The country in the southeastern part of Slovenia, Bela krajina, is known as the land of white birches and in the last few years, under the slogan of a single tourist destination Bela krajina, as the land of hearty people.
In addition to the natural heritage, wine culture and cuisine, we can also mention music and dance, as well as the white folk costumes that are characteristic of this part of Slovenia, as two important parallels in the lives of the people of Bela Krajina.
As a combination of music and dance, Bela krajina proved to be a folklore, but it behaves differently from place to place - both in the pronunciation of folk songs and in the performance of its dancers. And why white national costumes? Why linen?
Due to poverty, the inhabitants of the country on the edge of Slovenia were forced to wear white clothes made of linen, which today, in addition to white birches and litter, are the foundation of the folk tradition of Bela krajina.
Who would have thought that the linen cloth they were forced to use because of poverty would be worth so much today. When we say so much, we have in mind the enormous prices of goods and perhaps as a curiosity, a real national costume made of goods, today one can hardly afford. The whole dress could also cost 500 EUR or more.
Let's go back to the customs - dancing and singing. One of the oldest dances is the "kolo", which is not found anywhere else in Slovenia. According to the local Ivan Navratil, the girls once sang and played on the Metlika "kolo" on Easter Monday at the Metlika Pungart. (The people of Bela krajina call Easter Monday vuzem.)
It was only later that the "kolo" became mixed. Usually the dance is led by a "vojarinka" who is constantly meandering. To "kolo" dance joins the game of bridge, continues in the wedding game of the lattice, and concludes with a rooster fight and wearing a turn.
The most famous folklore groups in the area of Bela krajina are the Ivan Navratil Folklore Group and the Dragatuš Folklore Group.
Older dance traditions also include smaller dances, such as the Fruška, jabuke, slive (pears, apples, plums dance), whose song was the inspiration for the name of the House of Goodies (Hiše dobrot Bele krajine), a boutique shop in the old town of Metlika, which brings together various Bela Krajina providers and their products.
Bela krajina in various ways is interwind with folk customs, which are undoubtedly spread among people by folk dances and singing through singing and dancing.
Understanding the traditions and culture of our ancestors is essential to creating a prosperous future.
We are also aware of this at the Kolpa Glamping Resort, so with the exterior of our tourist resort as well as with other elements of the tourist offer, we constantly draw attention to the somewhat forgotten elements of everything we are today.
Bela krajina je v najrazličnejših pogledih prepletena z ljudskimi običaji, ki jih s petjem in plesom med ljudi nedvomno širijo folklorni plesi in petje.
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