Jelena Obradović Mojaš, The Tradition of Kolenda in Dubrovnik from the Thirteent Century to the Present. Zagreb-Dubrovnik: Zavod za povijesne znanosti HAZU, 2017, 352 pp.
The Institute for Historical Sciences of CASA in Dubrovnik has just published the monograph by Jelena Obradović Mojaš, dedicated to the history of kolenda, a greeting song which is traditionally performed on the eve of the important Christian holidays. The author follows the history of kolenda during a very long time span, beginning from its first mention in the 13th century until the present day. The theme of the study is approached in a very broad way, far beyond the traditional ethnology. Investigating a genuine history of culture and everyday life, Obradović Mojaš analyses festive customs, gifts traditionally given to kolenda performers, the calendar of kolenda performances, the biographies of some eminent kolendari, as well as the various excesses which occured during the holiday nights. With the aim of preserving the rich tradition of Dubrovnik’s kolenda, the author also included in her book a rich selection of the texts of traditional kolendas, found in the manuscripts of the Dubrovnik’s libraries. In sum, this monograph is both an important scholarly work as well as a plea to preserve a vanishing, but precious cultural tradition.
Lovro Kunčević