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Carnival customs of the Dalmatian hinterland

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Saturday 15 February 2014, 8:30 a.m. the annual carnival pageant starts from the village of Gljev, popularly known  as the Didi s Kamešnice association. The way leads them through the villages of Gala, Han (Obrovac Sinjski)  and back to the village of Otok. The pageant will lastuntil 5:00 p.m.

Annual Carnival Pageant from the Villages at the Foot of the Kamešnica Mountain

The annual carnival pageants in the villages at the foot of the Kamešnica mountain, from the area of towns of Sinj and Trilj and the Municipality of Otok, have traditionally been held for a long time, handing down and preserving local carnival customs. In the villages of Gljev, Han, Bajagić and Gala carnival pageants have served as a unique and authentic way of presenting the age-old customs, interwoven with the sound of carnival pageant bells and other accompanying rituals.

The invasion of an uproarious pack of colourful, unruly rams, known as the Didi, marks the day of the carnival pageant at Gljev, a village in the Dalmatian hinterland, not far from the border with Bosnia. A long-standing  tradition of carnival customs, associated with the preservation of local identity, has been cultivated and promoted by the Didi s Kamešnice association.
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The carnival pageant is arranged following the strict tradition-based rules. At the head of it there is a white carnival pageant group with the barjo (standard-bearer) and a carnival wedding procession. They are followed by the komedija and a black carnival pageant group. The wedding procession, symbolic of spring, used to be led by the first did (an old man), and nowadays it is led by the barjo.

A pregnant, mannish bride, accompanied by the diver (bridesman) is on the lookout for a bridegroom which is the very end of the pageant itself. The jenge (married women) and the jengije (maids) as well as other wedding figures wearing formal dress (folk costume)also engage in the pageant. An Ottoman commands the both carnival pageant groups so that they do not mix, since they are not allowed to be in the same place and at the same time.

Then comes the bula, a veiled female figure, trying to kiss a young woman. The figures of the Ottoman and the bula are associated with long-standing Ottoman rule in this area. The komedije, a carnival pageant group criticising the current social and political issues, follows the carnival wedding procession. The black wedding procession is led by the baba and the did (an old woman and an old man). Being associated with the fertility cult, this couple simulates intercourse in order to yield a better crop.

There are also the žalovice, widows letting out humorous wails. The most interesting participants, however, include the didi. Up on their head they wear sheep fleeces, up to 1.5 metres in height, and bells around their waist. The didi are dressed in old shabby clothes with colourful fringes sewn on. They symbolise the ritual battle of good spirits with winter, chasing it away by making noise and jumping up and down.

Despite the advancement of civilisation, men are still holders of this carnival custom, characterised by wearing animal costumes (costumes of rams) and the change of sex simulation.

Similar carnival customs have also been preserved in the rest of the villages at the foot of the Kamešnica mountain. Known as the Annual Carnival Pageant from the villages at the foot of the Kamešnica mountain (Godišnji pokladni ophod mačkara podkamešničkih sela), these carnival customs have been included on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of the Republic of Croatia.

visitsinj.com

Autor teksta: dr.sc. Giovanni Kezich, Dinka Alaupović Gjeldum
Foto: Boris Filipović Grčić

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350 years of existence of Hvar Benedictine monastery

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The renowned house where Hvar’s nobleman Hanibal Lucić was born in 1485, will become a Benedictine monastery less than two centuries later, and a home to a Church of St. John the Baptist and St. Anthony the Abbot. City initiatives to build the monastery appeared already in 1534, but we consider it was established in 1664, when thanks to the Bishop Milani two nuns came to Hvar from Pag and started monastery activities.

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Although the male and female Benedictine order follow the same rules, the concept of a closed space is more associated to the female one. According to the common opinion, the order of Benedictines is among the strictest, but the nuns would not agree with that, considering there are other strict habitus orders such as the Carmelite sisters and the Poor Clares.

