Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 Series VII: Social Sciences • Law

ISTRO-: THE LEGACY OF A CULTURE

Mihai BURLACU1

Abstract: The Istro-Romanians are one of Europe’s smallest ethnic groups. They inhabit villages like: Šušnjevica (i.e. Suşnieviţa), Zejane (i.e. Jeiani), Brdo (i.e. Bârdo) and Nova Vas (i.e. Noselo), in the central and north- eastern corner of the Peninsula, Croatia. Their dialect is currently included in the UNESCO Red Book of Endangered Languages as Seriously Endangered. Istro-Romanians are not accepted by the Croatian Constitution as a national minority. In the lack of any institutions to preserve their language and cultural heritage, the very existence of this is threatened. In this paper I am presenting potential solutions for preserving the culture of Istro-Romanians.

Key words: Istro-Romanians, legacy, ethnic group, culture.

1. Introduction inland villages migrated towards the costal cities of Rjeka (it. Fiume), Opatja (it. In this paper I present a study about one of Abbazia), Rovinj (it. Rovigno), (it. Europe’s smallest ethnic groups: the Pola), Pazin (it. Pisino) etc. Furthermore, an Istro-Romanians. They inhabit several important number of Istro-Romanians have villages from the North-Eastern corner of the migrated from their natal villages to foreign Istria Peninsula, Croatia. Currently, the countries like United States, Australia, Istro-Romanians are to be found in two Canada, Italy and France. It resulted that pockets. To the North of the Ćićarija there are more Istro-Romanian speakers in Mountains, the village of Zejane (i.e. Jeiani) the Diaspora than in their original is mostly inhabited by Istro-Romanians. To villages [5]. the South-Western side of Mount Uĉka In Medieval times, the Istro-Romanians’ (i.e. Monte Maggiore), there are several historical ethnonym was Rumêri. Istro-Romanian villages and hamlets Depending on the village of origin, they also surrounding the former shores of the now called themselves Rumeni and rarely drained Lake Ĉepić in which the Rumâri. Basically, Istro-Romanians are an Istro- is still alive: ethnic group living in the north-eastern and Šušnjevica (i.e. Suşnieviţa), Brdo central parts of the Istria Peninsula, Croatia. (i.e. Bârdo), Jasenovik (i.e. Sucodru), The region in which they inhabit is called Kostrĉani (i.e. Costârcean), Letaj (i.e. Letai) in Croatian Ćićarija (i.e. Ciceria). Depending and Nova Vas (i.e. Noselo). In the last on the region the Istro-Romanians live in, the decades of the XXth century, large numbers Croatian and Slovenian inhabitants of Istria of Istro-Romanian inhabitants from the differentiate between:

1 Department of Social Assistance and Communication, Transilvania University of Braşov. 16 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VII

(1) The Ćići/ Ciribiri – Designate the 3. The Istro-Romanians: Origins, Istro-Romanians from and around the History and Identity village of Zejane (i.e. Jeiani). In my field trip of 2009 I have found that they The first reference to a romance speaking use a specific expression for their population in the Istria Peninsula in dialect: “pa jeianski”. Medieval times was made in 940 A.D. by (2) The Vlahi – Represent the the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) emperor Istro-Romanians around Šušnjevica (i.e. Constantin VII in his Πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον σἱὸν Suşnieviţa), a village situated on the Ρωμανόν, conventionally called De south side of Mt. Uĉka (i.e. Monte Administrando Imperio (engl. On the Maggiore) [1], [5]. governance of the Empire). He mentions This article is based on an ongoing team that there were Latin-speakers in the Istria research project in which I participate as a Peninsula who called themselves Romans member. Basically, I am presenting here but did not come from Rome. Afterwards, some of the results of the first research in the XIIth century, there was a mention of stage from the summer of 2009. Several of an Istrian leader called Radul, a name that the Istro-Romanian communities were is very frequent in in our days. studied: the villages of Šušnjevica Both of these references are used to fuel (i.e. Suşnieviţa), Zejane (i.e. Jeiani), Brdo several debates regarding the (i.e. Bârdo), Jasenovik (i.e. Sucodru), Letaj Istro-Romanians’ origins and identity [8]. (i.e. Letai) and Nova Vas (i.e. Noselo). There are several perspectives concerning the Istro-Romanians’ origin. 2. Objectives Some historians, anthropologists and linguists consider that the Istro-Romanians In this article I address several objectives. migrated from Transylvania to their First, I examine the Istro-Romanians’ past present region between 1000–1400 A.D. and current status, and the politics that Other linguists would suggest a local address them; I begin by investigating the origin of Istro-Romanians, based either on debates surrounding their origins, history an ancient Roman origin, or in a possible and identity. Secondly, I continue by correlation with the Black Romanians describing their present situation from (i.e. Morovlachi or Morlaci/ Morlachs), anthropological and demographic points of which were a very distinct ethnic group view. Finally, I suggest a few solutions for that settled in great numbers in at preserving the culture of Istro-Romanians the turn of the second millennium [5]. and I also approach the way Another perspective advocates for Istro-Romanians are supported by the Istro-Romanians a dual emigrational and Diaspora. local origin. In order to emphasize the Based on the language peculiarities and Istro-Romanians current status, I am on the Istro-Romanians perspective presenting a map (Figure 1) that I have regarding their arrival to the Istria developed by corroborating data from Peninsula, I argue along the lines of Iosif Sextil Puşcariu’s map [7], maps available Popovici [6]. According to him, the Istro- on several websites created by Romanians are actually originating from Istro-Romanians [8-9], maps based on Transylvania, from a region called Ţara recent empiric data [2-5] and also on the Moţilor (i.e Moţilor County). They started information that I was able to gather to arrive in the Istria Peninsula in the XIVth regarding the Istro-Romanian and the XVth centuries. The main communities from Istria in 2009. arguments in favour of this thesis are: BURLACU, M.: Istro-Romanians: the legacy of a culture 17

