Đakovo region covers an area of 830 km2, an area rich with a tradition that has lasted for hundreds of years. The richness and potential of this area was reflected in all the aspects of our ancestors’ lives. In the villages of the Đakovo region, one can still see the typical houses with a long porch stretching the full length of the house (referred to in the local dialect as ajnfort, ganjak, potrim, trim).
The local population are the Šokci, recognizable by their characteristic dialect, customs, folk costume, songs, dance, music, instruments, architecture and lifestyle. The popularity of tambura bands has contributed to the preservation and promotion of traditional music, and the customs and the folk costume are best presented when performances are given on stage.
Folk costume
When this territory was divided in the 18th century into the Military Frontier and Civilian Croatia and Slavonia, the concepts of frontiersmen’s and peasants’ costume were created. The villages along the military frontier had the so-called Vinkovci-style costume, where the shirt (oplećak) and skirt (krila) were individual separate parts of the folk costume, whereas the other villages in the area surrounding Đakovo had a single-piece folk costume. The most recognizable ornament on the folk costume of the Đakovo region is the gold embroidery. Girls and young women used to wear gold embroidery from head to toe. In fact, the most festive clothing was precisely the clothing that was embroidered in gold by skilful women’s hands.
Customs
Life in cooperative families marked generations of Šokci and left its traces in many customs that were an important element of social life: softening feathers for pillows, removing corn husk, brewing home-made brandy, slaughtering pigs, and other traditional work. They worked and socialized at the same time, and used that as an opportunity to pass on their customs to younger generations. This role is nowadays played by culture and art societies, in addition to individuals who engage in the same activities.
Events
Culture and art societies take part in folklore events all over Croatia and abroad and are proud to present their rich heritage. They successfully organize numerous local folklore events: “U Budrovci na nedilju bilu”, “Rubina zlatne jeseni”, “Kolo na ledini”, “Lipanjske večeri”, “Piškorevački sokaci”, “Kolo na Vrbaku”, as well as carnival horse riding parades and many others.
Culture and art societies
It is the members of culture and art societies who are to thank for the revival of some customs that had already been forgotten, such as the Spring Procession of Ljelje/Kraljice (queens) from Gorjani, which was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. Through their activities, all members are engaged in trying to preserve the songs, dances and customs of their region. By nurturing tradition and culture, they are actually preventing their ancestors’ lifestyle from becoming forgotten.
The town of Đakovo is very proud of all its culture and art societies, especially those that have elevated their work on preserving tradition and customs from the local level to other countries in Europe and worldwide. One such society is the Art and Culture Society “Tena,” whose members have presented the customs of Đakovo and Đakovo region on most continents. This society’s quality has been confirmed officially in 2019, when the Art and Culture Society “Tena” was awarded the Certificate of Excellence by the Croatian section of the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts - CIOFF.