Photos: Hrvatski vjesnik, archives
Archive Pages Preserve Memories
The yellowed pages of the Croatian Herald archive preserve precious stories, news, and destinies of Croatian immigrants in Australia. These pages represent the only trace of numerous events that are difficult to find online today, as newspapers were the sole medium documenting the life of the Croatian community at that time.
In the hope that they wouldn’t be forgotten, many important events were recorded through decades of Croatian Herald publications. Today we can follow this newspaper daily online and through its monthly magazine, but the archived pages reveal a rich past that we mustn’t forget.
The Significant Year of 1985
The year 1985 was particularly important for the Croatian community in Australia. It was the time of the Croatian Summer School in Perth, a period when thousands of Croats participated in a procession in Melbourne despite rain and storms in honour of Our Lady.
Language as the Foundation of Identity
Even then, what remains true today was known – a nation without children is a nation without a future. In all of this, the Croatian language held a special place as the foundation of Croatian identity. That year also marked a significant anniversary – 500 years since the publication of the first printed book in the South Slavic region, the Gožinski Missal.
Construction of Croatian Centres
The year 1985 was marked by the solidarity of Croats who began building their cultural centres. Particularly noteworthy are:
Croatian Community Centre – Geelong – Croats launched the construction of this important cultural centre which was to become the heart of the Croatian community in that city.
Croatian Centre in Sunshine – On 12th May 1985, the ceremonial blessing of the foundation of this centre took place, attended by as many as 9,000 Croats. This event demonstrated the strength and unity of the Croatian community.
Success in Sydney
In Sydney, 1985 saw the ceremonial opening of the renovated and expanded Croatian Sports Centre at the King Tomislav Club. The opening was attended by over 5,000 Croats, which was an impressive gathering.
As was published in the Croatian Herald at the time: “Many in our community found it hard to believe that our associations King Tomislav and NK Croatia, together with other volunteers, could transform an ordinary playing field into a modern stadium through voluntary work in such a short time.”
Cultural and Social Life
The Croatian Youth Festival 1985 attracted particular attention, an event that brought together the youth of the Croatian community. There were also reports from social life, parties, and cro-disco evenings with disco DJ Jarko (Marija Kozole), showing how the Croatian community embraced more modern forms of entertainment.
Call for Sharing Memories
Do you remember any events from the distant eighties of the last century that were important to the Croatian community? Would you like to share your stories with the Croatian Herald online?
Get in touch and share your story with us – we’ll be happy to record it! Your memories are part of the precious history of the Croatian community in Australia that must not be forgotten.
Related story: Yellowed Pages That Speak