Bećarac

Bećarac uses a strict form of couplet in decasyllable, always sung to the same music, played by a tamburitza orchestra, less common bagpipes or samica, or just by the choir. The first verse is sung by the choir leader and forms a logical thesis; it is repeated by the choir of gathered men. The second verse is a humorous antithesis, also repeated by the choir (but often broken by laughter). Bećarci are usually performed at the peak of a party as a drinking song after the crowd is sufficiently warmed up by wine and music. A series of bećarci can last indefinitely. The lyrics are often made up at the spot or improvised,Dubinskas, Frank. Performing Slavonian folklore, Stanford University; 1983 and the best ones are spread and reused for later parties.

Bećarci are often difficult to translate and to understand by outsiders, because the use puns, reference to local events and cultural allusions. A simple example: "sjedi Ćiro na vrh slame, brkovima plaši vrane" -> "Chiro sits on top of straw, with his mustache he scares a crow". But it is difficult to make sense of: ""mala moja, visoki jablane, je l' ti mjesec vidio tabane"-> "my little one, tall apple tree, has the moon seen your soles".[https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/becarci-zbog-ulaska-na-unescovu-listu-prevedeni-na-engleski-263185 Bećarci zbog ulaska na Unescovu listu prevedeni na engleski]

It is believed that bećarac originates with the abolishment of the Croatian Military Frontier.

It was studied by Friedrich Salomon Krauss, born in Požega, who collected around two thousand bećarac songs.

In 2009, Croatia submitted the bećarac among others for inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.{{cite news |url=http://arhiva.nacional.hr/clanak/52800/becarac-licitari-i-alka-u-unesco-u |language=hr |newspaper=Nacional |issue=690 |date=2009-02-03 |title=Bećarac, licitari i alka u UNESCO-u |access-date=2011-11-28 |trans-title=Bećarac, licitars and Sinjska alka in UNESCO |author=Nina Ožegović |archive-date=6 May 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506132635/http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/52800/becarac-licitari-i-alka-u-unesco-u }} In 2010, the attempt was again unsuccessful, and English translations were made for better reference.{{cite news | url = http://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/becarci-zbog-ulaska-unescovu-listu-prevedeni-engleski-clanak-263185 | newspaper = Večernji list | language = hr | title = Bećarci zbog ulaska na Unescovu listu prevedeni na engleski}} In 2011, it was included in the list.{{cite news | url = http://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/slavonski-becarac-nijemo-kolo-zagore-unesco-ovoj-listi-clanak-350680 | newspaper = Večernji list | language = hr | title = Slavonski bećarac i nijemo kolo iz Zagore na UNESCO-ovoj listi | date = 2011-11-27 | access-date = 2011-11-28}}

In 2017 it was announced that a museum dedicated to bećarac would be opening in the town of Pleternica, Croatia.{{cite web |last1=Balen |first1=Vedran |title=Pleternica će prva u svijetu dobiti Trg bećarca |url=https://lokalni.vecernji.hr/zupanije/pleternica-ce-prva-u-svijetu-dobiti-trg-becarca-5361 |website=lokalni.hr}}{{cite web |title=Museum of bećarac (becharac) |url=https://www.ne-mo.org/news/article/nemo/museum-of-becarac-becharac.html |website=Network of European Museum Organisations |access-date=25 February 2021}} The concept was described by the director as contemporary museum, which will tell the traditional heritage of bećarac, but in a modern setting.{{cite web |last1=Justament |first1=Domagoj |title=The project of the Bečar Museum as an interpretation center was presented in Pleternica |url=https://hrturizam.hr/en/u-pleternici-predstavljen-projekt-muzeja-becarca-kao-interpretacijskog-centra/}} Due to bećarac being a vital part of the intangible cultural heritage of Croatia, 85% of the museum project was funded by the European Union, with expectations of it having a positive impact on the well-being of the town and the entire region.{{cite journal |last1=Dragana Lucija Ratković Aydemir, Helena Tolić & Ivana Jagić Boljat |title=Intangible Cultural Heritage as a Catalyst for Local Development and Well-being: The Case of Pleternica, Croatia |journal=Museum International |date=23 Dec 2019 |volume=71 |issue=3-4 |pages=156-167 |doi=10.1080/13500775.2019.1706954}}

• Chastushka, short Russian humorous folk song

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160312025735/http://www.kultura.hr/eng/Multimedia/Video/UNESCO-Representative-List-of-the-Intangible-Cultural-Heritage-of-Humanity/(show)/video/(video)/9187 UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]

{{UNESCO Oral and Intangible music}}

{{Intangible heritage of Croatia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becarac}}

Category:Croatian folk music

Category:Slavonia

Category:Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity