Norwegian Crafts Development (NHU) works on behalf of the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs (KKD) to protect, preserve, pass on, and develop crafts as skills and knowledge, as a form of expression and as a profession.
NHU aims to maintain and strengthen crafts that are considered to be rare and worthy of protection. NHU is based at Maihaugen and has a national responsibility for craft skills and knowledge at various levels:
- National register of craftsmen and craft enterprises.
- The protection and passing on of craft skills and knowledge which are in danger of disappearing.
- Training in traditional crafts which are of particular importance for cultural heritage
- Rare crafts which lead to an apprenticeship certificate.
- Scholarship scheme for craftsmen.
Action-borne knowledge
In NHU's work, we often use the term action-borne knowledge to describe how we best transfer craft skills and knowledge. Knowledge transfer takes place through a practical learning situation, where experienced practitioners teach a person who is acquiring the skills and knowledge. The transfer of this knowledge involves interaction.
The form of action-borne knowledge exists at several levels: it could be a grandmother who is knitting with her granddaughter Inger, or it could be a master watchmaker making a mechanical precision watch. Both Inger and the watchmaker might have read books on the subject, but they would have found it difficult to knit a pair of socks or make a watch afterward. A practical approach is required through interaction, known as action-borne knowledge.