Easter in Dubrovnik

In the area of Dubrovnik, on Palm Sunday, people have worn "pengana jaja" (painted eggs) woven palm (pome) and olive branches to church for blessing. Birth of new life is the symbolism of Easter and the egg symbol serves as a link to the awakening and the creation of new life.

Old customs and habits was that the first given egg (pengano jaje) should be gifted to a loved one, so it is no wonder that the heart symbols is very common theme on “pengana jaja” (painted eggs)

Giving the egg to a certain person was an act of careful selection, because the given egg was a sign of appreciation, affection and friendship.

The tradition of weaving palm branches held to these days, and the custom is to place the blessed sprigs in front of the crucifix inside of the house. In the past, people wore the blessed sprigs in the barns or fields, because it was believed that this act will enable a better crop in the field, protection from the bad weather and health, happiness and prosperity of the family.

The process of preparing “pengana jaja” is lengthy and demanding. Raw eggs are first drawn with beeswax, dipping the needle tip and with quick moves applying the wax to the egg.

Ornament complexity points to the ingenious of the painter. Hearts, droplets in the form of tears, flowers, stars, and crosses are some of the most common ornaments used in “penganje jaja” (egg painting).

On the eve of Easter, custom was that younger girls and younger woman should wash their face in the water in which soaked the petals of flowers, says the belief, their faces than will be more beautiful, smooth and ruddy, eyes brighter and head wiser.

“Pinca” (sweet bread) is an essential addition together with “pengana jaja” on Easter. “Pinca” blessed in the church, together with eggs, cheese and onions, was a breakfast dish, or part of the lunch.

After lunch, children (me as well) used “pengana jaja” in the game hitting the egg on egg, and one whose egg lasted to the end was a winner. But finally all the eggs were eaten, in relish and enjoyment of all participants.

Konavle embroidery

In Konavle, women keep tradition of small, non profitable ancient handcraft of silk production, Silk, the fabric that makes its own statement and no other fabric generates quiet the same reaction. For centuries silk has had a reputation as a luxurious, always associated with wealth and success.

The embroidery from Konavle, is a decorative textile element of women of women’s national and traditional costumes. It is made in technique of the counting of the threads of the basic fabric tissue. A strictly symmetric ornament contains the numberless decorative motives and it is originally embroidered with homemade silk thread.

The silk is dyed with natural colours with red, black or dark green ornaments, separated with white passages and decorated with golden-yellow tassels. The names of different ornaments are symbolic and descriptive, and ornaments depend on tissue, finesse of the performance and the possibility of using.

So, the specific embroidery can be spilled on the tablecloths, curtains, dresses and other clothing.

sources; tz konavle, cilipi folklore

Arctic Winter in Dalmatia

How to describe this winter storm in just few words?

It’s not that easy, believe me.

This winter will be a story for generations to come, something what we all will remember very well.

For us who live in South Mediterranean, this was definitely something for what we are not prepared something that we simply don’t’ know and don’t understand. People from Dalmatia go for Skiing Holidays in winter months, like to spend some time in different environment and different weather, but at the end, we see it as a trip, fun, good time, we see it as something what is not a part of our everyday life and after we come back to our homes, it’s sunny or rainy, but definitely is not cold and freezing.

Enjoying in Holidays we simply don’t see and realize all the efforts of the people who are cleaning streets of the Cities in late night hours, we don’t see all those trucks delivering goods, don’t see all the work that people do with electrical or plumbing installations, we are on Holidays, something like that don’t bother us, and simply, we don’t recognized it, we don’t think about it, with take it for granted..

But unfortunately this storm told us how regular and ordinary life can become so complicated.

A meteorologist report says that winter like this has been noticed some 50 years ago, so there are no many people who remember it well.

Some villages and cities have been cut out from the rest of the world for more than just a few days. No electrical power, no water, no enough food, supplying trucks have been stopped and couldn’t move, groceries from the shops have been sold out, schools wer out, kindergartens as well.

We have faced a strange situation what makes us think, are we ready for something like this?

