Taubeki - Decorations from Another Time

It seems that nowadays everyone is trying to have their own style, their own slang, their own unique persona just to differentiate themselves from one million people strolling around Zagreb alleys and avenues. And all for one cause – to be authentic. It seems that authenticity is the priority of the contemporary man.

That need for being distinguished is not bad per se, but it can seem very peculiar to older generations. They like to refer to their youth as 'much simpler times'. At least my grandparents do.

Even though they are not originally from Zagreb, they were somehow connected to it either through work or personal endeavours. And every time they hear the word 'taubek', they can't seem to wipe the smile off their faces.

What is a taubek?

Firstly, to explain the complexity of the phrase 'taubek', let me introduce you to 'Purger'. When you ask Zagrebians what is a 'Purger', you will hear them say that those are the real inhabitants of our capital, breathing its air generation after generation and staying faithful to Medvednica mountain and Sava river no matter what obstacle the city puts in front of them. Those are the real natives.

Different times have different traditions, and the language follows that dictae. Nobody knows when exactly the word 'taubeki' was born, but we know for sure that its parents were 'Purgers'. And believe me when I say it doesn't matter if taubek celebrated its 50th birthday a long time ago because people still cherish that funny word and it even inspires them to make contemporary art, like the street graffiti I found walking along Branimirova street. When you say 'taubeki' in Zagreb, that can mean only two things:

1. Either you are referring to one of the billion pigeons hanging around Zagreb's main squares

2. Or you saw two people in love and got all soft and tender.

 Image credit: KULTUR!KOKOŠKA

How are those two things connected?

To be completely honest, I don't know. And neither could the native 'Purgers' tell me when I asked them. But, what I can do is explain why those two different meanings take a special place in Zagreb's narrative.

Zagreb's taubek definition #1

Taubek is a typical Zagrebian slang word for 'pigeon'. Old 'Purgers' were people with manners, and they held on to their dialect. And truth be told, Croatians have plenty of dialects for a country with 4,5 million people. I have my own theory how this word entered the vocabulary of old Zagrebian ladies and gentlemen. People loved strolling Zagreb city center then, and that fact remained truth till nowadays. Now, answer me this: what does Zagreb, Venice and Sarajevo have in common? Their main squares are home to hundreds of pigeons, decorating the sky above the cities. Either you love their presence or you are trying to avoid them while walking across Ban Jelačić Square because you are afraid of them. There is no third option because there are so many of them and it's impossible not to notice them. 'Purgers' thought of their presence as a refinement to the city and narrative. And indeed, feeding pigeons really does make my day sometimes, and, as far as I can see, all the other visitors are quite charmed with the interaction. Their authenticity hasn't changed even though the members of the genuine generation of 'Purgers' have become a sort of an endemic species.

Zagreb's taubek definition #2

Those numerous 'taubeks' in the city inspired the folk to write a song called 'Kak taubeka dva', which would mean 'like two lovebirds' if it's translated in a more freely manner. The song became very popular among Zagreb gentlemen, who gladly accepted the love lyrics and sang them to their 'Purger ladies'. So, the song got completely new meaning, and 'taubeki' became the equivalent of the lovebirds typical of Zagreb area.

 Video credit: Gjuro Kaiser

And indeed, there is nothing more beautiful than two lovebirds, holding hands on a foggy night, surrounded by hundreds of people but seeing only each other. Lovebirds, as well as the pigeons, are a timeless decoration of the city, whether it is 2015 or 1954.

So, when you see two people kissing, or being upset about a bunch of pigeons getting in your way, remember this funny Zagrebian word and just #lovezagreb in the name of some simpler times.

Header image credit: ZGportal 

Author: Lana Suša