Memories from Šušnjevice and surroundings
When we collect oral histories in the Vlaški and Žejanski (Vlashki and Zheyanski, also, Istro-Romanian) language, we document not only the language but also local history, culture and everyday life, as it is remembered by those who lived it.
Here you can listen to snippets of interviews with fluent speakers recorded in Bârdo/Brdo, Šušnjevicę/Šušnjevica, Letaj (Letåj), Noselo/Nova Vas, and Sukodru/Jesenovik. Enjoy your listening!
Kâta ånj âj ča pokle, vavik ča pominjesku
It's been so many years ago and they still mention it
Zora Jurman lu Krânjecu from Noselo/Nova Vas remembers how they prepared wood for the winter (audio clip 1) and how they used to prepare rennet (audio clip 2), and tells an old story about how a local villager blessed his own bread (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Toc n-an munčit dila mič
We all struggled from early age
Silvana Silva Rašpor lu Cigaru iz Letaja (Letåj) tells about houw her family lived (audio clip 1), remembers her father and grandfather (audio clip 2), and tells a riddle (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2011.)
Audio and text Photo album
Sopit-a kum a štivut, e noj an žukavęjt
They played as well as they could, and we danced along
Pjerina Kontuš lu Pavetiću from Noselo/Nova Vas remembers her first day at school (audio clip 1), talks about dances in Jesenovik (audio clip 2), and tell a story of her pilgrimage to Učka (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Sako s-a provijęjt, sako.
We lived through all kinds of hardship, all kinds.
Nela Rabar lu Banašera iz Sušnjevicę/Šušnjevica remembers the arrival of Germans in the World War Two (audio clip 1), talks about how she looked after turkeys when she was a child (audio clip 2), and tells about herbs and home remedies (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Ča bivęjta pljire cestele de mlådić ši de fęte
The roads were full of young men and women then
Nerina Peculić lu Faraguna from Kostrčån/Kostrčani talks about how they made „lard bundles" back then (audio clip 1), what the Easter and Christmas customs were like (audio clip 2), how, in the evening, roads used to be full of young men and women going to a dance (audio clip 3); she also xplains how slip-on shoes used to be made (audio clip 4).
Audio and text Photo album
E lukru-j vajka ku târsi
There is always work with grape vines
Mario Cvečić lu Båle from Noselo/Nove Vasi talks about his school days (audio clip 1), remembers old children's games (audio clip 2), and explains how to care for grape vines (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
E grumbo-j ke limba zepustin
It's bad to neglect our language
Marija Fable lu Lukåč from Noselo/Nova Vas talks about the Vlashki language (audio clip 1), remembers how a woman from Lovran would come to sell toys at Pentecost (audio clip 2), explains how lard, pork rinds and blood sausages are made (audio clip 3) and recounts how woolen mattresses were once made (audio clip 4). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Jo kaptåjan kân čelji majbetâri sopija
I watched as the older ones played music
Miro Belulović lu Fåbro from Šušnjevica remembers how he learned to play his accordion (audio clip 1), tells the story about the fox and the wolf (audio clip 2), talks about how people prepared for the carnival in the past (audio clip 3), recalls the customs related to May Day (audio clip 4) and the lighting of midsummer bonfires and tying of walnut trees with rye hay (audio clip 5).
Audio and text Photo album
E nu mj-a fost saka vota drågo, nu, ali m-am ânmecåt.
I wasn't pleased every time, no, but I did learn
Ljubica Brkarić lu Bene from Noselo/Nova Vasa remembers when she went to buy rubber bands for tying the vines for her grandfather at age five (audio clip 1) and recounts how her grandmother sent her to wash the clothes at the brook (audio clip 2). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Fome fost-a de tot, reskinic, reskuc, ali toturo kuntenti toc
We were hungry for everything, in rags, barefoot, but we were still happy
Lino Mikleuš lu Ćuku from Noselo/Nova Vas remembers how, as a young boy, he started making shoes with his father (audio clip 1), recalls customs observed for Easter and St. Peter's and St. John the Baptist's Days (audio clip 2), talks about how people lived once (audio clip 3) and tells a poem about a girl who picks flowers for her boyfriend (audio clip 4). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Târlijan ku obruče
We ran around with the hoops
Gianni Brkarić lu Bene from Noselo/Nova Vas remembers playing with barrel hoops (audio clip 1), talks about the Beka wellspring where people went to get water in the summer (audio clip 2) and recalls how farm lanterns were used once (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2009.)
Audio and text Photo album
Fost-a...
There were...
Anton Vitorio Mikleuš lu Jåče from Noselo/Nova Vas tells how Martin tricked Death (audio clip 1) and relates a story about Martin and Saint Peter (audio clip 2); he also tells a story about two witches (audio clip 3). (Recorded in 2010.)
Audio and text Photo album
