Pärimises

Pärimises is an Estonian term used in cultural studies to refer to what a community keeps, transmits and sustains as part of its tradition and heritage. The concept covers both content—the knowledge, practices and objects passed down—and the processes that carry them across generations.

The word derives from pärimus, meaning heritage or tradition, and the form pärimises expresses a location or state similar to "in tradition" or "within heritage" in Estonian usage. In scholarly writing it is used to frame observations within a cultural continuity.

Pärimises encompasses immaterial heritage (language, songs, rituals, customary knowledge) as well as material elements tied to practices, such as crafts and places. Transmission occurs through families, schools, communities, and institutions, and is often a collaborative effort across generations.

Common transmission methods include oral storytelling, apprenticeship, participation in ceremonies, performance of music and dance, craft making, and the archiving of sources, both in print and digital form.

Modern contexts influence pärimises through media, digitization and mobility. These can broaden access and participation but also change how traditions are practiced and remembered.

Preservation challenges include globalization, language shift and cultural homogenization. Responses emphasize documentation, education, support for folk culture, and recognition of intangible heritage at national and international levels.

See also: pärimus, intangible cultural heritage, cultural heritage.