In 1836 the Hvar Commune asked the Benedictines to establish a girls’ public school. As the Benedictine Order considers idleness to be the enemy of the soul, nuns have always dealt with useful activities and spent their days in change of work and prayer. They ran a nursery school, dedicated themselves to the production of the Mass vestments, knitting…and to the fine art of making lace from agave leaves, which is protected as an intangible cultural heritage of Croatia.hvar samostan 2

Although Hvar monastery is youngest among eight existing women’s monasteries on our coast, it boasts an extremely valuable cultural and sacral heritage. Its facilities also include “Hanibal Lucić” museum founded in 1986, whose lineup consists of carefully selected sacral art and objects. Among valuable paintings there are The Adoration of the Magi from the 15th/16th century, painted in tempera on wood, and the The Assumption of Mary from the 18th century (oil on copper). The collection also contains polychrome
wooden sculptures of saints from the 17th and 18th century, liturgical vessels made of silver, various reliquaries, valuable items made of silk and Mass vestments.


A TRUE QUEEN OF ISLAND’S ROCKS

However, in addition to these undeniably precious objects, there is one jealously guarded under the glass, which attracts particular attention. It’s a unique agave lace!Its manufacture is a rather laborious task – the nuns must use special gloves to prevent swelling and itching of hands, and work with carefully prepared agave threads in humid weather because cold dry air makes them brittle.

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Because of its beauty, agave lace was already in 19th century known outside Hvar. Nowadays it is a decent autochtonous gift for any occasion – in particular formal ones. For example, the Agave lace was given to Pope John Paul II, and the Coat of Arms of Pope made from agave threads was donated to Pope Benedict. President Ivo Josipovic gave the Hvar lace to Pope Francis.

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The Romance of the Overnight Train from Split to Zagreb

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BLOG BY PAUL BRADBURY

There was some debate on the excellent Expats in Split Facebook page recently about the best way to get from Split to Zagreb – train or bus.

Opinion was split, with more favouring the bus. With the new motorway, this is the quickest option, and the shortest transfer time is five hours, departing Split at 10:00. And yes, there is something more romantic about train journeys…

I took the train during the day in the summer when I went to Zagreb to interview Johnny Rotten, an undoubted highlight of 2013 (not or him, though, I am sure). I was disappointed. I had this naive notion of a smooth ride through the mountains and plains of inland Croatia, working away on my laptop with a chilled beer. The Internet was intermittent to say the least on my stick, and the constant jerking actions of the train almost caused beer spillage on several occasions.

The Zagreb trip loomed large once more last week, this time with wife and two young kids in tow. The day train would beat the bus in terms of entertainment value for sure, but the timing was not the best – with no morning departure until April, it would arrive late at night, a little inconvenient for our hosts. Having settled on the bus as option, we made a spontaneous decision to try the night train over dinner. An adventure for the kids, and also it would avoid the hassle of unpacking, repacking and general preparations in our overnight stop in Split.

Price-wise, for a family of four, under 500 kuna seemed more than reasonable. The train was warm and reasonably empty, and there were enough empty compartments of six seats for us to make our choice. Once the wide-eyes children had had their fill of the novelty of train travel (we don’t have a lot of that on Hvar…), it was time to lower the seats and for all to snuggle down for the night.

I won’t pretend it was the finest sleep we have ever had, but it was not the worst either, and we arrived just after 06:00 (the train had departed Split exactly as advertised, at 22:01 – who decides these times…), in search of a cafe to while away an hour or two before imposing on our hosts. And there the first difference between Dalmatia and the great capital emerged – not one cafe open at 06:30 from the station all the way to Ban Jelacic. Unthinkable in Dalmatia…

So train or bus to Zagreb? If you have a family at least, look into the night train – it kept our kids thoroughly entertained during the time they were awake. And there is something romantc about train travel at night that you just can’t get on the bus.

Written by: Paul Bradbury
croatia-split.com

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Peasants’ revolt – the battle of Stubica

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seljacka buna 208 February 2014

The event presents Gubac urging the peasants into revolt and portrays the final battle (cannons, rifles, legendary peasants’ weapons, archers, the gentry and peasant armies) with the participation of over 100 extras and 150 members of various associations. It is a brilliant staging of the battle, failed negotiations and the tragic finale of the defeated peasants, the capture of Matija Gubac. At the end of the battle peasants win.

