Fisherman Tradition Evenings
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Aiming at promotion, but acquainting guests better with the rich history and tradition of the town of St Euphemia, Fishing Tradition Evenings are organised in Rovinj, by the Tourist Board, the Association of the Batana House and the hotel and catering
Pogramme
20,00 KUD Stjepan Žiža
20,30 KUD Marco Garbin (bitinade)
21,00 The launch of Rovinj`s batana
21,30 Square m. Tito: Klapa Maslina, Davor Radolfi & band Ritmo Locco
21,30 Square Riviera: grupa Batana, grupa Polzer, grupa „Bitinaduri“ KUD Marco Garbin
Typical gastronomical offer
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Aiming at promotion, but acquainting guests better with the rich history and tradition of the town of St Euphemia, Fishing Tradition Evenings are organised in Rovinj, by the Tourist Board, the Association of the Batana House and the hotel and catering establishment "Maistra". The initial evening in the sequence that will take place along the town quay and the main Square was opened by song and dance of the cultural society of Stjepan Žiža from Rovinjsko Selo. In order for the ambience to be complete and the invitation to those interested more attractive, the villagers also sang a few songs in Carera – a street in the town, one of Rovinj’s arteries too.
Along with excellent performers, the main evening event was the launch of a batana boat into the sea. That is, this is the traditional fishing vessel of Rovinj that had, until quite recently, because of plastic, more affordable boats, been but left to oblivion. The batana was saved from it through a construction project. Each year, in front of the eco-museum of the Batana House, one fishing boat is built, only for this year to see the famous master builder, Mladen Takač, repair and renovate the batana of Giordano Banicho for ten days, that had been built by Giuseppe Bruni in the far 1961. Except from its new look, the reconstructed batana also received a new name - Antonietta.
The very launch into the sea, of course, provoked great attention of guests, but also of locals, that tirelessly clicked their cameras, seeking for the best shot angle in order to make the sight eternal. The hosts themselves took care of the perfect atmosphere and experience, who along with members of the cultural society of Marco Garbin sang the anthem of Rovinj - La viecia batana. Antoniette having been launched, it was only fitting to try the batana out. Experienced sailors took their very first guests out the town port for a naval tour of the old town. The last stop was the restaurant Kod Matike, where they were able to taste the genuine specialties of the peninsula, accompanied by song and the true atmosphere of an Istrian inn.
Simultaneously, at the Square of Marshal Tito, numerous visitors enjoyed the tunes of the vocal a cappella group Maslina, followed by a performance by Davor Radolfi and the Ritmo Loco band. While the singers of Maslina interpreted some of the finest tunes in the Mediterranean and Dalmatia – these salt tasting songs making the audience sing themselves, Davor Radolfi made them not merely sing but dance as well. The great video wall at the same time displayed the construction and reconstruction of batanas that took place during the recent years, as well as old footage on Rovinj. The oldest documentary dates as far back as 1940 (created after a choir from Rovinj won the Italian competition in traditional songs in Rome), while the other is somewhat more recent – it dates from 1963 – and was shot by Steo Rocco, a native that emigrated to Australia.
The smaller, but not less attractive square – the Riviera Square, featured the folk groups of Batana and Polzer, as well as the accompaniment by members of Marco Garbino. The art photography exhibition entitled “With Love from Rovinj” by Filip Peternelo was an option too.
The Fishing Tradition Evenings, aiming at true and original display of the life of Rovinj ancestors, and turning the clock backwards at least for a night through song, folklore and customs, did not go by without typical gastronomic delicatessen – picarel, anchovies, mussels in sauce, squid, sea bass and excellent wine by ever growing numbers of local producers. Except from food and drink, guests were also able to see some of the skills of local fishermen and their families at the quay – ranging from darning fishing nets to enveloping sea bottles in rope.
