Page 220 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 220
Concluding Remarks
Dark Tourism.’ Contemporary dark commemorative events are very bal-
anced in this respect; in past traumatic events as well as in some contem-
porary dark commemorative events,² convivenza remains an important
element of Istrian social reality.
Dark commemorative events related to the conflict in the 1990s also
represent a media-constructed social reality in Istria (mediated mem-
ory). The recency of the events, the still-living war veterans (defenders)
with autobiographical memory, militarisation³ and religious symbols are
the main specifics of this cluster. Contemporary memorial practices in
the trans-border region of Istria are consequences of the military aggres-
sion on independent Slovenia and Croatia. Very limited military clashes
in the region, which cannot be directly compared to those in some other
Croatian counties or those in wwii, impact today’s dark commemorative
events. In the case of Croatian Istria, they are not so frequent, emotional
and massive, and they significantly rely (also) on traumatic events else-
where in Croatia where Istrian residents fought. However, regionalism in
general, or ‘Istrianity’ (convivenza), are not highlighted at these events.
Results of qualitative (see Table 8.3) and quantitative analyses (see a list
of less important or irrelevant codes presented in sub-chapter 9.4 ‘Clus-
ters of Dark Commemorative Events’) support this claim. Hence, ignor-
ing wwi-related events in the qualitative analysis has also proven to be
correct. A drastic decline in the number of events and the related me-
dia reports after the 100th anniversary actually show the rather marginal
significance of this conflict in Istrian society.
Figures 7.1 and 8.1, as a reflection of the media-constructed social re-
ality, show that history-centric dark commemorative events are well dis-
persed across the Istrian peninsula (rq6). This is an additional circum-
stance for a 365-day tourist destination development. Moreover, the de-
velopment of tourism in the hinterland of major coastal locations can
² This claim is based on the analysis of the event in Kučibreg as well as some others vis-
ited/researched by the author in recent years, although not systematically analysed in this
research.
³ The activation of uniformed units, e.g. the Honour Guard Battalion (Počasno-zaštitna
bojna) and the Guard of Honour of the Slovenian Armed Forces (Častna enota Republike
Slovenije) or other units, give formal national importance (state and military honour) to
the memorial events and their historical background. Within this study, however, we fol-
lowed the claims of McKay (2013), McKenna and Ward (2007), and Reynolds and Lake
(2010), who understand the presence of armed forces at events as systemic and unrelent-
ing militarisation of history and culture.
220
Dark Tourism.’ Contemporary dark commemorative events are very bal-
anced in this respect; in past traumatic events as well as in some contem-
porary dark commemorative events,² convivenza remains an important
element of Istrian social reality.
Dark commemorative events related to the conflict in the 1990s also
represent a media-constructed social reality in Istria (mediated mem-
ory). The recency of the events, the still-living war veterans (defenders)
with autobiographical memory, militarisation³ and religious symbols are
the main specifics of this cluster. Contemporary memorial practices in
the trans-border region of Istria are consequences of the military aggres-
sion on independent Slovenia and Croatia. Very limited military clashes
in the region, which cannot be directly compared to those in some other
Croatian counties or those in wwii, impact today’s dark commemorative
events. In the case of Croatian Istria, they are not so frequent, emotional
and massive, and they significantly rely (also) on traumatic events else-
where in Croatia where Istrian residents fought. However, regionalism in
general, or ‘Istrianity’ (convivenza), are not highlighted at these events.
Results of qualitative (see Table 8.3) and quantitative analyses (see a list
of less important or irrelevant codes presented in sub-chapter 9.4 ‘Clus-
ters of Dark Commemorative Events’) support this claim. Hence, ignor-
ing wwi-related events in the qualitative analysis has also proven to be
correct. A drastic decline in the number of events and the related me-
dia reports after the 100th anniversary actually show the rather marginal
significance of this conflict in Istrian society.
Figures 7.1 and 8.1, as a reflection of the media-constructed social re-
ality, show that history-centric dark commemorative events are well dis-
persed across the Istrian peninsula (rq6). This is an additional circum-
stance for a 365-day tourist destination development. Moreover, the de-
velopment of tourism in the hinterland of major coastal locations can
² This claim is based on the analysis of the event in Kučibreg as well as some others vis-
ited/researched by the author in recent years, although not systematically analysed in this
research.
³ The activation of uniformed units, e.g. the Honour Guard Battalion (Počasno-zaštitna
bojna) and the Guard of Honour of the Slovenian Armed Forces (Častna enota Republike
Slovenije) or other units, give formal national importance (state and military honour) to
the memorial events and their historical background. Within this study, however, we fol-
lowed the claims of McKay (2013), McKenna and Ward (2007), and Reynolds and Lake
(2010), who understand the presence of armed forces at events as systemic and unrelent-
ing militarisation of history and culture.
220
