March 28, 2020 - Dalmatians have always been resourceful in times of adversity, but have they come up with the ultimate weapon to fight COVID-19 - the prsut mask?

(DISCLAIMER - Please note that in these troubled times, this is an attempt at a humorous post to lighten the mood. The prsut mask is obviously not suitable for protection from COVID-19)

Humour can be in short supply at trying times such as these, and although Brits are known for their sense of humour, I personally find the humour of Croatians and the Balkan region to be equally quality. 

Especially when it comes to the darker sense of humour. 

One of the things I am looking forward to experiencing in the coming nightmarish weeks is the solidarity of the people of Dalmatia. They have been used to adversity and hardship for centuries, but they have always prevailed, and I rate their survival skills as 3000 times better than a city boy like me.

But have they come up with the ultimate weapon to ward off the corona threat - the prsut mask?

Facebook page Imocki Crnjaci (Imotski Black Humour) has posted the first prsut mask on its page, with a simple message:

With love from Ljubuski (a town over the border in Hercegovina).

Local solutions for global problems, and the prsut mask is an excellent advert for the policy of shopping locally and - presumably when the hunger pangs become too strong - eating local. 

The power of the prsut in Dalmatian society should not be underestimated, and a few years ago, it entered the political arena when then Split Mayor Zeljko Kerum added a prsut accessory to his forehead during a brief craze known as prsuting. 

You can learn more about the crazy art of prsuting from a 2013 TCN article on the subject (we really have covered some niche topics over the years...).

And, when all this madness is over, prsut life will return to normal and play its essential role in society as part of the most popular starter in the region - Dalmatian prsut, Pag cheese and Dalmatian olives. 

May that return to normal be soon. 

Stay safe, and for the latest coronavirus updates, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

Article update from TCN reader Kristijan Jakovic seconds after this was posted on our FB:

Wrong, that's Slavonian slanina.

Dalmatian or Slavonian - one thing is for sure. Pure genius.