IVANOVIĆ: WE PRESERVE AND KEEP ALIVE SERB PEOPLE’S CUSTOMS

PAKRAC, OCTOBER 4 /SRNA/ – Serbs in the Pakrac-Slavonia County of Croatia, once a large community, have been reduced to small numbers, but despite that, they continue to preserve their customs and cultural-historical heritage, Nikola Ivanović, the head of the county branch of the Independent Democratic Serb Party /SDSS/, cited in his SRNA statement.

"Even though the population has dwindled in the city and surrounding villages, we strive to revive the places where the Serb people have gathered for centuries. We respect our traditions and holidays and keep the memory of those who suffered alive," Ivanović said. He emphasized that the Serb House in Pakrac was established with this goal in mind, and along with the Bishop’s Palace and the restored Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, it serves as a gathering place for Serbs in the county. "We are trying hard to stay active, to bring our people together by organising various events, to be of service to our community in solving everyday problems, and to work with children to teach them about customs and tradition," Ivanović said. The Serb House in Pakrac serves both as an administrative centre and a venue for cultural events and promotions. "We have folk dance and singing groups. Important part of the Serb House is the ethnographic room, which we equipped thanks to the efforts of Professor Dalibor Harambašić. It contains exhibits that testify to the traditions and culture of this region," said Ivanović. He added that the room also features photographs showcasing traditional architecture in the villages around Pakrac, noting their importance given that many of these Serb-populated villages were burned during the war. "This room is the first result of our work in researching the material and immaterial cultural heritage of Serbs in western Slavonia, which we’ve been dedicated to over the past two years," Ivanović said. He stated that the goal is to, with the help of ethnographic institutes in Belgrade and Zagreb, create a unique database of the intangible heritage of Serbs in western Slavonia. "Our wish is to permanently protect and have our traditional Krivo Kolo and all the customs that Serbs of western Slavonia have nurtured for centuries included on UNESCO’s national heritage list," Ivanović concluded.