Croatian minority in Serbia celebrates centuries-old rituals in EU capital

The Dužijanca association of the Bunjevci Croats will present its traditional harvest celebrations at the European Parliament in Brussels in May, under the patronage of Croatian MEP Davor Ivo Stier, Croatian-language media in Vojvodina reported.

Stier said the visit to the European Parliament and the presentation of traditional harvest customs would help promote the rich cultural heritage of the community and raise the visibility of the position of the Croatian minority in Serbia, CE Report quotes HINA.

He said meetings with MEPs from other EU member states would also open new channels of communication and dialogue for the minority in a country that is an EU candidate.

Jasna Vojnić, president of the Croatian National Council (HNV) and a member of the Croatian Parliament, said the initiative showed that Croatia continued to support Croats in Serbia by strengthening their recognition beyond the borders of both Croatia and Serbia.

Marinko Piuković, director of the Dužijanca association, said the harvest festivities would be presented through dance and music performances and a portrayal of the traditional custom by participants wearing traditional costumes of Croats in the area of Bačka.

Dužijanca, a set of centuries-old religious and folk rituals linked to sowing, crop cultivation and the celebration of the end of the wheat harvest in northern Bačka, has previously been presented in Zagreb, Mostar, Novi Sad and Baja in Hungary.

The traditional harvest celebrations run from April to late August and include around 20 events, bringing together several thousand Croats in Subotica and surrounding villages.

foto HINA/ Velimir ILIĆ