There are also interesting interactive workshops which attract visitors’ attention and urge the participation of parents and children alike (mostly from Zagreb), who join in the events, dressed as peasants or the gentry.

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Lastovo Carnival – centuries old tradition

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Pokladarici i tovar

Lastovo Carnival is a centuries old tradition. It was first mentioned in 1390, in The Statute of Lastovo, one of the oldest in Europe, as a „Carnevale“ – time for fun,  relaxation  and escape from everyday life. We can say, with pride, that we have one of the oldest carnivals in this area, and we are aware of our obligation to nurture, enrich and pass it on to future generations.

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A legend says that Lastovo Carnival is celebrated in memory of an old historic event when Catalan pirates attacked neighboring Korčula and sent a messenger to Lastovo with a request to surrender. Instead of surrendering, the inhabitants of Lastovo armed themselves and attacked. Women and children prayed to Sv. Jure for help and the help came in form of a storm which destroyed the Catalan fleet on its way to Lastovo.  Later the islanders captured the messenger, took him through the village on a donkey to mock him, and let him down 300 meters of rope before they set him on fire.

One of the first written evidences dates back to 1747, when the duke of Dubrovnik, Ivan Franjo Sorgona, wrote one poem about the Carnival of Lastovo.

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This event is celebrated as the Carnival every year over a period of three days. Locals enjoy this event very much and islanders from all around Croatia return to Lastovo to attend the carnival.

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Saint Blaise festivity – Dubrovnik’s Day

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The day that is dedicated to Dubrovnik’s patron saint, Saint Blaise, an old man who carries the City in the palm of his hand and whose statues decorate city walls and entrances, has been a special day for the City of Dubrovnik since 972 when it was celebrated for the first time.
This year, for 1042nd time, Dubrovnik will again honour its patron saint with a traditional festivity, which was made a part of UNESCO’s register of intangible heritage in 2009. This traditional celebration starts on the day of Our Lady of Candelora, February 2, with the releasing of white doves, which symbolize freedom and peace, in front of a church dedicated to the saint and by raising Saint Blaise’s banner on Orlando’s column. Apart from the religious festivities in Dubrovnik, during those days numerous secular activities have been organized for domestic residents and tourists alike. Restaurants offer typical winter delicacies and you can enjoy many exhibits and concerts dedicated to Saint Blaise, and during a walk on city walls you can see over a hundred stone depictions of Dubrovnik’s patron saint.

It is hard to decide what is more beautiful and attractive on Saint Blaise’s day. Folk costumes of Croatian Littoral region, Župa dubrovačka or Konavle, all evoke the times of folk customs. Colourful red banners catch the eye as they flutter on the square behind Orlando, and we are mesmerized as well by a group of trombunjeri who carry short and broad rifles on their shoulders which had been used in the past to create noise and frighten away enemies of the City.

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They fire their guns before entering the City, on Brsalje, where, during the time of the Republic, shooting rifles and cannons was practiced. In the evening, when darkness envelops the City, and saints relics are resting in the treasury, guests from surrounding villages return home. Green laurel wreaths decorate the front of the beautiful baroque entrance into the saint’s church, stained-glass windows shine on the façade and statues of Saint Blaise, a saint who for centuries has been holding a model of the City in his outstretched hand, as if trying to bring the City closer to his heart and protective embrace, gazes down at the passers-by from the city walls, lavish buildings and churches.

In over one thousand years since the City under Srđ started celebrating its patron saint, not much has changed. True, Dubrovnik no longer has its Rector or nobility, but the beautiful stone Rector’s Palace is still here, as well as the baroque St. Blaise’s Church adjacent to it, a baroque cathedral which represents the most important and enduring commitment of Dubrovnik inhabitants to their patron saint. This year, for the 1042nd time, Dubrovnik will again treat its patron saint with a traditional festivity which was made a part of UNESCO’s register of intangible heritage in 2009.

