Upper-Nitra Miners’ Association organised first festival, called šachtág

MINERS from the region of Upper Nitra in Slovakia on December 4, St Barbara’s Day, patron-saint of miners, organised their first šachtág, a funny feast hailing the old, as well as some new habits and rituals. The “unmistakable presidium” was for that special day Milan Durbák of the Banská Štiavncia-Horduša Miners’ Association from Banská Štiavnica. He helped the local miners organise the day which is rooted in the tradition of students of the old Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica, founded in 1762 by Empress Maria Theresa – the first university of its kind in the world.

Published: 
Monday, January 19, 2015