"Тютюн, метал и калдъръм"
"Tobbacco, Metal and Cobblestones"

Sensibility, Memory and Intangible Cultural Heritage in the City

Author(s): Meglena Zlatkova
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Пловдивски университет »Паисий Хилендарски«
Keywords: sensory memory; intangible cultural heritage; sensory landscape; Kapana
Summary/Abstract: The article analyzes sensory images of three urban places that are constructed in the interviews and memories of a craftsman A.K. - bearer of the intangible cultural heritage, who is a representative of the Armenian community in Plovdiv, held in 1999 – 2000. The approach of sensory anthropology was used. A sensory landscape of Plovdiv is outlined, in which “Kapana”, the Old Town and the Tobacco Town are connected by the memories of the smell of tobacco, the sounds of metal and cobblestones. Sensory memories underpin narratives of the Armenian community connected to these places through their crafts, as industrialists important to the city, and as individuals. Relationships of closeness are observed that existed until the middle of the 20th century and the memories of these relationships are expressed through the memories of the “of closeness”. The changes in social, political and economic relations lead to the gradual change in the ways of constructing the collective memory of the places in Plovdiv. The three topos are becoming more and more touristic places and the connections with the place are becoming more distant as the main senses constructing the sensory landscape with modernity are sight, taste and sounds. From places of everyday life, especially after the project “Plovdiv 2019 – European Capital of Culture”, Kapana and the Tobacco City are turning into cultural scenes, places of consumption and creativity and festival topos.

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