Special Story of Višegrad
They killed all her sons. She knew that a return to Višegrad was never going to happen, yet she never uttered a single word of hatred. The parade of Chetniks in Višegrad recalls 1992 memories […]
Articles
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
After the devastating war in Bosnia & Herzegovina of 1992-1995, the warring sides were amnestied, and an official winner was never proclaimed. A war, civil war, an aggression or a genocide, are all titles assigned to […]
A Bosnian Jordanian
AMMAN — A painting of the famous Mostar Bridge sits atop the shelves behind Nadia Bushnaq, a former senator and a social activist. The Bosnian landmark is a reminder of her family’s heritage. Sitting in […]
Bosnia the Good
In Rusmir Mahmutćehajić’s narration of the sufferings of Bosnia as a cultural-political entity and regarding his Stolac as a spatio-personal one, one should be wary of being misled into thinking that his spirit is a parochial […]
Godfatherhood among Mohammedans, 1889
Leafing through the folk songs of the Mohammedans in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a careful reader will quite often notice verses mentioning the ritual kinship, godfatherhood [kumovi]. I will quote some verses as examples: ”Lika kumom […]
Pictures from March of Peace, 2019
With heartfelt thanks to PD “Horizont” Bihać 2006 and Edin Delić and Anel Osmanović from Lukovac Marš Mira Essay
Don’t break my locust trees
I believe, honorable judge, That you understand the people well You at least have an occupation temper is temper but the law is the law I believe, distinguished figure, you studied law To fairly judge […]
Political Reflection on Đorđe Balašević’s Ballad, “Ne Lomite Mi Bagrenje”
“Don’t Break my Locus Trees” is a popular ballad frequently heard today in cafes and on the radio in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. Listeners from different ethnic communities, young and old, identify with Đorđe Balašević’s […]
Morning among the Trees
In the forceful fine dust That showers down from the blue fountain On my palms are hot poppies Withered branches already dark ripe Early wounds and crows From a jump that never falls into any […]
Festive Night
”Have you heard the wind blowing today around noon time from the distant mountains still covered by the deep snow? Tonight is a festive night. The fruit trees are awakening tonight, they are awakening from […]
Why are there less and less jokes about Huso and Haso?
At the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, we encounter the cruel ban of satire in public discourse. In neighboring Croatia, NewsBar is on trial due to its satirical texts. In Serbia, the […]
Six Bosnian Jokes
1. Elections An American, a Japanese, and a Bosnian talk about the elections. The American says: ‘In America, in less than 2 hours after the elections, we know who won the elections.’ The Japanese says: […]
Innocent Child, Who Showed Them No Fear
Sometimes it’s hard remembering just how perfect our life was in Kozarac before the war; we were not rich but we had more than enough. We lived in a Communist country so there was not […]
On Visiting Špionica and Čekanići – Villages between Srebrenik and Gračanica
During my wanderings and tours of the beautiful hills and valleys of northeastern Bosnia, in the area boarded by rivers Spreča, Bosna and Tinja, I noticed that the former periods of Bosnian culture still live […]
Sheikh Sinan-Baba and Pobro
Famous people from Srebrenik’s history Today, we can conclude with sadness that a significant part of Srebrenik’s history, in a certain way due to the lack of resources, has been lost forever. However, the situation […]
Two schools under one roof
Segregated schooling, called “two schools under one roof” (Dvije škole pod jednim krovom), is common in the central and southern parts of the country primarily populated by Muslims (Bosniaks) and Croats. As the term suggests, […]
Brotherhood of faces in the universe
Do not be afraid! You are not alone. There are others than you who unknown by you live within you. And everything which you were, will be, and dream Burns in them with the very […]
Camps
Every attempt, even the most indirect, to set up camps of whatever ideological orientation–in the name of so-called historical necessity, class struggle, racial cleansing, the new man, and so on–will discredit every work and every […]
TELEGRAMS TO ANGEL PALMERAS: Stories from the war childhood
The unpleasant surprise My grandfather’s home was on a slope, like an observation tower. We heard some noise, and saw a crowd at the edge of the village. A lot of people. The whole village. […]
Three Short Films: Descriptions and Vimeo Links
GHETTO 59 Synopsis This understated ethnographic film provides an intimate view of a refugee center where over fifty families have lived for twenty years after the war. Despite their isolation and neglect, several families engage with […]