Folkloric Traces of Bela krajina
Understanding historical and ethnological facts is essential for grasping and properly interpreting the heritage of Bela krajina, which is rich, distinctive, and deeply rooted in the hearts and consciousness of its people.
Folk dance activity encompasses the (re)creation of dance, song, music, and other forms of intangible heritage, while costumes, instruments, and props also extend into the domain of tangible heritage. The term “folklore” is often equated with tradition and folk heritage and is defined as cultural heritage made up of all layers of culture, including knowledge and understanding of traditional ways of life. Folklore activity is often described as “theatre of history”, as it typically represents the heritage of the broadest social strata.
When awareness of the value and significance of cultural heritage increases, folklorisms emerge—efforts or movements aimed at preserving and reviving folklore. Folklorism refers to folklore elements taken from their original context in time and place and presented on a new, re-creative level, consciously preserved—as a reconstruction of the past, a form of tourism, or entertainment. It emerged with a patriotic undertone in the 19th century and today, for many, serves as a substitute for original forms of folklore.
Folklorism in Bela krajina can be divided into four periods. The first dates back to the second half of the 19th century, during the time of the national revival, when in 1888 Ivan Navratil reported on the ‘črnomaljsko kolo’, which had been revived at the time.
The second period falls in the decade leading up to the First World War, when, in 1908, people from Bela krajina—specifically from Adlešiči, Bojanci, Metlika, Predgrad, and Vinica—travelled to Vienna to take part in a major ceremonial event marking the 60th anniversary of the Emperor Franz Joseph’s reign.
The groups prepared performance programmes, and for the first time, the tradition was removed from its original environment and presented to others. A significant event during this period was also the performance at the opening of the Bela krajina railway in Črnomelj in 1914.
The third period was marked by ethnomusicologist France Marolt, who emphasised the value of Bela krajina’s musical and dance heritage. Based on Kapelle’s 1839 record, he reconstructed the ‘jurjevanje’ (spring festival). People were no longer dancing, singing, and playing just for themselves—they began to attract audiences as well.
In the period leading up to the Second World War, groups from Bela krajina took part in several festivals that later influenced the development and activity of local folk dance groups. Notable examples include Bela krajina Day in Ljubljana in 1936, organised by the Folklore Institute of the Glasbena matica Ljubljana and the Ljubljana-based Bela krajina Society, and the Great Festival of Slovenian Folk Customs in Maribor in 1939.
The fourth period of folklorism in Bela krajina began after the Second World War, when organised folk dance groups started operating in Črnomelj, Metlika, Semič, Dragatuš, Adlešiči, Bojanci, Predgrad, Preloka, Stari Trg, and Vinica. With the first ‘Jurjevanje’ in 1964—the very first folklore festival in Slovenia—folk dance groups from Bela krajina became even more active, developing their own programmes with a strong focus on highlighting the unique features of their local traditions.
In the Slovenian cultural sphere, the folk dance tradition of Bela krajina holds a recognised and important place. The region’s turbulent history has left deep and diverse cultural traces, reflected in the layered richness of its folklore. Researchers and enthusiasts alike were quick to recognise the vast wealth of Bela krajina’s cultural heritage. In the 19th century, a general interest in past cultural practices began to emerge, and due to its distinctiveness and diversity, Bela krajina received particular attention.
The image of Bela krajina’s folk heritage—among its own people and more broadly across Slovenia—was shaped by the white costume, circle dancing (‘kolo’), tamburitza players, Midsummer customs and their associated songs, as well as old bridge games performed by adults.
These were also the foundations of France Marolt’s efforts. With the emergence of folklorism and the activity of folk dance groups, the image of Bela krajina’s heritage became even more firmly rooted in the consciousness of the Slovenian people. Due to its distinctiveness compared to other traditions in Slovenia, ethnological research and publications primarily focused on ‘Uskok’ heritage and the areas along the Kolpa River, while other regions—especially central Bela krajina—received far less attention, as their traditions were more similar to those of central Slovenia. This unbalanced documentation and the emphasis on only the most distinctive features led to a rather limited and one-sided representation of Bela krajina’s song, costume, dance, and music heritage.
When speaking of folklore, we most often think first of dance and musical traditions. Slovenia’s most renowned ethnochoreologist, Mirko Ramovš, in his research, revealed and defined the multi-layered nature of Bela krajina’s dance heritage.
The oldest layer consists of dances that were preserved mainly in urban areas such as Črnomelj and Metlika. These dances, in many ways resembling children’s games, were performed by adults and include bridge games, remnants of ancient rituals.
The second layer includes the song and dance tradition of ‘Uskok’ origin—primarily dances performed in a circle, accompanied by singing without instrumental support.
The third layer comprises dances that came to Bela krajina from Central Europe via Dolenjska in the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite their widespread presence, these dances have unfortunately been underrepresented and insufficiently documented.
