Learning Experiences in Croatia

Experiences in Croatia

Traditional Croatia

I discovered many different lifestyles in Croatia. Each region has its own food and lifestyle.

The style of traditional clothing in the most southern part of Croatia, on the territory of what once was the Dubrovnik Republic.

There, stretches the beautiful Konavle range, where the soft, downy silk moth has been cultivated for centuries. The main reason for its cultivation is the exquisite folk costume made of sturdy homemade cloth.

The homemade cloth has sewn-on patches and beautiful embroidery done in soft home-spun silk.

The famous and elegant attire is renowned for its blue and black cloth. For its white scarves that seem like sails, including the richly embroidered cuffs, also, the busts on the woman's dress.

The men's costumes, sport silk waistcoats, and cummerbunds which at one time served to retain silver-encrusted weapons: daggers, Sabres and pistols.

The people of Konavle had a connection with silk from the day they were born to the day they died. The silken thread was to tie the umbilical cord.

A silken thread was used to secure a dead person's foot, and hands crossed on the chest. The Silk Road found its new natural cradle.

There was a time when almost every woman in a small village called Cilipi in Konavle, scattered over seven hills had carried a cocoon of silk moth in her bosom.

Croatia did not lag other countries of Eastern Europe in the cultivation of the silk moth and silk production. As early as 1018 the town of Rab was paying a tribute to several pounds of pure silk produced in Rab, to Venice.

I attended the event in Cilipi, a small village not far from my village all part of the Konavle region. I watched the traditional dance. It was an incredible experience to see how the story holds the music and dance all together.

Men led the women and danced at a fast pace. I experienced many great moments in Croatia. Now looking back at the small places where I had visited and had I enjoyed I changed from the beautiful moments.

The Silk Road is perceived as the long land communication route between Asia and Europe, as an image of a massive ball of silken thread that has been unravelling for centuries over thousands of kilometres.

That is replete with priceless experiences, ideas, and inventions.

I am amazed by each region with a different style of traditional dressing. The different coloured clothing looks attractive and very pretty.

It takes time to dress up in a traditional outfit. I remember when I first came to Croatia after meeting many families. I met an old lady and she is one of the oldest ladies in the village to have still worn the outfit daily.

She had to get up much earlier to get dressed and each set of clothing she put on had to be in an accurate set and fitting. It took her at least an hour and a half to fit into the parts of the outfit.

Someone at a young age will take half an hour to get into the traditional outfit. I was asked to dress up in the traditional outfit, but I am not sure if I want to go that far.

Though it is something for me to think about and will try not to be shy when or if I took that challenge on.

Korcula is an island on which the Marco Polo family lived continually from the thirteenth century almost to this day. Other families, even living in other parts of Croatia are still pointed out as part of the Polo family.

An interesting history relates the Polo family to the island of Korcula.

The house of Marco polo in Korcula is a part of a guided sightseeing tour of the old town of Korcula. I found what was possibly the house of Marco Polo a picturesque late-Gothic ruined with a Renaissance tower.

I wonder what inspired Marco Polo to dream about things on the other side of the mountain of Korcula.

Sabre Dance Moreska Korcula during the Festival of Chivalric Games: dances like the photos presented here of the Moreska are performed to the sound of bagpipes and drums.

When Sabres clash, sparks fly. I have not yet seen this great performance but would like to at some time. Despite the high level of emigration in the past, the island of Korcula remains one of the most dynamic of the Croatian islands.

Alongside being engaged in tourism, shipyards, and stone quarrying, in vineyards and olive groves in wine cellars and oil works in which the golden olive oil is produced.

The Islanders find time to involve themselves in their traditional festivities.

They take part at a time of the year. In the city of Korcula itself, it is the Moreska that is performed: a war dance with Sabres the event is on the first Wednesday of July when one can see all the dances performed in the city.

The dancers are dressed in a combination of red, black and white. I have visited the island of Circular, but not at the time of the Sabre Dance.

From the eventful lives of traditional dancers to the Marco Polo family history on the island of Korcula. What I experienced allowed me to feel happy and I learned so much more about Croatia.

The small country I once had no idea of and did not think it had existed on this planet.

The traditional folk dances are performed on Sundays in the village of Cilipi surrounded by many traditional markets.

The Croatian women make extraordinary patterns of embroidery and the silk threads are used for the actual designs. I was given a handmade bookmark with such beautiful colours.

Handmade crafts are made during the winter and during the summer and are sold at the local markets. The traditional outfits are very expensive and are kept for many generations.

In this modern day, the new generation is following their tradition and it is interesting to see how devoted the younger women are to traditional dancing. Tradition in Croatia has a great meaning that I do not often see in many cultures.

A rich culture that holds onto its tradition with valuable performances. The men dress up in black waistcoats and the pants sort of flare at the bottom and they wear hats with small patterns sewn on.

The widow dresses up in a black traditional outfit after the death of her husband. Croatian culture is from Roman times and in many households this tradition is still alive. I found it difficult for me to grow into, this culture and could not keep up with it.

I live my life differently and enjoy each day with new surprises, I have learned how to make liquors, and now recently my new remedy is lavender oil. In my new experiment, I am in the process of making lavender oil.

I added four bottles of sunflower oil to a completely dry jar of dried lavender sprigs and I left the jar to soak in a sunny spot for six weeks. I picked more lavender to dry for fourteen days and the process continued. Lavender oil can be used for dry skin and slight burns.

Life in Croatia has improved my knowledge of my surroundings and the culture, but still learning each day and my focus is on what I know best. The new learning adventures have not stopped and will continue to grow as I spend my time exploring new avenues.