Tamburica instruments come in a whole family of sizes, from tiny high-pitched ones called bisernica to large low-pitched ones called berda. In a tamburica orchestra, all the different sizes play together: some play the melody, some play the harmony, and the biggest ones keep the rhythm. Together they make a warm, joyful sound that makes it very hard to sit still.
The instrument arrived in Croatia hundreds of years ago, carried along trade routes from the east. The word 'tamburica' comes from the Persian word 'tanbur', a type of long-necked lute played across Asia and the Middle East. By the time it arrived in Croatia, it had changed shape and style, becoming something entirely its own.
In Slavonia, tamburica is as central to celebrations as tables and chairs. At weddings, harvest festivals, school fairs and village dances, a tamburica band will play. The music is lively and rhythmic, perfect for dancing. The most famous tamburica festival in Croatia - the Zlatne Žice Slavonije festival in Požega - draws thousands of players and listeners every year.
Learning tamburica is a rite of passage in many Slavonian schools and families. Children as young as six can start on the smallest instrument. By the time they are teenagers, many play in school orchestras and compete at regional festivals. It is one of the ways that a community's musical identity is passed from generation to generation.