The traditional celebration starts on the day of Our Lady of Candelora, February 2, with the releasing of white doves, which symbolizes freedom and peace, in front of a church dedicated to the saint and by raising Saint Blaise’s banner on Orlando’s column. Each year on February 2, when Dubrovnik celebrates Our Lady of Candelora, people repeat the old dictum: “Candelora, winter goodbye, Saint Blaise follows her and says it is a lie.” Truly, on that day, when continental cities are drenched in torrential rain and the rest of Europe is often caked in ice, Dubrovnik is full of mimosas, almonds in full bloom and sunny spring days.

On the day of the festivity itself, February 3, the numerous faithful and church dignitaries come to the City from nearby areas carrying the saint’s relics across Stradun and city streets in a solemn procession, and under a baldachin is the greatest of all relics, the shroud of Jesus.
In front of Saint Blaise’s Church, the banners salute the patron saint who has been protecting the City for many centuries. This is an opportunity for the participants to not only demonstrate special skills but also to show off beautiful and original folk costumes.

Throughout the day, priests bless the faithful in the church, using two crossed candles since it is believed that Saint Blaise protects against throat diseases. The Saint Blaise festivity is also the Day of the City of Dubrovnik, which is why apart from religious ceremonies these days are rich in various activities. During the solemn session of the City Council, which is organized in Dubrovnik’s baroque Marin Držić Theatre, an award from the City is presented. Many diplomats, businessmen and political dignitaries from Croatia and throughout Europe visit Dubrovnik during this period.

As a part of Dubrovnik’s tradition, all of them are invited to a festive dinner, called ‘Candelora Dinner, held in Revelin Fort, where Dubrovnik delicacies are served, such as šporki makaruli (literally translated as “dirty macaroni,” a traditional dish made of pasta and meat sauce) and doughnuts. Numerous religious and secular activities, exhibits, book presentations, theatrical plays etc., are dedicated to Dubrovnik’s patron saint during those days.

The day dedicated to Dubrovnik’s patron saint, Saint Blaise, an old man who carries the City in the palm of his hand and whose statues decorate Dubrovnik city walls and entrances, has been a special day in Dubrovnik since 972 when it was first celebrated. The celebration is unique in itself, typical for Dubrovnik.Izvor: visit.dubrovnik.hr
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One of the most beautiful design – boutique hotel in the world

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LA PURIFICADORA MEXICO

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Innovative Mexican hotelier Carlos Couturier’s latest project is an inland wonder, a former 19th-century water-purifying centre next to the Iglesia de San Francisco in the colonial city of Puebla.
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Purity is the guiding principle of the hotel’s design as executed by renowned architects Ricardo Legorreta and his son Victor: black and white are the only colours, bringing out the subtleties of the materials used – stone from the original building, old wood, onyx and custom floor tile, as well as found materials such as bottles and glass fragments, which are also integrated in the hotel’s graphic design.
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But this minimalism shouldn’t be confused with lack of luxury: a roof terrace and 30-metre pool provide ample recreational opportunity, and the 26 guestrooms offer spectacular views of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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A ground-floor restaurant, patio, library and extensive wine cellar offer civilized diversions, but La Purificadora’s real achievement is in its mix of tradition and contemporary flavour, giving Puebla a hotel to savour on the road from Mexico City to Oaxaca.

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La Purificadora is located in the historic centre of Puebla, a colonial city on the road between Mexico City and Oaxaca.

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The Feast of St. Vincent’s Day

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25 January 2014

vina

The people of Međimurje also have their customs and ceremonies concerning winemaking, some of them dating back to ancient times, some even to the time before Christ. One of the very old customs is Vincekovo, or rather the Day of St. Vincent, celebrated in late January, a time marking the beginning of a winegrowing year. Traditionally, people celebrate St.Vincent’s Day in the belief that it will ensure a fruitful year for grapevine, but today the manifestation has been adapted to numerous visitors, lovers of wine and nature. The snowcovered hills of Međimurje create an idyllic atmosphere for a daylong walk during which you are offered choice wines and traditional dishes of the region for sampling at every step, and all in the company of the ever boisterous and joyful local band of mužikaši (musicians).

www.strigova.info

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International Percussionist Week

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16 January 2014 – 18 January 2014

udaraljke

Rhythm is in the foundation of each piece of music. Consequently, percussion instruments are most often used as a group providing a rhythmic background to soloists, but sometimes, they also create the complete entity of a piece. Percussion ensembles are very dynamic and attractive, so it is no wonder that percussion festivals are becoming increasingly commonplace and popular. One such festival is the International Percussionist Week in Bjelovar, hosting some of the greatest percussionists from Croatia and abroad. Gain insight into the very essence of music – the rhythm – with the help of superior artists of rhythm.

www.lisinski-bj.hr

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Dalmatia culture attractions – what a beauty!

