Professional paper
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SINJ ALKA – PRESERVING AUTHENTICITY AND TRADITIONAL RULES
Krešimir Vidačić
orcid.org/0009-0009-8782-9797
; Fakultet za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
*
Anamarija Kanisek
; Fakultet za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The Sinjska Alka is a knightly tournament held in the town of Sinj in Croatia in commemoration of the victory over the Ottomans in 1715. It takes place every year in August, with competitors – alkars (riders) – attempting to spear the centre of an iron ring called the Alka while riding at full gallop. The tournament represents a symbol of bravery, tradition, and cultural identity of the local community. The Sinjska Alka has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, thereby confirming its universal value and the importance of its preservation through the transmission of knowledge and skills between generations. The sustainability of this tradition is achieved by preserving the authentic rules and through the active involvement of the local community, especially young people. Through cooperation between the Knightly Alka Society of Sinj and cultural and educational institutions, awareness of the protection of intangible cultural heritage is fostered, and the event also contributes to the development of the local community and tourism. Content related to the Sinjska Alka can be linked to the cross-curricular theme of Sustainable Development in the lower grades of primary school. Through learning about cultural heritage, students develop a sense of belonging, responsibility towards the community, and an understanding of the importance of preserving tradition as part of sustainable development. Teaching activities are focused on exploring customs, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and the role of the community in preserving cultural identity. The aim of this paper is to present the Sinjska Alka and its value as intangible cultural heritage through an analysis of available scientific and professional literature.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
347300
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2025.
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