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Children’s Wooden Toys Manufacturing



Children’s wooden toys are recognizable traditional products of Hrvatsko Zagorje with a long history. The town of Marija Bistrica in Hrvatsko Zagorje in northern Croatia is known for its Marian shrine of Our Lady of the Snow. The villagers on the pilgrimage route have developed a method of producing children’s wooden toys that have been passed down for generations. This part of Croatia developed a peculiar toy production in the 19th century, which can still be seen in some villages such as Laz, Stubica, Tugonica, and Marija Bistrica. These are all on the way to the greatest pilgrimage site in Croatia, Marija Bistrica.

The assortment of reed toys widened into something more complicated. Today there are about one hundred and twenty different types of toys available. When they were produced, the method was handed down from generation to generation, and some families have kept the method of production to this day. The distinctive thing is that they are handmade and mostly painted by women. The men from a family take the soft willow, lime, beech, and maple wood found in their region and dry, hew, cut, and carve it using traditional tools; women then apply ecologically-friendly paint in improvisational floral or geometric patterns, creating a new toy from their imagination. Since each of the toys is handmade, there can never be two completely identical ones. The eco paint used in the toys is typically red, yellow, or blue. The ornamentation is usually floral or geometric. Previously, the popular toy was reeds called "žveglice" and simple whistles known as "jedinke" (one pipe whistle) and "dvojnice" (two pipe whistles). Toymakers are usually referred to as "žveglači" because of this popular toy.

Approximately fifty kinds of toys are made today, ranging from various types of reed, tamburitza, toys for animals, and objects of common use. They are sold around the world, including in parish fairs, markets, and specialty shops. Many of these toys have evolved with the times since traditional shapes such as horses, carts, and airplanes have been replaced with new shapes like cars, trucks, and airplanes. The world surrounding modern-day children also influences these toys. Toy instruments, which are carefully tuned as they are being made, remain an integral part of the musical education of rural children.

A significant role in preserving this toy-making tradition is placing the items at community events, such as fairs, markets, and specialized shops. A number of museums in Hrvatsko Zagorje are part of the Craftattract project, which promotes various activities such as workshops, seminars, school meetings, and exhibitions to promote traditional crafts. These local museums are also part of the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb. Their exhibit has more than 600 valuable items, including some toys with a date of production dating back to the mid-19th century. All of the institutional support for this craft creates an additional impetus for locals who have already been motivated to continue practicing it.

References

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