From Istria to Dubrovnik, everyone sings it
La Mula de Parenzo is a song born in the late eighteenth century as an Istroveneta barcarola.
It refers to the Istrian town of Poreč, where the inhabitants spoke the Histo-Venetian dialect.
The song spread to all the territories of the former Austrian coast: Veneto, Friuli and Dalmatia.
The song is also well known among Slovenian and Croatian speaking populations.
The reason why this song is very popular and widespread in those territories could be linked to the fact that they were all areas belonging to the Republic of Venice.
The Serenissima Republic of Venice has been a lighthouse of civilization for many years.
This maritime republic brought culture and civilization for many years.
It was founded in 697 by its first Doge “Paoluccio Anafesto”, stopped the advance of the Ottoman Empire with seven long wars and finally fell on May 15, 1797 with the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte.
So, wanting to find a popular song known in all the lands of the Serenissima, we remember and sing “La mula de Parenzo”
Even the 1983 Christmas-Movie-Panettone of the Vanzina Brothers paid homage to this song.
Video – la Mula de Parenzo –
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi
