One of the truly great Slovene curiosities, these are still known as the skis of Bloke (after a village in Notranjska of that name).

Today, of course, the equipment is much different, although some people still like to practice skiing the old-fashioned way. The latest trends in the field are set by the Slovenian sports equipment manufacturer Elan, which has been supplying gear to the world's top skiers, among them legendary Swede Ingemar Stenmark. Bojan Križaj, Rok Petrovič, Boris Strel, Jure Košir, Mateja Svet and Špela Pretnar are the most acclaimed names of Slovenian skiing, which lately has unfortunately seen a somewhat gloomier period.

Bloke Description

Bloke is a karst plateau, its south part consists of limestone and to the north of Bloke is a dolomite plateau, which rises about 700 and 800 m above the sea. On the Bloke Plateau there are about 45 larger or smaller settlements where about 1,800 inhabitants live. There are distinctly local species and numerous plants found only here. These are interesting for biologists and can be found mainly near meandering parts of the Bloščica stream.

Bloke and its surroundings have numerous historical, archaeological, ethnographic and geographic distinctions. In Tlake near the village Metulje (Metle) was supposedly situated Metullum, the centre of Japodi, and according to J. W. Valvasor Bloke was the original homeland of renewed Bloke skis. In the village Benete located by the road in the direction towards Ribnica there is a well-preserved remnant of the large Roman prison wall (Claustra Alpium Juliarum). Nadlišek and Pajkovo Castles, both from the Middle Ages were mentioned in Slovenian history several times. Even more famous in Slovenia is the literary character Martin Krpan, who came from the former Fajgel farm under sv. Urh near the village of Sv. Trojica (the Holy Trinity), according to the folk tradition. Nevertheless, the Bloke Plateau is certainly most famous for its skiing which was described in detail by J. W. Valvasor whose document is considered the oldest written record about skiing in the world.

The Cradle of skiing in Central Europe

Bloke plateau, situated 43 kilometres south-east of Ljubljana lends its name to the so-called Bloke climate. Strong winds and long, rainy winters are typical of it along with continental and alpine elements. These conditions forced people to use skis because this was the only way to travel down to the valley.

There are many theories about the origin of Bloke skis. But since it is known that the first skis in the world come from Korea, the suggestion that skiing was invented in Bloke is simply untrue. The most likely explanation is that Bloke skis are part of the old Slav heritage, which implies that skis were introduced in Slovenia by old Slavs in approximately the year 600 AD.

Bloke skis are one of the most important aspects of Slovene culture. They were usually made from pieces of beech wood, which were 130 to 180 centimetres long. The edges were skimmed and a "stirrup" made from string, wire or leather was used as a binding. The bindings were pushed through holes on the ski or nailed onto the sides. Skiers adjusted the stirrups according to their shoes and they were fastened in front of the ski's centre of the gravity. That meant they were weighted at the back which was essential for the cross-country skiing method. This way skis served as a mode of transport when there was lots of snow. To go down the hill skiers used a stick, which they put under their armpit and used to stear and brake.

But people from Bloke also had fun on their skis. Various games and competitions were organised. The biggest celebration of them all was Halloween Tuesday, the holiday of all "skaters" as everybody called the skiers. The people in Bloke believed skating and jumping a lot on this day would improve the harvest of buckwheat, turnip and flax.

Skiing started to die out in Bloke after the First World War, when modern sport skiing started to develop in Slovenia. The Italian occupation of these areas during the Second World War killed off Bloke's old ski culture because the Fascists confiscated all the skis.

It is interesting that skiing did not spread from the plateau during that time even though skis were used for all functions which demanded movement - including funerals. Longer and shorter skis, kept by one family in the village, were used to transfer the coffin. They also knew games and races which suggests that their skiing was the start of sport skiing.

Apart from that skiing in Bloke did not influence the development of skiing today in Slovenia. But it did have a huge publicity effect and it is one reason that modern skiing is so popular in Slovenia.