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Moreška – Korčula

Moreska is a romantic war dance with swords that spread originally from the Mediterranean countries in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is supposed that Moreska first came to Korcula from Spain in the 16th century across the South Italy and Dubrovnik. Later, through centuries, Moreska disappeared from the Mediterranean and today the traces are discerned only in some parts, while it is still deeply rooted in Korcula, where its today's pattern of an attractive war dance with real swords is unique in the whole world.

The first written document on Moreska in Korcula, written by a certain Paul Pasqualigo on the 7th of March 1666, is interesting for its contents. Paulo Pasqualigo, who was at the time the count of Korcula, representative of Venice in Korcula and the Korculan judge, wrote in his diary entry for March 7, 1666, how he decided upon a complaint delivered to him personally and loudly by a group of rowdy Moreska performers (Moreškanti) dressed in an antique bacchanalian fashion (it was carnival time after all) concerning their quarrel with three Korculan citizens in the presence of a witness: brothers Marin and Isepo Milovcic, Augustine Vidoševic and witness Zuane Grego. The performers were accused of disturbing and mocking the citizens after one of their carnival debaucheries; and the count was asked to deliver a verdict and define an appropriate punishment. The Moreska performers in no way could accept any possibility of being punished. They protested loudly and begged the count to reconsider the matter. In the end, the count gave in to the Moreskanti’s complaints and did not punish them. He also proceeded in convincing the insulted parties that there was no need for anger during the carnival season, and asked them not to take the young Moreskanti’s jokes too seriously. The document is interesting and of value to the Moreska and to Korcula mainly because of the date. This date says that long before 1666, there existed a group of Moreskanti that performed the Moreska. That was more than 350 years ago. Also, an equally interesting and valuable fact that we find out from the documents is the fact that in those past 350 years, when Moreskanti are concerned, not much has changed.

Contemporary Moreška dancers, completely understanding the phenomenon of Moreska and their role in it, are more tolerant among themselves, they associate no matter what their generation, religious or political differences are, their families are closely bound and, more than ever before, strong friendships are formed. And, when the fighting dance begins, the swords flash radiantly and in the ardour of the combat even injuries are not rare. The contrast between the friendship in life and the animosity on the dance floor is precisely what makes contemporary Moreška so real and great, noble and unique.

Moreska is performed from mid May till mid October.

Moreška je romantični bojni ples s mačevima nastao u 12-13. stoljeću na Mediteranu. Pretpostavlja se da je Moreška u Korčulu došla u 16. stoljeću iz Španjolske, preko Južne Italije i Dubrovnika. Kasnije, kroz stoljeća Moreška je iščezla s Mediterana pa se danas samo nazire u nekim dijelovima dok se je u Korčuli duboko ukorijenila i u današnjem obliku kao atraktivni bojni ples s mačevima je jedinstvena u Svijetu.

Prvi pisani dokument o Moreški u Korčuli, akt korčulanskog kneza Paula Paskvaliga od 7. ožujka 1666. godine interesantan je po svom sadržaju jer govori o incidentu u doba karnevala u kojemu su sudjelovali moreškanti. Očito se radi o nepodopštinama koje je činila grupa «veselih» moreškanata u doba karnevala uvrijedivši time trojicu Korčulana. Korčulanski knez, imavši razumijevanja za mlade moreškante je uvažio sva opravdanja i nije ničim kaznio moreškante pri čemu se može zaključiti da su postojale simpatije, svojevrsna sklonost i uvažavanje ljudi koji su igrali morešku. Iz istog perioda postoji i zapis o izgredu koji se je dogodio 1685. godine opet u doba ili nakon karnevala, u kojemu svjedok govori o tome kako se je to dogodilo nakon što se je završila moreška («doppo finiva la moresca»). I jedan i drugi primjer, osim što nedvojbeno dokazuju da je u Korčuli već u to vrijeme postojala posebno uvježbana grupa momaka koji su izvodili morešku, govore nam i o tome da se je moreška izvodila u to vrijeme u doba karnevala te da su «moreškanti» bili poprilično nestašan dio ondašnje korčulanske mladosti, uvjetno rečeno "posebnog statusa".

Današnji moreškanti, do kraja razumijevajući Morešku i svoju ulogu u njoj, međusobno su tolerantniji, druže se bez obzira na generacijske, vjerske ili političke razlike, obiteljski se povezuju i razvijaju dublja prijateljstva nego ikada prije a kad započne bojni ples, mačevi sijevaju jače i ubojitije. Upravo kontrast između prijateljstva u životu i neprijateljstva na plesnom podijumu, današnju Morešku opet čini realnom i velikom, plemenitom i jedinstvenom.