President Milanović Receives Delegation of Orlec Folklore Society Celebrating 60 Years of Preserving Cres Island Folk Tradition

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today received a delegation from the Orlec Folklore Society, which has been nurturing and preserving the folk customs, songs, dances, costumes, music, and distinct local dialect of the island of Cres for six full decades. Alongside members of the Orlec Folklore Society, representatives of the Town of Cres attended the reception at the Office of the President were Mayor Marin Gregorović, President of the Town Council and member of the Society Marina Medarić, and Head of the Professional Affairs Department for the Mayor and Town Council Walter Salković.

The President of the Society, Iva Stambolija Mužić, acquainted President Milanović with the rich history of the Society’s organized work, which began in 1966. Since then, through numerous performances at domestic and international festivals, the society has become a true ambassador of the cultural heritage of Cres. As a particularly valuable aspect of their work, members of the Society highlighted the preservation of authentic folklore expression, renowned for its traditional dances, songs, and the sound of the “meh” – a native wind instrument that forms a key part of the island’s cultural identity.

They particularly emphasized the importance of working with the youngest generations. It was stated at the meeting that, through the children’s section called “Mići folklore” [Little Folklore], children and young people learn the songs, dances, and customs of their ancestors from an early age, ensuring that Cres traditions will continue to be passed down to future generations. As the crowning achievement of their many years of heritage preservation, the Island Folklore Centre was established in Orlec in 2018. Today, it serves as a key gathering place for passing on knowledge and preserving historical artifacts and testimonials of the region’s cultural heritage.

In addition to the President of the Orlec Folklore Society, the reception at the Office of the President of the Republic was attended by Society members Mario Mužić, Bartol Mužić, Kristijan Mužić, Margerita Petrinić, Klara Petrinić, Anđelko Petrinić, Doris Barbalić, Sanja Rogović Deželić, Ivan Toić, Lara Mužić, Nino Šimić, and Dominik Šimičić. They presented a short cultural and artistic performance, performing the dance “Tanec po staru i z mesta” [Old-Style and Stationary Dance] and reciting the poem “Bura i ja” [The Bura and I] in the local Orlec dialect. President Milanović was accompanied by his Special Adviser for Culture Zdravko Zima, and the Deputy Head of the Cabinet of the President Ivana Pušonjić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić