"The Croatian House is a cultural society which has a tamburitza orchestra, a dance troupe and a beautiful meeting place. We are at the Vinkovci Autumn Festival for the first time, and for many of us this is the first visit to Croatia. Thirty-five members of the society have come to Vinkovci," said Eduardo Antonich, Croatia's honorary consul in Uruguay and the Croatian House secretary for cultural affairs.
The current generation of Croats in Uruguay is the third generation. The Croatian House was founded in 1928 as a response to the assassination of politician Stjepan Radić, with 157 Croatian expatriates turning out to attend its founding assembly.
Croatian expatriates in Uruguay cherish the memory of their roots and of the country their ancestors came from half a century ago by following their customs and looking after their folk traditions.
Since the largest number of Croatian emigrants arrived in Uruguay from the Croatian Littoral and Dalmatia, the Croatian House predominantly performs songs and dances of the Croatian coastal regions, however, as a sign of respect for their hosts at the Vinkovci Autumn Festival, on Saturday they performed a programme featuring the folklore traditions of Slavonia.