Slovene Istria Research Articles

“Io ho avuto molti problemi con questo concetto di Nazione Madre”: The Notion of Kin-State from the Perspective of Members of the Italian National Community in Slovenia

Abstract The article delves into the understanding of the notion of kin-state or homeland among members of the Italian national community in Slovene Istria. The authors find that both the notions of kinness and homeland remain theoretically unclear and incomplete, posing significant challenges to the exploration of the amalgamated theoretical construct of kin-homeland as each investigation into this topic begins “ab ovo”. The authors also note methodological inconsistencies across various studies investigating this concept. Their key finding is that members of the Italian national community in Slovenia regard the concept of kin-state or homeland as outdated, attributing this perception to the fluidity of identities that renders binary modes of thinking obsolete.

Pupils’ and Parents’ Opinions on Schools with Italian as the Language of Instruction

Abstract The model of education in the ethnically mixed area of Slovene Istria is designed to ensure schooling for members of the Italian national community and their children in their own language, i.e., Italian. Although also attended by pupils of other nationalities, primary schools with Italian as the language of instruction are key for the preservation of Italian culture and language. The authors present selected research findings that shed light on the opinions of pupils and their parents on whether schools with Italian as the language of instruction develop pupils’ communicative competence in both Italian and Slovene, and whether the existing model of education creates conditions that promote the pupils’ awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity of their environment. The results of the research reveal that the majority of the respondents consider competence in several languages an added value and that the model of education is adequate and good.

Istrian-Venetian Dialect among the Members of the Italian National Minority in Slovene Istria

Abstract During the dialectological research carried out in recent years in some Istrian-Venetian localities (towns), we have learned from conversations with dialect speakers that the Istrian-Venetian dialect is most probably the language of communication of most members of the Italian national community in the coastal part of Slovene Istria. In order to get a more accurate and detailed insight into the use of the Istrian-Venetian dialect spoken by Italians in formal and informal speech situations, we conducted a quantitative survey with 232 randomly selected respondents and a qualitative survey with 50 interviews. The respondents answered various multiple-choice questions about the languages they use in their daily lives. Research has shown that the Istrian-Venetian dialect is the predominant idiom among members of the Italian national community in Slovene Istria, except when communicating with non-Italian interlocutors and in official institutions where, despite the right to use their language, i.e., Italian, the predominant language is Slovene.

Traditional music in tourists’ eyes – the case of Slovene Istria

ABSTRACT The article deals with a modestly researched topic about the attitude of the general tourist population towards the traditional music of the destination. The concept of traditionalism itself is complex, and there are no clear objective criteria for what is and what is not ‘traditional.’ Tourism brings additional dynamics to the local community in the process of (re)defining its tradition. Although traditional music is an important element of the intangible cultural heritage of any destination, there is relatively little research on the perception, understanding and attitudes of the general tourist population towards traditional music. We believe that the misunderstanding of tourists’ wishes, expectations and knowledge of traditional music is at least partly the cause of inappropriate representations of traditional music in tourism. By conducting a survey in the case of Slovenian Istria, a destination with a markedly untapped potential of traditional music, we investigated the factors determining it and its importance in the eyes of tourists. We also studied the differences between tourist segments. The chosen geographical area is highly multicultural and has had a turbulent political and migrant history, which makes it specific and at the same time very suitable for the purpose of the research.

The rethinking and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage of the cultural landscapes: the case of Sečovlje and Janubio saltpans

Cultural landscapes represent a complex category where the nature-culture dichotomy seem to not be able to unfold the main features and the profound relations that humans have with the environment. Drawing on ethnographic data collected in the saltpans of Se-ovlje (Slovene Istria) and Janubio (Lanzarote--Canary Islands) this article examines informant`s perceptions about the awareness of the importance and the enhancement of the holistic values of both saltpans, as well as the impacts and benefits of tourism. Comparing these perceptions about both cultural landscapes, I try to suggest that the complex fruitfully relations between humans and nature in these saltpans are at odds with the neoliberal logic of nature which exploit and commoditize its resources depriving them of their respective agency. A sustainability to contrast the harmful activities of the market ought to be understood not as a simply isolation and fencing of nature for the sake of conservation, but as a preservation that need to foster the continuity of the deep interactions between human culture and non-human nature which are the core of the cultural landscapes.

