Intangible cultural treasure of Montenegro

Montenegro offers the world something of its own, special, authentic, but of world value. That is the precious thing, which should be given special attention and protection. Montenegro is a true treasure of intangible cultural heritage, and you can get to know this enormous wealth through numerous customs, traditions, songs and dances, legends, and the skills of making various objects. Around every corner you can find something unique and authentic.

Montenegrin cultural heritage has been partially explored and evaluated. In this text, we will mention only some of the many treasures for which, among other things, our country is known.

 

Bihor carpet - a colorful piece of Montenegrin heritage. The local population of Bihor has inherited carpet making as a craft for centuries, which over time has become one of the specificities of the Bihor region. Enter the mosque in Petnjica and see the largest collection of carpets in one place in Montenegro. Here you will hear the story of how the carpet was once given as a gift on various occasions and how its patterns protected the family from spells. Even today, hard-working weavers, sitting on low stools at the loom, spin wool and weave colorful carpets with great patience and love. It is important to note that they spend 10 days of their life for one square of carpet. Also, it is important to note that the Bihor carpet is studied at art academies around the world, due to its specific artistic structure.

Pljevlja cheese - known as one of the best quality products of northern Montenegro, not only meets local needs, but is also an important export product. The production of this specialty involves households that strive to maintain the traditional way of making cheese, which contributes to its authentic taste and high quality. Pljeval cheese is a staple of many Montenegrin dishes. Cheese is traditionally produced from raw cow's milk. The cheese has a strong taste and creamy texture. Its unique aromas are the result of the maturation process that takes place in specially designed wooden vats. Sliced ​​cheese is salted, placed in wooden tubs, and then dipped in brine. There is also the Days of Pljeval Cheese event where a large number of producers exhibit their cheeses.

Kolašin cheese - is one of the most characteristic products in Montenegro. This is the seventh product in a row to be protected by the quality mark at the national level. The production of sheet cheese takes place in the northern part of Montenegro, in the municipalities of Kolašin and part of Mojkovac. Leaf cheese can be said to be authentic and unique because it can only be produced on the territory of the Kolasin and Mojkovac regions. Its production is conditioned by the richness of the flora of the pastures and meadows of the mountains of Bjelasica, Sinjajevina, Komovo, Morački and Rovački mountains, which primarily depends on the taste and smell of the cheese. The appearance of sheet cheese is in the form of leaves, elastic and smooth in texture, the color is porcelain-white to yellowish-white. The smell and taste are milky-sour.

Dobrota lace - is a tangible cultural asset, whose craftsmanship has been protected by Montenegro as an intangible cultural asset. It got its name from the place Dobrota and represents the local version of Italian lace. A needle, thread, thimble, scissors and scissors are used to make Dobrot lace. The materials used are linen, cotton canvas, satin. Lace is made over thin white paper that is fixed to a firmer base on which the image is shaped with thread. It is most often tied with the eye of a needle, rarely with its tip. Lace was created during the long days of waiting for their beloved, husband or fiance from long sea voyages, Dobročan women made lace, merlot, and it took up to 3 years to make one scarf or wipe. They would usually start their work when her sailor sailed away and finish when he returned from the sea to present it to him. The original works of lace in 130 pieces are kept today in the treasury of the church of St. Eustacia in Goodness.

The skill of making punt - represents human skill, which has as its product a punt a means of transport and fishing, traditionally associated with the area of ​​Lake Skadar. The tradition of making punt on Lake Skadar is closely related to the tradition of fishing. The punt, as a basic traditional vessel, points to the precious craftsmanship that has been preserved in this area for years. It is made of prepared and carefully selected wood, most often munica pine. Each part of the punt has a special and authentic name, which names its properties. There is a bow on the front part of the punt, and a stern on the back. The symbol of Lake Skadar, the punt, in past times has both nourished and defended. It was like that centuries ago because it was traditionally used during fishing on Lake Skadar, and also in battles during the time of Ivan Crnojević. Today, punts are an attraction on Lake Skadar.

Montenegrin national costume - occupies an important place in the history of Montenegro. It is said that the Montenegrin national costume is one of the national costumes in the world. In the past, the rich citizens of Montenegro wore the ceremonial folk costume, but in later years, it was often used by the rest of the population as well. The most important materials from which the Montenegrin folk costume was made were wool, goat hair, linen, hemp and silk. The ceremonial costume includes: authentic cap, plain white shirt, jamadan (upper part of the costume), gunj (peasant jacket), jelek (upper part of the garment), toka (an element for tying belts), silav (leather belt for weapons), trambulus (silk belt), dushanka (upper part, worn over the gunj) and dolama (upper part with sleeves under the armpit). Montenegrin folk costume used to be a real status symbol. Today it is considered a part of the Montenegrin national identity and cultural heritage of which the people of Montenegro are really proud.

