Sveti Trifun, Negotinski Style
by Tracy Sparks
In the Tikves wine region, Sveti Trifun's Day
is a way to celebrate some of the best grapegrowers and wine-makers in the Balkans. For
2011, “Wine and Dine was the theme for this
”
holiday in the town of Negotino.
Wine flowed free, early and often.
“Isn't a little early for a drink?” I asked when
the first was swerved at 8am. “Why I'm
?
awake, was the crowd's collective response.
”
Rumors of an 18-meter (60 foot) long
pita for all came true. Traditionally clad folk
dancers paraded the seemingly never-ending
Negotinski pita through the town to the
crowded center square. After a brief feeding
frenzy, poof!, the pita was devoured.
Every Sveti Trifun's Day grape-growers
prune grapevines and ta ?HH YX?H? B??\??Y?\]?[?H ? H?[?\?? ???B? ?Y\? ?^\? ?^Y\???\? ] \????? ]?KB? ?\\?][????[Y ?X] ?[H H ?[?Y???\???\?? H ?]\?? Z\? ?[?\??????? X??[???? ZY[ ???Y??[?? ] ??H?X] \? H??H??Z] ]\? ?? H?H?Y^K[??[?\??\? H ?\?\??X]?\\?[??X] ?[?HXZ?[??????YH?]H ?Y?[??[?HY?] ?????[? ?\?][???Y??[???\?8?'4-4/?/4,4b4/t/?4a?`4/t/?4,?.4/t/??'H[? [?H ?[??]??[?X? ?X?YX[??8?'?X??[? ??\??[??K???'B?Y? [?\?\\?Y[?\??[?Y??[? ??[? ? ?^HH ?^Y\? ??]B? ?Y?[??[?Y][? ??Z[?? H ] ?? ?Z[???\?[?\??[???[?Y???\?? ?^Y\??] ?X?]Y ?[H\?H \?YY?Z[??[??\?][??? ??[? ?[???\? ?] ?? HX\? Y??Y[? H ?^HB?? H? [?H ??\? H ?[?H[? [?\??\???Y??H [?H \?H]??? [?H?[? ?^H ??Y][??Z?K8?' \?\?H?[?\??\? ?[?H ?]H?X?B???\]Y]? ?YY ? ?]?\??Y\?\???\??Y\? ?[?[H[?????]K?H \?H\?YY][X??YY ?X?[ H?[[??Y ?[ ?] H [??[???]?[??H??\^ ?[?H ?[H^ ?\??[??????\\?[???? ?[?[XZ?[????'B??B??