GREAT PLACE OF Treebeekeeping FORCE

Definition

Traditional treebeekeeping is a set of knowledge, beliefs, customs, rituals, norms of customary law, and other forms of spiritual and material culture acquired during independent development on one's own land - as a value that should be transmitted across generations.

Purpose

preservation, popularization, development of traditional treebeekeeping and ensuring the continuity of the national authentic treebeekeeping tradition.

Philosophy and Approach

Returning bees to their usual habitats (forest and marsh biotopes) through the restoration of best treebeekeeping traditions and practices for sustainable development and biodiversity.

Implementation of knowledge, beliefs, best approaches and methods through direct contact with a teacher (barrier, hereditary treebeekeeper)

Imitation of skills and practices in finding sites, making hives, working with bees and tools

Independent participation in all processes of treebeekeeping: attraction, cleaning, caring, viewing, working with wood, etc.

Direct participation in wax pressing, candle making, mead producing and attraction receipts

Collaboration with blacksmith on the reconstruction of traditional iron tools: Axe (Barta), chisel (Pieshnia), cramp (Cieslo), Knife (Medarez)

Return of leatherworking technologies and production of special rope (using hemp) and leather knives

Making of bonder containers and box (lazbien) from linden wood in the traditional way

Creation and development of candle-making traditions; organization, participation and observance of the Brotherhood Candle Ceremony

Participation in 10+ expeditions (complex and personal), in which 20+ settlements were visited. The total distance was 7000+ km. The total duration was 60+ days of expeditions.

Participation and recording of the entire annual cycle of treebeekeeper activities.

Over the years of expeditionary activity, more than 50+ conversations were held and 60+ hours of audio/video materials were recorded.

The "Mintus Oak" has been found - the only treebeekeeping oak that has its own name: 4 years of searching, 30 km of trails and roads traveled on foot.

Active involvement in bringing the topic of tree beekeeping into the public sphere: over 15 lectures and forums; more than 9 international conferences and forums; over 10 media interviews; 9 radio broadcasts; 3 books and publications; and participation in 3 or more documentary films and entertainment programmes.

The overall social capital encompasses over 5,000 followers across major social platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, VK, Viber, Telegram, Academia, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Odnoklassniki.

Organisation of informal activities such as corporate breakfasts, masterclasses, journeys, lectures, and more.

Initiatives include organising an exhibition on traditional tree beekeeping; co-organising the first tree beekeepers' forum and a regional festival; and contributing to the creation and development of an educational route.

Publication of the first almanac in Eastern Europe titled Bortnyja Chronicles: Everything About Local Tree Beekeepers and Tree Beekeeping.

Collection and preservation of expeditionary and archival materials.

Gathering of archival ethnographic and historical graphic, audio, and video materials.

Creation of the media library The Great Tree Beekeeping Library, which includes a video archive, photo archive, media articles, collections, historical and ethnographic books, expedition materials, audio archive, and more.

Documentation and study of tree beekeeping within the framework of local culture: conducting interviews with witnesses, identifying actual sites and objects. To date, over 50 traces of tree beekeeping have been discovered; ethnographic and historical materials on tree beekeeping within the local cultural context have been collected.

Reconstruction of wax-related rituals: the "Brotherhood Candle"; wax extraction and candle making (twisting of Candlemas and other candles); the "Candle" ritual.

Protection of wild bees (slepet); production of tree hives/log hives; development of crafts associated with tree beekeeping (weaving, woodworking, etc.).

Reintroduction of bees into natural wild habitats (establishment of a wild bee reserve based on the traditions, practices, and approaches of traditional tree beekeeping).