Climatological trends and anticipated karst spring quantity and quality: case study of the Slovene Istria

Abstract The behaviour of aquifers with karst porosity is dependent on hydrological conditions. This is due to the peculiar characteristics of the groundwater flow and dynamics of hydrological processes in karst. As a result, karst aquifers are especially vulnerable to the effects of environmental change. We assessed the long-term climatological and hydrological trends and the short-term effects of increasingly frequent extreme hydrological events (droughts) for the Mediterranean karst spring Rižana in SW Slovenia. The findings predict higher mean annual air temperatures of 0.34°C decade −1 , lower annual precipitation of c. 60 mm decade −1 and higher annual actual evapotranspiration (especially during spring and summer) of 32–49 mm decade −1 . As a consequence, we can expect a decrease in the mean annual discharge of the spring of c. 480 l s −1 decade −1 with prolonged dry summer periods. Detailed monitoring of the physical, chemical and microbiological parameters showed that the flood pulses caused by precipitation events after a long dry period cause a significant deterioration in water quality. In such situations, contaminants stored in the unsaturated zone are flushed out and counts of coliform bacteria can reach >1400 cfu (100 ml) −1 , with total Al and Fe concentrations up to 206 and 474 μg l −1 , respectively. These results suggest that there should be urgent adherence to water quality standards to protect karst water sources in view of the anticipated climatological stresses. Management strategies should promote monitoring and the rational use of karst water supplies.

Numbers, distribution and nest site characteristics of Jackdaw Corvus monedula in Slovenia and its conservation status

Abstract In 2008, a coordinated census of Jackdaw Corvus monedula was carried out to assess breeding population, distribution and nest site selection in Slovenia. Data collection continued for unsurveyed areas in the 2009-2011 period, including information on former colonies and threats. A total of 663-794 Jackdaw pairs were recorded at 86 sites, while total Slovene breeding population was estimated to be in the range of 700-900 pairs. Over one third of pairs were recorded in Central Slovenia, notably the largest city Ljubljana (20.8%), followed by almost a quarter in the Podravje region. Most colonies numbered between 2 and 5 pairs, the largest occupying the Bežigrad district of Ljubljana (82-87 pairs). Large-scale density in geographically more or less uniform areas ranged from 3.65 pairs/10 km2 in the Sava plain to 0.15 pairs/10 km2 in mostly mountainous area in northern Slovenia. The majority of Jackdaws selected buildings for nesting (82.2% of pairs), while nesting in trees occurred less frequently (14.7%) and was almost entirely confined to the two easternmost regions of Slovenia. Nesting in cliffs was recorded at just two sites in Slovene Istria (3.1%). Average colony size differed significantly in relation to nest site type, with colonies in rock walls being on average the largest (median = 9.5 pairs), followed by colonies on buildings (6) and those in trees the smallest (3). Among pairs nesting on buildings, multi-storey residential buildings predominated (34.2%). A substantial percentage of population nested also on churches and tower blocks (14.4% and 13.5%, respectively). The highest percentage of pairs utilised holes in roofs (26.9%), followed by eaves (18.0%) and chimney pots (14.7%). Tree-nesting pairs occupied mostly small woods situated in open agricultural landscape. The most commonly used tree species was Beech Fagus sylvatica (53.1% of pairs) which hosted 14 of the total 16 forest colonies. For Jackdaws nesting in urban parks and avenues, plane trees Platanus sp. were the most important (30.6% of pairs). Their population stronghold was in lowlands, with 88.1% of pairs recorded at elevations under 400 m and the highest living colony in Slovenia at 578 m a.s.l. Jackdaws occurred on at least 54 specific sites in the past but became extinct there or declined severely by the time of this study. A minimum of 217-254 pairs were estimated lost at these sites, constituting a decline of 24% in c. 10-20 years. According to the IUCN criteria, Jackdaw would qualify as Vulnerable (VU) on the Red List of Slovenia. The commonest known cause of extinction/decline is renovation of buildings, a threat that is projected to escalate in the near future.