After such a warm summer, I’m sure that nobody of us had in mind that winter could be so cruel and so dangerous. During last year, in many times I joked about the weather, telling to some of our clients, that if they come again in future, there’s a great chance that Dubrovnik will be advertised as “Welcome to Tropical Dubrovnik”, but now I’m no longer sure about it. Or maybe, we will have extreme warm summers and more extreme cold and snowy winters in years to come?

Many questions but not enough answers, the only thing that I’m sure about is; I don’t like snow that much as I enjoyed in seeing it on TV.

Dubrovnik Patron St Blaise

Thousand Year Old Celebration of the Dubrovnik Patron, St Blaise

This thousand year long celebration of Dubrovnik patron Sv Vlaho (St Blaise) is one of seven phenomena of Croatian cultural heritage recently put on the UNESCO World Non-Material Cultural Heritage List.

As per legend, thanks to the apparition and warning of St Blaise, during the pray of don Stojko in the Cathedral of St. Stephan, Dubrovnik was defended from Venetians whi wanted to conquer the City. In a gratitude to that event, St Blaise was proclaimed the Patron of the City, The Feast of St Blaise is celebrated every year on February 3. while the Feast itself lasts for several days, starting from the Holidays Kandelora (Candlemass) when the Feast is officially opening, till the closing of the celebration, which falls on the first Sunday following.

Flag of Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik)

Ever since the year 972. when people began to celebrate it, the Feast Day of Sv Vlaho (St Blaise), Dubrovnik patron Saint, has been a quite special Festival, typical of Dubrovnik. Apart from the opening ceremony on Kandelora (Candlemass) Day a Festive processin in Stradun is organized with a large number of congregation members taking part. A series of Church and secular concerts, exhibitions, book presentations and Theatre guests performances are dedicated to the Patron Saint of Dubrovnik, whose staues look at us from the City walls and gates and whose caring hand guards Dubrovnik on his palm.

The feast day of Sv Vlaho (St Blaise), Dubrovnik patron saint – portrayed as an old man holding a model of the City in his hand, the statues of whom can be seen on the city walls and gates – has been a special day for the City of Dubrovnik ever since the year 972, when people began to celebrate it. The celebration is quite special and characteristic of Dubrovnik. It begins on Candlemass (Kandelora) Day (2 February) with the release of white doves, the symbols of freedom and peace, in front of St Blaise's Church and with the raising of St Blaise's flag on Orlando's Column. On St Blaise's Day (3 February) the relics of St Blaise are carried in Stradun and the streets of Dubrovnik in a huge procession of banners and people of faith from the Dubrovnik surroundings. 

The most valuable among the relics of the Dubrovnik Cathedral, Jesus’ loincloth, is carried under a canopy. In front of St Blaise's Church the banners are unfurled in a special way. They bow paying respect to the saint who has watched over Dubrovnik for many centuries. This is the opportunity for the banner carriers to show this special skill, as well as their exquisite and rich folk costumes which attract attention with their genuineness and beauty. 

The priests perform the throat blessing ceremony for the congregation members who visit the church the whole day long. The ceremony, which comprises the blessing in front of interweaved candles, is believed to protect from throat diseases. At sunset the stained-glass windows and laurel decorations in the church of the Dubrovnik patron saint radiate with a special glow. With the blessing of St Blaise they bid farewell to the faithful residents and guests of Dubrovnik until next year. The Festival of St Blaise is also the City of Dubrovnik Day. 

Apart from the spiritual segment of the festival, these days abound with various events. At the festive meeting of the City Council, taking place at the baroque Marin Drzic Theatre, the prizes of the City are awarded. During the festival Dubrovnik is visited by the diplomatic corps and numerous prestigious businessmen and politicians from Croatia and Europe. For all of them, as a part of the Dubrovnik tradition, the Candlemass Dinner is organized at Fort Revelin, where the Dubrovnik delicacies – including the so called sporchi (dirty) macaroni and doughnuts - will be served. In the time of the festival a series of church and secular concerts, exhibitions, book presentations and theatre guest performances are dedicated to the patron saint of Dubrovnik, whose statues look at us from the city walls and gates and whose caring hand guards Dubrovnik on his palm.

Source TZ Dubrovnik