A Glimpse into the History of Dalmatia: Tomorrow in Split!

A GLIMPSE INTO THE HISTORY OF DALMATIA

Dalmatia from ancient times to the present

A journey through Dalmatia's history

A unique experience of the past times

Cultural-historical events             Fair of authentic products             Workshops

Organizer of the event:

DALMATIA EVENT ASSOCIATION & DALMATIAN HOT SPOTS MAGAZINE

Sponsors of the event:
Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board
Split-Dalmatia County
Tourist Board of Split
City of Split

VENUE:
Prokurative, SPLIT
7 June 2013
Starts: 19:30

SPLIT, Prokurative, 7 June 2013, beginning at 19:30

In the extraordinary surroundings of one of the most beautiful Croatian squares – Prokurative, in one of the most attractive Croatian destinations, in Split, for a moment we will take you back to the past, where you will experience the sounds, tastes and aromas, music and spirit of the bygone times.

Calendar of events

Cultural programme

The event begins with the alignment of all participants (over 250 participants in traditional costumes) and then the procession which starts from the understructures of the Diocletian's palace and goes to Prokurative. Each group represents a certain historical period of Dalmatia and will be positioned on the scheduled area on the Prokurative. Stands with authentic manufactured products and presentations of old crafts will be beside each group of performers.

Antique workshops

Throughout the day, visitors will be able to enjoy and participate in the making of ancient mosaics, ancient pottery, ancient hairstyles and creams for women.

Fair/Exhibition of original products and old crafts

Small manufacturers will exhibit their products - souvenirs, handicrafts, traditional and organic products on the stalls. In this way they are promoting their products, which are made thanks to their skills, knowledge, but also humility, and this event is helping them to find their way to the consumers.

Objective of the event

The aim of this event is to promote authentic Croatian products and cultural tourism as a special form of tourism.

6 Traditional and cultural-historical stories

This project consists of six historic-cultural experiences, condensed in 90 minutes.

The narrator follows the whole manifestation – he tells a short story in Croatian and English language before every performance.

1. THE ARRIVAL OF THE EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN

Dioklecijanova legija (Diocletian's Legion) is an association which promotes ancient cultural heritage with special emphasis on Roman culture. In their performance, Diocletian's legion will show us how the emperor Diocletian lived, how he travelled, who was his beloved. They will also perform gladiator fights which will take us back to 3rd century AD. Soldiers will be clad in authentic armor from Roman times, while the emperor will be dressed in luxurious robes.

Performers: Association of Diocletian legions Split (Udruga Dioklecijanova legija Split)

2. THE SIEGE OF SINJ

Sinj Amateur Theater will stage a short summary of events which preceded the glorious victory over the Ottomans on 15 August 1715.

40 000 of Ottoman soldiers led by Mehmed Pasha Ćelić wanted to conquer the Cetina Valley and to seize the town of Sinj. However, the people of Sinj, led by Father Ivan Grčić, rejected an ultimatum only 700 people defended the town. During the seven-day siege, the defenders had put up a strong resistance, praying to the Mother of Mercy, the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj and they have defeated the Ottomans. Having been once and for all defeated, the Ottomans finally left Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina Region at dawn on 15 August.

Performers: Amateur Theater of Sinj (Sinjsko amatersko kazalište)

3. USKOKS' BATTLE FOR KLIS, ”Days of Petar Kružić, Captain and Prince of Klis 2012”

Historical units of Klis' uskoks will take us back to 1537 and show us a part of the historic battle between the inhabitants of Klis and the Ottoman army.

Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against the Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades. During this defense, as Kružić and his soldiers fought without allies against the Turks, the military faction of Uskoks was formed, which later became famous as an elite Croatian militant sect. Ultimately, the defenders were defeated and the fortress was occupied by the Ottomans in 1537.

Performers: Historical Unit Kliški uskoci (Povijesna postrojba Kliški uskoci)

4. Presentation of old customs and crafts of Dalmatinska zagora (Vrgorac region)

Members of the Vrgorac Region Cultural Arts Society will show the customs and old crafts of Dalmatinska zagora. In this performance you can hear ojkavica, ganga, šijavica. In front of numerous audience they will be cutting Dalmatian dry-cured ham, drink from a jug and singing.

