3426 SLOVENIA (Slovene Littoral) - They were known as Šavrinke

Slovenian Istria is known for its spectacularly beautiful landscape - a countryside characterized by harsh, rocky terrain. The poor soil of the region, however, has often made it difficult for its inhabitants to make a living. For decades, beginning in the 19th century, courageous local women traveled throughout Istria and beyond selling fresh produce, eggs, freshly baked bread, and other goods from their farms. They were known as Šavrinke, after the local Šavrin Hills.

Wearing traditional white dresses, not rarely barefoot, equipped with baskets known as plenjerji, which they carried on their heads, Šavrinke were a common sight in the port city of Trieste as well as in Koper and other Istrian towns. They returned from Trieste with coffee, sugar, salt, wool, and other products they could never get back home. The life of Šavrinke was a difficult one, but despite the hardships, they were able to support their families even in times of economic crisis and international conflict.

After WWI, Slovenian Istria passed from Austria-Hungary to Italy. The newly installed Fascist regime persecuted ethnic Slovenians, and Šavrinke needed to obtain special permission to carry on with their work, but most continued their tradition despite the difficult political circumstances. In the aftermath of WWII, the region became a part of Communist Yugoslavia and the area’s villages found themselves cut off from Trieste, which remained in Italy. Even though anyone crossing between East and West was subject to a thorough inspection, some women continued to smuggle eggs across the Cold War border.

Pretty fast, the lifestyles of postwar Europe were changing, and ever fewer people still made use of the services offered by Šavrinke, and the tradition that had helped many women to make a living ultimately vanished. Memories lived on, however, and the era of Šavrinke is now recognized as one of the defining elements of local history - a time when ordinary women seeking a better life brought respect to their remote villages and helped their families to survive difficult times.

About the stamp

The stamp is part of the large series Traditional costumes, issued starting with 2003.
2012.01.27 Traditional Costumes - Bohinj (0.27 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3426

References
The journeys of Istrian women, by Jaka Bartolj - MMC RTV Slovenija

Sender: Slavica Radej (direct swap)
Sent from Brestanica (Styria / Slovenia), on 29.08.2017
Photo: Ubald Trnkoczy / Zaloznik: Katika Vukovic