„Unearthed” revolves around the ciupaga, a highlander’s axe from Zakopane, a small and touristic town located in the Polish Tatra Mountains.  Once a functional and personalized tool, this object has lost its original meaning over the years and is now reduced to a mere imitation for tourists. This symbolically reflects the situation of a town whose economy is largely dependent on visitors’ whims. Mass tourism has adverse effects on the growth of the urban community. By exploring the local cultural heritage, my aim is to bring the community together and re-establish their connection with the place. A joint analysis of the ongoing developments and alterations in Zakopane exposes the main factors contributing to the „chopped” social ties. I propose to „glue” severed social relationships using the potential of collective action and collaboration.

©Nicole Marnati by Design Academy Eindhoven

The local orphanage in Zakopane became the first site of this effort: volunteers participated in recurring woodcarving workshops during which they created wooden reliefs. This served as a pretext for discussions, not only about ciupagas and local folklore but also about their future plans related to Zakopane. After the time we spent together, I crafted personalized ciupagas for each participant, inspired by key elements from our conversations. This is where the foundation of an educational concept centered on community begins. In the project, the ciupaga ultimately became something that connects rather than divides into small pieces. Zakopane (English: Buried) symbolizes all the places that require unearthing (Polish: odkopane).