The “THE KONOBA”, (Tavern, Winecellar) book wrote by Miki Bratanic explain the meaning of the "konoba" to vintner (winegrower, wine-cellarer ), their daily coexistence over the centuries, accompanied by extraordinary black&white photographs of his family "konoba" in Vrbanj on the island Hvar, in Croatia, one of the few who have managed to preserve its original shape and function.
In addition, there are very rare black&white documentary photographs from Split Ethnographic Museum, recorded in the early 20th century on the Croatian islands, which appear difficult in a traditional setting with authentic tools and accessories, which today belong only to the ethnographic collections.
The book also contains articles Jaksa Fiamengo, Josko Bozanic, the maestro Ljubo Stipisic Delmata, dedicated to the konoba as an extremely important phenomenon in the Mediterranean world.
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"KONOBA, the center of the Mediterranean micro cosmos
The Konoba, as the center of a whole micro cosmos, is the place for which Dalmatia and the whole coast could be recognized. It is one of the main places among characteristic topoi of the Mediterranean world, such as waterfront promenades, piazzas, bell towers, olive trees, boats, fresh laundry hanging on washing lines stretching across narrow streets, reflections of the setting sun in small windows, and many more things that are floating in the salty galaxy of the wisest and bluest sea in the whole world.
Places like that could be found everywhere, but in this coastal area, they have special meaning. We promptly have to point out that the konoba is not – though it may appear to be – in any way a pantry, a storeroom, a larder, a magazine... for discarded items; it is a living organism in which every little detail of life is multiplied to infinity through talking and singing. It is also wrong to perceive the konoba as a tavern with a characteristic interior containing lots of gastronomic details. The konoba deserves more respect; it is the micro cosmos of a peculiar world, and at the same time, its universe, the University of Life with the whole range of different contents, a permanent exam of good taste.
In other words, it is not a space, it is a philosophy.
What is the most important thing in the konoba? Even when meat is on the table, we can feel the sea and all that goes with it. In those beautiful bases of the points of life, one of the most important on the Mediterranean soil, in the unique scenery of simplicity and soul, one can always feel the constant smell of fish and wine, prosciutto and cheese in olive oil, anchovies and capers, pancetta and bacon, carobs and dried figs, the smell of fresh fish and naturally, desirably moderate amounts of alcohol. All in all, a collective world of the silence of the sea and stone heaps... "
Wrote by; Jakša Fiamengo
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Author's song "U konobi moga dida” (In the cellar of my grandpa") maestro Stipisic set to music and tune a capella singing, and her notes and handwritten text in attached at the end of the book.
Miki Bratanic although belonging to a younger generation of poets, trying to preserve the experience of old times, realize the value of tradition, and to record the oral tradition and customs through their own experience.
"THE KONOBA" was first published book dedicated to the "konoba".
In addition, there are very rare black&white documentary photographs from Split Ethnographic Museum, recorded in the early 20th century on the Croatian islands, which appear difficult in a traditional setting with authentic tools and accessories, which today belong only to the ethnographic collections.
The book also contains articles Jaksa Fiamengo, Josko Bozanic, the maestro Ljubo Stipisic Delmata, dedicated to the konoba as an extremely important phenomenon in the Mediterranean world.
....................
"KONOBA, the center of the Mediterranean micro cosmos
The Konoba, as the center of a whole micro cosmos, is the place for which Dalmatia and the whole coast could be recognized. It is one of the main places among characteristic topoi of the Mediterranean world, such as waterfront promenades, piazzas, bell towers, olive trees, boats, fresh laundry hanging on washing lines stretching across narrow streets, reflections of the setting sun in small windows, and many more things that are floating in the salty galaxy of the wisest and bluest sea in the whole world.
Places like that could be found everywhere, but in this coastal area, they have special meaning. We promptly have to point out that the konoba is not – though it may appear to be – in any way a pantry, a storeroom, a larder, a magazine... for discarded items; it is a living organism in which every little detail of life is multiplied to infinity through talking and singing. It is also wrong to perceive the konoba as a tavern with a characteristic interior containing lots of gastronomic details. The konoba deserves more respect; it is the micro cosmos of a peculiar world, and at the same time, its universe, the University of Life with the whole range of different contents, a permanent exam of good taste.
In other words, it is not a space, it is a philosophy.
What is the most important thing in the konoba? Even when meat is on the table, we can feel the sea and all that goes with it. In those beautiful bases of the points of life, one of the most important on the Mediterranean soil, in the unique scenery of simplicity and soul, one can always feel the constant smell of fish and wine, prosciutto and cheese in olive oil, anchovies and capers, pancetta and bacon, carobs and dried figs, the smell of fresh fish and naturally, desirably moderate amounts of alcohol. All in all, a collective world of the silence of the sea and stone heaps... "
Wrote by; Jakša Fiamengo
..................
Author's song "U konobi moga dida” (In the cellar of my grandpa") maestro Stipisic set to music and tune a capella singing, and her notes and handwritten text in attached at the end of the book.
Miki Bratanic although belonging to a younger generation of poets, trying to preserve the experience of old times, realize the value of tradition, and to record the oral tradition and customs through their own experience.
"THE KONOBA" was first published book dedicated to the "konoba".