Performers: Vrgorac Region Cultural Arts Society (KUD Vrgoračka krajina)

*Ganga is a type of singing from rural Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is characterized by a lone singer singing one line of lyrics and then others joining in for what can be best described as a wail. It is under the protection of the Croatian Ministry of Culture.

*Ojkanje is a tradition of polyphonic folk singing from the Dalmatian hinterland region, marked by a distinctive voice-shaking technique. In 2010 it has been inscribed in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding

*Šijavica is a hand game dating back thousands of years to ancient Roman and Greek times. It can be played to decide issues, much as two people might toss a coin, or for entertainment.

5. MRDUJA

Sulet Amateur theater from the island of Šolta will perform a small play about the eternal rivalry between inhabitants of the islands of Brač and Šolta entitled "Whose is Mrduja island".

According to the legend, the inhabitants of Brač and those of Šolta wrangled over whom the island belonged to so they used a rope in an attempt to pull it from one side of the Split Channel to the other. The people of Brač won the tug of war so the island is nearer to Brač than to Šolta.

Thanks to Mrduja, which has become a traditional feast between Brač and Šolta, these two islands became twinned and Mrduja had linked them in a cultural - entertaining way.

Performers: Šoltanska amateur theater Sulet

6. SUPETAR CULTURAL POSTCARD

Amateur Theatre "Bracera - Supetar" will stage a segment from the show "Mister Keko" by the legendary chakavian poet from Brač island, Stephen Stef Pulišelić. The performance of this theater group will be accompanied by the tune "Ti Gariful" by klapa "Pupe" Supetar and Brač folk group "Ciciljona" Supetar will perform Brač Quadrille or šotiš dance.

Performers: Amateur theater "Bracera - Supetar", Klapa "Pupe" Supetar, folk group "Ciciljona" Supetar

Fair of local authentic Croatian products

With Croatia's preparations for joining the European Union, our exhibitors got to know how to
draw attention of the public. With these joint actions and common market placements they are adapting themselves to EU standards more quickly.

Their products are made with great skill, knowledge, but also humility in small crafts, co-operatives, family business and small businesses. This project seeks to inform the public of the existence of hard-working people who manufacture organic products, souvenirs, handicrafts, traditional products, so that such products could find their way to the consumers.

At the same time we would like to emphasize the need to preserve old, local/original Croatian crafts which are on the brink of extinction, so that the knowledge and skills that our small craftsmen-entrepreneurs have can be transferred to future generations.

Organizer of the event:

Dalmatian Hot Spots Magazine &  Dalmatia Event Association 

Dalmatian Hot Spots Magazine is a magazine which promotes tourism, Dalmatian culture  and  cuisine and Croatian manufacturers. It also organizes numerous tourist events and fairs. It is published in 15,000 copies in English and Croatian and distributed to over 500 locations – you can find it in all tourist offices in Dalmatia, nautical ports, catering industry, apartments, hotels, hostels, via business entities, representative offices of Croatian National Tourist Board and embassies. We are also present at international tourism fairs.

The magazine is published with the support of the Croatian Ministry of Tourism, Split-Dalmatia County, Sibenik-Knin County, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board,  Dubrovnik and Neretva County Tourist Board, Sibenik-Knin County Tourist Board, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts.

Dalmatia Event Association promotes Dalmatian culture and tradition, and organizes numerous fairs and events. The Association encourages small manufacturers to exhibit their products at the Eco-Ethno fairs and festivals which are organized independently by Dalmatia Event Association, or in collaboration with other similar associations. We also promote small businesses with the project of representing small-scale producers in Dalmatian hot spots magazine.

PURPOSE OF THE EVENT

This event enriches the cultural tourism offer of Split-Dalmatia County, with the revival of the historical and traditional events through staged historical narratives, battles and legends.

These moments of mystical history, with top actors and superb scenery, will be accompanied with a lot of entertainment, dancing and many surprises …

Be our guests and experience Dalmatia! :)