A Nose for Heritage: Creative Techniques for Research into Frisian Olfactory Heritage

What does the Dutch province of Friesland smell like? And who gets to have a say in this? How might we identify the scents that are significant to Friesland? In the research project A Nose for Heritage, funded by ClickNL, researchers collaborate with creative designers and perfumers to explore the scents of the Frisian countryside and to bring them to the fore – and to the nose. In doing so, they aim to position smell more clearly within heritage policy.

An increasing number of people recognise the importance of scent for our memories, emotions and sense of identity. Yet it remains difficult to determine which scents can be considered heritage, and how historical smells and ‘smellscapes’ can be recorded and transmitted. A Nose for Heritage brings together expertise from academia, perfumery and the creative industries to address this challenge.

The project, led by researcher Inger Leemans (NL-Lab, KNAW Humanities Cluster), investigates how design-led and participatory methods can be used to collect knowledge about culturally significant smells together with heritage communities. Subsequently, they explore how these smells can be presented in meaningful ways, for example through museums and archives.

The Smell of Friesland

The project focuses specifically on Friesland. Why? Because ‘the scents and sounds of the Frisian countryside’ have recently been included in the regional heritage agenda. This initiative, launched by the BBB (BoerBurgerBeweging, ‘FarmerCitizenMovement’, a Dutch political party with a socially conservative profile) raises the question of what is actually meant by ‘the smell of Friesland’. Is it the smell of cattle sheds, the Wadden Sea, evening primrose flowers, frozen lakes, de strontweek, it stjonkfabryk or woodcarving? Jarre, broeirook, skiepperook, or boskrook? And how can such historical smells be recorded?

In A Nose for Heritage, researchers set out to identify characteristic Frisian scents – from rural and aquatic cultures to regional dishes and traditional crafts – in order to explore the value people attach to these scents.

Designs to Talk About Scent

Because olfactory experiences are often difficult to put into words, the project develops new interactive techniques to help people talk about their smell experiences and share memories.

One of the tangible designs produced within the project is a smell table – an interactive table with scent cylinders – which invites people to smell, respond and share stories. This smell table will tour the province to gather knowledge and will later be used in museums to allow visitors to reconnect with the aromatic past of Friesland.

Partners

The project is a collaboration between the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Humanities Cluster), the Fryske Akademy and IFF (International Flavours & Fragrances).