Murter has a very old tradition, “Murterske Bake”, fragments of which are influenced by neighbouring mainland towns. The Murterske Bake event dates back 130 years, and is one of the few carnival processions with a constantly growing number of participants, who often outdo themselves when creating their costumes. It goes without saying that there are no store-bought costumes at this carnival, and every single one of them is individually designed and sewn by hand. There are at least 30 organised groups participating in the processions, and the number of spectators is higher than 5,000. The name of the carnival procession is specific for Murter, and it has its roots in folk expressions, where the term “Baka” was used for something derogatory, ugly, disgusting.
“Zidovi ocrne, a same bake po zidovima”, a folk saying that uses this term.
At the start of this carnival, masks were simple. Men dressed as women, and women dressed as men. The goal was to make others laugh and have a good time. Themed costumes were connected to contemporary events from the town, turned into humour which was well-received by everyone, even those who were the subject of ridicule through the costumes. The first somewhat larger masked group, called the “Banda Štramba”, appeared in the 1940s. The first planned hand-sewn costumes were created about 50 years ago. They depicted Baron Franz von der Trenck and a Venetian. Apart from the costumes, a great deal of effort is devoted to the stage performance, and sometimes it cannot be said that a certain group is only a masked group. They are more of a theatre troupe since their performances are thought out carefully down to the last detail.
The Murter carnival consists of three processions:
MASKED LATINSKO IDRO REGATTA: A combination of carnival fun and the “Latinsko idro” regatta of traditional sailboats, always held on a Saturday.
CHILDREN'S PROCESSION: The special children's procession dates back about 30 years, and it is always held on a Sunday.
THE GREAT PROCESSION: The most sensational parade of numerous masked groups is traditionally held on Shrove Tuesday. Its participants are adults and winners of the children's procession.
