Digital Culinary Heritage of Slovenian Australians

 

Visit project website: Slovenian Australian Cook Hub – A Culinary Heritage of Slovenian Australians and its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social networking sites.

The Digital Culinary Heritage of Slovenian Australians project is running within the 2015 Endeavour Research Fellowship (PDR – Postdoctoral research) at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research (CCCR), Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra, Australia.

Supervisor
Professor Angelina Russo, the Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra.

Project Summary
The project explore on which way digital technologies can aid younger generations of Slovenian Australians to preserve and communicate Slovenian culinary heritage in Australia – and by this (reuse of heritage) how their active participation and creative potential can be enhanced.

Bellow you can examine an interactive 3D model of a lect heart. It is posted to stimulate your imagination about the abilities of digital tools. This traditional Slovenian gingerbread was made by Slovenian women in Canberra, Australia, for a celebration of Mother’s Day. Do you think that one day we will be able to taste and smell an interactive 3D model like this?

Slovenian gingerbread (lect) made in Australia
by Kaja Antlej
on Sketchfab

 

Project Description
The project examine the potential of 3D and other digital technologies for heritage communication in a wider museum/heritage context with an aim to enhance active participation and creative potential of teenagers (13-19) and young adults (20-40), traditionally hard to reach heritage user groups.

The project is conceived towards the establishing of innovative approaches (digital heritage) to address multicultural and intergenerational issues. As a focus group of heritage users, Slovenian Australians will be observed, since as a Slovenian, I am personally interested in mentioned population.

In the 2011 Census (Australian Bureau of Statistics), 17,150 responses were towards Slovene ancestry, but according to the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Canberra, it is generally believed that a total of around 25,000 people of Slovenian descent living in Australia. Due to its small population, projects related to this target ethnic group can function well as a pilot for other similar groups in Australia.

In 2014 the Slovenian Association Melbourne organised the Essay and Lego Competition I am a Slovenian Too (e-book compiled by Draga Gelt). The aim of the essay competition was for the young Slovenians of later generations to express their feelings and if they feel a Slovenian. In 70% of all essays (33) Slovenian food culture is mentioned. As an important “indicator” of identity, food is as well noted by Dr Marina Lukšič Hacin in her video interview (from 04:00) published by the Slovenia Australia channel in 2012.

Culinary traditions of Slovenian Australians are well presented also in a printed book by Dr Elizabeth Tomažič, From Hands and Hearts: Slovenian Recipes in Australia (Melbourne, 2011). Unfortunately, the book is sold out and it can (if you or your friends don’t have it at home) only be borrow in a few libraries, such as the National Library of Australia and the State Library of Victoria. In a digital way, individual online publications, such as Facebook posts are addressing this topic and they are well “liked” and commented with positive thoughts by various users (e.g. visit a Facebook page of the Slovenian Consulate South Australia). However, a comprehensive hub of culinary heritage of Slovenian Australians is not available in an interactive online format.

Is food therefore a way of intergenerational, cross-class and multicultural collaboration of Slovenian Australians and other migrants (mixed marriages, etc.) in Australia? As intangible heritage, how well Slovenian culinary culture is preserved in Australia?

A reuse of (culinary) heritage can offer various opportunities for innovation driven society, but it needs to be communicated to the future digital generations on appropriate way. This research therefore explore on which way digital technologies can aid younger generations of Slovenian Australians to preserve and communicate Slovenian culinary heritage in Australia – and by this how their active participation and creative potential can be enhanced.

Aim
To examine the potential of digital technologies for heritage communication in physical, mixed and virtual environment, especially for preserving Slovenian heritage in Australia.

Objectives
To make a model (a scenario for a digital platform) and recommendations for communicating Slovenian culinary heritage to younger digital generations of Slovenian Australians. The model and the recommendations will be useful for other ethnic groups in Australia as well.

Duration
6 months (16 March 2015 – 15 September 2015)

Funding
Endeavour Research Fellowship is provided by the Australian Government Department of Education.

Invitation
If you have any idea how Culinary Heritage of Slovenian Australians can be represented digitally or you have any other suggestions, you are kindly invited to send an email to contact@kaja-antlej.com or reach me via following contact details.

Contact details
Dr Kaja Antlej
Endeavour Visiting Fellow (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Centre for Creative and Cultural Research (CCCR)
Faculty of Arts and Design (20 C18)
University of Canberra
ACT 2601, Australia
E-mail: kaya.antlej@canberra.edu.au
Telephone: +61 (0) 6201 5710

Last updated: 20 April 2015

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