Issue 1 February 2018

Welcome to the Croatian Cultural Gazette!

Inside this issue: We are happy to only for the language Our branding includes announce that “Croatian school, but also for new logos for CCSV and Welcome 1 Language School #65 and folklore, sports, and a folklore group (thank you Croatian Folklore Group women’s guild. to super talented Branka February 24 Event 1 Society” has We have been extremely Hrgovich!) and we are changed its name to the busy in building capacity now busy developing a Learn to Dance Kolo 2 Croatian Cultural Society website. Martin Erlic in within the CCSV, of Victoria (or CCSV). focusing our efforts on the (Jr.) is generously Croatian World 2 While a shorter and society’s infrastructure donating his time to make Games easier name to remember, including writing role the website a reality soon! it continues to have a eLearning Croatian 3 descriptions and new In addition, several huge role in our bylaws (the old ones were events are being planned community! never applied and are to help promote our Other Scheduled 3 Events The council that started outdated). When ready, Croatian cultural heritage out in September 2017 as we will be asking our within the broader Folklore Group 3 a group of five has members to ratify the new Victoria community. Read Zagreb Update expanded to eight and bylaws before they are about these planned 4 includes director roles not formally registered. events in this newsletter. School Update

Our First Big Event of 2018—Come Join Us on February 24

This year, our Croatian Our Folklore heritage and sell To register, go to Cultural Society of Victoria Group Zagreb scrumptious welcomecelebration.eventbri will be participating in the will model Croatian baking and te.ca. folklore other goodies! Our Victoria Welcome Day Come support your Croatian costumes from Women’s Guild lead, Celebration for Immigrants community at the event. various regions Milka Wallace is & Refugees. Victoria’s Mayor Lisa Helps of Croatia and ensuring we have The event will be held from will be speaking at noon and they will do so on a runway tasty treats available for all 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. our Zagreb dancers will set to Croatian “kolo” (circle who visit our booth. at the Victor Brodeur open the fashion show at dance) music. School (637 Head Street) Admission is FREE. Last 1:00 p.m. Need more info? and will feature giveaways, We will also have a booth minute drop-ins are Contact Mary Čolak at kids games and activities, set up at the event where welcome, but the organizers [email protected] or international food, and a we will proudly display are strongly advising that Jakelina Listeš at fashion show. artefacts from our Croatian you register for the event. [email protected].

Page 2 Croatian Cultural Gazette

Learn to Dance Kolo—in Croatia!

The Croatian Heritage Foundation ethnologist and ethnochoreologist In addition to a winter workshop, a (Hrvatska Matica Iseljenika) is Dr Ivan Ivančan (the school was summer workshop is also provided. offering bi-annual workshops in established in 1963), and is Registration fees are HRK 600 folklore dance and tamburitza. This currently led by Andrija Ivančan. (about $120 CDN) for the 10-day year, folklore enthusiasts met from event. January 3-12 at Hotel Podravina in Koprivnica, Croatia to learn dances To find out more about this or to of the Alpine region. register, email the organizers at [email protected] or if you wish to The school aims to educate the explore this topic further, visit: leaders and members of Croatian folklore and tamburitza groups. http://www.matis.hr/en/programs/ The school was founded and its schools/8307-winter-school-of- program developed by the late croatian-folklore-january and respected Croatian

Croatian

The 4th Croatian World Games, an culture, and socializing, brings us sign of deep devotion to the amateur athletic competition among together and connects us. It brings ancestral homeland, proof that Croatians and their descendants together at one venue people from these people see Croatia as 'theirs' – from around the world, was held in the Croatian homeland, the something all of us can truly be, and Zagreb from July 18-22, 2017. The Croatians of Bosnia-Herzegovina, are, proud of," Milas said. event was organized by the State That the games have been Office for Abroad and the “It is impressive to see the amount recognized as a project of national Croatian World Congress under the of love—regardless of the distance interest is borne out by the fact that patronage of Croatian President and time that separates us—that they have received the full support Kolinda Grabar Kitarović. Croatians scattered on five of the City of Zagreb, the Ministry of continents and their descendants With its now traditional motto of invest in preserving and nurturing Defence, the Ministry of Science and One Heart, One Croatia, the 2017 their Croatian identity.” Education, the Ministry of Tourism, games gathered the largest pool of the Ministry of Health, the Croatian participants to date – over 900 National Tourist Board, the Tourist competitors from around the world the indigenous Croatian minority Board of the City of Zagreb, the and 150 from Croatia. communities abroad, and the Croatian Olympic Committee and Croatian emigrant communities. It others. Zvonko Milas, the state secretary at is impressive to see the amount of the State Office for Croats Abroad love – regardless of the distance and For more information about the (and first time event organizer), time that separates us – that Croatian World Games, visit their radiated satisfaction with the Croatians scattered on five website at: http://hsi-cwg.com/ interest garnered among young continents and their descendants ethnic Croatians from around the invest in preserving and nurturing world. "The Croatian World Games their Croatian identity. This is a are a truly special event that, in the best possible way, through sports,