The Socioeconomic Impacts of Casino Tourism in Slovenia’s Obalno-Kraška Region

Abstract Casino gambling in the Obalno-kraška region has had a long tradition, its origins dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Ever since its rebirth during Yugoslav times in the 1960s, casino tourism has contributed significantly to the development of the area. Until recently, casino tourism has been one of the most important forms of tourism in addition to 3S and congress tourism. The purpose of this paper is to determine the contribution of casino tourism to the regional development of the Slovene Istria. To this end, selected socioeconomic indicators were examined and compared with the average indicator rates of regional development at the national level. The results show that casino tourism is an important factor of regional development. However, casino tourism’s future role in regional development remains an open question due to the impacts of the financial crisis and the consequent decline in the number of guests, as well as reduced levels of investment in the region.

Deficit irrigation principles applied to olive orchard in Slovene Istria

The olive tree has anatomical-morphological and physiological adaptations which enable it to cope well with dry conditions and water deficits. However, if water shortage occurs during the development phases (shoot growth, flower bud development, bloom, fruit set, cell division and enlargement and oil accumulation), which are the most susceptible to stress, it can also have a negative effect on the growth and productivity of olive trees. The Slovenian Istria is facing with increased risk of drought. Due to increased occurrence and intensity of agricultural droughts controlled deficit irrigation will become an inevitable element of agricultural practice in Slovene Istria.

Attitudes to bilingual education in Slovenia

The two different models of bilingual/multilingual education that have been developed in Slovenia since the 1950s in the regions of Prekmurje (minority language Hungarian) and Slovene Istria (Italian) are the result of international agreements, education and language policies, social and demographic factors. The basic aim in both cases is to help ensure the equal rights of the minority community, their language and their culture. In this paper, we shall present the historical and social background to the development of these two models, and describe the way in which language and education policies are applied in these two mixed areas. Drawing upon empirical research, we shall also consider how successful the models have been in achieving their stated goals. Finally, we shall present the results of research into attitudes and perceptions among parents and children toward multilingual and multicultural education in these two Slovene regions, using the collected data to compare the relative success of the two different models in the eyes of the local communities.

Paternity analysis of the olive variety "Istrska belica" and identification of pollen donors by microsatellite markers.

The leading olive variety in Slovenia is “Istrska belica” (Olea europaea L.), which currently represents 70% of all olive trees in productive orchards. Paternity analysis based on microsatellite markers was used for genotyping and identification of the potential pollen donors of “Istrska belica” and for assessing the proportion of self-fertilization in monovarietal olive orchards in the Slovene Istria. Seven microsatellite loci were used for genotyping thirty-one olive embryos from “Istrska belica” trees and for all potential pollen donor varieties, which are grown in the region and could participate as pollinators. Genotyping results and allele identification were performed using the FaMoz software. The most probable pollen donor was assigned to 39% of all analyzed embryos. Among all analyzed embryos no single case of self-fertilization was confirmed. According to the present results, the variety “Istrska belica” was in all cases fertilized by foreign pollen. The results will contribute to defining the new guidelines for farmers regarding the proper management and growing practice in monovarietal olive groves.

Seashell specialties and food handling in Slovene Istria restaurants

The purpose of the research was to evaluate the offer of seashell specialties in Slovene Istria restaurants, and to assess food safety knowledge (gained through formal and informal education) as well as to assess the behaviour of food handlers in preparing shell dishes. A self-administered questionnaire was designed that included four sections: a demographic section, a general section, a restaurant menu offer, and a food safety section related to preparation of seashell specialties. Seashell specialties were offered in 41 restaurants, of which the employed food handlers 24 attended formal education and 17 informal education. Seashells specialties and seashell menus are commonly part of the culinary and gastronomic specialties along the Slovene coast, with the most frequently offered main dish being “Blue Mussels alla Busara”. Results the questionnaire indicated poor food safety knowledge and poor behaviour regardless of the (in)formal education of those who prepared the dishes. We propose that formal education for catering workers preparing shell dishes should be much more emphasized.