1) The presence of rhotacism in the case of Another similar theory approaches a specific words found both in Ţara group that was either considered as a part Moţilor (i.e Moţilor County) and in the of the Morlachs/Morlaci, or related with Istro-Romanian dialect. The rhotacism them. They were named Cici and some represents the transformation of some sources consider them Istro-Romanians consonants into r, especially of the [7]. The first reference to this group is consonant n from the middle syllables made in 1329, when in Pinguente a certain of various words. For example the Pasculul Chichio is mentioned [5], [9]. Daco-Romanian word bine (engl. good) Around the city of the Cici are becomes bire in Istro-Romanian [3]. explicitly mentioned for the first time in 2) The presence of Istro-Romanian popular 1513. By 1523 they were officially stories regarding their arrival in the referred to as cicerani or ciceliani by the Istria Peninsula during medieval times. Italian and the Austrian Chancelleries, and For example Pepo G., the main research the region where they were established informant from the village of changed its name from Carsia to Ciceria. Šušnjevica (i.e. Suşnieviţa), stated In 1698 Fra Ireneo della Croce during our second interview, that (1625-1713) mentions in his Historia according to local legends, there were antica, e moderna sacra, e profana, della seven caravans that arrived during cittá di Trieste (i.e The Ancient and Medieval times in Istria, from Modern, Sacred and Profane History of Transylvania. Six of them passed the City of Trieste) a people who “beside through the mountain passes of Mount the slavic idiom common for all the Karst Uĉka (i.e. Monte Maggiore) and one area, speak also their own and particular remained in the north. language, which is similar to the It is also necessary to mention several Wallachian and contains many different other perspectives regarding the Istro- Latin words” [8]. Della Croce was actually Romanians’ origin. For example, if I referring to the language spoken by the approach the thesis according to which the Istro-Romanians who, during the XVIIth Morlachs/ Morlaci were the ancestors of century, inhabited vast areas of the Istria Istro-Romanians, the first documents in Peninsula, up to Trieste. which they are mentioned appeared as Another theory states that the early as 1160-1170. The Morlachs or Istro-Romanians are actually direct Morlaci were mentioned as being the descendants of the Roman colonists western branch of the that established in the Istria Peninsula and populated Western Serbia, Sirmium, along the Dalmatian Coast during the time Croatia and Dalmatia [5]. In the XIVth when the Roman Republic, and later the century, Giovanni Frangipani (Ivan Empire, transformed these lands into Frankapan) brings to his estate Roman provinces. This theory relates the Morlachs/Morlaci from the island of Istro-Romanian dialect with the now Veglia [6]. In the second half of the XV extinct , more century a plague epidemic decimated the specifically with the Vegliot dialect [8-9]. population. As a result, the Republic of However, this theory has few arguments in settled Morlachs/Morlaci in the its favour, and it doesn’t explain region around Castelnuovo. In the period sufficiently the differences between the of 1510-1599 the Morlachs/ Morlaci Istro-Romanian dialect and the few established more than 30 settlements of thousand Vegliot words that have been various sizes all over Istria [5]. recorded at the end of the XIXth century. 18 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VII

