From Hvar to Portugal: The Novak family’s 150-year-old story of Croatian roots

Almost a century and a half ago, three brothers from Hvar left their homeland and traveled to Portugal in search of sardines. There, they established fish factories and built new lives, never imagining that their descendants would spend generations seeking to reconnect with their Croatian roots.

One dreamed of finding the family home on Hvar. Another made that dream come true. And among the memories passed down through the generations, two Croatian words survived: dušo moja — “my dear.”

Three brothers from Hvar who made their mark in Portugal

Sardines have sustained Dalmatian communities for centuries. But when stocks in the Adriatic dwindled, Croatian fishermen and entrepreneurs ventured abroad in search of new fishing grounds.

Members of the Novak family from Hvar traveled via Lampedusa and Tunisia to Portugal’s Atlantic coast.

In the late 19th century, brothers Vladimir, Juraj and Stjepan Novak established three fish factories in Portugal.

“They came because there were more fish in Portugal. They also realized that Croatian factories were technologically more advanced than those already operating here,” explains Luís Vladimir Novak Júdice da Costa, a descendant of the Hvar emigrants.

The Croatian entrepreneurs brought their expertise in preserving fish through salting, and their business soon flourished.

Vladimir Novak eventually settled permanently in Sines, Portugal, where he met Evelin, an Englishwoman who would become his wife.

“I was different because I was Croatian”

Although generations of the Novak family grew up in Portugal, their Croatian heritage remained an important part of their identity.

“I built my identity around my Croatian roots. I considered myself different from other Portuguese people. I was different because I was Croatian, not just Portuguese,” recalls Luís Vladimir.

The connection to Croatia, passed down by his grandfather and other family members, remained a source of pride. He, in turn, passed that love on to his own descendants.

The search for the red house on Hvar

Luís Vladimir was the first to set out in search of his family's roots on Hvar. He hoped to find the house where his ancestors had lived, which he knew only from an old family photograph. But his search ended in disappointment.

“The only thing left for me to do was go to the cemetery and find my great-grandfather Vicko’s grave. I took a photograph of it and was sad that I couldn’t find the house I had seen in the picture,” he recalls.

His youngest son, Tomás, eventually achieved what his father had not.

Two years ago, he visited Croatia for the first time, traveling to Hvar, the island of his ancestors.

“For many years, I had dreamed of visiting Croatia and discovering my roots. I made that dream come true two years ago,” Tomás Júdice da Costa says.

He knew that his family had once lived in a red house by the harbor. During his visit, he met Croatian relatives who showed him old photographs and documents, helping him piece together his family history.

“My dear”: Two words that survived generations

Although the Croatian language was lost within the family in the first generation, memories of their Croatian ancestors endured.

Tomás remembers the expressions his grandfather used and the songs he sang in Croatian.

“I just remembered an expression — ‘my dear’ — that my grandfather used to say. He would sometimes address me that way. I also remember him singing in Croatian.”

These small but powerful memories have remained a link to the homeland of his ancestors.

Two peoples, united by the sea

During his travels through Croatia, Tomás noticed similarities between Croats and Portuguese. Both peoples share a deep connection to the sea, a rich maritime tradition and a long history of emigration.

Sines, where the Novak family settled, is also the birthplace of renowned Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama. Sardines, meanwhile, remain one of Portugal’s national symbols.

It was this small fish that brought a Croatian family to the Atlantic coast nearly 150 years ago, setting in motion a story that has continued across generations.

Croatia remains part of their future

Tomás has not ruled out learning Croatian one day. But he is certain that his connection with the country will endure.

“I know I will probably return to Croatia and visit Hvar again. I know this connection will continue,” he says.

The Novak family’s story shows how love for one's homeland can be passed down through generations, even when the language is lost and thousands of kilometers separate descendants from their ancestors’ birthplace.

Some family stories begin with leaving Croatia, but never stop leading back to its shores.