Among the 16 girls who arrived from all over the world, the expert panel proclaimed Marina Jurić the winner of the Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia. The title of first runner-up went to Ivana Paštrović from Serbia, while Leona Puškarić from Norway was second runner-up. Marina also took home the title of Miss Photogenic.
The grand finale of the 12th Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia was held on July 5 at Ganga i Hajdučka Družina Square in Tomislavgrad. The expert panel decided that the most beautiful Croatian woman in folk costume outside the Republic of Croatia is Marina Jurić from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The title of first runner-up went to Ivana Paštrović from Serbia, while Leona Puškarić from Norway was second runner-up. This year, once again, Facebook users voted for Miss Photogenic, and this title also went to Marina Jurić, who received almost 10,000 votes.
The Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia is one of the Croatian Heritage Foundation’s most beautiful and attractive programs, which was created in cooperation with the “Stećak” Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Croatian Traditional Culture in BiH in cooperation with Tomislavgrad, the Tomislavgrad Cultural and Information Center, the Tourist Board of the Municipality of Tomislavgrad and Biograd na Moru. The patrons of this year’s show and contest were: Dr. Dragan Čović, President of the Croatian National Assembly, the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, the Government of Hercegbosanska County, Biograd na Moru and the Municipality of Tomislavgrad. This year’s edition was also conducted with the financial support of: The Central State Office for Croats Abroad, the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Municipality of Tomislavgrad, as well as in partnership with the Ministry of Demography and Immigration.
This year’s program included 16 girls from all over the world – from BiH, Argentina, Bolivia, Hungary, Germany, Norway, Romania to Slovenia and Serbia. They presented themselves in beautiful folk costumes, some of which are passed down from generation to generation. The winner, Marina Jurić, presented herself in one such 100-year-old costume from Bosanska Posavina, and a particular feature of her costume was a handmade apron. First runner-up Ivana Paštrović wore a ceremonial costume from Bunjevac, traditionally worn during the Družijanca harvest celebration, while Leona wore a costume from Ogulin, the area from where her parents derive.
The large audience present at Ganga i Hajdučka Družina Square enjoyed the beauty of heritage and tradition again this year, and they were guided through this extremely interesting program by Frano Ridjan. Visitors had a opportunity to learn more about the beautiful and luxurious folk costumes that the girls proudly wore, but also about the participants themselves, who, despite arriving from different continents, still uphold the national and cultural identity of their ancestors.
On the final evening, numerous high-ranking individuals and distinguished guests gathered: Lidija Bradara, President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Envoy of the patron Dr. Dragan Čović, President of the Croatian National Assembly, Žana Ćorić, Envoy of the State Secretary of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad Zvonko Milas, Frane Tokić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Demography and Immigration of the Republic of Croatia, Ivan Vukadin, President of Herceg-Bosnia County and Ivan Buntić, Mayor of the Municipality of Tomislavgrad. On behalf of the organizer, the Croatian Heritage Foundation, the director of the CHF, Mijo Marić, also arrived in Tomislavgrad, who welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of this Matica program, which has already been successfully taking place for 12 years in a row.
This was the twelfth edition of the Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia, an event aimed at connecting Croats from all over the world in order to promote a common traditional culture, to get to know and support Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially to strengthen and preserve national and cultural identity. The conceptual originator of this project is Father Zvonko Martić.
Text: Željka Sablić Odrljin / Photo: Pere Tokić, CHF