All these theories and the various population was hard to assess due to the arguments that I’ve mentioned here have fact that few of them declared themselves generated debates regarding the Istro- as being Istro-Romanians. This fact Romanians origins. Nevertheless, they became obvious after the Second World contribute to outlining a picture about the War, when in Zejane (i.e. Jeiani) only 8 Istro-Romanians in Medieval times. persons declared themselves as being Throughout the XVIIth and XVIIIth Istro-Romanians, in Jasenovik centuries, the Istro-Romanian communities (i.e. Sucodru) – 19, in Brdo (i.e. Bârdo) were slowly diminishing. This trend was and Kostrĉani (i.e. Costârcean) – 443, and accentuated in the XIXth and the XXth in Šušnjevica (i.e. Suşnieviţa) – 8 [3]. The century. The first modern demographic explanation for this might reside in the data gathered starting from the middle of social and political changes that took place the XIXth century demonstrates this after World War II. tendency. Thus, by the middle of the XIXth Between 1918 and 1947 the Istria century, the most optimistic accounts Peninsula was a part of Italy. During this stated that there were 6000 period the Istro-Romanians benefited from Istro-Romanians and/or Istro-Romanian certain administrative and educational speakers, while the most pessimistic stated advantages. Thus, all the Istro-Romanian that there were around 1555 settlements situated to the South of Mount Istro-Romanians. More specifically, Uĉka (i.e. Monte Maggiore) were grouped between 1847 and 1899 the number of into a single administrative structure, the Istro-Romanians diminished from 6000 Commune of Valdarsa, which had its persons to 3600 [7]. administrative centre in Suşnieviţa [5]. At the beginning of the XXth century Figure 1 presents the gradual reduction of there were around 3500 Istro-Romanians. the areas that were inhabited by Istro- At the official Italian census from 1921 Romanians in the XIXth century in there were only 1644 Istro-Romanians. comparison with the areas inhabited by The real size of the Istro-Romanian them at the beginning of the XXIst century.

Fig. 1. Areas inhabited today by Istro-Romanian speakers BURLACU, M.: Istro-Romanians: the legacy of a culture 19

It should be noted, however, that the preserving a vital part of the difference between an Istro-Romanian and Istro-Romanians’ culture. an Istro-Romanian speaker (i.e. a person 2) He was elected as the first Mayor of the that regardless of its ethnic identity can Commune di Valdarsa. In his capacity speak the Istro-Romanian dialect is a as a Mayor he managed to build larger source of bias that can’t be fully corrected. premises for the school and roads The first writings about the between Suşnieviţa and Pazin Istro-Romanian speakers were exclusively (i.e. Pisino). presenting the existence of a population 3) He also had a project which included the speaking this dialect, with no remarks land reclamation of the Cepić Lake and regarding their ethnic identity. For this the reactivation of a large coal mine that study I am considering an Istro-Romanian employed almost 7000 people [5], [8-9]. speaker as being a category larger than that After World War II the number of of Istro-Romanian, who as a category is Istro-Romanians that inhabited the various included in the former (i.e. as a species settlements from Istria decreased would be in a genus). Therefore, Figure 1 dramatically. In 1961 there were only 450 has only the role of emphasizing how in an Istro-Romanian speakers in Jeiani, in Letai interval of about 200 years the number of – 50, in Suşnieviţa – 150, in Noselo – 190, Istro-Romanian speakers and/or Sucodru – 60 and in Bârdo – 230. In total Istro-Romanians has been reduced there were 1140 persons that either dramatically. considered themselves Istro-Romanians or Relevant for the history of the that spoke the Istro-Romanian dialect [4]. Istro-Romanians is the fact that during one In 1991 810 persons from Istria declared of his field studies in 1893 the Romanian themselves Istro-Romanians and 22 academician Teodor Burada met Andrei Morlachs. In 2007 a group of researchers Glavina in Istria, brought him to Romania from Universitatea de Vest Timişoara (i.e and later supported Glavina during his The West University of Timişoara) claimed education in Iaşi and Blaj. Andrei Glavina to find in the village of Jeiani around 136 became a teacher in his home village of to 152 Istro-Romanian speakers and 80 Suşnieviţa, where he founded the first and speakers in Suşnieviţa, Sucodru, Noselo, only school in the Istro-Romanian Costârcean, Zancovţi, Miheli, Draga and language in 1919. The school was called Bârdo [5]. Împăratul Traian (i.e. Emperor Trajan) Between 2007 and 2009 the number of and had in its first year 180 students [8-9]. Istro-Romanian speakers from Istria Andrei Glavina had between 1900 and slightly decreased due to three deaths. It 1925, the year of his death, a fruitful should also be taken into consideration the activity in his attempt to preserve the fact that the majority of Istro-Romanian Istro-Romanians’ language and identity. speakers from the Istria Peninsula are at His most important achievements besides least 60 years old. This means that in the the foundation of the Împăratul Traian next 20 or 30 years a dramatic decrease of School were: their number should be expected. 1) The publication in 1905 of the Calendar At present the Istro-Romanian speakers’ lu Rumen din Istria (i.e. The Calendar communities are endangered more than of the Romanians of Istria) which ever. Without coherent action, a culture included a collection of Istro-Romanian whose history spreads over 700 years will proverbs and stories that helped in die in the next few decades. 20 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VII