One fact that, often overlooked in Bela krajina, is that people mostly danced, sang, and played music in much the same way as elsewhere in Slovenia. At weddings and various social gatherings, they danced waltzes and polkas in choreographed variations, as well as ‘štajeriš’, ‘zibenšrit’, ‘šotiš’, ‘puštertanc’, ‘mazurka’, ‘šuštarska’, and various dance games.
They were accompanied by folk musicians, who typically played the diatonic accordion, often joined by others playing the double bass, clarinet, and violin.
The youngest layer consists of dances that, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spread from Croatia through the influence of tamburitza players and became especially popular in the villages along the Kolpa River. Over time, they became the foundation of Bela krajina folklorism. These include dances such as ‘Lepa Anka’, ‘Sirota’, ‘Carska kasa’, ‘Hruške, jabuke, slive’, ‘Lipa moja’, and others, which are still typically accompanied by tamburitza music to this day.
In the musical heritage of Bela krajina, alongside various folk ensembles featuring the accordion and tamburitza groups, an important role is also played by a variety of simpler or more traditional instruments. These include the harmonica, ‘frulica’ (a type of folk flute), ‘gudalo’ (bowed instrument), zither, ‘oprekelj’, jaw harp (drumljica or brundica), ‘nunlca’ (a type of rattling instrument), ocarina or whistling bird, comb, and others.
A true folkloric treasure of Bela krajina lies in its numerous and in many ways remarkably diverse folk songs, which, shaped by a range of external influences, vividly reflect the region’s position at the crossroads of several cultures. The resonant polyphonic folk singing is a reflection of the soul of Bela krajina—part of our land and our lives—woven from different themes, periods, and cultural influences.
A distinctive feature of Bela krajina folk dance groups is the whiteness of the costume. For staged performances of dances, songs, and tunes that depict social gatherings and celebrations of the people of Bela krajina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—such as weddings and church festivals—folk costumes are used that resemble the styles of dress worn across Slovenia during that period. This era was characterised by socialising, dancing, and entertainment, typically accompanied by various folk musicians.
Respectful stage presentations of Bela krajina’s heritage require a deep understanding of many fields, as they involve the skilful intertwining of dance, song, music, acting, costume, choreography, direction, and organisation. The highly interdisciplinary nature of folk dance group activity demands the ability, knowledge, interest, and dedication of both the leadership and the members, as only the harmony of all these elements can result in a high-quality interpretation of Bela krajina’s cultural heritage.
In folk (re)creation, it is essential that all elements—dances, songs, tunes, instrumental accompaniment, and costume design—are consistent with the chosen historical period and are thematically and geographically coherent.
An important part of the mosaic of Bela krajina’s heritage is also its folklore narratives—texts known as legends, fairy tales, anecdotes, stories, and recollections of a memorial, historical, social, or humorous nature. These narratives often serve as a valuable source of inspiration for the creation of programmes and performances.
In Bela krajina, there are ten adult folk dance groups (some more active than others), each recreating the region’s cultural heritage through various programmes and presenting it both at home and abroad. Folk dance activity is also vibrant and of high quality in primary schools across Bela krajina, where numerous children’s and school-based groups are active. Their successful work provides a strong foundation for passing tradition on to future generations.
In addition to the regional office of the Javnega sklada Republike Slovenije za kulturne dejavnosti Črnomelj (Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Cultural Activities in Črnomelj), the preservation of traditions is also supported by local and tourist organisations. In all three municipalities of Bela krajina, the region’s largest cultural events are based on folk heritage. These include the annual Jurjevanje in Bela krajina in Črnomelj, Vinska vigred in Metlika, and Semiška ohcet in Semič.
Trends in modern life are reshaping values, lifestyles, social interactions, and ways of thinking. Increasing migration and digital communication are blending people’s work, customs, and everyday lives. Yet it is through the understanding, preservation, and respectful appreciation of our own cultural heritage that we build a strong sense of national identity. By learning about and valuing the diversity of people from other backgrounds, we also lay the foundations for harmonious coexistence. For the people of Bela krajina, this is second nature—cultural blending has been part of life here for centuries, giving rise to a cultural heritage that is exceptionally rich, diverse, and intriguing.
The high-quality work of folk dance groups plays a vital role in fostering a meaningful relationship with the cultural heritage of Bela krajina. Only in this way can we continue to pass on the finest and most beautiful traditions left to us by our forebears. In doing so, ancient customs, recordings, writings, and artefacts will not remain mere museum pieces but will live on as a vibrant core of culture, with its own distinctive regional, ethnic, and historical dimensions.
The charm of Bela krajina’s heritage is best felt not through lofty intellectualism, but through heartfelt experience—it draws you in, and you grow to love it.
We are committed to ensuring that folk dance is not seen as something outdated, backward, or inferior, but rather as a noble expression of values that uplift our dignity, strengthen our self-image, and enrich the quality of our lives.
Zdenka Pezdirc and Tadej Fink
Folk Dance Group Dragatuš