Directory:Zuvela

The Zuvela surname has strong roots originating from the western end of the island of Korcula in Croatia. Its original spelling was Xuvella. In the Croatian language the Z is written Ž.

The Zuvela’s arrived on the west end of Korcula in the 1600’s and settled in a small field called Rasohatica. There are still small remnants of stone huts there to this day. At the time, Korcula was part of the Republic of Venice (within the Dalmatian province). From where the original Zuvelas migrated is still a mystery to this editor. The Republic of Venice did accept migrants within her boundaries during her long history. They came from all parts of Europe. Many of them were migrants from Spain as well as Christians from the Ottoman Empire (which ruled the Balkans for centuries).

Rasohatica

The Zuvelas abandoned Rasohatica and moved to the village of Blato. From there members of the Zuvela family moved to (and helped to establish) the town of Vela Luka. In more modern times they have migrated to Australia as well as the United States and other parts of the world.

The information concerning the early Zuvelas of Korcula is taken from a local 19th century historian from Blato called Nikola Ostojic. He wrote a book^[1] about the town of Vela Luka in 1852. It was originally written in Italian with a Venetian dialect. Italian was the official language of the Dalmatian province^[2] at the time and had been so for centuries. In the 1860s Croatian (then referred to as Illirski)^[3] was introduced by the Austrian authorities as a second language. It then slowly replaced Italian altogether. Thus the name Xuvella became Žuvela.

Nikola Ostojic

Detail of Nikola Ostojic's writing.

Historiclly the mother tongue of the majority of the population of the island of Korcula (in particularly the west end) is Croatian. The Korcula dialect ^[4] of local Croatian language acquired many influences over the centuries, such as the now extinct Romance language Dalmatian,^[5] Venetian and others.

Vela Luka Primary School

Taken from Vela Luka Primary School records:

School year 1862./63.; III. r. (grade) Xuvella Giacobbo di Francesco ^[6]

Images

Vela Luka (Croatia) on the island of Korcula. Nikola Ostojic referred to as Vallegrande.

According to the locals (Vela Luka) the Zuvelas built Trullos. Locally they are referred to as a Vrtuljak.

A Zuvella Trullo.

References

^ Vela Luka-Historijsko Topografski Prikaz by Nikola Ostojić
^ Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p8)
^ Illyricum was a province of the Roman Empire. It was named after one of the indigenous peoples in that region.
^
The local dialect is sometimes referred to as Naski or more correctly Naški. The š is pronounced sh.
- Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (an 19 century English historian. October 5, 1797 – October 29, 1875) was an English traveller, writer and pioneer Egyptologist of the 19th century. He is often referred to as "the Father of British Egyptology".
- He referred to the Dalmatian Slavic dialect as Illirskee. Cited from Dalmatia and Montenegro: With a Journey to Mostar in Herzegovina by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson. (p33)
^ Collegium Antropologicum, Volumes 15-16 by Croatian Anthropological Society-1991. (p311)
^
Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p50)
- The Early Beginnings of Formal Education - Vela Luka (beginnings of literacy and Lower Primary School 1857 – 1870):
"The article analyses the preparations for the foundation of the first regular primary school in Vela Luka (Vallegrande) based on numerous archival materials and bibliography. The school was founded as Scuola Elementare Minore in 1857. The introductory part examines a general context, i.e. development of Vela Luka as a town and a parish until the-mid 19th century. The article also gives a brief outline of formal education of girls."

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[1] Vela Luka-Historijsko Topografski Prikaz by Nikola Ostojić

[2] Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p8)

[3] Illyricum was a province of the Roman Empire. It was named after one of the indigenous peoples in that region.

[4] The local dialect is sometimes referred to as Naski or more correctly Naški. The š is pronounced sh.
Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (an 19 century English historian. October 5, 1797 – October 29, 1875) was an English traveller, writer and pioneer Egyptologist of the 19th century. He is often referred to as "the Father of British Egyptology".

He referred to the Dalmatian Slavic dialect as Illirskee. Cited from Dalmatia and Montenegro: With a Journey to Mostar in Herzegovina by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson. (p33)

[5] Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (an 19 century English historian. October 5, 1797 – October 29, 1875) was an English traveller, writer and pioneer Egyptologist of the 19th century. He is often referred to as "the Father of British Egyptology".

[6] He referred to the Dalmatian Slavic dialect as Illirskee. Cited from Dalmatia and Montenegro: With a Journey to Mostar in Herzegovina by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson. (p33)

[5] Collegium Antropologicum, Volumes 15-16 by Croatian Anthropological Society-1991. (p311)

[6] Osnovna Škola "Vela Luka" Vela Luka Zbornik-150 Godina Školstva u Velaoj Luci (p50)
The Early Beginnings of Formal Education - Vela Luka (beginnings of literacy and Lower Primary School 1857 – 1870):
"The article analyses the preparations for the foundation of the first regular primary school in Vela Luka (Vallegrande) based on numerous archival materials and bibliography. The school was founded as Scuola Elementare Minore in 1857. The introductory part examines a general context, i.e. development of Vela Luka as a town and a parish until the-mid 19th century. The article also gives a brief outline of formal education of girls."

[9] The Early Beginnings of Formal Education - Vela Luka (beginnings of literacy and Lower Primary School 1857 – 1870):

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