This issue marks the first time that our cover art is the work of students of the University of Zagreb’s Academy of Fine Arts. The back cover features the island of Dugi Otok, presented in this issue and wrapping up our two-year series on Croatia’s Adriatic
This year’s final instalment of Matica magazine, December’s Christmas issue, is now available to readers. This issue marks the first time that our cover art is the work of students of the University of Zagreb’s Academy of Fine Arts. The back cover image is from the island of Dugi Otok, featured in this issue and wrapping up our two-year series presenting the islands of the Croatian Adriatic.
From the historical perspective presented by Marin Knezović, the endemic flora and fauna described by Darko Mihelj, to the story of the emigrant Dominis family as related by Franjo Bertović, we look at the points of interest on our most indented island, Dugi Otok.
In his column on Croatian musicians Davor Schopf looks at the life of the late legendary stage player and singer Đani (Ivan) Šegina of Zagreb’s Komedija theatre house, and at the seventy years of this venerable Zagreb cultural institution.
As we remember the heroic defence of Vukovar we also look at one of its finest sons, Vlado Štefančić, whose work as the director of the Komedija theatre house earned him the moniker “king of the musical” as saw some of the finest moments in the theatre’s history.
The latest translations and editions were featured at a virtual version of the Interliber book fair, our Vesna Kukavica has reviewed a fascinating tome penned by Zvonimir Navala on Croatians caught up in the imperial British war against the Boers in the south of Africa, and we look at a Bulgarian translation by four students of a Želimir Periš novel.
We also look at the activities of people in our diaspora communities around the world: painter A. Cetin in Canada, photographer I. Rukavina in Australia, and a homeland donation from the Miketić family of the USA.
Our new section on Croatian language lectors abroad takes us to Sanja Franković in Bucharest.
In his column The Sociological Puzzle Nino Sorić talks with Neven Šerić about the lighthouses that dot the Croatian coast.
Željko Rupić keeps us abreast of current events and news from the State Office for Croats Abroad.
Following our long tradition this issue also includes an inserted Catholic calendar for 2021.
Editor Ljerka Galic and the entire editorial board wish you pleasant reading all the best in the Christmas holidays and the New Year!
03 Content Matice 12
Columns
20 Croatian Musicians
25 Global Croatia
29 Cues in Communication
32 Croatia’s Endemic Flora and Fauna
38 The Sociological Puzzle
42 Click: Going Home
62 Movement/Aberration
4 In Focus: News from the State Office for Croats Abroad
5 An interview with Julije Domac
8 Hispanist Željka Lovrenčić visits North Macedonia
10 Dayton Agreement anniversary
12 An emigrant story in Australia: Ivan Rukavina
14 Networking among Croatian women in Australia
15 Mile Nekić exhibition
16 The latest from Canadian painter Anton Cetin
22 Vukovar native Vlado Štefančić
24 Anniversary of the Komedija theatre house
26 Our first global virtual concert
27 The renovation of the St Nicholas church
28 A look at the people of the Dugi Otok island
30 A history of Dugi Otok
36 The Dugi Otok islander roots of the Dominis family
44 INTERLIBER book fair goes virtual
46 Founding the Marulić culture institute
48 Z. Navala on Croatians in the British imperial war with the Boers
52 G2 conference
54 The Croatian language lector in Bucharest
56 A Bulgarian translation of a Ž. Periš novel
57 M. Peran Lekić photographic exhibition in Slovenia’s Ljubljana
58 Days of Brazil in Pula
59 The Toljanić family: European Large Family of the Year 2020
60 Trešnjevka neighbourhood museum Internet project
64 Crorama
66 Sports news
By: Ljerka Galic