The documentary series called “When I Remember Krka” (Kad se sjetim Krke), directed by Tomislav Krnic, bring about an inspiring look at the cultural treasure that is preserved by the ethno village located at Skradinski buk at the beloved NP Krka.
As Morski writes on the 6th of April, 2020, as modern life continues to accelerate and change rapidly, many an old art, skill and craft is sadly left in the past. Wanting to raise awareness of the extremely rich cultural heritage associated with NP Krka and the Krka river, as well as the way of life of the people who have always lived along the river, the NP Krka Public Institution has produced one long and three shorter documentary films which revive some long-forgotten times through the emotions and memories of local artisans.
Although the main characters are reminiscent of the protagonists of some popular fairy tales, they are real people who have devoted their lives to valuable crafts and have remained attached to NP Krka and the Krka river for many decades of their lives. One of Skradin’s oldest residents, 87-year-old miller Mate Zura, testifies in the first film about his craft, which he used to engage in with his father at a mill at Skradinski buk. Thanks to his many years of experience and his wealth of highly specific knowledge, he participated in the restoration of today’s watermills at NP Krka.
”I started weaving at the age of fourteen,” recalls another protagonist, 85-year-old Milka Lukic, in the documentary. Her age didn’t prevent her from starting work in a loom on Skradinski buk back in 2002 and transferring her knowledge to two other women, one of whom still lives there today.
The third story is that of Dragan Supa, who comes from a family of blacksmiths from Konjevrat, whose members have been engaged in this ancient craft for the last 160 years.
”We’re extremely proud of the intangible cultural heritage of our region that we want to highlight with these films. Numerous visitors to the NP Krka and the ethno villages are given an insight into the former way of life of the inhabitants of the area, as well as the complexity of the crafts which are slowly dying out today. The renovated watermills along the Krka river are monuments of rural construction and economic history, as well as ethnological and ethnographic monuments, precisely because of the way they were used in the past. With these films, we want to appeal to a wider circle of people and to pay homage to the things that have nurtured Dalmatia,” said the director of the NP Krka Public Institution, Nella Slavica, adding:
”In addition, in these films, we’re trying to preserve the crafts that are disappearing into oblivion due to the modern way of life, primarily for the sake of all future generations. So, I’d like to thank the protagonists for showing us some of their skills and the inspiration behind them in an inspiring and motivating way.”
This educational-documentary series, directed by the Sibenik director and screenwriter Tomislav Krnic and produced by Digital Media Studio 24/7, is available here.
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