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CULTURAL TOURISM OF DALMATIA
SONY DSCŠibenik, Foto: Tz grada Šibenika

Dalmatian region abounds with exceptional cultural heritage, for years hidden in the rubble, or with the lack of promotion for tourists, but more recently the fact that we live in cities under UNESCO protection is increasingly appreciated. Other than just sightseeing “of stone blocks”, more and more we offer various manifestations of returning to the past, restoring of customs and presenting Mediterranean as it once was.

When you have so many cities under UNESCO protection on such a small area, royal and ancient towns, then you can only say – what a beauty! Reliefs that history wrote on the face of Dalmatia cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

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Salona, Foto: Tz grada Solina

If we start from the end part of Dalmatia – South, we will immediately begin the story about world’s pearl, the city of irreplaceable beauty-Dubrovnik! Doge’s Palace, the central town square of Stradun, churches and monasteries from all ages, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Libertas film festival, lectures on inventions of a skilled scientist Ruđer Bošković, and the feast of the city patron – St. Blaise…there are so much reasons why you should include Dubrovnik in your travel itinerary.

Dubrovnik Summer Festival photos
Dubrovnik, Foto: Tz Grada Dubrovnika

The journey continues towards the north, so we come to the peninsula of Pelješac, characterized by nice salt pans, and on the southern slopes by vineyards. The result is a quality wine, with a global pedigree. You can climb and see the little Great Wall of China, as residents fondly call the fortress which protected them from the Turks.

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Ston walls, Foto: Tz Ston

We continue our walk along the last delta in Europe, the Neretva Delta, where you have to visit Narona, an ancient city and the former trade center, which is proud of the only museum in the country to be constructed on the ruins of the city, with many preserved monuments and statues of the time.

The following are the pearls of Croatian tourism – Makarska Riviera, where you will be astonished by the beauty of sandy beaches framed by pine trees, but you also have the opportunity to practice religious tourism through the sanctuary in Vepric.

Narona
Narona, Foto Tz grada Metkovića

Richness of the natural environment provided by the Adriatic coast, is very much visible in the pirate city of Omiš, where mountain blocks leaned over the mouth of the river Cetina making a combination of beauty and supremacy of nature that are nevertheless at all times tamed by human hand.

Split will instantly win you over, with its Diocletian’s Palace which is older than 1700 years. The bell tower of St. Duje, the Church of St. Francis, the Prokurative Town Square, are bound together by a new Riva like in a lacework, crowned by the Marjan Hill on the west. It is a city under UNESCO protection, and near its very center there is Bačvice beach that for the past decade flutters the Blue Flag.

At the very exit of the Diocletian’s city you will be greeted by Salona, the Greek-Illyrian settlement which grew over the years and was also a bishop’s residence. And over this ancient city there is a Klis fortress, a monument to brave days of the struggle against the Turks.

Drive to the west takes you through Trogir, another stone town under UNESCO protection. The more fact that these are on the list of World Heritage Sites, is enough invitation.

Šibenik has stories of its own. It will welcome you by its rampart and St. Nicholas Church. It will thrill you with its narrow streets, churches from all periods, and you will be able to participate in the Festival of the Child, an event that brings together children from around the world for nearly half a century.

Zadar is at the very end of our journey. Church of St. Donatus is a “dot to the i,” of one history, while organ of Zadar, which makes sound in the rhythm of sea currents, is associated to the modern era.

Unfortunately, this is not enough space to describe the remarkable beauty created by nature, history, and diligent hands of Dalmatians.

