is the original name of kaikavian state, which was a kingdom that lasted from prince Ljudevit from 9th century, through Middle-Ages for almost 1000 years. Its inhabitants caleed themselves Slovenci. They called their land "Slovenski orsag" or Slovenje, as opposed to Hervatska or Croatian land.
At the begin of 18th ct. Croatian nobility fled before Turks into Slovenje, and changed its name to "Horvatska". The name "Horvatska" lasted not more than 150 years. The Slovenski language however remained.
Then name "Horvatske" was renamed again to "Hrvatska" around the mid of 19th. century and original Slovenski language was de facto forbiden by the new parliament. The language was named this time "Kajkavski" by new Croatian and Serbian philologists. But the language has been kept in the folk, and rediscovered in the 1st half of 19th century. Then WW2 came, and it was hidden again from the surface of collective awareness. Slovenci of once famous Slovenski orsag slowly forgot about their ancestors, history and language. The new ruling caste, Croatian etablishment forbid to teach anything about their original state and language, misleading them to believe that they were always Croats. This is not the case.
And Slovenje, as cultural and lingustic region is rising again.
So Slovenje or Terra Magica Kajkaviana is the cultural and historical region in North Croatia. It is located where mellow Alpine hills meet Pannonian valley. This geographic position within Central-Europe has defined its unique culture, architecture and tradition.
Slovenje means green - green hills, wineyards, valleys and forests, so it is no wonder that oldest traditional Kaikaivan architecture is made of oak wood. There are still traditional wooden churches and even villas.
Slovenje also means flowers that are often presented on Kaikavian Volkstracht and in pentatonic folk songs. It means culture, where landscape, spiritual heritage and people become one, as presented in the world famous Kaikavian Art Naive.
Slovenje is a region with more than 1500 years of continuity of culture.
And this is what this site is about - culture. Culture means heritage, arts, creative industries, and even language as vehicle of cultural expressions.
Native language of Slovenje is today falsely called Kaikavian - named so by external Croatian and Serbian establishemt. It original name is Slovenski. It is expressed in one of its 6 main dialects.
Slovenje has 9 main subregions, all of which share common Kaikavian language, culture and tradition. One of the goals of this site is to present this common heritage, making the subregions more coherent through raising awareness of their shared cultural assets, expressions and tradition.
We call the region in what is today north Croatia Slovenje, since this has been its original name since for more than 1000 years!
From 18th ct. to mid of 19. ct. a name "Horvatska". was imposed by Croatian nobility who fled from Croatia before Turks. But its official language remaind the same Slovenski.
Before that Slovenje was known as kingdom in Middle Ages (in Latin Sclavonia), and its language was called Slovene. As you see, the exterior name shifted, but the content was always preserved - the culture and language.
At the very beginning of Europe as we know it, Carolingian sources know Slovenje, its rulers and its inhabitants very well, calling this land Lower Pannonia. Its inhabitants called themselves at the time of Charlemagne and famous duke Ljudevit of Lower Pannonia most probably Slovenci, since this is what they called themselves already in 11th century. We know that they certainly did not call themselves or seen as Croats. There are no written sources that they would have call them Croats. On the contrary, they disntiguish cleary between their own Slovenje land (latin Sclavonia), and Croat land (latin Croatia). What we know is that they spoke the same language which they left us as living heritage. Kaikavian has many old elements shared even with proto-slavic. Our Slovenjski language is spoken throughout our region today, and it is similar - no wonder! - to Slovene and Slovak(also called Slovenski in original)! According to linguists Slovenjski language of Slovenje was already distinctly defined around 800 - during the 1st state our ancestors and prince Ljudevit!
Kaikavians or correctly Slovenjci preserved their unique culture and tradition in customs, mythology like tales and folk songs, and even in sacral architecture, that we present on this site for you to discover. Even today, pre-Christian and pre-Carolingian Slavic elements are alive in Slovenje.
Today Slovenjci around Zagreb are understood as distinct cultural and linguistic group living mostly in Slovenje, including a small part in Hungary, and are distinguished from Slovenci around Ljubljana.
Economically observed is Slovenje region the most developed region in Croatia (along with Istria), since from its very begining we Slovenci has been part of (Central) Europe, sharing and contributing to European cultural, societal and economic development.
Despite of all this, Slovenje, its history and culture are almost unknown! This site is addressing the challenge of globalisation by presenting uniqueness of Slovenje to the public of whole world.
A region whose development is based on culture and sustainable development, and a region that fully interacts with its closer neighbour regions and with broader European context.
This change is happening right now, through the usage of modern information technologies combined with expertise and vision of project-members:
In order to foster Cultural and Linguistic Diversity of Croatia as 4th pillar of sustaianable development, this site presents the unique Kaikaivan culture - material and immaterial heritage, tradition, arts, and its product that have cultural content or relation - authentic regional food & wine producers, preferably eco; interesting places to stay and to feel the mellow spirit of Slovenje.
Slovenje.eu site is made acording to UNESCO “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”, fostering Cultural Diversity in Croatia; and based on Agenda 21 for culture - understanding of culture as 4th pillar of sustainable development.
Slovenje.eu site and network contribute to rural development, clearly showing at the same time that rural can be rich with culture.
is to connect Kaikavians-Slovenjci more with their own culture and heritage, and through this, to connect them with the whole world.
People interested in culture, cultural tourism and sustainable development use this site to explore and discover what is going on in Kaikaviana. They support local creative & cultural industries and foster sustainable development in rural regions of Slovenje - enjoying fresh locally grown eco food & wine, using traditional crafts products based on natural materials, learning about unique material and immaterial heritage of Slovenje.