Vuk magarca (orzenje) - Tinj, HR

Poziva: Paško Bašić (from Tinj)
Orzi: Petar Tuta (from Polača)

Tinj is a village in the Ravni Kotari region of Croatia, inhabited by the Catholic Croats. It is located between Biograd na Moru and Benkovac, about 30 km inland from Zadar. This area is full of vineyards, olive groves, and almond and fig trees. Most inhabitants run farms. The folk tradition of Tinj was influenced by two main areas: the Dinaric region where ojkanje, na bas singing, and shepherd’s songs can be found, and the Adriatic coastal areas with such themes as sea and sailor’s life; also, the typical melisma of the Tinj singers is common in the Adriatic area.

Orzenje (also called ojkanje) – a traditional style of polyphonic singing, cultivated in Dalmatia, Velebit, Lika, Kordun, and Karlovac. As described in the Harvard Dictionary of Music: Ojkanje is a particular style of melismatic singing with sharp and long-lasting voice-trembling on syllables “oy” or “hoy”. According to some experts, ojkanje is a relict of singing from the Ilirian region of ancient Dalmatia (modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro). In 2010 this style was included in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
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About us – Balkan Polyphony is a field research project that collects traditional music from the Balkans area. We are the united forces of Łada Band, Zalas Production Company, and Friends.