The craft of oil butcher has been added to the list of Dutch intangible heritage. The request from initiator Marja Schetsberg of the Woldzigt oil and flour mill in Roderwolde has been granted by the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center.
“Of course we were happy with it,” says Schetsberg, who received help with the application from Noordmolen Twickel and Oliemolen Eerbeek. “Last week I could finally say that we have been admitted. It is recognition of the craft.”
There are two remaining oil mills in Drenthe. In addition to Woldzigt in Roderwolde, this is De Wachter in Zuidlaren. There are a total of 19 oil mills in the Netherlands.
According to Schetsberg, the award means that there is now real work to be done. “We must ensure that enough volunteers remain involved in the craft. And also that young people come into contact with oil-mining.”
“We now have to work on the future. The application was mainly made by the three of us, but now we are going to involve more parties.”
Schetsberg will first put an action plan on paper to promote the oil butcher’s craft. In the coming months, she wants to take a moment to reflect on this recognition at the mill in Roderwolde, where she is on the board.
Oil butcher Mans Harms previously told RTV Drenthe that he finds it unique to work at the mill in Roderwolde. “The technology is very simple and has been around for hundreds of years. Cultural history and technology come together here and if you have any feeling for that, then you will be sold.”
In the video below, Harms shows what oil hitting looks like.