Notebook

NORTH SERBIAN PROVINCE, ALL OF ITS ELEMENTS AND TOURIST MAGNETISM
Vojvodina is Mentality
Thus spoke Isidora Sekulić from Vojvodina, the great lady of Serbian literature: Vojvodina is not space, but mentality. A character. As landscape of Vojvodina is scenic, streaked with the rivers, lakes, the Fruška gora Mt. and the Vršačkim Mt., the life itself is fertile and exciting here, since everything is interwoven. The climate, the customs, the languages, the cultures, the sensibilities… ”The various abundance and fullness exist here, that’s why everything is so flat to the people form Vojvodina”

By: Helena Duković

When looking for the easiest way to present north Serbian province, one usually says ”There all of them came from somewhere”, some before, some later. It was built on the ruins of various empires: Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian. Its noble soil always attracted people yearning for a better life, thus Germans, Hungarians, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Armenians, Jews, Aromanians, etc. have settled there. Serbian presence was recorder quite early, and most massive immigration occurred at the end of the 17th century, after the Austrians (and Christians) were defeated in the war against Turks. Patriarch Čarnojević led the Serbs in 1690 in great migration from southern parts, and the Emperor of Austria promised them they'll be able to choose their own duke, which represents first mention of dukedom in this area.
In order to preserve their language and religion, Serbs were the defenders of the border of Austrian Empire. They managed to preserve both. They brought from the old home sanctities and customs, and Vojvodina became the development center of Serbian culture. First Gymnasium was founded in 1871 in Sremski Karlovci, Matica Srpska was established in 1826, and first theater in Serbs – the Serbian National Theater – in 1861...
By Ordinance of National Assembly in Novi Sad on November 25th 1918, Vojvodina was adjoined to the Kingdom of Serbia.

EUROPEAN WEALTH OF DIVERSITIES

As landscape of Vojvodina is scenic, streaked with the rivers, lakes, the Fruška gora and Vršac Mountain, so the life itself is fertile and exciting here, since everything is interwoven. The climate, the customs, the languages, the cultures, the sensibilities…Always people here lived together, interlaced, so maybe that’s why in the heritage of Vojvodina so much beauty. If you go through the villages and cities, from one end to the other, you will feel like you are on a journey through Europe. From Subotica to Sremska Mitrovica, from Sombor to Bela Crkva, each place is ”so similar but so differnet”. Since everyone’s customs are respected, the holidays are celebrated twice: two Christmases, two Easters, and two New Years. One visits the others on holidays and name-days, and when village holiday or kirchweih comes, everybody celebrates. Children are especially happy, since that is the time when carousel and toy and cotton candy vendors, among others, come to town.

FESTIVALS IN HONOR OF THE GOURMETS

In Vojvodina, food and drink have always been appreciated. That's no secret! No wonder, as being said, that people in Vojvodina are so tame. From various abundances, everything is ”flat” afterwards. The indicator of appreciation of food and drink are the numerous festivals in honor of the gourmets. There’s no specialty that doesn't has its day, as there is no village that doesn't has some festival.
”Slaninijada” (Bacon Festival) in Kačarevo is held each year in February. Masters of the butcher trade compete in bacon making, among other specialties. In Turija on ”Kobasicijada” (Sausage Festival) a giant sausage is made, always around two kilometers long. On the festival of honey in Novi Sad, all the honey producers from whole Serbia preset their products. October is reserved for ”Kupusijada” (Cabbage Festival) in Futog, where housewives compete which one will prepare a better sweet cabbage or sarma, and also the heaviest cabbage is chosen, for which Futog is by far known. ”Grožđebal” in Sremski Karlovci is for the aficionados of this heavenly drink a real feast, when wines from famous Karlovci wine cellars can be sampled. (...)

SALAŠI, ČARDE, TAMBURAŠI

Once in Vojvodina, you can't miss a visit to the grange and čarda. In these old husbandries, where people still live in traditional way, not only can you enjoy peace and nature, but fabulous domestic cuisine as well. For those who prefer the river, there are čarda – forerunners of today popular rafts, the home to bohemians and nighters. In the past, čarda represented the canopy beside the river, erected on four posts, designed specially for travelers. Later, food and drinks were served, followed by musicians, pipers, and tambura players. That's how it is today! Čarda are oasis of lustiness, good food and good time, especially for the aficionados of fish soup and freshly prepared fish. Every pastime in Vojvodina is accompanied by the song of tamburaši, no matter where you might be – on a grange, festival, fair, čarda or terrace of the Petrovaradin Fortress.