Salašníctvo v Karpatoch – Carpathian mountain sheep milk farming (pdf)

Abstract

Apart from the historical sources and the present situation in the sheep milk farming, the monograph is focusing also on the environment and pastures, which constitute the base of the Carpathian mountain sheep milk farming, building objects
and organization of the seasonal labour in a shepherd`s hut (grazing, milking and making sheep products). It comprises also the social and spiritual life, the impact of sheep milk farming on the landscape structure, folk culture, natural and cultural heritage and preservation of traditions.
After the Mongolian despoliation, since the 14 century the unoccupied
territories of the mountain even (sub)alpine areas of the Carpathians were colonized by the shepherds, who were called on by the Hungarian king and squires based on the Wallachian law. The Wallachians moved ahead from the Balkans along the valleys
and mountain massifs and they occupied the unpopulated Moldavia and Bukovina, the border area of Hungary, mainly Transylvania (present Romania), Ruthenia and Galicia (present Ukraine). The Ruthenian population (Ruthenians) of the Eastern Orthodox Church colonized gradually the areas of the Western Carpathians in
Poland and in the mountain territory in the north of Hungary (present Slovakia) after they had acquired the poloninian farming, which had been adopted from the Wallachians. The Slovak Wallachians moved along the ridge of the Carpathians to the river Bečva in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids. New settlements, villages and towns arose at the unpopulated territories. Neither different crucial periods like e.g. the little ice age, abolition of slavery, the World War I and World War II, nor the collectivization and intensification of agriculture in the Carpathian arc were not able to threaten the shepherds ́way of life in the course of the centuries. It is a remarkable fact that 700 years from the beginning of the Wallachian colonization the shepherds ́ways of life has not disappeared in the Carpathians.
The basic production and economic unit of the Carpathian mountain sheep milk farming a shepherd ́s hut connected with sheep husbandry in the summer fodder period at the mountain even (sub)alpine pastures. A shepherd ́s wooden log building – shepherd ́s hut - serves as a shelter for shepherds and also as a production place for processing of dairy products and their storage. The complex of a shepherd ́s hut consists of other buildings, predominantly closures (sheepfolds), huts, etc. The shepherds followed some rules, which were defined by the Wallachian law, and everywhere in the Carpathians the same shepherd`s practice was used. In the past, based on the Wallachian law, the remarkable archaic forms of organization of the
mountain sheep milk farming were developed: the pasture (redik), sheep mixing, measurement of milk quantity after the first milking, way of sheep milking at strunga, processing of sheep milk by fermentation with pieces of dried lamb stomach, getting lump cheese, urda, sheep cheese (brynza), ostiepok, parenica and the ways of whey
usage, closing the shepherds` season and return from pastures. The denomination of buildings, shepherds` utensils used in these processes, as well as the relevant terminology are utilized in the whole Carpathian area.
Apart from the territories above the forest limit along the alpine ridges
(poloniny, alpine pastures), the Wallachians formed the pastures in the forest zone by stubbing and firing of forests. The opened and unwooded areas, which are sustained by the ancient traditional way of farming, have survived until now and they have been the heritage from the previous generations. Along with the Carpathian beech forests they are the treasure of the Carpathians. At the same time the pastures are the inexhaustible natural resources of the cheapest and full-valued fodder for the farming animals. The shepherds` way of sheep milk farming has formed the slopes of the northern and southern Carpathians, their ridges and peaks to the present form. Sheep valaška has formed the cultural landscape by grazing during centuries, cultivated, kept these areas and helped to maintain the character of the landscape and its multifunctionality. Thanks to that the biodiversity of the Carpathian landscape has been increased with the array of plant species of the high natural value, as well as the protected and endemic plants and animals. Many of them are the components of the protected landscape areas, national parks and natural reserves where the agricultural activities are limited strictly by the environment law, which provides the rate of protection. The used grazing, fescue-bentgrass grass-herbal communities with the dominance of Festuca rubra and Agrostis capillaris along with meadows and arable land, which were formed from pastures in the course of the historical development, create the historical landscape elements representing the archetype – the characteristic feature of the alpine cultural landscape in the Carpathians. The abandoned areas were grown over by forest and the landscape was changed, only
toponyms left and the cultural phenomenon disappeared.
