Some things about Tisno I just don't understand...

So I lived in Tisno for about ten months, but there are a few things which I still don't understand.....and a few little small town peculiarities... (based on afternoon coffee discussions with Aida...)

Why is the jugo blamed for almost everything?
In Dalmatia we have three distinct winds, jugo (a warm and damp southern wind), bura (an icy wind that blows from the Velebit Mountains in the north-east) and majstral (a cool summer westerly wind). It's always the top topic of conversation every morning as to which wind is blowing and what weather forcast it brings with it to Tisno.
Jugo gets blamed for everything - from flooding the town to sore throats, headache and general mental disturbia. Yes, it does flood the town. The jugo rises the sea level and greatly increases the sea swell in the Adriatic (it's the same wind that causes flooding in Venice). In Tisno, it's not unusual for the square in the centre of the town to become completely flooded and the road passing by the front of the council chambers to be underwater, hampering all access to the centre via this route.
But I still fail to understand how jugo can affect your health and mental disposition. When the jugo blows, all you hear around town is: 'Ajme jugo! Glava me boli' (I have a headache), 'Ajme jugo! Kuk me boli (my back hurts). If you mention to someone that you have a sore throat whilst jugo is blowing, the standard response is, 'Ah, to ti je jugo!' (that's jugo for you!). And if someone is depressed or doing something insane around town (as there nearly always is), everyone will say 'Jugo mu/nju smeta!' (Jugo is getting to him/her).
I still don't understand how a wind can be blamed for all of the above. To me it doesn't make sense. I would actually like to do some scientific research on people in Tisno when the jugo is blowing, to see if it really affects them metally or physically, or if they are just using this as an excuse.

Why do we all have bizzare family nicknames?
Almost everyone in Tisno is known by a family nickname. This nickname usually identifies them more than their actual name. Smuđin, Rujo, Pujo, Digi, Pumpela, Košon.....just to name a few. My family are known as Kretovi. It has no relation to our actual surname and I have no idea where is came from. If I mention my surname to someone in town who doesn't know me personally, they have extreme difficulty in identifying me. However, if I say that I'm mala Kretova (little girl from the Kretić family), they immediately know who I am and start retelling my entire family history.
I once heard a story about how my friend's family became known as Košonovi. Aparently some great uncle, or some relative, went to work in the French speaking region of Belgium for a few years. He returned to Tisno and everyone began to tease him because he hadn't learnt a word of French except for 'cochon' (French for pig, and is pronunciation is translated into Croatian as 'košon'), as he must have been putting this word into his sentences. From then on all his relations were known as Košonovi.
The tradition of nicknames is strong in other parts of Dalmatia too (My mum's family from Povljana, Pag, are known as 'Tutulovi' - more about the interesting town of Povljana in another post). I once heard a story about an official letter which was addressed to a man in Murter. The postman was told that there was no man by that name in Murter and the letter was returned to the sender. When the story of the letter was retold to the man in question, he replied that the letter was for him. His companions were dumbfounded, as they had know him their entire lives, but had no idea what his real name was, as he was identified solely by his nickname.
Even this morning my grandmother asked me what is the surname of some family friends of ours, refering to their family nickname. Although she's known the family almost her entire life, she has no idea what their surname is, but the nickname will always be known and never ever forgotten.

Why does the town bell toll incessantly on Sunday mornings? What if I want to sleep!
Our Kampaneja (bell tower) is a beautiful and striking monument of Tisno, and it's tolling is steeped in tradition - there is a specific 'melody' to announce someone's passing (and it differs if the person is male or female), a different one for Zdrava Marija (the tolling at 8pm, used to remind people, particularly children, that it's time to go home for dinner), there's a different toll to announce the hour, the quarter hour, the half hour and the three-quarter hour, and an entirely different melody on Sunday mornings, when it tolls and tolls and tolls - from 6am until midday it doesn't stop! (I feel sorry for those people who live directly below it, and even more so for the tourists in Hotel Borovnik who have paid to be denied of sleep!).
This 'irritating' tolling isn't set aside strictly for Sundays. Every morning the bell tower tolls for a least 5-10 minutes at 6 o'clock in the morning. This originally served to wake up the peasant population of Tisno for the start of the working day. After the 5 or 10 minutes it stops and you do manage to fall back alseep. Although our house is on the other side of town, somehow the geographical formation of Tisno, with two opposing hills meeting at a narrow strait of the Adriatic Sea, means that we hear everything as clearly as if we were na rudini (in the centre) - when bands play in the centre it sounds as though they are in the street infront of my bedroom window. And in the stillness of the early morning hours, you can hear the lone group of people speaking in the centre, and on the odd occasion, it is possible to clearly identify people's voices.
Anyway, on Sundays it seems as though Kampaneja is right outside my window with its never ending 'dong, dong, dong, dong!' and sleep is an entirely impossible ideal. I understand it's a tradition - the bell tolls on Sunday mornings to 'remind' everyone to go to church - either 9am mass or 10:30am mass. But after a late Saturday night, after too many drinks, too much food, too much singing and dancing, I think many of us would prefer sleep over tradition. Ok, so toll once before 9am mass, and once before 10:30 mass, and once on the hour, but incessant donging all morning...please! (Don't be mistaken, I'm an avid admirer of this history and traditions of Tisno, but this one just slightly steps over the line).

