OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP OF MONTENEGRO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUVOMEĐA
September 13 - September 14
Montenegro, historically recognized precisely for its harsh, rocky terrain, has for almost a decade already had a competition dedicated to stone, that is, the skill of building in stone using the dry technique, entered in 2018 on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
The ninth edition of the Open Championship of Montenegro in construction of suvomeđa will be held on September 14 in the hinterland of Herceg Novi, at the Kotobiljski Izvor rest area, in the atar of the village, symbolically aptly named Kameno.
The competition is a team competition (three members each), and the task is to stack a four-meter long wall in just fifteen minutes. The height, length, and the quality of the arrangement of the land border are scored. All adults have the right to participate, regardless of gender, nation and citizenship, because this is a border that unites, that is, an event that aims to transfer knowledge and skills of land border construction.
This ancient technique is experiencing a kind of renaissance all over the world, since it can be used by everyone, not just experts, that siding is environmentally friendly and forms part of the tradition of many regions, and is an indispensable part of their cultural landscapes.
The championship starts at 9 a.m., with prior team registrations on site. You should have long pants and adequate hard shoes, and the organizer provides work gloves and gift t-shirts to all competitors. After the declaration of the best in the open and national competition, and the awarding of the “stepping stone”, a traditional lunch will be organized for the participating teams in the village of Kameno.
The day before, on Saturday, September 13, also starting at 9:00 a.m., a demonstration workshop on the construction of dry walls will be held at Kotobiljski izvor, which is open to all interested parties, including accompanying children, because a special part of the workshop will be adapted to them.
After the workshop, a sightseeing tour of the dry wall heritage of the village of Žlijebi, known for its slab stone, will be organized, from which not only the walls of the houses and choir stalls, but also their roofs, but also the village footpaths, the threshing floor and, of course, the dry border were made.
The event is jointly organized by the Agency for Development and Protection of Orjen, the Local Community of Kameno-Žlijebi and the Mountaineering Club of Subra, with the support of the Secretariat for Culture and Education of the Municipality of Herceg Novi.