Ethnology
A department for ethnology works in the museum of wine in Demir Kapija which has a task to collect, store, process and exposes ethnological material relating to the culturally-historical past of this area preserved by the local population. It is manifested through the customs, the rituals, the language, the folklore, the lifestyle and other. Three ethnic communities live in the region of Demir Kapija: Macedonian, Serbian and Turkish – and all of them with their own characters, tradition and culture, found its place in our museum.
One of the characters of the spiritual culture of the people of Demir Kapija is the famous “rusalisko” folk – dance, which is raised to the level of a ritual dance (folk- dance). The dance of the “rusaliite” – (the dancers who are dancing this folk-dance) is very old and is danced during the period so-called “unbaptized days”, – from 7 (Christmas) – 19 (Twelfth Day) January. “Rusaliite” are men who wear special traditional clothes and performed ritual dances with a magical content. “Rusalijata” dancer holds in his hand a wooden sword – and he waves to expel, drive out evil spirits and forces.



The folk costume also presents a part of the material culture of the local population in Demir Kapija. It has a centuries-old tradition, which besides the basic function to protect the human body from a various climatic influences and the ritual functions the folk costume also shows the territorial affiliation. The culture of dressing the women in Demir Kapija from the 19th century is followed by a beautiful and typical for this canyon region folk costume (village Klisura). It is made of linen and wool, woven with countless clear, strong and vivid colors, intertwined with various motifs of “korilot” (the collar) and the sleeves, complemented with jewels. This makes the Demirkapiskata – canyon bride to be beautiful, special and desirous for its master who is also wearing a traditional men’s folk costume which can be everyday or festive.
The material culture of Demir Kapija is been followed through all the tools and instruments that local population uses in their everyday lives. The cultivation of the grapevines; processing of surfaces with poppy and cotton; the production of pepper from ancient times – are the main branches of subsistence of the population. – Therefore very often in the homes of the local population can be found wooden casks and barrels for storing wine; vats; “bukarinja” (wolden bowl for water supply with chain, which is carried over the shoulder or for loading cattle) for carrying water; “birlaci” for storage brandy; knives for carving poppy; boxes for collecting poppy tar and other.
The cauldron for baking brandy today can be found in every family in Demir Kapija. Baking brandy has a long tradition in these parts. Nice and quality brandy is considered the one which reaches 50 degrees strength. These and many other ethnological materials can be seen in the department of ethnology – as a proof of the ancient tradition of the local population from this region. The ethnology department is imagined as a display of typical Macedonian room of the late 19th century, with the use of natural materials – stone and wood, with authentic representation of hearth and loom, traditional folk costume from Demir Kapija and other.
