of Headbanging Club O’Connor!

the legendary band Manowar, these thrash metal warriors radiated colossal energy, unleashing a torrent of mind-bending numbers that sent the crowd into an uncontrollable frenzy. It’s worth mentioning that Elm Street proudly boasts two members of Croatian heritage, adding a unique touch to their already formidable presence.

Our special guests from Newcastle, PURENVY, then took command of the stage. These modern melodic thrash lords showcased their unrivalled mastery, leaving no head unturned with their thunderous sound. And to top it off, they too had a band member proudly representing Croatian heritage, uniting the power of metal with their roots.

Last but certainly not least, the spotlight fell upon the mighty Witchskull, often hailed as Canberra’s premier metal band. Despite being a three-piece out�it, they unleashed a hurricane of sound that resonated with every soul in the room. The sheer intensity of their performance brought the house down in an avalanche of sonic brilliance, leaving the crowd in awe.

Metal Knights at Australian Croatian Club O’Connor was a night that metalheads will cherish forever. The reverberating echoes of electrifying guitar solos, thunderous drum beats, and roaring vocals will forever resonate in our memories. The stage was set ablaze, the crowd was in a frenzy, and the spirit of metal reigned supreme, forging an unforgettable experience that will leave us craving for more. Horns up!

Birthday wishes with a clear message: “Na mladima svijet community by establishing a folklore group.

On Sunday, June 24, 2023, more than 600 guests attended the grand birthday celebration of FG Mladi Hrvati Clifton Hill, held at HKC Sunshine. Numerous former folk dancers, members of the Croatian community in Melbourne, especially Clifton Hill, parents, grandparents, along with the current members of this folklore group, as well as many of their friends and all those who support their work, once again demonstrated their immense support for preserving Croatian culture, tradition, and customs that come with nurturing the Croatian folklore heritage.

With the evening’s host, Robert Špoljar, thanking everyone for their presence and congratulating the celebrants on this great anniversary, the night began, bringing along a plethora of entertainment and joy.

At the very beginning, together with all the folk dancers who performed that evening, the Croatian and Australian anthems were sung.

In her welcoming speech, the current president Ruža Smolić gave her words of greeting, thanking everyone who contributed in any way to the preservation of this folklore group.

She emphasised the signi�icant role that folklore plays in our community, where it continues to preserve Croatian tradition, particularly in connection with the Croatian Catholic community from which it originated, thanks to the longstanding idea of the late vlč. Josip Kasić and Gizela and the late Alex Kechenovich, who aimed to connect the youth in the budding Croatian

‘Teta Gizela’ herself also delivered emotionally charged words, �illed with pride and joy, congratulating the folk dancers on their 45th birthday and commending them for continuing the dance steps that she and her late husband, Alex Kechenovich, once taught to the �irst members of FG Mladi Hrvati in Clifton Hill.

“How wonderful this is! I greet all of you; I greet you on behalf of our angels - vlč. Kasić and Alex, with whom we started this back in 1978. Alex and I met in folklore, and as far as I know, we have 14 marriages from our folklore group! May you have happy years! I must thank the parents because without parents bringing their children, there would be no dancing. Thank you to the teachers, the priests, thank you, children, for loving folklore. Keep working and working! Because there is no better exercise than dance, folklore. You move, you listen to music, you coordinate your whole body... and as Alex used to say sternly, ‘be careful how you dance’! Cheers!” exclaimed Teta Gizela enthusiastically.

Beside her were former presidents, ‘Teta Marica,’ vlč. Bosiljko Rajić, and vlč. Velimir Maglica, long-time dance instructors, and many others who reminisced about the very beginnings, the �irst dance steps that are now diligently learned and practiced in the HKZ Clifton Hill hall.

The juniors, the youngest group of celebrants, performed songs and dances from Bačka, dressed in beautiful traditional costumes of the Croatian Bunjevci. The middle group, adorned in magni�icent attire, presented songs and dances from Slavonia. As guests at the birthday celebration, members of HKUD Lado from Geelong performed a choreography from Baranja with their small group. The Lika circle, performed by the adult group from HKUD Lado Geelong, particularly impressed the audience. Vlč. Bosiljko Rajić also joined in with birthday congratulations and blessed the meal before dinner.

After the meal, the members of the band ‘Major Minor’ raised the energy on the dance �loor with their as-always excellent performance. A series of Croatian hits, followed by the inevitable kolo dance, created an excellent atmosphere for the birthday celebration, which continued with a birthday surprise - the �inal performance of ‘Ero from the Other World’ by the middle group of FG Mladi Hrvati, accompanied by the song of their youngest members who took the stage, drawing everyone present onto the dance �loor.

“Folklor u krvi” (“Folklore in the blood”) awakened in everyone the beauty that comes with the rhythm of dance, hands joined in a circle that expanded beyond the walls of the HKC Sunshine hall. The lucky winners of raf�le prizes along with the “Last Man Standing” prize had other reasons to celebrate, while others enjoyed homemade cakes donated by dedicated housewives.

The editorial staff of Hrvatski vjesnik also joins in with birthday wishes, hoping for a successful continuation of their work, for numerous performances in which “the world and the richness of Croatian culture and tradition stay with the young.”