Using the ToBI transcription to record the intonation of Slovene

The paper presents ToBI, a transcription method for prosodic annotation. ToBI is an acronym for Tones and Breaks Indices which first denoted an intonation system developed in the 1990s for annotating intonation and prosody in the database of spoken Mainstream American English. The MAE_ToBI transcription originally consists of six parts – the audio recording of the utterance, the fundamental frequency contour and four parallel tiers for the transcription of tone sequence, ortographic transcription, indication of break indices between words and for additional observations. The core of the transcription, i. e. of the phonological analyses of the intonation pattern, is represented by the tone tier where tonal variation is transcribed by using labels for high tone and low tone where a tone can appear as a pitch accent, phrase accent and boundary tone. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, the system soon began to be used for the prosodic annotation of other variants of English and many other languages, as well as in different non-linguistic fields, leading to the creation of many new ToBI systems adapted to individual languages and dialects. The author is the first to use this method for Slovene, more precisely, for the intonational transcription and analysis of the corpus of spontaneous speech of Slovene Istria, in order to investigate if the ToBi system is useful for the annotation of Slovene and its regional variants.

A survey and morphological evaluation of fig ( Ficus carica L.) genetic resources from Slovenia

In order to collect all existing phenotypic variation of fig accessions grown in Slovenia and to plan the conservation strategy by establishment of national collection in the northern part of Adriatic coast, the survey of family yards and Slovenian orchards was performed. Two main fig growing regions were included into the field inventory: littoral zone (Slovene Istria) and hinterland zone (Goriška Brda and Vipava Valley). All collected material was morphologically characterized according to internationally accepted descriptors for Ficus carica L., and some new descriptors for leaves and fruits were introduced. For identification the patterns of morphological variation within the fig germplasm principal component analysis (PCA) was used and cluster analysis was performed to decide the ultimate number of clusters by which the accessions could be assessed. Twenty-five Slovenian accessions were compared with fig varieties from a private fig collection in Croatia in order to assess the degree of similarity of figs grown on a broader region of Istria. Altogether 38 accessions were evaluated for 74 phenotypic characters. The results of morphological evaluation confirmed the usefulness of phenotypic markers for fig genetic resources characterization developed by IPGRI and CIHEAM (2003), but some new variables that in our study shoved high discrimination value could be added. Results of morphological evaluation contributed to the selection of accessions for the first national Slovenian fig gene bank. The national gene bank and fig data base will make a fundamental contribution to further genetic improvement of fig crops in Slovenian agriculture.

Bilingual education in the ethnically mixed areas along the Slovene–Italian border

The paper focuses on education language policy in Slovene Istria and of Slovenia in Italy. On both sides of the Slovene‐Italian border there is an ethnically mixed population of Italians and Slovenes, an Italian minority in Slovenia, and a Slovene minority in Italy. On both sides of the border apparently similar systems of bilingual education have been developed: schools with the minority language as the language of instruction. The authors discuss some data from a study performed in the period from 2006–2008 among eighth‐grade pupils of primary schools along the Slovene–Italian border where the two different socio‐ethnic groups are in close contact. Pupils on both sides of the border were tested to establish their levels of knowledge of the Slovene language (as L1 and L2), and of Italian (as L1 and L2). The conclusion includes suggestions regarding the extent of the need to upgrade bilingual educational models applied in these mixed border areas in accordance with the goals of minority preservation, protection and development as an added value of bilingual environments.

The relationship between communicative competence and language use in a multicultural environment: the case of Slovene Istria

The paper focuses on bilingualism among the Slovene majority in Slovene Istria approximately 50 years after the Italian community living there were granted official minority status. This empirical research shows a high level of Slovene–Italian bilingualism in the observed population. It reveals that a high level of communicative competence in one language entails a high level of communicative competence in the other language. Another significant finding is that the younger age groups of the observed population are characterised by a higher level of communicative competence in both Slovene and Italian in comparison to the older age groups. The key factors of influence are the opportunities for bilingual education in the school system and the fact that the younger generations are more influenced by Italian media. Age, however, does not influence language use; the younger age groups use Italian very rarely and no more often than the other age groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that language use is not so much affected by the level of communicative competence, but rather primarily by the number of opportunities to use a language.

