top of page
Search
Writer's pictureelenaburan

Intangible culture of the Balkans


Wake up Montenegro!


Intangible culture is the core of the values and competencies of your people


When leaders think about the development of their place and their people, they quickly realize that it is not the premises, not the furniture, not even the equipment that is critical in the modern world. Intangible culture matters. Therefore, I noticed that it is the research of intangible culture that is the focus of attention in Montenegro.


Now, what does intangible culture consist of? This is something that, beyond decay, is always present, binds the people together and is passed on through generations. And what exactly is this? Some people say: it's song and dance. Others say it’s humor and the history. You can guess, but the 21st century requires a quick, short, but complete, simple, clear answer. I can answer: intangible culture is the values and competencies of the people.


How to understand this?


Let's take songs and dances. Do they exist for themselves? No, they exist to express the spirit and intelligence of the people, their algorithms of interaction and self-expression. Excuse me, but this is already communicative competence, which, by the way, is expressed not only in songs and dances, but also in modern methods of communication. For example, the topics of student essays at the Donja Gorica University are wonderful, like “Are you independent?”, “What do a housewife, the Ministry of Finance and Robinson Crusoe have in common?”, “How do I see myself in a few years.” I think that the programs at Donja Gorica University are the best in the world because they take the best of their American and European counterparts and add their own ingenuity and creativity. In short, they develop competencies in students.


Why are competencies needed, and how do they differ from incompetencies?


Competence is the ability to speak and act as completely and accurately as possible, taking a minimum of time, effort and energy.

We all want the prosperity of Montenegro. And we return again and again to the topic: can Montenegro prosper on its own, or should it prosper together with Europe, and how exactly to achieve this? We are looking for an answer and returning to the topic of intangible culture. Why? If we consider the option for the prosperity of Montenegro on its own, then it should approach maximum independence in all aspects, and, therefore, self-sufficiency. There are such examples. For example, Monaco, Switzerland, Scotland - they were and remain small, independent and prosperous. And it doesn’t even matter whether they are part of the European Union or not, they remain themselves. If you consider what their success consists of, you will see order, clarity, reliability, intelligence.


These are competencies, and these are parts of intangible culture


Now, if you compare and consider whether Montenegro can be on the same line as Monaco, Scotland, Switzerland, you will have to turn to specific examples of the manifestation of competencies.


In general, different authors give different lists of competencies. But I keep it simple. There are 16 of them. Why 16? Because there are 4 types of intelligence, each with at least four dominant competencies. Why 4? Because this is the number of balance on earth: four letters of DNA, four poles of the globe, four areas of the brain, four areas of the heart, four limbs. And there were also 4 Gospels. You can add here many other systems consisting of four elements. The word competence itself comes from the Italian word "compa" that means task, that is, competence is the ability to fulfill the task. And it is clear that an intuitive person sees issues in his own way and solves them in his own way, a rational person - in his own way, an ethical person who values the harmony of relationships - in his own way, an emotional-practical person - in his own way.


Let's write it down in order:


Rational type of competencies


1. Logical argumentation

2. Determination

3. Time management

4. Financial independence


Intuitive type of competencies


5. Forecasting

6. Ability to choose the most effective methods, without risk

7. Systematicity

8. Integrity of vision, consideration of life cycles


Ethical type of competencies


9. Communication skills

10. Loyalty

11. Flexibility

12. Balance, harmony


Emotional type of competencies


13. Dynamicity

14. Practicality

15. Charismatic

16. Ability to organize


You can see that a good hotel or restaurant owner will have all four emotional competencies, but he may not be as good at the other types of competencies. The situation is different with the researcher - he will be good at predictions, method efficiency and integrity, but may not be so good at financial independence. And yet, it is ideal for every mature person to have all 16 competencies in some reasonable volume and balance.


It should be taken into account that the description of competencies changes with the development of society and the increasing complexity of tasks, but their essence has not changed throughout the history of mankind. Always, everywhere and in everything one can find prophets, judges, kings and priests.


Now, let's take a look and immediately understand that it is not the songs and dances themselves that are the intangible culture, but the competencies that allow us to be in harmony and survive for thousands of years, despite invasions and disasters. It was these competencies that were sharpened during invasions and disasters. All that remains is to realize what these competencies are and, having comprehended your authenticity, follow your own path and be in line with the successful and prosperous.


Let's focus on some kind of family that is known with a long enough history to trace the formation of competencies. The Pashtrovichi tribe had 12 families. That's a lot for a short analysis. I suggest taking one family to make it easier to track. Any of us can take our own or any other family and draw conclusions. I will take Miloradovich because it is close and known to me.