                               

 

Montenegrin oro - is the most popular folk dance that is performed throughout Montenegro. According to scientific sources, the name oro originated from the Greek word "horos" which means "a gathering of people", "game", it is believed that the game got its name from the eagle bird (in the vernacular it is pronounced "o'ro"), since the game itself represents the flight of an eagle. It is played to a song, but it is not traditionally accompanied by musical instruments. In the past, Oro did not mean just a game, but a gathering of boys and girls, married and unmarried, adults and elderly people, where they play, sing, have fun... The most recognizable scene of the game, also known as "kolo na kolo", is when one group of young men forms a circle, while another, smaller group forms another circle on their shoulders. This incredible scene is the most common theme in the photos illustrating this game. Oro has long been the most popular folk game in Montenegro. It was played on the entire territory of the country. They played it both in houses and in meadows, day or night, during festivities and festivities at any time of the year. That revelry often lasted a long time, sometimes until dawn. Previously, these gatherings were frequent, and today this game can usually be seen only during some events.

Gusle - is a folk instrument with one or two strings. Most often they are made of maple wood. Fiddles are found in Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fiddle itself consists of a music box covered with animal skin, to which is attached a long neck, at the end of which is carved an animal (mostly horse) or bird (most often an eagle or falcon) head. The strings are made of thirty twisted horse hairs, as is the case with the bow string. The bow is used by pulling on taut strings, producing a sharp sound. During playing, the body of the fiddler is held in the lap, while the long neck is supported by the palm of one hand. Today, singing with the fiddle is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. They say that the Montenegrins were not afraid of the enemy, but of the fiends and what they would pass on to future generations about their behavior.

                                

 

The Boka Navy - is a memorial organization based in Kotor, which was founded as the oldest brotherhood of sailors in the Adriatic and one of the oldest in the world. It was founded in 809, when Kotor sailors took over the relics of the Christian martyr Tripun and later declared him the patron of the city of Kotor. One of the most important elements of recognition of the Boka Navy is the traditional circuit, which the Navy performs during numerous ceremonies such as the Outdoor Celebration of St. Tripuna, Day of the Boka Navy and Day of the Municipality of Kotor, but also on the occasion of other important events for the city or visits of the Navy in the country and abroad. The Bokel navy circle, also known as the St. Tripuna, represents a combination of medieval sacred and later secular elements from the life of sailors. The costume worn by the Boka Navy detachment during various festivities has its roots in the 16th century, with elements taken from Italy and Spain. Above the white shirt with silver or gold-plated buttons, first comes the sleeveless "jecherma", decorated with gold cords and silver buttons. Over this is a "corette" with sleeves, also richly decorated with cords and silver buttons, and wide open in front, so that the jachera and small weapons on the waist can be clearly seen. The black "underpants" are very wide (6-8 meters of silk), that's why they are visibly "studded" in the upper part, while they become very narrow towards the knee, all the way to the leg itself. The corset and underpants are firmly connected by a wide and colored long belt.

Boka Night - is the traditional biggest festival in Boka Kotor. It takes place in the last week of August in Kotor. Even though the season is not over yet, with this event, the people of Kotor and Boka Kotorska say goodbye to the summer. The boke night is a manifestation on the water, a masquerade of boats on the water. In the water area of ​​the Bay of Kotor, the decorated boats sail as many as three laps, after which the expert judges award them with money, the first, second and third prizes. After the announcement of the winning masked boat, the visitors enjoy a fifteen-minute fireworks display. And the party continues in the old town, where various music bands perform in every Kotor square.

                                

 

Fashinada - is a unique traditional celebration that takes place on July 22 every year in Perast. It is the custom of piling stones around the island of Lady of the Rocks, in order to preserve the statics of this artificial island. Residents of the settlements around the bay bring stones to this artificial island in boats and then throw them around the shore. Only men participate in the ceremony, accompanied by folk songs. This tradition has been maintained since the creation of the island, which is more than 500 years. What makes it unique is that the custom has never been interrupted, neither during wars nor after earthquakes. This event, that is, the festival, is attended by Bokelji and tourists, because Fashinada is a cultural and touristic event. In 2013, this custom was included in the intangible cultural heritage.

