Take a bunch of scientists – ecologists, ornithologists, geologists and chemists. Add one major interpretive project that they are, of course, all able to write content for themselves, because after all, they can write, can’t they? and they do know their science better than anyone! And what do you get…? Maybe not the best interpretive panels!

But a solution is at hand, even with the problems of Covid-19 preventing face-to-face training here in Ireland. That solution came in the form of IE trainer, Janja Sivec, who was more than willing to work with the CANN project (Collaborative Action for the Natura Network) to deliver an ‘Interpretive Writing Lite’ course over a single morning using the online platform Zoom.

The course linked 20+ partners and stakeholders from Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland through the ether to Slovenia where Janja presented from her home office. The atmosphere was as good as if we had all been in a room learning together and there wasn’t a moment where the team members weren’t fully engaged.

Starting with a concise history of interpretation and a brief study of the theory with some excellent examples, interspersed with lovely practical and visual exercises and regular use of the breakout rooms to get small groups working together, we used the full gamut of the Zoom platform to enjoy a varied, interactive training session.

The pace was mixed, which was essential as anyone who has sat through endless Zoom meetings knows what a difficult task it is to keep people concentrating on a screen for hours on end. But by using simple tools and exercises to get us up from our office chairs and changing the focus of our eyes and minds by taking a trip to our front doors, Janja kept us asking for more.

I work as an outreach officer for the CANN project and organising this introductory course has made my job a lot easier. My biggest task next year will be to develop interpretation for all our sites, and I have confidence now that we will be able to speak with the individual site managers knowing that they understand the basic principles of heritage interpretation. That they understand why and how the professionals work as they do and maybe at least know what they don’t know. I also believe that the next time the participants are asked to “do a panel” for a site, they might understand that this is not such a simple job and that just laminating science facts and a few pretty pictures on to a board is not enough. I know that they all understand at least some of the tools and skills needed and will work to expand their knowledge further in the future. This mini course lit some interpretive fires and long may they burn.

Abby McSherry is an outreach officer for the CANN project – The Collaborative Action for the Natura Network. The project is funded by the EU’s INTERREG VA programme managed by the SEUPB with match funding from the national governments of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. To find out more visit www.TheCANNproject.org. Abby can be contacted at: Abby.McSherry@nmandd.org. 

To cite this article:
McSherry, Abby (2020) ‘Zooming through the basics of interpretive writing’. In Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2020, 27.

Available online: http://www.interpret-europe.net/fileadmin/Documents/publications/Newsletters/IE_newsletter_2020_4_winter.pdf

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This is how one family thinks during the time of lockdown. Without running events, there were no visitors and no income. But they didn’t want to accept “closed and cancelled” as an option, so they thought hard and used IT and online social services to bring Father Christmas and St. Nickolas to every home. Father Christmas himself is, of course, immortal and as old as the first child who believed, so the family put their heads together and put the event online.

Father Christmas/St. Nickolas, and two busy elves with their little helper, produced really creative content and broadcast live from Father Christmas’ home. Without too long for planning and preparation, and without access to expensive professional equipment, they made this huge step forward to deliver an online live show. Every evening from 1-19 December at 19.00 (CET) they broadcast live on the Facebook page for Stari zanati. In between shows, they brushed up their tech skills and thought about how Santa’s home could adapt and survive in the middle of a pandemic. They wanted to keep the Christmas spirit alive in every home, because every child (and adult) needs magic in their lives.

During the live programme, Petra and Ervin the elves created magic with storytelling, online workshops, songs, plays, interesting guests and many surprises. They showed some old school games like hopscotch, rope jumping, rubber band jumping, and presented how to make beautiful ornaments and other things to try at home. Lovers of old customs and skills saw how to make horseshoes, clay baked dishes and jugs for souring milk, or how wicker corn baskets were made. In this unusual Hlebine’s Christmas Workshop, various traditional toys were created, such as cars, planes, trains, horses, ducks, knights’ swords, axes and shields. They even baked Christmas cookies. The elves also opened the Father Christmas post office. Every day, busy elves read out letters received from children and asked children to take action and write letters, and to be creative and share their stories on Facebook. The workshop also hosted three masters of Hlebine naive art: Branko Matina, Stjepan Pongrac and Zlatko Kolarek.

Father Christmas was played by Tihomir Želimorski, who attend an IE CIG training course last year, where he realised the importance of bringing heritage to consumers. So, instead of putting everything on hold this year, he become even more creative and brought the beauty of the love, warmth and real Christmas spirit to every home over the internet.

Elizabeta Milanović Glavica is a university specialist in tourism and hospitality management from Koprivnica, Croatia. She works for the Central Podravina Tourist Board (tzp-sredisnja-podravina.hr). She is a member of Interpret Croatia and is an IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) and is the IE Tourism Coordinator. She can be contacted at: elizabeta.milanovic@interpret-europe.net or elizabeta.milanovic@gmail.com.

To cite this article: Milanović Glavica, Elizabeta (2020) ‘Father Christmas goes online in Hlebine’. In Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2020, 28.

Available online: http://www.interpret-europe.net/fileadmin/Documents/publications/Newsletters/IE_newsletter_2020_4_winter.pdf