4. The Istro-Romanians’ Legacy in Istria there were around 80 fluent Istro-Romanian speakers and 100 to 150 The Istro-Romanians’ legacy nowadays people that still understood Istro-Romanian consists first of all in their language which and had various degrees of speaking is the most important binding element for proficiency. the Istro-Romanian communities. From a The Istro-Romanian art is dominated by closer analysis, it results that there are songs and dance. This is particularly true three main characteristics of their culture: in the case of their traditional male dance 1) The relative isolation of the group called the Zejanski Zvončari (i.e. Istro-Romanian communities. The Zejanan Bellringers). The group was 2) The oral character of their legacy [2]. officially constituted in 1997 and performs 3) The flexibility that was determined by traditional songs and dances in the Istro- the scarcity of resources to which their Romanian Language. The folk literature is culture was forced to adapt. This is a to a certain degree still active. Thus, common feature to many other cultures several songs have specific Istro-Romanian found in various mountainous regions. words like Knd am tire (i.e. When The Istro-Romanian is considered to be [I asked] you), Mes-am oča ši kola (i.e. either a dialect of Romanian or a language I went around), Oj ljepure nu žuka (i.e. that belongs to the Eastern Romance Don’t dance, rabbit), Fina feta (i.e. A nice language group [3]. In the UNESCO Red girl) etc. Book of Endangered Languages (1993) the The Istro-Romanians had in the past Istro-Romanian is listed at the position 21, many proverbs. Some of them were as being “seriously endangered”. Also, the collected by Andrei Glavina in Jeiani and number of Istro-Romanian speakers was were published afterwards by Iosif Popovici estimated to be no more than 500 [10]. At in the book entitled Dialectele române din the 2001 Croatian census however, only Istria (i.e. The Romanian Dialects in Istria) 137 inhabitants of Istria declared [6]. Last year, I cross-referenced these Istro-Romanian as their mother language. proverbs with a few found in Suşnieviţa and In 2002, according to Filipi, there were Jeiani in order to see how many are still about 250 Istrian inhabitants that were still known by the local Istro-Romanians. In speaking Istro-Romanian [3]. During an Table 1 I am presenting several examples of interview in 2009, Pepo G. estimated that such proverbs found [8].

Istro-Romanian proverbs Table 1 Istro-Romanian English Nu ie cârne far de ose There is no meat without bones. Lu Domnu şi lu Drîcu nu se pote sluji o vote You cannot serve God and the Devil at the same time Nunta far de ărs şi morta far de plans nu se There isn’t wedding without laughter and death pote without crying Mora bure mâcina şi bovan The good mill can [even] grind rocks Din cala lu omu bet şi Domnu se dâie la o Even God avoids the drunk bande Căsta lume făcută ie cu scale: uri mergu ăn The world is made of stairs: some go up, others sus, al’ţi ăn jos down.