Why do street names and number exist, when no one uses them?
Every street in Tisno has a name, and the majority of house have street numbers allocated to them (although there are a number which are declared as bb (bez broj - without a number)). But no one in Tisno uses street addresses and many people, although they have lived in Tisno their entire lives, do not know the names of many of the streets. If you say to someone, I live in so and so street, they are more than likely to give you a perplexed and confused look. If you say you live next door to a certain person, or across the road from another, they can immediately tell you where your hosue is geographically and even describe what your house looks like.
When I order from delivery from Brošćica (the only restaurant in town that offers home delivery - available from 3pm til late), either pizzas (quality can vary, depending on the day) or topli sendviči (fantastic 'hot sandwiches' made from folded-over pizza bread - similar to Italian calzone - prsut, sir i mejoneza (Dalmatian prosciutto, cheese and mayonnaise - Croatian mayonnaise is to die for) is the best combination!) I've learnt not to give my address, as this is usually follow by a "huh?!?!" Since my family hasn't lived in our house for a quite a number of years (if we had been I'd be able to say 'kretova kuća' (the kretic house) and they would immediately know where to go). Instead I say that it's the house next to Teo and across the road from Slobodanka, and then the response is 'Oh, that white house on the corner! I know the one!' And then one of the boys comes up on the scooter with my nice and hot topli sendvić!

And some other small town peculiarities:

• If you're looking for someone between 9am and 11am any day of the week, just scan all the cafes in Tisno and you're more than likely to find them. There is a serious cafe culture in Tisno. For a town of about 1000 inhabitants, there are about four or five cafes which are open all year round (and more than double that number during the summer months). Oh, and if you're in Kole's cafe at about 11am, you'll have to fight Mr. Steve for the newspapers.
• People in Tisno are petrified of propuh (draught). Whenever you enter someone's house, make sure to securely close the door behind you, in order to avoid a lecture about the danger of falling ill.
• Never walk around town bos (without shoes) or wear open shoes too soon after winter - again you'll get harassed about the dangers to your health.
• Gossip travels like wildfire. For example: You buy eggs at the supermarket, maybe you stop to buy some bread too on the way home. By the time you reach your front door your neighbour is standing there and 'reprimands' you for buying eggs when they have chickens and eggs galore and you're more than welcome to take as many as you want. I have a suspicion that some people know things before they actually happen. It's a bit scary.
• Gemišt and Bevanda. Many vino connaiseurs would be terrified to hear that people in Tisno, and throughout Dalmatia, water down their wine. Be it at home, or in an upmarket restaurant, many people prefer to drink diluted wine. Wine with sparkling mineral water is known as gemišt and with still water it is known as a bevanda. Also, a red wine and Coca Cola concoction is known as bambus. 

There are so many peculiarities and little small town oddities, some of which I can't quite recall at this moment. Check back for updates. x

A Brief History of Tisno and its People

During my stay in Tisno, I learnt much about the history of this small Dalmatian town. I found it fascinating to discover the world in which my relatives and ancestors lived, much of which until now I knew little about. I was captivated by the various events that had unfolded in and around Tisno, the people who inhabited its narrow streets and delapidated houses, the rich cultural life that had once blossomed amoungst the population and the slow yet steady evolution of this little-known seaside town which hovers between the island of Murter and the Dalmatian mainland. 

The majority of this knowledge came from my reading and translating of the book 'Iz Proslosti Tisnoga' ('From the Past of Tisno), by Ante Colic. My boyfriend at the time, who is the grandson of the author, and I embarked on a project of translating and expanding the book (as the current edition only tracks events until about 1980, when it was published in limited numbers) with the intention of having it republished in both English and Croatian [it still remains an unrealised project unfortunately]. 'Iz Proslosti Tisnoga' is the most complete and most thoroughly researched survey of the history of the Tisno to date. Colic's admiration of his hometown is beautifully written and presented in well researched chapters that are weaved together in theamatically driven chapters. He takes great pride in his sustained and solid research, in the hope of presenting the most complete and true history of Tisno. [If anyone is interested, I currently have an unedited English translation - hopefully I'll find the time and the desire to complete the editing sometime soon - it's a huge project that requires a great deal of time and patience to complete.]

