Patience, waiting, longing… These three words capture the story of Dobrota lace. From these feelings, centuries ago, emerged the skill of lace-making, which still attracts attention today, even beyond the borders of Montenegro. That this unique Bay of Kotor heritage has not gone unnoticed is also confirmed by the prestigious Europa Nostra award, one of the most significant recognitions in the field of cultural heritage preservation, awarded by the European Commission. The award was won by the Public Institution “Museums” Kotor for its project dedicated to preserving and promoting Dobrota lace.
The making of Dobrota lace was on the verge of being forgotten. There was no organised way of passing on the knowledge, and only a few women knew its complex technique. That is why, five years ago, the “Museums” Kotor launched workshops entitled “An Old Skill for a New Era”, which later gave rise to the “Pacijenca” project. The free training sessions were, as the institution explains, organised in cooperation with Nada Radović, the official guardian of the Dobrota lace-making skill, who successfully passed her knowledge on to new generations.
“From the very first year, we had great interest. Over the course of five years, around 60 women completed the workshop, many of whom are still actively working and creating,” says Dušica Ivetić, director of the Public Institution “Museums” Kotor.
The traditional skill, Ivetić says, can also be presented in a modern way and, as such, can be recognised as a European cultural value.
“The entire project was conceived as a kind of performance. In public city squares, we present the lace in the form of a small installation, while the lace-makers demonstrate how it is made. We managed to connect tradition with a contemporary way of presenting it, which generated great interest among both tourists and local residents. What is particularly important is that people have become aware of the significance of the lace and that today there is a collective awareness and pride in this long tradition in the city,” Ivetić emphasises.
However, what visitors see in the squares is only a small part of the process that precedes the creation of each motif, explains Ljubica Krivokapić, curator at the “Museums” Kotor and Dobrota lace instructor.
“Other types of embroidery are much simpler than Dobrota lace. It is made with a needle and fine thread. It starts with a drawing that we make ourselves. We create the base on cardboard. The whole magic of the making takes place above that base. We have several basic stitches. Most needle lace also has them, but the motifs and the way the lace is used are what distinguish us, as is the way it developed within the local community,” Krivokapić points out.
Every detail is the result of hours of work.
“It takes four to six hours to make one square centimetre of a solid stitch. It is very delicate work, because the thread does not always behave as you want it to,” says Krivokapić.
That is why the name “Pacijenca” carries a special symbolism. Dobrota lace is not merely a skill involving a needle and thread, but also a story about time, dedication and the values of the Bay of Kotor.
“People very often ask whether anyone can learn it. They can, but patience is precisely the quality that is necessary both to begin and to continue in this direction,” Krivokapić says.
Thanks to organised training sessions, demonstrations in city squares and international recognition, Dobrota lace is no longer merely a part of the distant past of the Bay of Kotor. Traditional lace has grown beyond the confines of museum spaces and become one of the most recognisable symbols of Kotor and Montenegro. The “Museums” Kotor announce that they will continue with workshops and festivals bringing together lace-makers from Mediterranean countries, while one of the next goals is also to have Dobrota lace inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.