Presentation: Association "Grncar", Vranestica

Let us keep the tradition and knowledge 

The civic association "Grncar" from Vranestica - Kicevo, has been active for only several months. It was established by a group of potters from this village, known as the biggest potters community in Macedonia, and a place where the best quality pottery products are made.

The potters from Vranestica raised an initiative for maintaining this traditional skill, transferring the knowledge to the younger generations, modernizing some phases of the production process, as well as affirmation of their products. They have done it through the "Living Heritage" programme that is implemented in Macedonia by the foundation Open Society Institute Macedonia and the Foundation King Bauduen from Belgium in order to encourage the development of the local communities through the cultural resources.

The association organizes training for young people and children from the local school, who learned the traditional skill of working on the potter's wheel and making things from local clay, which is dug near the village. The potters also received expert help and training from the Republic Institute for Health Protection for modernizing the phase of glazing without lead. The brochure and the certificates for the health correction of the products, issued by the Republic Institute for Health Protection were presented at the press-conference that took place in November at the Museum of Macedonia in Skopje. At the presentation, the potters demonstrated the work on the potter's wheel, and there was also a presentation of some local meals cooked in the pots.

The potters from Vranestica have also prepared a web-site: www.vranestica-grncar.org.mk.

 

M.I.