Minnesotans Celebrate
Kulturni Dan...
Kulturni Dan...
February 19, 2011
In Slovenia, Kulturni Dan, or "Cultural Day" has become a major holiday. It occurs on February 8, on the anniversary of the death of France Prešeren, in Slovenia’s most renowned poet and author of Slovenia’s national anthem. In Minnesota, the Twin Cities (Minneapolis – St. Paul) Slovenians celebrated Kulturni Dan on February 12 at a special exhibition on Slovenia in St. Paul. The exhibition is part of the Julian H. Sleeper Museum, which is privately owned and operated by Dr. Seth C. Hawkins.
This is the seventh year that Slovenians have celebrated Kulturni Dan at the Sleeper House. Each year, we have a presentation on a different aspect of Slovenian culture. This year, the topic was Slovenian beekeeping. What is the connection between Slovenian culture and beekeeping?
First, beekeeping has been an important part of Slovenian life for hundreds of years. Slovenia has many beekeepers’ associations, all devoted to the art and science of beekeeping. In the days when people had no refined sugar, there was hardly a farm in Slovenia that did not keep bees in addition to its other domestic animals. Honey was the only sweetener available, and beeswax was an indispensable material for candle making.
Second, Slovenian bees are known for their many positive qualities, including being gentle, hard-working, frugal, winter-hardy and having an excellent sense of orientation (sounds a lot like Slovenians themselves!). The experts also credit Slovenian bees with a good cleaning instinct, which makes them less susceptible to various diseases. Because of these characteristics, they are bred and exported in large numbers to other countries.
Third, in the 18th – 19th centuries, Slovenians developed a unique type of art –paintings on the front panels of beehives. Beehive panels were painted by late baroque painters, semiskilled farmer painters, entirely self taught people and occasional painters, among which were some apiarists who painted their own beehives. Simple bee houses became true outdoor art galleries.
These paintings include a fascinating variety of subjects, ranging from religious themes (such as St. Florian, the protector against temporal and eternal fires) to playful satire (such as the postman riding a snail or the bears roasting the hunter.) Beehive panels represent an indispensable part of Slovenian folk art. Original beehive panels are now highly treasured and frequently copied.
Our main presenter was Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar, who is a dentist and visiting scholar from the University of Ljubljana on a research fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Ksenija and her husband Jože (an attorney) and their two children are in Minnesota until July 2011. Despite their busy professional and family schedule, Ksenija and Jože are also providing free Slovenian language lessons every Tuesday evening. The lessons are open to all, without regard to previous language skills. The lessons deal with conversational Slovenian, using the website “Slovenian for Travelers.” Ksenija and Jože have a wonderful interactive teaching style, often leading to interesting discussions about the differences between American and Slovenian cultures and manners. If you are interested in joining these lessons, e-mail john.zakelj@cs.com
The Kulturni Dan presentation included a picture of Yul Yost’s family around their beehive in Slovenia about 60 years ago. Yul is a founding member of Twin Cities Slovenians, and he told us about the important role of beekeeping in his own family.
Dr. Hawkins told us how and why he developed a Slovenian exhibition in St. Paul. Dr. Hawkins is a retired coach of competitive speaking and professor of spoken and written rhetoric. He emphasized that he is zero percent Slovenian and knew almost nothing about Slovenia until about the year 2000, when he began learning about Slovenia’s natural and cultural beauty. He was impressed that Slovenia’s money included no politicians, only writers and poets. He learned about people like France Prešeren, he visited Slovenia, and he fell in love. He opened the exhibition a year later, thought it would be temporary, but has continued to maintain and improve it. As Dr. Hawkins says on his website, julianhsleeperhouse.com, his collection allows you to experience Slovenian music and folklore, art and technology, caves and castles, postage stamps and money, festivals and recreation, food and wine, books and buildings, and much more.
Many thanks to Dr. Rener Sitar, Yul Yost and Dr. Hawkins for helping us experience Slovenia’s cultural richness and beauty!
Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar and Yul Yost review the slides for the beekeeping presentation.
The Julian H. Sleeper House, which includes a Slovenian exhibition, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar and Norm Setnicker, president of the Twin Cities Slovenians.