The Carpathian Convention, which was signed by the countries of the
Carpathian arc, secures and supports the sustainable development of this unique region. The ecosystemic services emphasize the essential role of the grass stand from the production and non-production aspect. The conservation of the present biodiversity and variety of the Carpathian landscape depends to a certain extent on the preservation and recovery of ecosystems, the existence of which depends on the extensive forms of farming. The best method of the communities protection is the return to the traditional form of sheep milk farming with the protective usage of areas – by the controlled extensive grazing, when sheep revitalize the landscape. The strict prohibition of grazing leads by succession to the repeated spontaneous reforestation and loss of the generic plant diversity. After the abandonment of the Carpathian mountain sheep milk farming theeliminate the source of weediness by the conventional or ecological recovery, which is the key measure for protection, stabilization and sustainable development.
The Carpathian mountain sheep milk farming is the shepherds ́ way of life associated with freedom and coexistence with the nature, which has been continuing for many centuries. It is not only work at a shepherd ́s hut but also the spiritual life. A long-lasting stay at the shepherds ́ huts, remoted from settlements and separated from their families – all this allowed the shepherds to acquire knowledge and use it appropriately. They were able to forecast weather according to the sun rise and sun set, according to the stars, moon and according to animal behaviour. Many rituals were associated with the sun rise and sun set. The chief shepherd usually moved at the direction of the sun move, which is a clear association of the Wallachian ritual with the traditions of the pre-Christian cults. Fire was attributed to have the magic abilities and people considered it to be sacred. Fire was regarded to have a magic ability to fight off not only predators but also demons. In a shepherd ́s hut a bonfire was the most important place providing warmth, however, the whole shepherds ́ life was gathered around it. There the chief shepherd commanded and also processed sheep milk into the special products. At the shepherd`s hut the ritual ceremonies reflected the spirituality of the ancient times, they allowed the chief shepherd to keep the community together. Until the half of the 20 century the different superstitious images were maintained in thinking and minds of chief shepherds. The folk magic was mainly the transcendent method and belief in existence of the miraculous forces.
The chief shepherds believed in the supernatural power of the different people, in their unusual abilities, in the magical effects of holy water, in witches and sorcerers. Some people considered even shepherds to be like that. The magic allowed to handle the world of nature, including things and people by the mysterious supernatural
means. The suitable tricks (magic formulae), predominantly the verbalisms and objects had an enormous magical power. The chief shepherd was able to „handle the world of nature“, including things and people by his magic (wizardry, sorcery) and the mysterious supernatural means, which were inherited from an older generation by a younger generation.
We have learnt from the military historical map of the Habsburg Empire (1763 – 1787), created by the authors Molnár, Timár, Biszak (2014), (URL 78) that in the period of the Wallachian colonization also the (sub)alpine belt of the Carpathians above the upper forest limit (poloniny, alpine pastures) was inwrought by the shepherds`
footpaths in the summer pasture period. During the colonization the Wallachians moved against the flow of rivers towards the alpine massifs and they named the peaks of mountains in the Carpathians with the purpose of a better orientation. The peaks helped them to choose safe paths or the locations for their huts. The denominations
of the peaks were not always necessarily the particular places of shepherds` huts. In the past there were considerably more toponyms which originated in the period of the Wallachian colonization, many names disappeared irretrievably and nowadays they do not exist any longer. unused areas of pastures are also becoming the epicentre of spreading synantropic and unoriginal plant species, some of them are the source of allergen substances. The small damage of grass stand can be regenerated, however, in the case of the massive damage a man has to help with revitalisation. In order to return the aesthetic value to the landscape it is possible to We can read in the present tourist maps of the Carpathians that in Romania the most frequent toponyms are Poiana (149), Măgura (74), in the Ukraine Polonina (61),
Kičera (49), Magura (29), Poljana (15), in Poland Polana (271), Groń (132), Kiczera (69), Hala (51), in Slovakia Grúň (78), Poľana (64), Magura (54), Kýčera (49), Hoľa (38), Príslop (26) and in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids Kýčera (31), Grúň (18) a Javořina (14).
