Preliminary communication
The Great Get-together of Križevci as a meeting of two identities, that of the purgeri of Križevci and the šljivari of Kalnik
Nikolina Matočec
; Škurdijeva 4, HR-48350 Đurđevac
Abstract
The paper examines the main features of the Križevačko veliko spravišče (Great Get-together of Križevci) manifestation, which shows in a specific way the attitude towards the history of the Prigorje area. From an ethnological and cultural anthropological perspective, the manifestation is a place where two identities or two cultures in a very small area have been meeting throughout history. There are the notable šljivari of Kalnik with their history and memory of the 13th century legend of the Kalnik plum farmers (šljiva is the Croatian term for plum) who saved king Bela IV by feeding him plums when he was under siege by the Tatars on one side and on the other the purgeri of Križevci who had the privilege to be citizens of a free royal city. We can draw a parallel between the encounter of these two identities and Antun Radić’s model of two different cultures, the culture of the peasant and the culture of the gentlemen.
The Great Get-together of Križevci, which was first held in 1968, gives an account of the history of this area inspired by historical events and legends which make the manifestation so intriguing and interesting. In the first couple of years the manifestation tried to become a tourist attraction and cultural manifestation, but nowadays it has become a factor of regional identity, a symbol of the identity of the Prigorje area. Historical events unite and bring people together. They are also an important factor in the formation of a community and produce stronger bonds between its members. Negative historical connotations such as the names of the communities (šljivari and purgeri) have undergone a transformation and are nowadays a part and parcel of the identity and proud representation of those communities.
The Great Get-Together of Križevci can be examined through the names, language and clothes of participants, dramatization of the performance, food and drink served and the time and place of the manifestation. Those elements enable us to differentiate between two identities, that of the šljivari and the purgeri. The purgeri of Križevci and the šljivari of Kalnik reaffirm their identities through this manifestation, but do not differ that much in some attributes such as language, food and drinks, therefore sharing some common characteristics. The differing attributes such as historical events that define them, clothes, names and their place of origin are exactly the elements they use to identify as two different cultures - us and them. The manifestation has shown, through the script of the performance, that people and communities are not only formed by the past, but also the present and the future. In a humorus, but very realistic way it deals with contemporary issues in Croatian society. Therefore we can regard the manifestation as a meeting point of the urban and the rural, a place where the traditional and the modern meet.
Križevački štatuti (The Statutes of Križevci), which are well-known throughout continental Croatia in homes and wine-dresser’s huts as a set of rules for wine festivities, are a crucial element of the Great Get- together of Križevci.
Media, tourism, tourism offers and international cooperation are important elements that are a part of every manifestation and therefore also a part of the Great Get-together of Križevci. Media promotion via radio, television or the press, other tourist offers that accompany the manifestation, continental and festival tourism, international cooperation, associations and organizations form twin towns, organizers, sponsors and the financial backing of the local community is what contributes to the continuity of this manifestation as a whole. It is also getting close to its big jubilee - the 50th anniversary of the manifestation and the celebration of the cultural and historical heritage of the Prigorje area.
Keywords
the Great Get-together of Križevci; Križevci; Kalnik area of Prigorje; Statutes of Križevci; identity; purgeri; šljivari
Hrčak ID:
129916
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2014.
Visits: 2.840 *