Sali/Dugi Otok
How did it all start? At that time, back in 1958, a few of us thought of organising a donkey race in August. You know, it was not like today. In those days, every house was a farmer's house and we all had a donkey. Well, nearly all of us, says Ivo Aunedi, a pensioner and one of the people who had had this idea and who made sure over the years that the race took place. In his big backyard, in the shade on the table, there are four envelopes full of all sorts of documents.
- Well, these are some posters, sketches, speeches, regulations. I hosted the races for many years and I kept all these, just in case: invitations, diplomas, newspaper cuttings.
- Oh yes, journalists used to come, they wrote about it and took pictures. They found it very interesting. The people of Sali were well organised.
Another member of the Aunedi family comes into the backyard, Vlade. He is also retired and the brother of Ivo.
- He was a doctor!
What do you mean, a doctor?
- Well, not for people, he was a doctor for donkeys.
Vlade laughs.
- We had all the equipment: a stethoscope and a doctor’s bag, a white coat and even a nurse. I would examine the donkeys, write reports and issue prescriptions. It was a real show, Vlade remembers.
In all of this Dalmatian commotion, one had to be careful.
- Well yes, the reports and prescriptions were checked by the Police. You know, they had to make sure that it was all in line with the politics …
We had just started talking, when another member of the Aunedi family joined in.
- My name is Ante, I am also retired and I am the third brother. There is one more brother, his name is Krešimir, but he is not in Sali now.
Then Ivo remembered that Ante used to make drawings for posters and invitations.
- Well, there were many people involved in the preparations. Someone had an idea, and everyone worked together to make it come true. The women of Sali, for example, used to make little paper flags, all hand painted. Ivo Petricioli had an idea for the design, and Anđelo Raljević Čiko, Ivo Dominis Bruc, Ivo Dominis Maća, Goroslav Oštrić and Bruno Grandov all worked as part of the race team ... God only knows how many other people also took part.
The first poster has been lost. No one has it. However, Ante remembers what was written on it.
- Trke o tovari (Donkey race), it was not in our dialect. We were influenced by the Split dialect, but later on we changed into Trke tovarov.
Saljske užance is an event that came afterwards.
- It was our goal to demonstrate as many of Sali’s customs as possible. There were all sorts of activities, women dancing the kolo to a song called Igram kolo (‘I am dancing the kolo’), their hair flying, and there were different competitions, etc.
- When it all started, at the end of sixties and the beginning of the seventies, there was not much to eat or drink like today.
- It was very modest. Winners would get symbolic prizes, but slowly there was more on offer and the event turned into something that is similar to other events in Dalmatia, Ivo explains.
In the beginning, the Races were sponsored by Mardešić and PZ Sali, and there were many volunteers who worked with enthusiasm.
- In August, there are many people in Sali who live overseas. They come from Australia and European countries, from Zagreb and Zadar as well. We scheduled the Donkey Races just before the Feast of the Assumption, when a lot of people come to Sali, says Vlade.
But tell me, who used to choose the donkeys and their riders?
- The rule was that only donkeys from Sali could compete. It was written in the Rulebook that donkeys from Žman could not take part in the race. Their donkeys are too big. They also have mules, so it was out of the question to have them in the race. The riders were those who registered. One year, I cannot remember exactly when it was, we had a rule that allowed riders from other countries to take part in the race, so we made jokes that we had an international race, says Ivo.
Long ago, the organisers found an Italian who played the part of a TV cameraman.
- He had a camera made of wood and he worked as if it was all for real. We tried to make the Donkey Races into witty events with lots of pranks.
In everything that went on, an unavoidable character was that of the umpreštalo.
- Oh yes, that is the guy who wants to know it all, who is into everything and who knows it all. Are there any umpreštala in Sali now days? You bet there are, Ivo laughs knowingly.
Source: www.zadarskilist.hr