Problems and Perspectives of Organic Farming in Slovene Istria

In Slovene Istria, natural conditions for the development of organic farming are good, though we have only witnessed the rise of organic farming over the last few years. Due to the lack of data related to organic farming in Slovene Istria, field-work was conducted in spring 2008 with some additional research in 2009. Questionnaires and interviews with organic farmers include various aspects: characteristics of their farming activities, demographic and socio-economic features, and others. The prevailing branches of organic farms in Slovene Istria are olivegrowing and mixed production. We can also mention a very high educational level of farmers and positive age-structure of households on organic farms. Possible perspectives related to organic farming in the studied area have been discussed in the conclusion of the paper.

Soil erosion in Slovene Istria

From the end of nineties of the 20th century, intense hydrologic and geomorphologic research is taking place in the Slovene Istria. As a part of this research also studies on soil erosion were undertaken in the period from 2005 to 2008. The field measurements were undertaken on closed 1 m2 large erosion plots under three different land uses (on bare soils in an olive grove, on an overgrown meadow, in a forest), placed south of the Marezige village in the Rokava River basin. We show weekly measurements of surface erosion (interrill erosion) for the period of 13 months (the end of March 2005 - the end of April 2006), as well as monthly and seasonal averages together with selected linear statistical correlations between soil erosion and weather parameters. From May 2005 to April 2006 the interrill erosion on bare soils in an olive grove with an inclination of 5.5° amounted to 9013 g/m2 (90 t/ha) that corresponds to surface lowering rate of 8.5 mm/yr; on an overgrown meadow with an inclination of 9.4° it amounted to 168 g/m2 (1,68 t/ha) that corresponds to surface lowering rate of 0.16 mm/ /yr; and in a forest with an inclination of 7.8° it amounted to 391 g/m2 (3,91 t/ha) and in a forest with an inclination of 21.4° it amounted to 415 g/m2 (4,15 t/ha), respectively, that corresponds to surface lowering rate of 0.4 mm/yr.

Erosion processes in Slovene Istria – part 1: Soil erosion

In 2005 and 2006 intensive measurements were made of various erosion-denudation processes in the Dragonja River basin. The measurements included geomorphic processes in the badlands: the rockwall retreat of steep bare flysch slopes, movements of flysch debris along erosion gullies, and geomorphic processes on talus slopes. At the same time, measurements of soil erosion were made in three different land use areas: bare soil in an olive grove, an overgrown meadow, and a forest. The results are presented in two parts. Part One presents the measurements of soil erosion, and Part Two in the next issue of the journal (No. 49-2) will present geomorphic processes in the badlands.The measurements of soil erosion made on one-meter-square closed erosion plots south of the village of Marezige revealed that the greater part of the annual erosion was caused by only a few major erosion events. Between May 2005 and April 2006, interrill erosion amounted to 9,013 g/m2 (90 t/ha) on bare soil in an olive grove with an inclination of 5.5º and an average weekly proportion of specific runoff of 23%, 168 g/m2 (1.68 t/ha) on an overgrown meadow with an inclination of 9.4º and an average weekly proportion of specific runoff of 8%, and 391 g/m2 (3.91 t/ha) in a forest with an inclination of 7.8º and 415 g/m2 (4.15 t/ha) in a forest with an inclination of 21.4º with an average weekly proportion of specific runoff of 6% regardless of the inclination. The amount of precipitation during the reference year was slightly below the long-term average.

Erosion processes in Slovene Istria – part 2: Badlands

This article is a continuation of the article on soil erosion in submediterranean Slovene Istria from the first issue of the 2009 (49-1) journal. In this article we present geomorphic processes in the badlands of the same area (Dragonja River basin, SW Slovenia): sediment production from steep bare (Eocene) flysch slopes (rockwall retreat), movements of flysch debris along erosion gullies, and geomorphic processes on talus slopes. Sediment production of flysch rocks was determined by measurements on erosion plots and totals around 80 kg/m2 per year on average, which means that steep bare flysch rockwalls retreat at a speed of 35 to 50 mm per year. The badlands not only contain flysch walls but also slopes already eroded by erosion rills and gullies. A dam in one of the erosion gullies with the catchment area of 0.1 ha captured 20 tons of debris in fourteen months. Monitoring on talus slopes of the badlands revealed their dual character because erosion here alternates with accumulation.