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Visit Carnival in Rijeka

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17 January 2014 – 05 March 2014

A tradition reaching down the centuries to ancient times when ferocious masks, so legends tell us, banished the forces of evil through hilarious rejoicing, has turned Rijeka into the Carnival Capital of Croatia. Throughout the carnival days the city gates are firmly closed to any solemnity and soberness, and are wide open to colourful and carefree merrymaking. It will be no different this year. Once the keys of the city are handed over, the carnival revelry will sweep the streets and all those who happen to be in Rijeka. The sea of masks, which allow their wearers to forget their sorrows, at least for a moment, will spread good humour for days, while the climax of the Carnival comes on its closing day when the grand parade – known as the International Carnival Parade – makes its thunderous way across the city.

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Kalafati – the soul of wooden shipbuilding

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On the area of Croatia first ship draft, about 4700 years old, was found in Grapčeva Cave on the island of Hvar. Galija was one of the most interesting boats during middle ages on the Mediterranean coast, it was powered by oars and sails, while its length came up to 50 m.

 Wooden shipbuilding on Murter
The island of Murter is considered to be one of the most beautiful islands on the Adriatic. It enjoys the status of the Adriatic centre of wooden shipbuilding. Together with Korčula, Murter has the longest tradition of shipbuilding on the Adriatic. In 1848 a very modern shipyard was opened and the tradition has been kept up to the present day.  For centuries now skilled craftsmen of wooden shipbuilding make wooden boats of leut, kaić, bracera and gajeta type.

Gajeta from Betina was first made for transport purposes, while gajeta made in Korčula was first used as a fishing boat, often driven only by oar power.

Gajeta boat served not only as transport, but also as cargo ships for cattle, olives and grapes transport from islands to mainland. Originally, the boat was 6 m long, 2, 5 m wide and 70 cm high. Gajetas, leuts and other small wooden boats helped the people of Murter to support their families for centuries.

drvena brodogradnja

On the island of Murter there are 5 small private shipyards in which firm, traditional wooden boats are manually made by proficient craftsmen. With this article we would like to emphasise the importance of preserving wooden shipbuilding and beautiful shipbuilding craft in general. Preservation and development of traditional crafts like wooden shipbuilding present a great potential for tourism and economy development of Dalmatian islands.

There is a growing appreciation of wooden shipbuilding and wooden boats as a form of tourist attraction that is not connected to any particular part of the season (a visit to shipyard, a ride on gajeta on Latinsko Idro manifestation etc.)

Latinsko Idro is a reminder of a certain way of life, one spiritual world and its existence.

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Aloe – mother nature´ heart

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BLOG BY PAUL BRADBURY

One of the biggest surprises on the Pakleni Islands is the fascinating arboretum at Meneghllo’s at Palmižana, a true treasure of exotic plant life, some from faraway lands, some much more local.

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Among the amazing things one can find is an abundance of aloe, a healthy and medicinal plant. But aloe was not always on Palmizana. A fascinating account about a fascinating plant by Dagmar Meneghello:

ALOE – MOTHER NATURE’ HEART

In the days of fast foods, plasterboard houses and synthetic clothing , which of us does not long to return to a more natural way of life? No longer a back–to-nature fad but a growing phillosophy, this wish to put nature back in our lives applies above all to those two most important of human concerns: getting healthy and staying healthy.

Gardens in Dalmatia are green, especially in its warm regions as on our Island Hvar.
In spite of the cold northern wind some plants from the tropics which have successfully adapted to our circumstances are now blooming – blooming in the rhythm of their distant homeland.
One of those plants is the Aloe. This ancient medicinal plant in the world has long been utilized in medicinal and pharmaceutical production.

For over 3500 years, tales of “healing Aloe” plants have been handed down through centuries by word of mouth. From the Bible’s mention of removing Christ from the cross and wrapping his body in aloes and myrrh/John 19:39/ we find Aloe mysteriosly appearing in every phase of history, with many testimonials to its great medicinal values. The earliest documented use of Aloe comes from the ancient Egyptians, but it was also grown and used by King Solomon, who was said to have valued it highly. Cleopatra‘s secret beauty came from using the aloe plant.

