History of Mint Rubbing in Croatia
Although there are no explicit sources about history of Mint Rubbing in
Croatia, we know for sure this noble practice existed and was nourished
through the centuries. How do we know that? And how can we present to
our readers that is the case?
Obviously, meticulous study of Croatian history can present numerous
historical events which could show various occasions in which noble Croat
politicians spent their time engaged in Mint Rubbing. If they were not
so dedicated to Mint Rubbing maybe they could have analyzed effects of
documents they signed or treaties accepted through centuries in the Croatian
Parliament. The political history of Croatian state speaks for itself.
But, we will spare you and ourselves from digging through archives,
numerous documents and books. Let us be clear: that is not an activity
which a dedicated Mint Rubber could enjoy, is it? I mean, we all like
to spend our time in Mint Rubbing but it is quite different when we can
only read about somebody who engaged in Mint Rubbing we can not engage,
ever.
But, we are fortunate because it's enough to observe few (among many)
expressions in Croatian language which describe various Mint Rubbing
activities. So, here we go.
One of the common techniques very much admired and still widely used
(not only by politicians but among the general population also) is "hunting for
zjake". You should know that zjake come in herds so the noun exists only in
plural. Zjake are timid creatures and they are easily frightened so hunt
is difficult indeed. While hunting one has to be relaxed, with empty
mind and be sure not to think of anything in particular (resembles MR). It is very convenient that zjake come and go as they please and they
can pop up in various places and occasions. That also means they can be
hunted in various places and on various occasions. Dedicated hunters
must be prepared for hunt at any time, in any place, always relaxed, and always with
an empty mind. The greatest excellence in hunting for zjake, the real masters,
the best of the best can be found, of course, in the Croatian Parliament.
Excellence seen in sessions of Parliament can hardly be matched anywhere
else in Croatia.
Of course, readiness has it's adverseness. If one has to be relaxed in
order to be ready for the hunt, one cannot be distracted
by practical issues even if they are popping up in front of their
nose. So everyday problems are pushed aside in order to reach a greater
goal. There is only one problem. No one has been know to celebrate the fulfillment of this goal. Although hunted for
centuries, zjake are so slick that they have managed to escape every
attempt to be caught. At the same time, since nobody ever publicly
announced they caught zjake, there is still great interest for the hunt, primarily
among politicians, but among the population as well. They are following the
dream in which the history will remember them as the first Croat ever to
catch zjake.
Croatia has a surplus of fertile soil. It is said (in some parts
of country) that if you plant them, buttons will grow. In these
circumstances it is self explanatory that making paths is one of the well
known MR activities, primarily among people living from agriculture.
Making paths is not so challenging as zjake hunting. It requires less
energy and less dedication. We may say that this is a light activity for MR
beginners. No additional gear, no special circumstances, no special state of
mind are needed. Whether one is relaxed or not, paths are always within everybody's
reach. Of course, making paths is in itself a relaxing activity.
One can make paths anywhere. Path making is still present where it
begun, in the fields: weed, corn, clover, vineyard, vegetables, they are
all suitable to be regarded as a true basis for an endless MR experience.
The practice has spread all over Croatia. Since we have more
uncultivated soil every day because people who inhabit rural regions have moved
to cities, no one can afford to be very squeamish about the place in
which to make paths. Nowadays paths are also made, among other places, on
asphalt and concrete. It's nice to see that we do not let our traditions die,
that we are ready to do whatever it takes (even to adapt to changing
circumstances) just to preserve our customs and traditions.
It frightens us very much that the climate is not what it used to be. Las twinter, for example, it did not snow at all in Hrvatsko zagorje, the north-western part of
Croatia. That is a very unfortunate development since there is a MR activity
that is greatly appreciated by people living there: selling the
snow. For centuries Zagorje was very poor and selling the snow was
considered to be one of the best ways to be sure you have a prosperous line of
business. We must take into consideration that other lines of business
included digging in a coal or stone pit. Compared to that, selling the snow
was really an upgrade.
Some of the MR activities I do not have to explain in detail (because I
believe they explain themselves) are counting the stars or listening
to the grass as it grows. We have lots of grass. It is growing all over the
country, on those uncultivated fields I mentioned before. You can
understand we care about our MR traditions very much.
To tell you the truth, the problem is I am still at the beginning.
These are just a few MR techniques, I still have a whole list of traditional
MR activities to present. But I did not dedicate enough time to MR
lately, and I am exhausted with all that English. So let me take a break
and dedicate some quality time to Mint Rubbing. When I recuperate I will
let the inspiration lead me to a second part for this article. And
perhaps you will learn that maybe Croats can match Romanians in Mint
Rubbing. But please, I do not intend to say we inevitable have to compete,
not at all. Why compete if we can cooperate, learn from each other and enrich
our lives with knowledge about new MR techniques from all over the
world.
gordana m
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