature processes, instead of adapting to them. Today the recovering river with its new uses has regained its position as a cultural resource
Paper long abstract:
Eurajoki river runs from lake Pyhäjärvi to the Bothnian Sea. The landscape in the river valley is significantly affected by the land uplift process. In earlier Millenniums humans adapted slowly to the changes in the nature.
In the 18th century humans started to steer the nature processes, instead of adapting to them. First attempts to clear the rapids and dregde the riverbed in order to control spring floods emerged. In the 19th century the first clearings were actualized. The first major changes to the watercourse by humans were done during the first decades of the 20th century. This steering process launched a shift in local environmental culture and resource thinking. The river turned slowly from a source of life and culture into a resource of industry.
A turning point in this process was experienced in 2012, when local community started an environmental movement aiming for tighter restrictions for industry operating in the upstream, and polluting the river. This movement resulted as a joint protection fund of the municipalities, industry and local community for the river, a renewed environmental permits, which at some points are tightest ever seen in Finland, and a recovering river. The process has been evaluated as an environmental movement, but it is actually a cultural movement. It is rooted in the local cultural traditions intertwined with the river. These traditions are now re-inventing themselves as new recreational uses of the river. With these uses the river is now a cultural resource, creating future heritage.
Paper short abstract:
Instagram, as an exclusively visual social media platform, emerged in the past years as a ground where environmental communities formed. This essay proposes an overview on how certain Instagram profiles in this community managed to promote an environmental message and certain European natural sites.
Paper long abstract:
The social media platform Instagram, as all others similar digital grounds, organised itself naturally into virtual communities. Among these there is the so called “nature Instagram”, a part of this platform where only visuals of natural environments are uploaded by the users. This paper will try to analyse how the users, both uploaders and viewers, integrate an environmentalist message into their posts and interactions. At the same time, the impact which these uploads have on promoting an environmentalist message will also be observed. Such posts have a large reach and engagement; they also possess a certain degree of influencing power. Thus the aim of this paper is to observe how these influencers manage to promote an environmental agenda, as well as certain natural sites all over Europe. This will be achieved by a digital ethnography observing the nature of those Instagram profiles, the theme and aesthetics used to convey their message, as well as the digital tools used for promoting it. The stud will focus on a number of “big accounts”, as well as the interactions with smaller accounts and the influence they have on each other.