The historical maps indicate that in the period of the Wallachian colonization the Carpathians were inwrought by the shepherds` footpaths. The historical Wallachian footpath, leading along the alpine ridges of the Carpathians through Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and partially in the Czech Republic, deserves the name Via carpatica. It is connected with the international tourist artery E8, which leads from Istanbul to Dursey in Ireland. At some places the preserved functioning shephers` huts can be found, or the abandoned huts to provide a one-night stay. It is worths revitalizing them so that they could provide relax and housing, or a refreshment and the offer of the local specialities, dairy products from sheep milk, varieties of cheese,
ostiepok, sheep cheese (brynza), etc.
The ancient form of sheep farming lives over in the forms of the coat-of-arms or seals. Sheep, ram and lambkin appear individually or along with the shepherd`s symbol. Some coats-of-arms depict a shepherd with his dog on the green grassland, which means a pasture, or other motives display a shepherd with a sheephook or a stick, some hills, trees, shepherds` equipment and others. Nine villages based on
the Wallachian Law own the coats-of-arms in the Carpathians and 22 villages, which were not based on the Wallachian Law, have also coats-of-arms in Slovakia and 6 coats-of-arms in the Moravian Wallachia and Teschen Silesia (Czech Republic).
In the countries of the Carpathian arc the pressure on the sheep farming began. The market began to be oriented at the ecological food. The sheep bioproducts, which are produced from the alpine hig-quality sheep milk, after the registration in the register of the European Commission are becoming the attractive commodities, they allow the promotion of regions and countries and increase demand. In Poland three products achieved the label „Designations of origin for products“ (PDO): „Brynza Podhalańska“ (2007), „Oscypek“ (2008) and „Redykołka“ (2009). In Slovakia the following products are labelled by
„Designations of origin for products“ (PGI): „Slovak brynza“ (2008), „Slovak parenica“ (2008), „Slovak ostiepok“ (2008), „Klenovecký syrec“ (2017), „Protected traditional speciality“ (TSG) – „Sheep lump cheese – shepherd`s cheese“ (2010) and „Sheep shepher`s smoked cheese“ (2010).
The cultural heritage of the Carpathians is represented not only by the preserved building objects at the shepherds` huts – huts and closures (sheepfolds), shepherds` equipment, wooden utensils and containers for sheep milk processing but also nonforest areas of pastures with the preserved elements of the cultural landscape (archetype). The UNESCO World Heritage list recorded the following phenomena: the
Carpathian beech primeval forests (2007, Slovakia and Ukraine), Wooden Churches in the Slovak part of the Carpthian arc (2008, Slovakia). The UNESCO Representative List of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage recorded the musical instruments, music and singing, which originated from the ancient sheep farming in Slovakia:
„Shepherds` long pipe and its music“ (2005), „Terchová music“ (2013), „Bagpipe and bagpipers ́culture“ (2015), the „Upper Hron pricksong singing“ (2017) and the „Slovak shepherds` long pipe trombita“ (2017).
From the historical aspect the sheep farming in the Carpthian arc played a significant role because it was and still is an essential part of the national cultures in the field of music, clothing, eating habits, language, etc. Apart from the considerable changes in the landscape the Wallachian colonization left its traces in traditions, habits and culture. The long-lasting stay of the shepherds in the nature and the direct contact with wood as the basic natural material leads to the visual and ornamental inspiration which is reflected the wood-carving. The shepherds also produced the clothing accessories, like wide leather multi-buckled belts, shepherds` bags, sticks, sheephooks, hats, typical jewellery and decorations. The spiritual culture is associated not only with the working habits, rituals, superstitions, magic acts
and healing practice, but also with music and dancing. The dissemination of the Wallachian culture did not mean only the passive acceptance of a foreign culture but also the creative enrichment of the folk culture by the values of the cultural heritage. Our national culture was formed from the basic parts of the traditional folk culture. The mountain sheep milk farming, which had a significant impact on the forming of the way of life and culture of the population of the Carpathians since the middle ages and the following centuries, represents the essential contribution of the national cultures to the European cultural traditions. The living message of our ancestors
is being preserved thanks to the folklore groups. It is a gratifying fact that even at the beginning of the 21 century we can see the significant revival and return to the values of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
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Kolonizácia valachmi na valaskom práve od 13. storočia bola spojená s rozsiahlym odlesnením horských oblastí v celom karpatskom oblúku a vytváraním nových plôch pasienkov. Salašníctvo bolo impulzom k postupnému osídľovaním horských regiónov Karpát a malo vplyv na osídlenie a celkový spôsob života pôvodného obyvateľstva.
