The small square on the Riviera, directly in front of the House of Batana, at the very start of the Veliki Mol (Great Pier), due to its spatial and scenic beauty, from the first day was recognised as an excellent place for the outdoor events and programmes of the Eco-museum.
About the Mali Škver
In fact the programme of building and repairing batana vessels has given the greatest contribution to the revitalisation and improvement of this Rovinj locality. Namely, in order to actively preserve the tradition of fishing and the indigenous life with the batana, the Eco-museum and the Town of Rovinj have, since 2004, systemically encouraged the building of new boats, which are exactly the arts and skills of construction and repairs which are registered in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Croatia.
To date five batanas have been built here: Oûn rìgno in 2004, Fiamita in 2005, Calsanta in 2006, Arupina in 2007, and Liliana in 2008, whilst in 2004, 2009 and 2010 the following batanas were repaired: Risorta, Adria, Camaiore, Leonberg, Antonietta, Santa Croce, Regina and Flora.
During the shipbuilding process the traditional skills and caulking were re-created; a process which was led by Rovinj’s youngest shipbuilder and caulker Mladen Takač. Evening after evening the building or repairing of batanas is followed by hundreds of visitors to the town of Rovinj, and since a batana ‘lives’ only when it is in the sea and when it ‘serves’ its master – the fisherman, all of the newly built or repaired batanas are in the hands of Rovinj’s fishermen which with the batanas participate in numerous activities, promotional and educational programmes of the Eco-museum.
Festival of Mali Škver – batana building and evening of fishing culture
The almost ritualistic process of batana creation, which has been built in the same way for centuries (without the aid of modern tools), is followed by all sections of Rovinj’s society and numerous visitors to the town, evening after evening in the Mali Škver. The experience is further enriched by events which celebrate the culinary, musical and overall maritime culture of Rovinj.
So from mid-June to late August every Wednesday and Sunday, along with concerts of traditional Rovinj music, visitors are offered culinary specialities prepared by members of the Eco-museum and the earnings from these sales are used for the development and innovation of our activities. Every Monday and Saturday we organise authentic scenes, like small windows into Rovinj’s world, besides the batana construction, visitors can watch and try their skills at fishing net repair with our dear uncle Giordano, as well as weaving wicker bottle holders and making fishing traps and watch various films about Rovinj’s past and present.