Hello all,
This is the last of the four articles of my overview of Croatian Costume. Today I am covering the Adriatic zone, which consists of the islands and a narrow strip of the coast of the Adriatic Sea. This may possibly be the smallest zone in terms of land area, but is extremely rich in culture and costume.
I will again cover this region from north to south.
1. Istria
Istria is the peninsula in the extreme northeast of Croatia, with the northern edge shared by Slovenia and Italy. It is an ethnically mixed area, with Croatians, Slovenes, Italians, Vlachs, Morlaks and Istriots. Chakavian, Croatian, Italian, Venetian, Slovene, Vlach [Istro-Romanian] and Istriot are all still spoken on the peninsula.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istria
Most of the costumes which I have seen are linked with localities rather than ethnicities. I am sure that there is a great deal of information which I have only seen bits and pieces of. Here are some images of the costume of Medulin, the most commonly seen costume of Istria.
Istria and some of the islands have retained some very ancient modal forms of music.
2. Hrvatsko Primorje,
The Croatian littoral, this is the coast from the Istrian peninsula to the Zadar peninsula, around Kvarner bay.
These costumes are from the northern part of the coast, called Liburnijski Kras, near the town of Opatija.
Dances from this region
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtsG_Jv-1Hc
This image is labelled Kvarner, so it must be from somewhere on this coast.
In form and construction, if not in color, it is very similar to the famous costume from the area around Novi Vinodolski.
.
3. The northern islands. Otok is the Croatian word for island.
Otok Krk
This is not an abbreviation, r is treated as a vowel in the Croatian language.
I have already done a pair of in-depth articles on this costume.
http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/10/adriatic-costume-of-island-of-krk.html
http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/10/mens-costume-of-island-of-krk-dalmatia.html
Dances and songs from Baška, Otok Krk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPfJRSIVaKo
Otok Rab
Dance from Otok Rab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOnW8axJ4XA
Otok Cres
The following costumes are from Orlec on the island of Cres.
Singers in the Liburnijski Kras costume, Dancers in Cres costume enter at 1:50 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IJbVk_pRgE
Otok Susak
Dances from Susak
Otok Silba
Dances from Silba
Otok Olib
A series of home movies from Olib, showing the costume in some scenes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXTUDptSnD0
Otok Pag
Dances from Pag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDAumyWQ_Ag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1mYg8wYhec
4. Zadar Peninsula and northern Dalmatian coast. Some communities have kept their unique local costumes. In this area, Dinaric elements can be mixed with the littoral zone elements.
Novigrad
Ražanac
This costume looks to me like the young person's costume has been lost and all are now wearing what used to be the older women's outfit. The dances and songs from this area are often performed, however.
Dances from Ražanac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8m7pDRPzfA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgzkDgsIFcs
Vrsi
Nin
Privlaka
Zadar
country costume
Otok Ugljan
Otok Pašman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2i7exk-lqo
Sveti Filip i Jakov
Pakoštane
Otok Murter
Songs and dances from Murter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHNB5YrHMmo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ayJ7pMrdxk
Otok Zlarin
5. Southern Dalmatian coast and Islands. This includes the area around Split and south.
The city costume of Split is very famous, and I have already written an in depth article about it.
http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/12/gradska-nosnja-town-costume-of-split.html
Dances from Split
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuMoZzuBN9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-wgz6urrAw
Omiš
Otok Brač
Dances from Brač
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXow5PI3LOg
Otok Hvar
Dances from Hvar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B_28gTYBXs
Makarska
Orebić
This is a town on the Pelješac peninsula.
Otok Korčula
This island also is the home of a ritual men's sword dance, the Kumpanjija, which is done in older costumes.
Dances from Korčula
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT6x7EVXtQw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihMaL4XyZII
A glimpse of the Kumpanjija.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi0aJq5Sq14
Otok Lastovo
The men are dressed in the carnival costume called pokladar, which is used for another ritual sword dance.
The Poklad of Lastovo on stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEfTnenNdc
Otok Mljet
Dubrovačko Primorje
This is the coastal region north of the city of Dubrovnik, the home of the famous dance Lindjo. The image at the head of this article is from this region.
The Lindjo
a very pretty video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N77W-YV1AoU
a video showing normal people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFm3OS9h0ns
Dubrovnik Konavle Čilipi
This is the costume of the coast south of Dubrovnik. I have also done an in depth article on this costume. The men's costume is essentially the same as the previous one.
http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/10/costume-of-dubrovnik-county-konavlje.html
Dances from this region
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke7oglHhJus
Boka Kotorska
The bay of Kotor is in Montenegro just beyond the southern tip of the Croatian border. There is a Croatian presence in this bay, and the costume is of the Adriatic zone.
Songs and dances from Boka Kotorska
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA6g3aSH-hg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJsOvuG5Y50
Well, I admit that this ended up being longer than I had expected.
Thank you for reading.
I hope that you still found it interesting and informative.
You likely noticed that many islands and coastal areas were omitted.
This is because I have little or no information as to those areas.
I would love to learn more if anyone knows any good sources.
Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals.
Roman K.email: Rkozakand@aol.com