In Slovenia, Kulturni Dan, or "Cultural Day" has become a major holiday. It occurs on February 8, on the anniversary of the death of France Prešeren, in Slovenia’s most renowned poet and author of Slovenia’s national anthem. In Minnesota, the Twin Cities (Minneapolis – St. Paul) Slovenians celebrated Kulturni Dan on February 12 at a special exhibition on Slovenia in St. Paul. The exhibition is part of the Julian H. Sleeper Museum, which is privately owned and operated by Dr. Seth C. Hawkins.
This is the seventh year that Slovenians have celebrated Kulturni Dan at the Sleeper House. Each year, we have a presentation on a different aspect of Slovenian culture. This year, the topic was Slovenian beekeeping. What is the connection between Slovenian culture and beekeeping?
First, beekeeping has been an important part of Slovenian life for hundreds of years. Slovenia has many beekeepers’ associations, all devoted to the art and science of beekeeping. In the days when people had no refined sugar, there was hardly a farm in Slovenia that did not keep bees in addition to its other domestic animals. Honey was the only sweetener available, and beeswax was an indispensable material for candle making.
Second, Slovenian bees are known for their many positive qualities, including being gentle, hard-working, frugal, winter-hardy and having an excellent sense of orientation (sounds a lot like Slovenians themselves!). The experts also credit Slovenian bees with a good cleaning instinct, which makes them less susceptible to various diseases. Because of these characteristics, they are bred and exported in large numbers to other countries.
Third, in the 18th – 19th centuries, Slovenians developed a unique type of art –paintings on the front panels of beehives. Beehive panels were painted by late baroque painters, semiskilled farmer painters, entirely self taught people and occasional painters, among which were some apiarists who painted their own beehives. Simple bee houses became true outdoor art galleries.
These paintings include a fascinating variety of subjects, ranging from religious themes (such as St. Florian, the protector against temporal and eternal fires) to playful satire (such as the postman riding a snail or the bears roasting the hunter.) Beehive panels represent an indispensable part of Slovenian folk art. Original beehive panels are now highly treasured and frequently copied.
Our main presenter was Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar, who is a dentist and visiting scholar from the University of Ljubljana on a research fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Ksenija and her husband Jože (an attorney) and their two children are in Minnesota until July 2011. Despite their busy professional and family schedule, Ksenija and Jože are also providing free Slovenian language lessons every Tuesday evening. The lessons are open to all, without regard to previous language skills. The lessons deal with conversational Slovenian, using the website “Slovenian for Travelers.” Ksenija and Jože have a wonderful interactive teaching style, often leading to interesting discussions about the differences between American and Slovenian cultures and manners. If you are interested in joining these lessons, e-mail john.zakelj@cs.com
The Kulturni Dan presentation included a picture of Yul Yost’s family around their beehive in Slovenia about 60 years ago. Yul is a founding member of Twin Cities Slovenians, and he told us about the important role of beekeeping in his own family.
Dr. Hawkins told us how and why he developed a Slovenian exhibition in St. Paul. Dr. Hawkins is a retired coach of competitive speaking and professor of spoken and written rhetoric. He emphasized that he is zero percent Slovenian and knew almost nothing about Slovenia until about the year 2000, when he began learning about Slovenia’s natural and cultural beauty. He was impressed that Slovenia’s money included no politicians, only writers and poets. He learned about people like France Prešeren, he visited Slovenia, and he fell in love. He opened the exhibition a year later, thought it would be temporary, but has continued to maintain and improve it. As Dr. Hawkins says on his website, julianhsleeperhouse.com, his collection allows you to experience Slovenian music and folklore, art and technology, caves and castles, postage stamps and money, festivals and recreation, food and wine, books and buildings, and much more.
Many thanks to Dr. Rener Sitar, Yul Yost and Dr. Hawkins for helping us experience Slovenia’s cultural richness and beauty!
Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar and Yul Yost review the slides for the beekeeping presentation.
The Julian H. Sleeper House, which includes a Slovenian exhibition, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dr. Ksenija Rener Sitar and Norm Setnicker, president of the Twin Cities Slovenians.