I'll keep my version of history of Tisno as brief as possible, outlining key events and circumstances that have influenced and shaped the town and its people. This information has been taken from snippets the book 'Iz Proslosti Tisnoga', as well as from my own understanding of events and life in Tisno, as retold by friends and family...

It is believed that Tisno was founded sometime in the 15th century as a safe-haven from the invading Ottoman Turks, who were at war with Venice (Tisno, like much of Dalmatia, was under the juristiction of the Venetian Republic at this time). The name of the town is first metioned in 1474. The town's original inhabitants are thought to have migrated from present-day Dazlina, Dubrava and Ivinj, fleeing the continual onslaughts of the Turkish invaders. Today, many Tišnjani (the local name for the people of Tisno) can trace their ancestory to Dazlina, Dubrava and Ivinj, as many of them still have landholdings, which have been passed down through the generations, in and around these hamlets. These 'immigrants' originally settled on the southern end of the island side of the town, known as Rat, and in Oštrice on the eastern side of the hill of Hartić, located on the mainland, where they were better able to foresee a possible Turkish attack. Throughout the 15th, 16th and 17th century Tisno and the majority of the Dalmatian coast and hinterland was under attack from the Ottoman Turks. During this period many people from Tisno, Dazlina, Dubrava and Ivinj were either killed or taken into slavery.

Being part of Venetian Dalmatia, the townspeople of Tisno were obliged to pay taxes to the Venetian government in Venice, usually through the bishopric of Sibenik as the local representative of Venice, who in turn imposed laws and regulated economic and social life. From this period until the early 1990s, Tisno and much of Dalmatia was almost constantly under some sort of foreign rule, with their own varying degrees of control and influence - from Venice to Hapsburg Austria-Hungary to Napoleonic France to Mousollini's Italy to Communist Yugoslavia.

The Italians returned to Tisno after the First World War for a brief period, and then again during the Second World War, when a large portion of Dalmatia was under Italian occupation. Unlike the former Venetian rule of the town, which was somewhat aloof and more or less controlled by Venetian representatives in Dalmatia, the Italian occupation of the 20th century was extremely controlling to the point of an 'Italianisation' of many aspects of daily life. In response, underground and guerrilla operations flourised, lead by the Communist Partisans, against the Italian occupier and later the Nazi Germans. The German and Italian withdrawal in 1944 was marked by great celebrations in Tisno, as the townspeople were full of hope that they were now finally free. 

Being written in Communist Yugoslavia, Colic's book gives very little insight into life in Tisno under the communist regime (to write against the regime would have certainly resulted in imprisonment. Colic was actually interrogated prior to the publication of his book and was forced to deleted any information that was even vaguely anti-regime). Many attrocities were committed during this period, with a number of Tišnjani losing their lives at the hands of the communists. People in Tisno have differing accounts of life under communism - some believe that they were better off economically than they are today, whilst others fled the oppression and poor living conditions, with more than half of Tisno migrating primarily to Australia, Germany and Belgium in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Unfortunately, manu of those who were involved in the communist administration misused their influence to better themselves socially and financially.

The early 1990s saw the outbreak of the Croatian/Serbian war. Although there was no fighting on Tisno soil, its inhabitants feared a possible Serbian invasion as Croatian front-line troops were stationed as near as Dazlina, about 8km away, and the nearby coastal cities of Sibenik, 20km away, and Zadar, 50km away, were heavily bombed in air and land strikes. During this period, Tisno welcomed many Bosnian refugees who were given temporary accommodation in the hotel Borovnik and the 'Villa' building. The end of the war was welcomed with relief and joy, as finally Tisno was now finally free from foreign rule, although the much hoped for economic prosperity still evaded much of the population.

Life in Tisno remained somewhat unchanged through the early years of the 21st century - summer tourists returned on mass to the Dalmatian coast and winters were as stagnant as to be expected. The summer of 2008 saw the Kornati tragedy in which 13 local firefighters, four from Tisno, were killed on the island of Kornat fighting a shrub fire. This tragedy left a painful mark on the entire town and Croatia as a whole.

The church has always held a position of importance in the lives of the Tišnjani. Even today church attendance is high and Catholic feast days are observed and celebrated. Tisno was given its own parish in 1548 by the bishopric of Sibenik, at which time the Church of the Holy Spirit (Sveti Duh) was concecrated in Tisno. Three other churches can be found in the town. These include the Church of St. Rocco (Sveti Roko), the Church of St. Andrew (Sveti Andreja) and the Church of the Madonna of Carravaggio (Gospa od Karavaja), which is only one of two privately owned Catholic churches in the world (more on its importance in a later post). The two most important religious feast days in Tisno are 26th May, being the feast day of the Madonna of Carravaggio, which attracts many pilgrims who come to pray to the miraculous image of the Madonna located in the Church of the Madonna of Carravaggio; and 11th November, being the feast day of Saint Martin, the patron saint of Tisno.

