Page 41 - World Heritage and Tourism Innovation

Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage

pre-Romanesque church of the Holy Saviour at the the Treaty of Carlowitz in 1699 (present-day Srijemski
Cetina source, including traditional cultural life like Karlovci), Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region were
Ojkanje Singing, Silent Circle Dance (nijemo kolo) finally merged into the Venetian Republic (Belamarić,
of the Dalmatian hinterland, the carnival procession 2015). Since then, the Alka has happened every year
called Didi s Kamešnice, pottery, and local cuisine, on the first Sunday in August. Besides the main tour-
followed by cultural institutions such as the Sinjska nament, the Alka, on Friday and Saturday before that,
Alka Museum, Museum of the Cetinska Krajina re- the Bara and the Čoja are organised, and two prelim-
gion, the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan inary races introduce the main event. The Alka inter-
Monastery, Sikirica Gallery, and also events like the twines historical local, Venetian, and Ottoman cultur-
Sinjska Alka and pilgrimage on the Feast of the As- al elements in terms of the costumes, weapons, and
sumption of Our Lady in Sinj. precise military rules of the tournament, including
Though tourism in Dalmatinska Zagora is signif- the alkars’ parade and other participants of the alkars’
icantly less developed than on the Croatian coast and procession, in which each participant has their name,
islands, in the Dalmatian hinterland, there has been role code of behaviour, and clothing (Belamarić, 2015;
an increasing orientation towards tourism as the cru- 2019). The Alka is headed by the Tournament Mas-
cial economic sector and its increasing importance, ter and organised by the Alka Knights Society. The
not only in the day trip excursion. However, one can Alka Knights Society (2022) is an association of citi-
expect the destination (longer-stay) segment of tour- zens that holds the Sinjska Alka, carefully preserving
ists. The most common forms of tourism in Sinj and all the tangible and intangible aspects that make the
the Cetinska Krajina region are events, religious and knights’ tournament an intangible heritage. The head-
cultural tourism (especially heritage tourism), rural quarters of the Alka Knights Society and the actual
tourism, cyclotourism, mountaineering, ecotourism, Sinjska Alka Museum is in the Alkars’ Courtyard in
and equestrian tourism. Affirming the Sinjska Alka Sinj in one of the rarely preserved Venetian kvartirs
on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural (rectangular-shaped barracks to accommodate caval-
Heritage of Humanity in 2010 and the opening of the ry) in Dalmatia, built in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Sinjska Alka Museum in 2015, this event, including The locals from Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina re-
all complementary tourist attractions stemming from gion, including all Croatians, are strongly associated
the Sinjska Alka, has become even more critical when with the Sinjska Alka, the symbol of the battle for
visiting Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region. Besides freedom and peace, uniquely celebrating honour, in-
being the most prominent feature in the region’s iden- tegrity, heroism, and courage while emphasising the
tity, the Sinjska Alka and alka traditions hold the Sinj tradition of the time (Belamarić, 2015). The Alka ex-
identity as a tourist destination. presses the traditional identity of the Cetinska Kra-
The Sinjska Alka is a unique also one of the last jina region, historically formed along the border of
preserved traditional horse-riding knight tourna- Mediterranean and oriental influences, Christianity
ments in Europe, in which the horse-riding knight and Islam, presented in rich folk costume, the solemn
(alkar) rides at full gallop (at least 45 km/h) carry- parade of altars, and other participants in the altar
ing a 3-metre-long spear and attempts to hit the alka, procession, including the traditional dialect and mu-
which is a small iron ring hung from a rope across the sic. The local identity exists since the alkars are only
racetrack. The alka comprises two circles with a com- reputable and honourable men from Sinj and the Cet-
mon centre hold. A hit in the middle is three points; inska Krajina region.
in the upper section, it is two points; and in the two
side sections, one point is an award. The winner is the Tourism Flow and Accommodation Capacities
horserider who gets the most points in three races. in the Town of Sinj
The Alka honours the win over the Ottomans in 1715. Though tourism flow in the administrative area of the
It probably began in 1718, when, after the signing of Town of Sinj, based on registered tourist arrivals and

Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 37