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Paper short abstract

The folk songs of the Croatian region of Međimurje, inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, preserve rich nature motifs. Despite ecological changes from dense forests to cultivated fields, these symbols remain central to regional identity and cultural representation.

Paper long abstract

The most important element in the oral tradition and literature of Međimurje, a region in Croatia, is its corpus of folk songs. Their significance is affirmed by their inscription on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Many of these songs are thematically oriented towards the natural world, employing motifs inspired by nature, such as floral imagery ("Međimurje, you are covered with flowers"), avian references ("The golden oriole sings beautifully"), and designations such as "the flower garden of Croatia" and "green Međimurje." They offer insights into all aspects of life in Međimurje from the Middle Ages to today, including ecological and geographic features. Written sources corroborate these representations: different authors have described the lush greenery and untouched nature of the region. The Ottoman travel writer Evliya Çelebi described Međimurje as being densely forested, while the Hungarian ethnographer Ferenc Gönczi emphasized the untamed character of the Drava River. Historical records also show significant ecological transformations: the dense forests associated with the feudal estates of the early modern period were largely cleared in the 19th century under the Feštetić noble family, changing the landscape and nearly eradicating forests. The rivers, once swift and untamed, have since been regulated. Today, greenery is common, yet mainly cultivated through gardens and fields rather than occurring naturally. Despite these changes, nature motifs are still strongly connected to regional and national identity. Their symbolic resonance is evident in the logo of the Međimurje County Tourist Board, which features a green leaf as its central emblem.