Issue 1 Page 3 eLearning—Croatian as a Second Language

The University of Zagreb, the for application is September Marija Bošnjak or Lidija Croatian Heritage Foundation, and 1, 2018). Cvikić (University of the University Computing Centre are The course is a form of Zagreb) at offering an e-learning course on the distance learning, more [email protected] Croatian language at the beginner precisely, it is e-learning or email Lada Kanajet- level. The course is aimed at people through a learning Šimić (Croatian Heritage with no previous knowledge of management system Foundation) at Croatian, or with very basic [email protected]. knowledge of the language. (LMS) and also through 24 teaching hours with experienced language You can also get more information The spring course runs from March 5 instructors (native speakers) over at their website at: to May 27, 2018 (deadline for Skype or Webinar. http://www.unizg.hr/homepage/lear application is February 23, 2018). Cost is 500 euros (about $700 CDN). n-croatian/e-learning-course-of- The autumn course runs from croatian/ September 10 to December 2 (deadline For more information email

Other Scheduled Events in Victoria

Our fabulous events coordinator, Folklore Group Zagreb is heading to posted when our first movie night Stephanie Kalabrić is busy Winnipeg for the 41st annual starts—all hosted in the church planning a whole roster of events for Canadian-Croatian Folklore hall. No movie is the CCSV. So far, this is what is in Festival from May 18-20. You will complete without store: get an opportunity to see Zagreb’s popcorn, munchies March 10—Afternoon Social Winnipeg performance in Victoria and drinks. We will during our Croatia Days. Don’t miss ensure we have April 7—Bottle drive & BBQ out! plenty of May 5-6—Croatia Days And if you like movies, you’ll love refreshments on hand for all. And don’t forget that this year, our our movie nights! We’ll keep you

Folklore Group Zagreb—Update

This year, Folklore Group Zagreb are looking forward to performing in this year’s kolo quickly and they are boasts 16 dancers and six Winnipeg in May at the 41st annual all very excited to be performing at tamburitza players who are Canadian-Croatian Folklore this year’s festival. learning dances from the Konavala Festival. The group holds regular practices region. To accompany Zagreb’s uniqueness every Sunday afternoon at the their impeccable circle lies in the age range church hall under the expert (kolo) dance, Zagreb is of its performers— guidance of Rosana Zlomislić, busy learning four from six to over sixty choreographer extraordinaire and new songs—Podkolo, years! In addition, her multi-talented assistant, Poskočica, Namiguša, this very talented Katica Radoš. and Čičak—that they group has learned

The purposes of the Croatian Cultural Society of Victoria are to:

 Operate as a charitable institution without profit to its 5441 Hamsterly Road, Box 3 members for the promoting and encouraging development / Victoria, BC V8Y 1S4 establishment of activities or endeavours within the area served by the Society in the fields of education, culture, COMMITTEE MEMBERS and social betterment of those living within the general

Herv Kegalj, President territorial jurisdiction of the Society. [email protected]  Promote the social, cultural, and educational standards of

Mary Čolak, Vice President the Croatian people in Victoria, B.C. [email protected]  Promote better understanding of Canadian institutions Ivica Bratanović, Secretary and Canadian citizenship. [email protected]  Teach students and others Croatian Maria Marinović, Treasurer language, dance, music, folklore, and arts [email protected] and crafts unique to Croatia. Ivan Hrgovich, Language  Do all such other things as are incidental or [email protected] conducive to the attainment of the purposes Manda Ghag, Folklore of the Society. [email protected]

Steve Radoš, Sports [email protected] Do you have an update about Croatian folklore,

Milka Wallace, Women’s Guild language, sports, arts, or crafts? Contact Mary at [email protected] [email protected] or call 250-658-4873.

Croatian Language School—Update

Our Croatian language school including capturing everyday living We anticipate that the textbooks features three classes this year and and values of Croatians in Croatia. acquired this year will be useful for a total of 27 students. There are 12 Because some learners might find students for the next three-to-four students in the young beginners learning the Croatian alphabet years. class (ages 7-13), six students in the difficult, the authors start with the Classes for young beginners are middle class (ages 13-18), and nine letters most often used in Croatian held on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. students in the adult class. reading / writing (five vowels) to (teacher Dr. Marina Uzelac), The young beginners are excited to help familiarize learners with classes for the middle group are on be using Dobar dan 1, a textbook common language. In parallel, Fridays at 6:00 p.m. (teachers Ivan authored by Zdenka Kožić and Katja topics at the beginner level include Hrgovich and Stanka Koren), Petrić Maretić, published by an understanding of Croatian and the adult Školska knjiga. culture through the lens of a nature classes are The middle and adult classes are calendar and holidays. held on using the textbook Učimo hrvatski Učimo hrvatski teaches basic Mondays by Vesna Kosovac and Vida Lukić, Croatian vocabulary, structure and from 7:00- published by Školska knjiga and phrases of simple communication in 8:30 p.m. Centar za strane jezike. the spoken and written language. (teachers This is done through an Ivan Dobar dan 1 unites learning of the Hrgovich Croatian language and culture for introduction of Croatian culture. The textbook also contains a work and Stanka foreign learners through history, Koren). culture and natural heritage book, dictionary and explanations of basic grammar.