Tangible in Intangible

Veronika Kalina Tangible in intangible: Connections between tradition, intangible cultural heritage, masks and mask making at the busó festivities IOV World Youth Congress, 2017, Myślenice

Busó Festivities at Mohács: Masked end-of-winter carneval custom ◻

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coming from the local „sokác” population (Croatian ethnic minority living at Mohács) performed by persons in special masks and disguises as a ritual mostly aiming to expel winter and to subserve the fertility of spring begins on the last Thursday of Carnival week and goes on till Pancake/Shrove Tuesday → almost the last week before Lent element on the National Inventory of ICH (2008) element on the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity (2009)

Hungary – Baranya County - Mohács

What makes a busó? ◻

men,

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wearing a carved wooden mask,

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characteristic costume,

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unique type of leather boots,

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loose white linen trousers,

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sheepskin with the wool on the outside tied round the waist with a rope or chain with one or more cowbells hanging from it,

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carpet bag across the shoulder,

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typical accessories: clapper, maul, long wooden horn

Why is it a busó’s mask? ◻

similar to/forms a human face

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wearable, made from soft wood (usually white birch)

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coloured red or brown

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the eyes are curved

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eyes and teeth are white

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has an also wooden chin or beard

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the mouth laughs or snarls

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decorated with horns (not general) and sheep fur

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although, its look depends on the creator’s fantasy too

Parallels in the history of mask-making

Before the 1930s â—ť

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simple, slim, human face-shaped, less elaborate masks everyone carved it for himself there were no specialists or any individual style

The first change (1930–1950) ◻

competitions and awards to save the custom

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the awarded masks stood out from the others

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more similarities between masks

The time of film shoots (1950–1970) ◻

those masks and makers stood foward which and who could fit into the filmmakers point of views

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mask making/carving started to become a craftsmanship

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it fulfilled when these makers started to teach this activity, and with it they passed on their own style too ⬜ Mátyás Kalkán, György Késity, János Kunovszki

1970s – nowadays and intangible cultural heritage ❑

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mask making became a business, a full-time job and art makers got a particular role in preserving the custom they also consider their status important, so they try to express it by various ways masks mix individual but also traditional features different manifestations

What ways can the makers express their status? ◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

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leaflets, business cards and advertisements websites (own or the city’s) showrooms (marketing and workshops) qualify themselves among the other mask makers at Mohács and get into the city’s yearly temporary exhibition earn the honorary title „Applied Folk Artist„ (Hungarian Heritage House) attending folk art and craft fairs (during the Busó Festivities and elsewhere)

Showrooms

Art and craft fairs

A major change in the masks' manifestations

When and why? ◻ ◻

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started between 1980s and 1990s main reasons: ⬜ the change of mask making → change in the makers attitude ⬜ the evolving and rising of tourism needs ⬜ the growing attention towards Mohács all behind or among these resons we can also find intangible cultural heritage, as a kind of originator

The characteristics of these masks

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keeping the main characteristics, they can be linked to one mask maker who has an individual, recognizable style they come in different sizes, shapes and materials not only wearable ones they can appear also in artistic forms

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the souvenir category is growing stronger

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Made directly for exhibitions

Shows an recognisable, individual style

Was made for souvenirs

Other appearance or material

Other appearance or material

Other appearance or material

Other appearance or material

Conclusions ◻

Masks and makers become symbols!

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These various changes serve the preservation of the custom and also conform to the needs of the 21st century.

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The mask makers did not expropriate the activity (of mask making) → there are still some who are carving for themselves.

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Through the change of masks and mask making, the change of the busó festivities can be traced well too.

Thank you for your kind attention!