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Moreška is a traditional
sword dance Weapon dances incorporating swords or similar weapons are recorded throughout world history. There are various traditions of Solo dance, solo and mock-battle (Pyrrhic dance, Pyrrhic) sword dances in Africa, Asia and Europe. Some traditions use ...
from the town of
Korčula Korčula () is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk. The populat ...
, on the
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
n island of the same name in the
Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
. Dating back hundreds of years, the Moreška is an elaborate production involving two groups of dancers, engaging in a mock battle over the fate of a veiled young woman. Originally performed rarely on special occasions, in modern times the Moreška is performed weekly for visiting tourists. The two sides of battling dancers were originally Moors and Christians, recalling the Spanish battles of the
Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...
in the Middle Ages. However, at some point in the 19th century in Korčula, the sides changed from Christians vs.
Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...
, to
Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
vs. Moors, Turks vs. Moors or simply "White" and "Black", with the non-Moor side emerging victorious.


History

The Moreška in Korčula dates back to at least the mid-17th century, with its roots in the Middle Ages, from the several hundred years of battle between Muslims and Christians ( Moros y cristianos) in Spain, specially in Catalonia where exist a traditional dance called La Morisca de Gerri de la Sal, during the
Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...
. Multiple European festivals and pageants have their roots from that period. By the 16th century the conquest theme with mock battles was introduced into the Americas and other world areas administered or culturally influenced by Spain. The version that is danced in Korčula appears to be the only one in modern times which uses two swords held by each soldier (''Moreškanti'') in the elaborate mock battles.


Performances

The Moreška was originally performed on special occasions only, perhaps once every few years, especially on the Feast Day of "Sveti Todor" ( Saint Theodore, Korčula's patron saint) in July, in a lavish presentation which could last for up to two hours. In modern times there are abbreviated performances of 20–30 minutes which occur weekly in the summer for visiting tourists. Performers must be native to Korčula, and local families take great pride in their participation.


Primary characters

* Bula: The captured maiden * Moro: The Black King * Osman: The White King (who wears red) * Otmanović: The Black King's father


Plot

The Black King enters dragging the captured Bula maiden in chains. He tries to persuade her to respond to his advances, but she replies that she is in love with the White King. The two kings and their armies confront each other, and battle escalates from taunts, to the kings in battle, to both armies clashing, with a mixture of solos and varying rhythms through seven different dances. The Black soldiers are eventually surrounded and defeated, and the White King rescues the Bula.


Sword dance societies

There are two societies (groups) which perform the Moreška in the town of Korčula, and other societies on the island which perform another variant of sword dance, known as the Kumpanija. Certain towns and villages have Kumpanija groups, which perform on the respective village feast day, as well as on other festive dates during the summer tourist season: *
Vela Luka Vela Luka () is a small town and the only naselje , settlement in the eponymous municipality in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. The town is located on the western side of the island of Korčula at the bottom of a wide bay ...
, performed March 19, St. Joseph * Blato, performed on April 28, the day of Saint Vincenca and during the summer months *
Čara Čara is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula the island, is part of the Dalmatian coast and it belongs to the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. The village is situated twenty-five kilometers west of the old town of Korčula (town), Ko ...
, performed a few times per year, including June 29,
Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...
's Day *
Pupnat Pupnat is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia on the Dalmatian coast within the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. The village is situated 12 kilometres west of the old town of Korčula, 8 kilometres west of Žrnovo and 13 kilometres east of Č ...
, August 5, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snow * Smokvica, performed on August 14, the Feast of the Assumption *
Žrnovo Žrnovo is a village on the island of Korčula in Croatia. Korčula is an island on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea and administratively belongs to the Dubrovnik–Neretva County of Croatia. The village is situated four kilometers west of t ...
, August 16, on
Saint Roch Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79; traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327), also called Rock in English, was a Majorcan Catholic confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he was especially invo ...
's Day


Acknowledgements

* Croatian Post released a
commemorative stamp A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event, person, or object. The ''subject'' of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike defi ...
"PUmed, Mediterranean Festivals – Moreška", depicting Moreška, created in collaboration with the Association of Postal Operators of Mediterranean Countries and
design A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...
ed by Dean Roksandić, in July 2023.


See also

*
Morris dance Morris dancing is a form of English folklore, English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers in costume, usually wearing bell pads on their shins, their shoes or both. A ban ...
*
Moresca Moresca (Italian), morisca (Spanish), mourisca (Portuguese) or moresque, mauresque (French), also known in French as the danse des bouffons, is a dance of exotic character encountered in Europe in the Renaissance period. This dance usually took fo ...
*
Korčula Korčula () is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk. The populat ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Moreska Culture of Croatia Croatian folk dances Korčula