The underrepresentation of the ottoman intangible cultural heritage in the register of cultural property of montenegro

Abstract

Understanding the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of the Balkan Peninsula is necessarily linked to comprehending the complex influences rooted in the long-standing dominance of the Ottoman Empire in this region. Given that these influences have significantly shaped various aspects of everyday life, it would be justified for them to be adequately represented in the national ICH registries of Western Balkan countries. However, existing research indicates the underrepresentation of Ottoman ICH elements throughout the region. Previous studies conducted in Serbia have indicated that the underrepresentation of Ottoman ICH may not be solely a consequence of ideology but rather a problem relocated to structural deficiencies in the ICH safeguarding system. Using these studies as a theoretical and methodological framework, the study problematizes the issue of underrepresentation of Ottoman ICH in the cultural heritage registry of Montenegro, after which parallels are drawn in the conclusion between the two ICH protection systems. The results of ethnographic research conducted in the case of Pljevlja prove instructive both for understanding systemic problems in the documentation and protection of Ottoman ICH and for the significance of ethnological-anthropological perspective in advancing the system and sustainable preservation of this intangible cultural heritage shared by all Western Balkan states.

Keywords

• ottoman ich
• national ich registry
• underrepresentation of heritage
• serbia
• montenegro
• pljevlja