Directory:Zuvela
The Zuvela surname has strong roots originating from the western end of the island of Korcula in Croatia. Its original spelling was Xuvella. In the Croatian language the Z is written Ž.
The Zuvela’s arrived on the west end of Korcula in the 1600’s and settled in a small field called Rasohatica. There are still small remnants of stone huts there to this day. At the time, Korcula was part of the Republic of Venice (within the Dalmatian province). From where the original Zuvelas migrated is still a mystery to this editor. The Republic of Venice did accept migrants within her boundaries during her long history. They came from all parts of Europe. Many of them were migrants from Spain [1] as well as Christians from the Ottoman Empire (which ruled the Balkans for centuries).[2]
The Zuvelas abandoned Rasohatica and moved to the village of Blato. From there members of the Zuvela family moved to (and helped to establish) the town of Vela Luka. In more modern times they have migrated to Australia as well as the United States and other parts of the world.
The information concerning the early Zuvelas of Korcula is taken from a local 19th century historian from Blato called Nikola Ostojic. He wrote a book about the town of Vela Luka in 1853.The book was published in 1953.[3] It was originally written in Italian with a Venetian dialect. Italian was the official language of the Dalmatian province[4] at the time and had been so for centuries. In the 1860s Croatian (then referred to as Illirski)[5] was introduced by the Austrian authorities as a second language. It then slowly replaced Italian altogether. Thus the name Xuvella became Žuvela.
Historiclly the mother tongue of the majority of the population of the island of Korcula (in particularly the west end) is Croatian. The Korcula dialect [6] of local Croatian language acquired many influences over the centuries, such as the now extinct Romance language Dalmatian,[7] Venetian and others.
Vela Luka Primary School
Taken from Vela Luka Primary School records:
- School year 1862./63.; III. r. (grade) Xuvella Giacobbo di Francesco [8]
Images
- According to the locals (Vela Luka) the Zuvelas built Trulli. Locally they are referred to as a Vrtuljak.
See also
References
- ^ Dalmatia and Montenegro: With a Journey to Mostar in Herzegovina -Volume 1 by John Gardner Wilkinson (p116).
- ^ The Land of 1000 Islands by Igor Rudan
- "However, the clashes between the Ottoman Empire and Venetian Republic produced extensive migrations from the mainland areas, especially from today's Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the eastern parts of the islands of Brac, Hvar, Korcula, and Pag."
- ^ Vela Luka-Historijsko Topografski Prikaz by Nikola Ostojić
- ^ Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p8)
- ^ Illyricum was a province of the Roman Empire. It was named after one of the indigenous peoples in that region.
- ^ The local dialect is sometimes referred to as Naski or more correctly Naški. The š is pronounced sh.
- Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (an 19 century English historian. October 5, 1797 – October 29, 1875) was an English traveller, writer and pioneer Egyptologist of the 19th century. He is often referred to as "the Father of British Egyptology".
- He referred to the Dalmatian Slavic dialect as Illirskee. Cited from Dalmatia and Montenegro: With a Journey to Mostar in Herzegovina by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson. (p33)
- ^ Collegium Antropologicum, Volumes 15-16 by Croatian Anthropological Society-1991. (p311)
- ^ Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p50)
- The Early Beginnings of Formal Education - Vela Luka (beginnings of literacy and Lower Primary School 1857 – 1870):
External links
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Gallery-Zuvela Crosses & FX signature
From left to right.
- Zuvela cross near Rasohatica.
- Zuvela cross (Brbe) at Vincidur. Built in 1761.
- FX signature from 1837. X is for Xuvella.