Predstavovalo dôležitú hospodársko-ekonomickú i kultúrnu oblasť vývoja pastierskych komunít. Aj keď na jednej strane primárne súviselo s bezprostredným získavaním trvalej obživy, na strane druhej sa od neho odvíjal materiálny, spoločenský a duchovný život rodín, etník, národov, ale aj novodobých štátov. Rozšírenie salašníctva do horských a vysokohorských regiónov neznamenalo len pasívne preberanie cudzej kultúry, ale aj tvorivé obohacovanie už existujúcich kultúr. Formovanie národných kultúr v jednotlivých krajinách počas stáročí predstavuje významný vklad do dedičstva európskych kultúrnych tradícií.
Salašníctvo si zaslúži našu pozornosť aj v súčasnosti. Vzdávam úctu životnému štýlu ovčiarov v úzkom spojení s prírodou a ich namáhavej práci ďaleko v horách, vzdialených od svojich rodín. Niekoľko storočí rozvíjali prastaré pastierske tradície, valaské zvyky a mágiu, ktoré odovzdávali svojim nasledovníkom. So salašmi ako posvätnými miestami valachov, dýchajúcimi históriou, som prichádzal priamo do
kontaktu v rokoch 1981 – 1982 ako vedúci Strediska rastlinnej a živočíšnej výroby v Liptovskej Porúbke (v súčasnosti AGRIA Liptovský Ondrej, a. s.). K stredisku patrili tri salaše umiestnené na vysokohorských pasienkoch Nízkych Tatier v Nižnej Boci (Salašky,
bača Vladimír Blcháč; Poľana, bača Ján Šuchtár, neskôr bača František Bátory z Lendaku) a vo Vyšnej Boci (Pod Čertovicou, Starobocianska dolina, bača Matej Blcháč). V jarnom a jesennom období sa ovce pásli na lúkach Svarínskej doliny neďaleko Kráľovej Lehoty a v chotári Liptovskej Porúbky.
Monografia „Salašníctvo v Karpatoch“ nadväzuje na monografiu „Po stopách valachov v Karpatoch“. Sprostredkováva výsledky bádateľského úsilia významných etnológov, geografov, historikov, environmentalistov, poľnohospodárskych a ďalších špecialistov v karpatskom oblúku. Pojednáva o geografických, krajinných, ekologických a floristických danostiach karpatského horstva, historickom vývoji a súčasnosti salašníctva, využívaní pasienkov, ktoré sú jeho základom, stavebných objektoch, produkcii mliečnych
produktov z ovčieho mlieka, spoločenskom a duchovnom živote na salaši, o vplyve salašníctva na krajinnú štruktúru, živobytí a tradičnej ľudovej kultúre jednotlivých regiónov, ale aj o udržiavaní tradícií a kultúrneho dedičstva v Karpatoch. Približuje salašníctvo a krásu pastierskych tradícií, ktorá sa prejavuje prostredníctvom materiálnej a
duchovnej kultúry. Je teritoriálne najcelistvejším a tematicky najkomplexnejším obrazom o agrikultúrnej podobe karpatského salašníctva – jedinečného a európsky významného fenoménu v Karpatoch. Čitateľ má možnosť prostredníctvom textu prepojeného s
archívnym dokumentačným materiálom a fotografiami zo súčasnosti vstúpiť do magického sveta Karpát. Môže poslúžiť vedeckým pracovníkom pôsobiacich v oblasti etnológie a histórie, študentom poľnohospodárstva, environmentalistiky, krajinnej ekológie, etnológie, ale aj pre ostatným záujemcom, ktorých oslovuje táto problematika.