The cultural association Sabotin is responsible for a wide socio-cultural activity in the Štmaver village.
It was formally formed in 1988, and since then it organizes all the principal events in Štmaver; its informal service can be traced back at least a decade in the past.
The cultural association Sabotin works under the patronage of the ‘Zveza slovenske katoliške prosvete iz Gorice’. Under that patronage there belong also the male and the children choir Štmaver. In the building of the former school, in which the association has its workspace, there is also the fishing association of the Slovenian flycatchers Čarnik.
Trip to Žabnice 2. 6. 2022 - 5. 6. 2022.
1975
The idea regarding the birth of the cultural association, which would link culturally active citizens, was born in 1975 at the Saint Valentin feast, the most felt occurrence in Štmavr. The formally founding municipal assembly was organized a few years later. Before that, on the initiative of the younger locals, on January 9th 1982, the first assembly counted thirteen young men and women. On that night there was elected the first committee, composed by the president Gabrijel Figelj, the vice-president Danjel Valentinčič, the secretary Lovrenc Peršolja, the cashier Irena Prinčič and the owner Romeo Robazza. In that way, a sort of unofficial association, which did not have a statute nor its area, was formed. Member were regularly meeting up and preparing cultural evenings, the miklavževanje (Santa Claus’ feast), the village carnival, the celebration of St. Valentin, while still searching for an appropriate place for the association. They were meeting in halls, at the church, in the presbytery or at Barnaba, where a larger room was available. An important point for the social life in the village was the presbytery, where they also organized many St. Valentin’s celebrations, along with social gatherings for singers and locals.
1988
On March 4th 1988 in those very presbytery premises met up Gabrijel Figelj, Jordan Figelj, Ivan Peršolja, Joško Feri, Loredana Valentinčič, Lovrenc Peršolja, Irena Ferlat, Valentina Feri, Elena Rustija and Nadja Kovic, who officially found, at the presence of a lawyer, the cultural association Sabotin, and validated its statute. During that very year they began the to negotiate with the municipality of Gorice about the usage of the Štmavr’s school building, which was supposed to become the seat of the association and the choir. In the former school many events were already taking place, such as Santa Claus’ feasts and carnivals, along with other celebrations.
1990
In 1990 the association gained the official stamp, a few new members, and organized the first general meeting. On October 14th of the same year the association, in collaboration with the borough council for Pevma, Oslavje and Štmaver, organized the first autumn hike on Sabotin.
1994
On February 3rd 1994 the wishes of the association’s members fulfilled, as the Gorice’s municipality handed over to the president Gabrijel Figelj the keys of the school building, which since then became the official seat of the association.
1998
An important success was reached in 1998. In the framework of the celebration for St. Valentin, in the association’s premises there was presented the publication ‘S poklona do Toplice’, written by the journalist and researcher Vlado Klemše. In it there are stored together all of the names of places, fallows, waters etc., which can be found in Štmavr, Pevma and Oslavja.
1999
In 1999 the cultural association Sabotin celebrated in the cultural centre Lojze Bratuž through a concert three important anniversaries, that is the 10th anniversary of the foundation of the association and the children choir, and the 40th anniversary of the male choir.
2000
In 2000 the members of the association for the first time prepared the carnival cart with the title ‘Millenium bug’, reaching the first place at the carnival parade in Gorice and the second place in Sovodnje. The cart was accompanied by seventy dressed up people from Štmavr and its surroundings. There was much excitement, as then there started the rich story of carnival carts from the cultural association Sabotin, which gave, and still gives, a lot of satisfaction to everybody.
2004
In 2004 male singers were in the spotlight. The cultural association Sabotin and the KUD Zali Rovt from Tržič pri Kranju celebrated the Slovenian’s entrance into the European Union with a CD, which they filmed together, and was published with the title ‘V veter ujete pesmi’.
2009
The year 2009 brought along the celebration of new anniversaries: 20 years of activity of the cultural association Sabotin and OPZ Štmaver, as well as 50 years of singing deom the MoPZ Štmaver.
On this occasion, they decided to extend the St. Valentin feast up to three days, and to celebrate it for the first time in a heated tent with a music accompaniment.
2010
From September the 23rd until the 26th 2010 the association participated for the first time to the gastronomic festival ‘Gusti di Frontiera’ along with the association Naš prapor from Pevma. Wild boar with polenta was offered to the guests, along with their characteristic Briska wine. The next year, the association partecipated alone, and since 2016 it joined with another enterprise, association ZSKP, under a big tent in Crispi street, where there is often music from young local musicians. Furthermore, in addition to all the mentioned milestones, which have deeply marked the activity of the cultural association Sabotin, their volunteers every year collaborate in many traditional meetings and events, such as the Three bridges excursion, Thanksgiving Sunday, the day of S. Martino, the night race on the Sabotino, the Sabotin Mini Vertikal, and the Isonzo regatta.
Association’s activities
In the association’s premises gym classes for adults are held, and each year they prepare at least two expositions, and also welcome a theatre group from the surroundings. For children there is an active theatre workshop with the collaboration of Mladi oder, a sack race, and a summer camp.