Topic outline

  • To be proud of our Dubrovnik's patron saint St.Blaise

    St. Blaise church

    Story framework

    A family with two teenage children lives in Zagreb. Their father is from Dubrovnik. As many families live in Zagreb they decided to visit their grandparents and participate in festivity of Saint Blaise. They got to Dubrovnik by car and stayed there for three days. Parents wanted to show their children their greatest festivity they used to celebrate when his father was young before leaving Dubrovnik.

    Read all the story told by father to his children on their way to Dubrovnik and you will find out the rich cultural heritage of Dubrovnik.


  • 2. Klapa singing

    While driving to Dubrovnik family stopped by to have lunch in nearby Dalmatian restaurant. They sat and ordered the meals and meanwhile they could hear a song – a very popular Dalmatian klapa. Klapa singing is a multipart singing tradition of the southern Croatian regions of Dalmatia. Mother tried to explain to them that leader of each singing group is the first tenor, followed by several tenori, baritoni and basi voices. During performances, singers stand in a tight semicircle. The first tenor starts singing and is followed by the others. The aim is to achieve the best possible blend of voices. Technically, klapa singers express their mood by means of open guttural, nasal sotto voice and falsetto singing, usually in high-pitched tessitura.

    Topics of klapa songs usually deal with love, life situations, and the environment in which they live. Bearers and practitioners are skilled amateurs who inherit the tradition from their predecessors. Their ages vary with many younger people singing with older singers. In ‘traditional klapa’, knowledge is transferred orally, mum added. She also tried to explain the lyrics to their children.


  • 3. Croatian tradition

    While they were still waiting for the meal to be brought a little girl was browsing the magazine and she noticed a very nice toy for her. She said to her mother it would be nice if she could have it. Mother was surprised when she saw the toy because her grandmother had used to tell her many stories about these toys.


  • 4. Stone walling

    While approaching to Dubrovnik children could see many stone walling. Children asked their parents why they look so weird not finished, father laughed and said: No, my dear. This is an extra traditional way how to build stone walls but without cement and iron. When we get to Dubrovnik, your grandfather will explain you how since he had been very skillful when he was young and healthy.


  • 5. End of the story

    It was time to get back home. All family brought lot of memories from their trip to the south of Croatia and on their way there and back. Even they did not visit them all, they will keep them in memories from the story have been told to them.

    Greetings from Croatia, land of sun, sea and the best wine!


    sunset