Day of the Vlashki language 2014

This year's event dedicated to the Vlashki language, the sixth annual Day of the Vlashki language, was held on Friday, August 1, 2014 in Šušnjevica.

The event began in the premises of the local community centre with a lecture by Zvjezdana Vrzić, Ph.D., on the topic Hoće li uvijek biti govornika Vlaškog? Stvarnost i stavovi (Will there always be speakers the Vlach language? Reality and attitudes). She presented the results of her research on the vitality of the Vlashki/Zheyanski language, which she conducted with John Singler, a colleague from New York University. The sociolinguistic study was run among speakers of the Vlach/Zheyanski language in the Croatian villages where this language is still spoken, but also in the United States of American among Istrian immigrants who speak the Vlashki language.

The program continued on the square in front of the church with an exhibition by the amateur artist Laura Bubolić, an artist living in Canada, originally from Brdo, who draws inspiration for her artwork from her birthplace.

At the end of the program, visitors were shown video clips made as part of the project Očuvanje vlaškog i žejanskog jezika (Preservation of the Vlashki and Zheyanski Language) and the activities of the Children’s language playgroup “Puljići”: two music videos with children’s songs in Vlashki -- Pȃra (Kruh - Bread) and Kȃn ȃn škola meri (Kada ideš u školu – When you go to school) -- and three video interviews -- Ku Ani ši Natali prin nostru kråj (S Ani i Natali po našem kraju – Around our region with Ani and Natali), in which the two young journalists, Ani and Natali, interviewed villagers in the Vlashki language and collected interesting stories about the past and customs of the region.

Refreshments were served to the many visitors and participants who continued socialising on the square.