Tradicijska Kultura u Velom Izu

The ethnographic picture of Veli Iz (island of Iz near the city of Zadar, Croatia) was determined by the natural features and various cultures that were present on the island.  The sea and the karst determined the basic orientation of its inhabitants: agriculture, fishing and sheep breeding.  As a result of different migrations, the cultural scheme is gradually a symbiosis of old Mediterranean, Slavic and Balkan elements.  The development of trade and navigation in the 19^th century, the traditional culture is under increasing influence of urban and mass culture.

Veli Iz, recorded in 1471 as the village of St. Peter, developed into a town community in a merging process between small tribal settlements that were once far from the coast.  Primary dwellings were small round and square shaped houses built in dry rock.  They grew vertically into one and two story houses with terraces and stairways of carved stone.  Home life was centered around an open fireplace in the kitchen.

Olives, grapes and figs were planted as principle cultures in terraces surrounded by stone walls, which kept the precious soil from being washed away.  Barley, wheat and peas were planted under olive trees and in small gardens.  Land was cultivated by hoe and fertilized by sheep manure, ashes and sea grass.  Olive oil was the most important product and it was uses as food, light, medicine and barter in trading.  Sheep supplied the peasants with wool, meat, skin and milk for production of cheese.  Fishing was very important in the economy and documents reveal its existence on the island in the 15^th century.  Fisherman used numerous methods, traps and nets.  Over 60 various kinds of fish were a part of the traditional diet, which largely consisted of barley bread, vegetables and some smoked meat.

Many families specialized in various crafts such as pottery, weaving, carpentry and basket weaving.  The pottery of Veli Iz supplied a large part of the Adriatic coast with clay pots for cooking.  Shoes were made of sheep skin, wool and cloth, while clothes and blankets were weaved of wool and linen on horizontal looms.  Women dressed (until the 20^th century) in white linen blouses, blue skirts of wool with jumpers and short jackets that were open in front revealing the ornamental embroidery and a white silk scarf wrapped around their heads.  Men wore white linen shirts, vests with buttons of metal coins, dark blue trousers and jackets that were decorated with red ribbons.  Both men and women wore belts that were weaved of wool in various colors.

The family life was patriarchal and the village was ruled by an elected chief.  All customs were linked with the Catholic Church that revealed many old Slavic and Indo-European traditions such as burning a Yule log on Christmas Eve, jumping over bonfires on the eve of St. Johans and masquerades during carnival.  Until 1879, there was a custom of choosing a village king whose duty was to give a feast for the whole community on Epiphany (Christian festival held on January 6^th).   Wedding ceremonies were rich in customs emphasizing the equal exchange of goods in turn for the bride. Every holiday was celebrated with gatherings in the town square by the church where traditional circle dances (kolos) were performed.  All celebrations were accompanied by the sound of bagpipes, horns and drums.  Many old customs, as well as traditional crafts, ceased in the first half of the 20^th century.  Today, they are presented by the Ethnographic museum of Veli Iz and the traditional summer manifestation of folklore (Iska Festa) where the ceremony of choosing a village king can be seen along with traditional costumes and crafts.