Eco Hvar

The Island Voice

Published in Highlights

Local dialects are spoken less and less, so every effort to retain their special charm is welcome. From Pitve on Hvar Island, poetess Ičica Barišić has been preserving the particular dialect of her village for many years.

The Island Voice

Almost every town and village on Hvar has its particular local dialect. The variations can be significant or subtle. The Pitve dialect differs greatly from that of Jelsa, the port just three kilometres away. If you know Italian, it is possible to understand at least some of the dialect words used in Jelsa, but not so in Pitve.

Ičica in the family wine cellar in Pitve. Photo: Vivian Grisogono

Ičica's poems in the Pitve dialect are charming reflections of the village and its characteristics. They have done much to preserve the local language for posterity. Her books of collected poems have enjoyed deserved success among people who are interested in Hvar and its traditions, as well as among linguists.

Ičica celebrating her birthday in Pitve's prized restaurant, Dvor Duboković, Photo: Vivian Grisogono, 2019

Even if you don't know Croatian, you can get a feeling of the charm of Ičica's poems. Watch the video below, which carries an English translation of the words, to enjoy Ičica's reading of one of her poems about Ivo 'Mafija' Mileta, a dedicated organic-biodynamic farmer in Pitve.

Ičica's poems have now been collected into a delightful volume complete with recorded readings by Ičica herself. Titled 'Glos Škoja' (The Island Voice), the collection is published by 'Stormy Monday', distributed by 'Book & Zvook' ('Book & Sound') and retails at 7.99€. It can be ordered via this internet link.

© Vivian Grisogono MA(Oxon) March 2025

 

 

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Ičica Barišić, 'Sa suncen ustane' Video: Vivian Grisogono
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