On Saturday, May 31, 2025, the children's folklore group of the Triglav Association, with its performance of Koroška dances, participated in the cultural program marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Local Community Pince Marof - Benica, located in the municipality of Lendava, in the far northeast of Slovenia.

This local community was founded a century ago by Slovenian immigrants from Primorska and Istria, seeking a safer home and place for their descendants, fleeing from the coming fascism and oppression by the new Italian authorities. Sharing a similar fate of descendants of emigrants, our association has been nurturing a fraternal bond with the association "Primorci i Istrani u Prekmurju" for a whole decade, and at the invitation of their president, Nataša Tomšić, we participated and attended the cultural and entertainment program marking their great jubilee. Beside our folklore group, the program included: flag bearers, a brass band, a singing group, soloists and a trumpet trio. The performance of our folklore group attracted a lot of attention from about 500 visitors to the event, and everything took place under a big tent right next to the football field of NK Graničar and the premises of the community center. The program was followed by a pleasant gathering with the already well-known and dear hosts, who warmly welcomed us, whereupon all present were served the traditional dish "bograč". After a tour of the memorial barracks with exposed objects and tools, which were used by the residents of Pince Marof and Benica when they moved to new areas, there was a farewell and then a tour of the sights of Lendava.

Under the expert and caring guidance of our host Marta, also a member of the Association “Primorci i Istrani u Prekmurju”, we visited the Lendava Castle, which houses the Lendava Gallery and Museum, where we watched a short film about the past of this place, as well as the permanent historical, ethnological and artistic exhibitions of the Museum. We had the privilege of witnessing the restoration of the butterfly collection, but also to visit the gallery salon where the works of famous artists are exhibited: Salvador Dali and Otto Dix.

Then we visited the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, which houses the incorruptible remains of a local hero and legend, namely the mummy of Mihajlo Hadik, according to legend a fighter and protector of the place from the invasion of the Turks. His mummy, which was discovered by chance and which had a turbulent past, is exhibited in a glass case inside a chapel located on the top of a hill, surrounded by Lendava vineyards. The entire site of the chapel with the ancient cemetery exudes some strange peace and tranquility, so that we could hardly leave the area.

New challenges awaited us in the truest sense of the word - we visited the location of the Lookout Tower, a local tourist attraction that attracts a large number of visitors, because it offers an incredible view of all corners of the world. But our goal was something else. The folklorists were waiting for the zipline descent with mixed feelings of fear and desire for adrenaline excitement. Descending on a 580-meter-long cable, on a double zipline, took place successfully in a relaxed atmosphere, under the guidance of authorized instructors. Happy and satisfied, we headed back to Banjaluka, especially satisfied because of the successful performance and meeting with dear friends.

Mladen Lunić

 

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