The name Tisno was given to the town due to the narrow strait which divides the two sides of the town (Tisno means 'narrow' is Dalmatian Croatian/Tišnjanski - Tijesno in standard Croatian (more about the uniqueness of the language of the people of Tisno later). The difference between the pronunciation and spelling of Tisno and Tijesno meant that the town was officially known as Tijesno during Communist Yugoslavia. Also of interest, during the Venetian and Italian governance the town was given the Italian name Stretto meaning strait or narrow). Construction of a bridge to connect the two halves of the town began at the end of the 18th century, but was suspended until 1832 when wooden scaffolding was placed across the strait. This scaffolding was able to be elevated so boats could pass through the narrow channel. In 1868 the Italian government erected an iron bridge which has since been replaced in 1968 by a more modern, hydraulic version.

Throughout history, the majority of the population of Tisno were poor peasants who worked either their own land, or occasionally that of a wealthy land owner, in the regions of Tisno, Dazlina, Dubrava and Ivinj. Unlike the inhabitants of Jezera, Murter and Betina (the other towns on the island of Murter) who were primarily fishermen, the people of Tisno made a poor living through agriculture and livestock husbandry. The people of Tisno were primarily involved in viticulture, olive production for oil, almond and fruit tree cultivation. The livestock which they kept included oxen, cows, horses, mules, donkeys, sheep, goats and pigs. Donkeys especially have always been a very important animal in the lives of Dalmatian people. Today the donkey is a well known 'mascot' of Dalmatia and in Tisno an international donkey race is held in August each year, which I'm sure will be covered in a later post.

In the 18th century, many wealthy Italian families immigrated to Tisno and assimilated with the local community. Many of these Italians held important posts in the town, including mayors, teachers, doctors and priests. Their influence can be seen today by the eleven villas that remain in the town from this period (one of the most outstanding is the present day pharmacy, as well as the former Mazzura palace, which now houses the town council and court chambers).  

Tisno has always had a rich economic, social and cultural life. Since the early 19th century, Tisno has distinguished itself as a important town, rather than a wayside village, due to its infrastructure, which includes a town council, customs office, regional court (which was at once stage dismantled, but later re-installed), harbour commission, doctor's surgery, parish, taxation and postal offices. A two-grade school was opened in Tisno in 1844, which was expanded to a six-grade school in 1871 and then to an eight-grade elementary school as it remains today.

Throughout the 20th century, Tisno has had a rich and varied cultural life. Organisations in the town were formed to establish a reading room, a town orchestra know as 'Hartić' which continues to play today, a drama group, a choral society, a folklore group - which as been re-installed in the past few years, and a klapa (a form of singing group which is unique to Dalmatia). The people of Tisno enjoy their sports, primarily soccer and rowing, which continues to be strong until the present day.

Tourism has been extremely important in the evolution of Tisno. The first recorded tourists to arrive in Tisno were a group of Czechs in 1923. Tisno has been noted as one of the first Dalmatian towns to welcome tourists to its picturesque shores. In order to accommodate the influx of tourist, primarily Germans, Italians and Czechs, the Hotel Borovinik and the caravan park/camp of Jazina were established and later expanded as tourism flourished. Today tourism is the backbone of Tisno's economy, providing the most employment and revenue of any other industry - restaurants, cafes, private accommodation suppliers, tour operators, shops - everyone benefits from the tourist dollars, which help the Tišnjani to survive beyond the summer sunshine.

Images thanks to Ivona Pribilovic at Udruga Argonauta, Murter

An introduction to my year in Croatia

The beauty and uniqueness of the Adriatic Coast of Croatia, known as Dalmatia, has attracted people for centuries, from the Greek Illyrians, to the Ottoman Turks, the Venetians, the communist Yugoslavs and of course the modern day tourist. In times past, it was considered to be a advantageous strategic region, due to its access to the Mediterranean and abundance of natural resources. Today however, it is better known for its hundreds of picturesque islands, beautiful old Venetian towns, breathtaking natural and cultural heritage sites, and not to mention the notorious summer parties, which attract tourists from around the globe.

I was so fortunate enough as to spend 10 months in a small town know as Tisno, on the island of Murter, about 20km north of Sibenik. During these 10 months I gained an insight into the language, history, culture, traditions and every day life of the people with whom I have a common heritage. I hope this blog serves to faithfully relate the valuable knowledge and unforgettable experiences (whether positive or negative) which I gained spending 10 months in my little house on the shores of the Adriatic...

Photographs taken from the hill of Karavaj, on the island of Murter