In the authentic ambiance of a Herzegovinian village, the first ethno-fest “Didak” was held in Međugorje, organized by the ethno-group of the same name. The event is dedicated to tradition, local gastronomic offer and community, but also to the story of the famous Herzegovinian Franciscan Friar Didak Buntić.
In the sea of summer events in Herzegovina, Međugorje was filled with the smells of local dishes, the sounds of traditional music and a wide variety of folk customs.
“There is a rich musical and gastronomic offer, we have various performers from the area of Herzegovina, but also from Croatia. There are HKD St. Marko Vionica, KUD Rodoč, HKUD Aladinići, klapa Liron from Mostar”, says Ana Zubac, a member of the ethno-group “Didak”.
In the festival section dedicated to the art of preparing homemade dishes, visitors could taste delicacies that were a combination of traditional and modern.
“We have about twenty stands, each one is authentic in its own way, we connect Herzegovina with our tailors, but we also modernize our tradition, old customs in the way it is done today,” points out Zubac.
“We have prepared some old dishes in a more modern way – there is, for example, raštika pesto, which has taken Herzegovina by storm this summer. Then there is the old Herzegovina pan, but as a burger version so that it is more accessible to younger people. And as for the sweet part, we have polenta cake, which in good times is a novelty on our market,” says chef Luka Kraljević.
The festival is named after a Herzegovinian Franciscan who left an indelible mark in education and humanitarian work. His character and work are an inspiration to many, theater performances have been made about him, both on the stage of the Croatian National Theater Mostar, and through emotional performances by the members of the ethno-group “Didak”.
“That man, who died quite young, left an indelible mark on the lives of our elders, but that was also passed on to new generations, and I think we can talk about Fr. Didak with great pride,” concludes Robert Pehar, actor of HNK Mostar.
The ethno-fest “Didak” exceeded expectations already in its first edition, with the organizer’s message that tradition lives as long as it is transmitted with love, Federalna writes.
