February 6, 2020 - Miki Bratanic, the Dalmatian writer and poet, who has done more to promote the heritage and culture of the Dalmatian konoba, has been inspired by the opening of Rijeka 2020, and he proposes an offshoot for Split 2021.
Soon after I started Total Hvar all those years ago, I became aware of a chap called Miki Bratanic, whose roots were from the Hvar village of Vrbanj. A writer and poet based in Split, this Miki Bratanic chap had rather a passion for the humble Dalmatian konoba. So much so in fact that he had turned his own konoba in the family home in Vrbanj into a fantastic little museum, and not long after my visit, it became officially recognised by the Ministry of Culture. And if you on Hvar, I recommend a visit (and a wine tasting from Miki's excellent range).
Not content with having the ultimate konoba, Miki then wrote a great book about the history of the konoba, a book which has been very successful and has gone around the globe. Miki doesn't know this, but I have been very jealous of his book, Konoba. Several years ago, I went to see the then Split Tourist Board director to see if he wanted to buy a number of copies of Split, An Insider's Guide, a guide book for the city that I co-wrote with Mila Hvilshoj. The director told me he was not interested as my book was too big to fit into his little tourist gift bag. Unlike the Konoba, by Miki Bratanic... But he did write an excellent piece on Diocletian, owner of the first Dalmatian konoba for Total Split, so I forgive him.
Years passed. I hadn't seen Miki for a long time until I caught him in Zagreb in December, as he picked up an award at the FIJET Marko Polo awards. And then our paths crossed again, this time online in a discussion about the controversial opening of Rijeka 2020.
And then this - a translation of Miki's Facebook post. A fantastic concept, which we are pleased to support. How about you?
Dear friends, It's my great pleasure to announce the project concept "The tavern, the cradle of Dalmatia - 100 years of turbulent Croatian history", which I, in cooperation with a great promoter of Croatia, Paul Bradbury, the owner of the Total Croatia News portal, as well as with other interested partners, would apply for in the competition for the programme of cultural needs of the City of Split for 2021.
Modelling it on the recent state-of-the-art artistic and cultural installation in Rijeka, which has aroused the enthusiasm, admiration and widespread acceptance from many prominent people in Split and Dalmatia, an identical ''installation account'' of our own history would be made through the prism of taverns, viticulture and winemaking on Split's Riva, as well as in Diocletian's taverns, ie cellars, along with suitable art programmes.
Through stories and photographs, the painstaking but proud life of the people of Dalmatia would be presented through various chronologically ordered socio-political changes.
The historic flags under which Dalmatia or its parts existed over the last 100 years lined up along the Riva as follows:
From the east of Riva, that is, from the entrance to the Diocletian's Tavern, the flag of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia would first be placed. After that, the flags of Fascist Italy and then Nazi Germany would be lined up.
The flag of the Independent State of Croatia would be located right in the centre of the waterfront, where the passage to Marko Marulić Square is. Immediately after that, the flag of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, ie the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, would be placed.
It would be modelled on what Rijeka has artistically done (who distorted the Nazi flag), so an octopus or an eledone would be inserted instead of the five-pointed star. After that, a SAO Krajina flag would be mounted, on which an artistic intervention would also be made, but for now, what it will be will remain a little secret.
After that flag, the first official flag of the Republic of Croatia would be erected, the one with the initial white checker first, and then, all the way at the western end of the waterfront, the present-day Croatian flag with the initial red checker first would be erected. Of course, this is just an initial artistic idea concept.
Since the artists in Rijeka have already used one of the totalitarian symbols, the five-pointed star, and it makes no sense to copy everything exactly, then another symbol of a totalitarian regime could be prominently displayed in Split, but there's still more to think about in regard to that.
Unlike the Rijeka artists, who have masterfully explained the artistic message of the five-pointed star, I'm personally completely uncreative and unimaginative in designing messages with such symbols, so I'd need the help of our broad artistic domain.
In any case, I'd like to invite all associations, non-governmental organisations, individuals, especially artists, designers, architects, photographers, conservators and anyone else who would like to join in on this project, to make themselves known via my inbox.
Programmes for the cultural needs of the City of Split are usually submitted in autumn, but preparations should still begin on time in order to produce the best possible documentation.
This project aims to showcase the need for human patience, work, perseverance, love, mutual respect, the acceptance of diversity, tolerance, and constant progressive thoughts while striving for peace in the world, and in a special way, this is intended to show that Dalmatia is the cradle, and Split with its great Marko Marulić, is the capital of Croatian culture.
Once again, heartfelt congratulations to Rijeka on the title of "European Capital of Culture 2020" and on the motivation and inspiration for our turbulent story of Split.
I look forward to working with you and I warmly welcome you all.
Yours, Miki Bratanic
