Eessõna / Foreword

Dear reader.In your hand, you hold the second issue of the Estonian Native Crafts Department of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy annual periodical Studia Vernacula with the title “Manifest”. The aim of the publication is still to make a contribution to Estonian studies by investigating native manual heritage and creating an academic meeting place for craft culture. As previously, the journal will make its way to its readers in October around the time when working away from home comes to an end and granaries are being inventoried. The time of reflection. On behalf of Studia Vernacula I'd like to thank all of the authors and the readers with constructive criticism who have helped to sculpt the journal to become more streamlined. I'd like to bring out the students of the Native Crafts Department whose work has made us believe in the future of crafts. A big Thank You to the entire team of Studia Vernacula and especially to Helen Kästik, Kanni Labi, Madis Rennu, Lembe Lahtmaa and Kristjan Mändmaa for being interested in the contents and the quality and comprehensibility of the journal and for the many hours spent with manuscripts and their authors. Their professional attitude has been an irreplaceable form of support for my work as editor-in-chief. We are grateful to the University of Tartu for supporting the publishing of the journal from the budget for ethnic studies, to the Cultural Endowment of Estonia for covering the editing, translating, and printing expenses, and to Männiku Metsatalu for their moral and physical support.Aimla, Viljandi County, September 2015