BURLACU, M.: Istro-Romanians: the legacy of a culture 21

These proverbs, song texts and based first and foremost on an educational traditional stories have an important approach and not on a political one. educational value, beside their artistic A very inexpensive and also efficient significance. The main quality that is solution might consist in establishing a treasured in these stories is cleverness, and summer school in which the the ability to adapt to various conditions. Istro-Romanian language and traditions As a result, I argue that one of the could be taught. Also, Diaspora’s efforts hypotheses that should be taken into could be corroborated with researchers’ consideration when attempting to explain efforts to document and preserve the the survival of the Istro-Romanian dialect Istro-Romanians’ unique culture, by in its current form can reside in the developing institutions such as a museum educational value of these traditional texts. that could represent a focal point for the The Istro-Romanian Diaspora, especially remaining Istro-Romanian communities. the communities from the United States Also, their legacy could be preserved if and Canada have increased the level of specialised NGO’s, such as Decebal from awareness vis-à-vis their culture with the Italy, would successfully attempt to help of the Web. Several websites constitute a buffer between the local presenting the Istro-Romanians’ culture communities and various political actors and history are active on several servers that might have a role in conserving the from Europe and the United Stated. Most Istro-Romanians’ legacy. notably, the site istro-romanian.com created under the supervision of Marisa Acknowledgements Ciceran, has been active and updated since 1999 [8]. The article contains some of the results The Diaspora’s contribution is also obtained in the first stage of a research significant in preserving various important project in which I am a member, entitled buildings from the Istro-Romanian Istro-românii: studiu al dinamicii villages. For example, in the hamlet of identităţii culturale şi a mediului - Bârdo, the clock tower that is a trademark Contract nr. 885/2009 (i.e. for the entire area has been repaired and Istro-Romanians: A Study of the Cultural upgraded with funds coming from the Identity and Environment Dynamics). This Diaspora. Also, in the village of Jeiani, a project is coordinated by Georgeta project consisting in the construction of a Marghescu, P.h.D. I would like also to museum presenting the Istro-Romanians’ acknowledge the vital support offered by culture is in its initial stages. Professor Gheorghiţă Geană. Ramona Potoroacă, Ph.D., from the 6. Conclusions Astra Museum, Sibiu played an important role in offering the results of a similar The Istro-Romanians as a distinct ethnic research stage coordinated by her in 2008. group is threatened with disappearance at A broader version of this paper was the beginning of the 21st century. As the presented at the EASA 2010 Biennial numbers of Istro-Romanian speakers is Conference entitled Crisis and dwindling, it becomes evident that a Imagination, in the Workshop W065 Stateless ethnic groups in Europe: culture transmitted almost exclusively by problems and perspectives. This speech can be saved only with a presentation was possible due to a concentrated effort. This effort should be Wenner-Gren Foundation Grant. 22 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VII

References 5. Miclăuş, L.: Evoluţia istro-românilor din perspectivă demografică (The 1. Baron, O.: Oralitate şi Multilingvism. Istro-Romanians’ Evolution from an Câteva consideraţii asupra culturii Ethnographical Perspective). In: Istro-Române (Orality and Istroromânii – Repere Cultural- Multilinquism. A Few Considerations Istorice (Istro-Romanians – Cultural Regarding the Istro-Romanian and Historic Markers). Potoroacă R. Culture). In: Istroromânii – Repere (ed.). Astra Museum, Sibiu. 2008, pp. 35-42. Cultural-Istorice (Istro-Romanians – 6. Popovici, J.: Dialecte române, Cultural and Historic Markers). Dialectele române din Istria, Texte şi Potoroacă R. (ed.). Astra Museum, glosar, Volumul IX, Partea a 2a (The Sibiu. 2008, pp. 113-121. Romanian Dialects. The Romanian 2. Deleanu, V.: Observaţii Etnografice Dialects from Istria, Texts and Privind Istroromânii (Ethnographical Glosary, Volume IX, Second Part). Observations Regarding The Istro- Halle. Editura Autorului A.D.S., 1909. Romanians). In: Istroromânii – Repere 7. Puşcariu, S. et al.: Studii istroromâne, vol. Cultural-Istorice (Istro-Romanians – II, Introducere, gramatică, caracterizarea Cultural and Historic Markers). dialectului istroromân (Istro-Romanian Potoroacă R. (ed.). Astra Museum, Studies, Volume II, Introduction, Sibiu. 2008, pp. 103-113. Grammar, the Caracterization of the 3. Filipi, G.: Istrorumunjski lingvistički Istro-Romanian Dialect) Bucureşti. atlas / Atlasul lingvistic istroromân / Cultura Naţională, 1926. Atlante Linguistico Istrorumeno (The 8. Romanian People of Istria. Available at: Istro-Romanian Linquistic Atlas). Pula. http://www.istro-romanian.com. Znanstvena udruga Mediteran, 2002. Accessed: 17-08-2009. 4. Flora, R.: Micul atlas lingvistic al 9. The Istro-Romanians in Croatia. graiurilor istro-române (Small Available at: http://www.istro- romanian.net. Accessed: 17-08-2009. Linguistic Atlas of the Istro-Romanian 10. Salminen T: UNESCO Red Book on Speeches). Bucureşti. Institutul de Endangered Languages. Available at: Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. http://www.helsinki.fi/~tasalmin/europ Rosseti” al Academiei Române, 2003. e_index.html. Acessed: 12-09-2010.