The craft of filigree waits for the masters not to break the connection

The tender for the organization of training in the preservation of the old craft of filigree in Prizren has turned out to be a failure, and the municipal authorities in the same way intend to find masters in order not to disconnect this craft with the new generation. Distinguished filigree masters who for years have been engaged in training young participants in this craft have made it known that they were not informed. But they have another proposal. According to them, the best option would be to open a parallel in secondary education for filigree

The first attempt during this month of the Municipality of Prizren, namely the Directorate of Tourism and Economic Development, to find an operator to organize training for the preservation of the craft of filigree, has failed. In the procurement activity announced for this purpose, from September 8 to 15, no operator was present and therefore the tender was cancelled. In this situation, the municipal bodies have decided to re-announce the relevant tender this week, where the estimated value of the contract is 9 thousand and 900 euros, in which case an operator is required who has four graduated watermark masters, as well as a bunch of equipment and of materials.

The Director of Tourism and Economic Development, Lirije Xhemaj-Bytyqi, has confirmed the cancellation of the procurement activity last week for the organization of the eight-month filigree craft course and its re-announcement this week, with the aim of preserving an old tradition of Prizren.

"Every year, we announce the tender for the revival of the craft of filigree, namely for the implementation of the eight-month training course, based on which the participants are also certified. Our plan is to start holding this course this year as well. We have opened the procurement activity, but there was no bidder and it had to be canceled in accordance with the provisions of the Procurement Law. This week the tender has been re-announced and we are waiting for applications from operators. We hope that in this way we contribute so that the craft of filigree does not die out and this ancient tradition continues", said the senior municipal official.

Distinguished filigree masters who for years have been engaged in training new participants in this craft have made it known that they were not informed that the procurement activity was initiated earlier this month.

"We have not been informed. The tender has been opened, but in the absence of information we have not been able to present our offer. Now it has been announced again and I believe that we will apply, in order to continue the practice of holding filigree courses as in the past years", said master Faik Bamja. Hoping for the continuation of the training, he has added that the best option would be to open a parallel in secondary education for filigree.

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"Jewellery reached its highest level of development in the 1866th century. According to the data of the French consul in Shkodër, E. Vit, in Prizren in 47 there were XNUMX separate jewelry workshops..."

"Obviously, it would be better if it doesn't just remain as an eight-month course, but turns into a school, so that for three years we can better train the new generations in this craft, so that they are better prepared, more professional and after schooling to work independently", said Bamja.

His colleague, namely the outstanding master of filigree, Bashkim Tejeci, has assessed that considering the challenges of the time, it is important to continue the several-year tradition of filigree courses, as this way there is awareness of this craft.

"We are witnessing that many traditional crafts of Prizren have already disappeared. Based on the fact that Prizren is the mother of the craft of filigree, with a distinguished technique, which has its own beauty and uniqueness, but which also stands the test of time, this tradition must continue. It should not be forgotten that a filigree work with the special technique of Prizren is inherited from generation to generation. Therefore, it is more important that the new generations acquire this craft, since now industrial products are making themselves everywhere in the world, but also here. It is good luck that interest in the watermark has been revived in recent times and it is much more important to protect it", said Tejeci.

He recalled that the goal of their working group, after the privatization of the "Filigran" enterprise, was to transfer knowledge to the new generations and that the only way currently is the eight-month courses. But they continue to dream that one day they will teach in one of the high schools of Prizren.

"Our aim is to open a parallel in the respective schools. We are ready to offer our professional knowledge to students. But this does not depend on us, it is a decision that must be taken by the competent bodies, whether central or local. It is true that we have been holding courses for several years, but it is clear that they are not enough courses to win the tender, but it has kept alive this craft, which faces the risk of extinction. We as a group have given ourselves a task and we will try to leave this craft as much as we can as a legacy to the new generations", Tejeci declared.

In 2006, after the privatization of the company "Filigrani" in Prizren, these workers were left on the streets. In this situation, their group gathered and decided to continue the work tradition. After consultations, in 2007, they registered "Filigran" as a Limited Liability Company. The goal of this group of artisans was to preserve the filigree tradition in Prizren. Besides ensuring self-sustainability, these artisans have also become a point of reference and destination for foreign visitors to Prizren, but also for international media journalists. Meanwhile, for several years now, they have been organizing the watermark course for dozens of participants. Currently, only four distinguished masters remain part of this group.

According to the historian Abib Ahmeti, the first records of goldsmiths in this city date back to the 1591th century. However, more structured notes, according to him, are found in the XNUMXth century, since in the cadastral register of the Sanjak of Prizren it is known that this craft was practiced in Prizren in XNUMX by four Christian craftsmen and one Muslim.

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"Jewellery reached its highest level of development in the 1866th century. According to the data of the French consul in Shkodër, E. Vit, in Prizren in 47 there were 15 separate jewelry workshops. In addition to these, there were 7 workshops in which weapons were decorated and XNUMX others in which scissors and knives were exclusively decorated", wrote Ahmeti in his book "Theranda-Prizreni through the centuries".

Based on the data of historians and the memories of the masters of this craft, the goldsmiths' workshops were concentrated in the center of the city, near Shatërvan, in the special quarter known as the Kujunxinje Bazaar. The Armory Bazaar was also located there, with whom, according to Ahmeti, the goldsmiths closely cooperated in the decoration of weapons and other war equipment.