Croatian Winnetou: Locations, Memories, Cultural Legacy, Ethical Issues

ThisTutek, Nikola paper analyzes some aspects of the impact exercised on Croatian culture and identityIdentity by a series of WinnetouWinnetou movies which were filmed at various locations in CroatiaCroatia. The analysis focuses primarily on the 1962 movie Treasure of the Silver Lake and on the town of SlunjSlunj, one of the filming locations, and its people. After providing the literary, cultural, and historical background of the interrelations between the book/the movie Winnetou and Croatian culture, the paper discusses the cultural impact of the Winnetou series on personal experiences of the people involved, the shared identity of the local communityCommunity, and its influence on the later development of the Winnetou-related tourismTourism. Finally, it addresses relevant ethicalEthical issues related to cultural appropriationCultural appropriation, political correctness, and commercialization of the appropriated culture.