                                 

 

Legends about the origin of Kotor - The exciting, long and brown history of Kotor is accompanied by many interesting legends and myths, and the peoples who inhabited this coastal town in ancient times believed that Kotor was so beautiful that the Gods must have been involved in its construction. However, one of the legends that we will single out is the legend of the Alkima villa. Namely, above Boka, in the mountains, on the cliffs of the hill, there was the city of Pestingrad, nearby there was also a cave Vilinici, in that cave lived the villa Alkima. Alkima was one of the fairies that lived above Boka. When the sailors moved to Boka, they decided to build a city exactly where Pestingrad is. However, the clever fairy Alkima advised the sailors not to build a city on the mountain, where there is neither water nor salt, but to build it by the sea. She told them that without the sea, they have no life. The sailors obeyed Alkima and built a city in the place where Kotor is today. Near the Vilinici cave, there is an unusual rock figure that looks like a large door, which the people of Kotor called the Fairy's Door. Legend has it that at certain times of the night through this door you can see a golden sickle of the moon that looks like a ship in the sky. Then, only those from Kotor, whom the fairy chose, can see the fairy, sitting at the Fairy's door and waiting for the golden ship, to sail on Boka and further into the world.

                                 

 

The legend of Pava and Ahmet - is a story about love. According to legend, Pava, the unit of Vrane prince Nikola Milikić, married Ahmet Pasha Hasanbegović three and a half centuries ago. They decided to get married, with the condition that everyone would keep their religion, that the male children would be of the Islamic faith, and the female children would be Orthodox. That's how Muša, Hasan and Daut were born, who every Sunday, on a horse with gilded equipment, took their mother to church and waited for her in front of the door until the service ended. During the second childbirth, giving birth to her daughter Angelija, Pava died, and not long after, her newborn daughter died. The two of them were buried together, and Ahmet Pasha, as a sign of his great love and respect for Pava, named the property that she brought him as a dowry Pava's field. Ahmet's wish was to be buried next to Pava, which his sons fulfilled. Thus, to this day, two stone slabs, one of which has a cross carved in relief, and the other a crescent moon, remain in Pavina Polje - on the way to Pljevlje - as a monument of great love.

The legend of the love of the Peraštanka Katica Kalfić and the French soldier Ante Slović - is one of the most famous legends of Boka Kotorska. The story begins in 1813 when Boka Kotorska was occupied by the French. A young officer from Dalmatia, Ante Slovic, served on the island of Sveti Đorđe. While walking along a street in Peraš, he saw a girl and immediately fell in love. The beauty from Pera returned the love to the young officer. They believed and hoped that after the end of the war they would live together and happily. However, the inhabitants of Perašta rebelled against the actions of the French army and conquered the fortress Sveti Križ and raised the Austrian flag on it. In response, the French commander ordered the city to be fired from the cannons located on the island of Saint George. The first platoon was fired by French officer Ante Slovic. After that, the Peraštans surrendered. Ante hurried to see Katica. He found her lying dead in bed. He was told that she had been killed by a cannon shell, not realizing that he was the one who accidentally killed her. Katica was buried on the island of St. George - the island of the dead, where the local cemetery of Perast is located. Since then, Ante stayed on the island and became the guardian of the island and the cemetery. One night, the people of Perašta noticed that there was no candle light from Katica's grave. In the morning, they found Ant dead next to her grave with a note in his hand saying that he wanted to be buried next to Katica, which the Peraštans did. Today, next to the wall of the church, there is a grave with no inscription, above which are two cypress trees that lean on each other and join at the height.

                              

 

The legend of the Three Sisters (Italian: Tre Sorelle) - is one of the most famous legends from the Bay of Kotor. It is the story of three sisters' unrequited love for the same boy/sailor. This legend has been told for centuries and originated from Prčnje, a small town near Kotor. The palace was built by the sea in the 15th century. It has three windows, two of which were once bricked up. This is how this legend reads: Three sisters: Fiomena, Graziana and Rina (somewhere it is mentioned as Nera, Bianka and Rosa) were widely known for their beauty, honesty and integrity. All three fell in love with the same young captain Jerko Novajanin. Unfortunately for them, he couldn't decide which of the sisters he likes the most, so he decided to go on a long voyage to think about everything, and he will take the sister who will be waiting for him on the way back as his wife. The sisters waited patiently, each at their window. Time passed, the sisters grew old, so they made an agreement that when one of them dies, the other two will wall up the window. When the oldest sister died, the others bricked up her window, because there was no one to look through it anymore. Then the second sister also died without meeting her sailor, and the third sister bricked up her window as well. When the youngest died, there was no one left who could wall up her window, so it remained open. One line in the song about Tre Sorelle says: "... The third window who listens to the sound of distant oceans..." According to the same legend, Captain Jerko never returned, and nothing was ever heard of him.

                              

 

Go back to the past with song and dance, perhaps with the sounds of the fiddle. In addition, you have to find out how to make a traditional Montenegrin chun "by feel", how to make a unique Bihor carpet. Simply, come and enjoy the tradition of the people who want to welcome you warmly!

 

 

 

Picture of Montenegrin national costume taken from the site: https://www.antenam.net/istorija/319114-crnogorska-narodna-nosnja-nasljedje-i-znamenje-za-buducnost

Images for Boka night, gusle and Tre sorelle taken from the site: https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki