Like all living systems, cultures cannot remain static; they develop or collapse. They explore or perish. If we understand the essence of this message in time, the greater will be our chances of survival.
Author: Katerina Topallova
Not long ago, when the Socialist Republic of Macedonia within Yugoslavia, in front of Europe and the world, knew how to present its culture and tradition in the most dignified and representative way in European capitals, in the true light, of course, as it deserves a serious culture and state, such as the Yugoslav state at that time, including Macedonia within it. Everyone remembers it, especially the drafters of cultural policies and above all the cultural public, who today are no longer present or are in a complete phase of disappearance.
Days of Macedonian culture in Rome! A small segment of video material produced by RT Skopje, on the occasion of the traditional presentation of Macedonian culture in Rome, Italy. What story does this little video fragment tell us?! The best exhibitions of Macedonian painting, poetry, cinematography, archeology and photography, as well as exhibitions of Macedonian icons, everything that is most visible, newest and most representative of Macedonia, documented, packaged and exhibited before the eyes of to the discerning Italian audience, before Tanec’s final concert, who always knew how to steal even the most selfish and skeptical applause, turning it into mass delight and cheers, wherever they performed.
A week when the numerous Macedonian emigration flocked to Rome to see the best of the homeland, as well as all those friends, supporters and lovers old and potential Macedonian culture, who in these celebrations were also companions and supporters important part of the Macedonian delegation during the visit to the tomb of St. Cyril in the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome, on the occasion of May 24 – the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
From the highest political authorities, the scientific community led by the language department of AMASH, Institutes of Language, Literature, etc., to the most popular Macedonian and Yugoslav journalists and TV crews, who not only cover the events in the Italian capital, but they also create a program from there. Unfortunately, this picture is only a snapshot of time and a commemoration of the golden days of the living Macedonian culture, for which we fought as a people and a nation, but unfortunately we are unable to continue, preserve and maintain it?!
While Macedonian culture, especially in such a big celebration, was a real ambassador in the European corridors, today it is just a funny picture, a grotesque of political life, where mediocrity and sub-mediocrity are ideal drivers not only of culture, but also of all social life. The image of the Macedonian holiday produced by the political “elites” is overwhelming and miserable, still tearing the Macedonian fabric into pieces. Instead of Rome being the center of literacy and speech, in these days of Cyril and Methodius, Ohrid became the base station from which parties began to collect political points on the eve of new elections, completely minimizing the meaning and substance of the party, which in the first place should unite.
Thus, instead of the unification, we attended two parallel Macedonian celebrations, one – government in Plaoshnik and another – opposition in the cathedral of St. Sophia in Ohrid. This is how we finished the process of building the “state within the state!” While in Rome, on the day of enlightenment and literacy, as representatives of this tribal culture of ours we sent the loudest curser to the Macedonian assembly, for whom culture is only a name, or what his mentors from the previous state would say – the last horse beer! Complete loss of Macedonian politics…
A Ministry of Culture completely lost in time and space, ideal to support a hundred “peasant” projects announced as a kind of “cultural policy”, but of low passions, and what basically needs to be invested, it encroaches today beyond the competences and our possibilities. The desire to be – the first in the village and the last in the city! This type of policy, I must not forget to mention, the current government carries from the opposition, when it was the government!
And what more can be said about the Macedonian scientific community. Linguistic bastions of the now-dead past protect our language and literacy, primarily from ourselves. We seem to persistently invest in them, but not in new scientific works, departments, lectures, libraries, scientific workers, etc. Either we are completely paralyzed or we pretend to be… For the picture to be complete, the few Macedonian media will contribute, in which journalists from the field of culture can no longer be found, not to mention the existence of editorial offices and cultural programs, which no longer exist on air. So, with a dose of emotion we will remember the archival recordings from RT Skopje, when the great minds and science of the Macedonian Middle Ages created adequate holiday programs.
However,! If we want to protect culture, we must create it! Unfortunately, we do not succeed in this! The first to disappear from the world map will be those nations that do not create their own and distinct culture, and thus are powerless in the process of cultural assimilation, and such sites go backwards. So it is only a matter of time before a more powerful and attractive cultural environment engulfs us, in which the collective memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius will slowly begin to transform into a new mask, acceptable to the currents and conditions of cloud. beyond our understanding of their personality, work and significance
Like all living systems, cultures cannot remain static; they develop or decline. They explore or perish. If we understand the essence of this message in time, the greater will be our chances of survival.