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Alexander the Great connquered the island of Socotra in order to have the Aloe for his army. During his fabled travels in the Orient, among the many marvels recorded by Marko Polo were his descriptions of the many applications of the Aloe plant. The Spanish Conquistadors discovered various herbal medicines in use in Tenochtitlan, Mexico. At the heart of many of the Aztec cures, it is known that Aloe was an effective agent. These Aztec herbal medicines were transported back to Europe by the Spanish during the sixteenth century, where they became the foundation for modern Western medicine.

Aloe gel is a most ingenious mixture of an antibiotic, an astrigent coagulating agent, a pain inhibitor and a growth stimulator, also called a “wood hormone” whose function is to accelerate the healing of injured surfaces. It is used for pain relief and healing of haemorrhoids, applied externally and internally. Aloe-based pharmaceutical products are used to control yeast infections.

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Aloe is effective for sunburn, scratches, cuts and as a cleansing agent for the body or skin. It is an aid to growing new tissue and alleviating the advance of skin cancer caused by the sun. It is a treatment for ringworm, boils, inflamed joints, scalds, itchy allergic conditions, insect stings and bites. It creates a definite softening of the skin, relief from dry or sensitive skin and skin diseases. Dentists and oral surgeons employ Aloe Gel for surgery, swift healing, relief of pain and other oral treatments, including mouth ulcers, fever blisters, cold sores and cancers.

The Aloe is believed to improve digestion and assimilation of food eaten, so that elimination is naturally normalised. The concept is in accordance with the Chinese or Asian philosophy or medicine and goes back more than 5000 years in their history.

Not all types of aloe are useful in medicine. The most used are aloe arborescens, aloe vera, and aloe ferox.

The largest and oldest aloe garden in Croatia is in the Arboretum Meneghello in Palmižana on the island of St. Clement.

DAGHMAR MENEHGELLO

When I arrived at Palmižana nearly 50 years ago, the beautiful garden from 1906 was very rusty. The Communist State took away almost all the land. In communism other people’s labor was not allowed, or help. My husband George Toto Meneghello cared desperately for survival, that his home should not perish. With his old mother he still led a life of tourism and agriculture and animal husbandry. For the flowers there was no time.

Cacti, yuccas, palms, pines and other Mediterranean trees grow alone without human help.. . They survived and developed incredible gigantic forms. Flowers, ornamental shrubs were disappearing. The surrounding environment went wild.

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I had never dealt with a garden. I was a city kid and worked as a journalist. However Palmižana looked at that time for me sad and abandoned. At night you had the feeling that the desperate and unfortunate Professor Eugen’s soul was wandering around the garden and island

At the end of the Sixties i saw in one posh villa in Hvar a few small pots of a very beautiful green plant. I asked the lady, I think her name was Herta, but that isn’t important for our story, if she could give me a piece of plant for planting. Nurseries did not exist at that time. We planted by taking pieces of the plants “pelcer” from neighbors or ” smuggled ” small plants and seeds from abroad.

She told me that she was ready to sell – “ It is an Aloe arboscenses – “ she said – and uttered such a price – at the time unthinkable – that I immediately gave up on buying. Aloes as a plant was in that time unknown for me..

My husband bought me a plant for my 25th birthday, I am 70 now.

Really I was not happy with my gift. It was questionable if the plant would grow on Palmižana? We had no time for the garden except in the winter. We did not have enough water for the guests and ourselves…

Soon we acquired Aloe vera, Aloe ferox…

Aloes are pleased with hot summers and can go without water for months, enjoying diffused light under the pines. The aloe grew and multiplied, and responded everywhere we planted it.

In the late seventies a German woman visited and told us: “ You have aloe arborescens older than 7 years, only that can me help. “ She was suffering from cancer and it was her only hope. She visited me several times a year, about one decade. and said she was kept alive only by Palmižana aloe.

Then I began to study the plant. When my close family members and friends get cancer I’m preparing them fresh preservative-free gelatin – for immunity .

Maybe we have to run cosmetics based on aloe from Palmižana. Maybe start to be a nursery garden for aloe arborescens. Here on the island there is no pollution. Until now the plant is spreading only for the beauty and decorative face of Palmižana Arboretum.

Written by: Paul Bradbury
Source:  total-hvar.com

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