Rational type of competencies (Intangible culture of the Balkans)


1. Logicality of argumentation - Alexander Grigorievich Miloradovich was the General Judge and remained in memory as an impartial, good-natured and noble judge. He had other affairs, titles and awards, showing him as a prudent and reasonable person, the year of his death was 1868


2. Determination - Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich always walked directly and boldly towards the goal, was courageous, open and sincere, walked at the head of the army, and never kept himself waiting. He was a true leader, he led by example and had a joyful spirit in dangerous situations. His motto was: “Directness keeps me going.” He was a highly educated military man, a hero of the war against Napoleon, at the age of 27 he became a general, and then the general governor of St. Petersburg in Russia. Having openly negotiated with the rebels, he was killed by them from behind in 1825


 3. Time management - Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich perfectly chose the moments when to be friends with Murat, when to go on the attack, when to act in the vanguard and allow Kutuzov’s army to retreat.


4. Financial independence - Alexander Grigorievich Miloradovich has repeatedly shown an excellent ability to maintain finances so that they ensure independence, his estates were added and added, and he managed them perfectly.


Intuitive type of competences


5. Forecasting - Boris Vladimirovich Miloradovich was a geologist and paleontologist, had all the competencies inherent in intuitive intelligence - he personally went to the expedition to Novaya Zemlya, predicted and looked for oil, studied the systems and life cycles of rocks leading to the formation of fuel, like oil, his ability to choose paths allowed him to discover traces of the expedition of Willem Barentsz among the Arctic expanses of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in 1933.


6. Ability to choose the most effective methods


7. Systematicity


8. Integrity of vision, consideration of life cycles - Seraphim Miloradovich did not settle for superficial judgments, living during the Cold War in Paris, touching on the essence of complex issues, for example, about religion and politics, and this made others see him as an educated intellectual


Ethical type of competencies


9. Communicativeness – Sofia Miloradovich is a professor, linguist, working on the ethics of communication through the coordination of linguistic forms. Her ethical competencies are very noticeable; she considers important and pressing topics in the development of the Serbian language through the harmony of linguistic expressions.



Intangible culture of the Balkans


All Miloradovichs were distinguished by acute intolerance of stupidity, and this quality is close to me.

Now what is incompetence


Avoiding the essence of the issue is incompetence. Late approach to the topic is incompetence. Lack of the position's clarity is incompetence.


Chauvinism is anti-competent. Jesus was never a chauvinist. Modern British, French, Americans, as well Swiss, show intolerance towards chauvinism of all stripes, and will not tolerate chauvinism towards them. For example, belittling both another type of intelligence and different gender, is chauvinism. Chauvinism begins with sexism, when the source of love is not respected. You can only love an equal, with respect.


When a man with a wife and children has a photo of a half-naked strange woman with huge tits, buttocks and lips on his Facebook profile, this is a minus all competences, this is incompetence. Why? Because not a single visitor from America or Europe will want to deal with the provocations of something that is categorically not approved in Europe and America.


Sexism, chauvinism of all kinds, the desire to “good-naturedly outwit” and “decide everything for someone else,” “to be annoying and arrogant,” “to sit for hours like a sphinx in a café or on the balcony” - this is a minus all competencies. And dancing with songs will not help to attract the French or English, because for them the security of personal space is more important than anything that Montenegro can give. And sexism is a threat to the safety of personal space.


Europeans have learned to respect people of a different gender and a different type of intelligence, to show loyalty, to predict, to discuss logically - and everything else on the list at a high level of competence. That's why their films and books are still interesting, and why everyone wants to go to Paris and London at least once in their life. If instead of “confession” you constantly tell greasy jokes, this is of no interest to anyone, because no one, once wiser, can become stupider.


Competencies are true intangible culture and heritage, which has been nurtured over generations, has the value of a priceless treasure, and can provide prosperity even when material culture is destroyed or changed. Standing competently on the truth is something for which God still gives grace.


Where can you see the core of the people’s competencies? Intangible culture lives on websites today


At this point we are faced with a choice: openly to what extent, where and how to demonstrate competencies. Maybe they shouldn't be shown at all? And just live in your own world. Competencies develop only in the process of communication. Even unique researchers like Nikola Tesla needed to go out into the world and talk about their ideas, otherwise the ideas would die with him without any benefit.

If Montenegro wants to be in line with the independent countries of Europe, it is necessary to show competencies. And today it is required to demonstrate competencies, first of all, on your websites. No one will go to a country to look for a paper-bound book in Serbian or Montenegrin to learn about the values and competencies of the locals. People today learn about cultural values and competencies by browsing websites.


If the Gospel had not been written, no one would be Orthodox today. Jesus told the apostles to preach even from the rooftops, with a loud voice. What is the roof for preaching now? - A website. What you post on your pages is how people understand you. And they decide whether to pay attention to you, or maybe there is a feeling of a threat to their personal space, whether to bring you their values, in universal means - money.


Every self-respecting professional, or store, hotel, restaurant, club, bureau, real estate agency - has its own website today to show the core of competencies, inspire trust, and begin communication with clients. Facebook or Instagram are not suitable to show your competencies, because social networks are mixed communication. But on social networks you can publish links to your professional website, where you can place an order form for services or goods, reservations by day and time, a map and much more.

Comments


bottom of page