The Fisherman’s night
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During the first weekend of July, the Tourist Board, the Town of Rovinj and the Association of the Batana Boat House organised the first announced attractive event entitled Fishing Tradition Evenings. This includes an all-evening programme which exhibi
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During the first weekend of July, the Tourist Board, the Town of Rovinj and the Association of the Batana Boat House organised the first announced attractive event entitled Fishing Tradition Evenings. This includes an all-evening programme which exhibits, on the quay and the town squares, the life of our ancestors – fishermen and peasants of Rovinj and their customs and tradition. This is also an opportunity for both locals and numerous tourists in Rovinj to hear performances of bitinadas – the characteristic multi-part singing where male vocals imitate sounds of instruments, to taste fishing and seafood bites, and – finally – to see and experience fishermen nets being patched up, glass bottles and jars roped, as well as the shipbuilding method of constructing the original boat from Rovinj – the wooden batana.
A strong musical cast was selected for the opening Evening of Fishing Tradition too. Mario Lipovščak was entrusted with presenting the neighbouring County of Primorsko – Goranska, more famous among the common folk as Mario Battifiaca, who thrilled visitors with renditions of his songs from the Istria and Kvarner Festival, adding even more joy with inspired imitations of Croatian music stars. On the other hand, the performance by Mirko Cetisnki, a veritable doyen of both Rovinj and Croatia, accompanied by the local Party Band, overjoyed the audience and proved he is unparalleled, at least in terms of tradition and good voice. Apart from the above stars, the great town stage also featured the solo artist Mirjana Bobuš, Robert Grubišić, and the Tramuntana klapa and the Accept band. The Square of Riviera, located at the Great pier, was reserved for locals. Braced up by the scent of anchovies and glasses of malvasia wine, everybody was singing and merry making to performances by the most numerous choir from Rovinj – the Cultural and Artistic Society of Marco Garbin, and Sergio Preden Gato and the Batana klapa.
The attention of visitors was especially drawn to the manual construction of a batana boat. It is old news this is the fifth batana constructed using the purse of the Town and the Tourist Board, with the goal of preserving this ancient and distinguishable vessel from Rovinj. In contrast to previously constructed Fiamita, Calsanta, Arupinum and Liliana, the final, fifth boat will not be built from scratch, but the existing and time-worn batana owned by the fisherman Angelo Sbisa will be restored and rebuilt so it could once again shine.
