Gretings from Bosnia

Bosnia is famous for its generous hospitable people, its exotic architectural and historical monuments, its rich folklore and handicrafts, and colourful bazaars. With its superb scenery, unpolluted rivers, mediaeval tombstones and many rare beauty spots and contrasts, it could well be termed a gem of European tourism.

Falanje

Falanje or fortune telling  comes from the Persian word fal, to bode, or tefaul which means positive fortune telling. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, besides a unique method that is practiced by some Imam's, a combination of astrology, numerology and spiritual science known amongst the people as "opening of the starts" or yildiznama, the three most popular divination systems are present: fortune telling with the help of beans, coffee and cards.

The desire to foretell the future is as old as mankind itself. The fear of the unknown and generally, man's need to influence fate has led to various forms of fortunetelling which served to foretell the outcome of some disease, to find a thief, to find out the sex of the baby, to find out whether the year will be fruitful, to find out if a couple will get married, etc.

According to the beliefs in Bosnia the ideal day for fortunetelling, especially with the help of beans or coffee, is Tuesday. This is because it is believed that Tuesday is the day of magic when each spell has a stronger effect and each fortunetelling is more accurate.

To foretell the future using coffee, it is necessary to fulfil a few simple conditions. First, the coffee cannot be express coffee but "Bosnian coffee" so that the cup will contain a lot of sediment. The coffee should be drank hot and without sugar.

When the coffee is finished, the person that wants its future foretold, places some money under the saucer and spins the cup three times clockwise and covers it with the saucer. After that one places his/her index finger from his/her right hand on the cup and in his/her mind he/she must make a wish or think about a specific person. The side of the cup from which the client drank is considered to be a representation of him, whilst the opposite side is considered to represent a person of the opposite sex. The bottom of the cup is a symbol of a home and all the symbols that are found on that part signify events inside the family.

Before the fortune teller starts, he/she first checks the situation of the entire cup. If the space around the handle of the cup is empty and without any sediment, it is believed that the person is unhappy in love affairs or is in a bad financial situation.

If the bottom of the cup is filled with sediment that signifies a period of prosperity while an empty bottom signifies a bad financial situation, a departure or a trip.

Bosnian fortune tellers pay specific attention to interpretation of individual symbols and they connect them with other symbols in their vicinity. Of course, there are some other important symbols that every fortune teller pays specific attention to. If there happens to be three identical symbols inside the cup, then that signifies great pleasure...

The following represents some interpretations that Bosnian fortune tellers use during their fortune telling using coffee:

Angel- joy, a wish coming true

Aeroplane- mail, news

Car- happiness

Bull- wealth, money

Old woman- sorrow, sickness

Numbers: 1- decision, 2-sickness, 3-date, 4-you must be patient, 5-worry...

Flowers: you are in an advantageous period

Pigeon: mail, news

Lizard: change, new beginning

Piano: you will receive an important message

Umbrella- you will meet an old love partner

Wolf: tears and sorrow because of jealousy

Moon: feast, a wish will come true

Bear: sickness

Mouse: beware of a theft

Knife: an end of a relationship or marriage

Eagle: an advantageous change or move

Frog: you will be a victim of someone's scheme and intrigue

Dots: large dots in the cup always symbolise favourable news. Large dot on the bottom of the cup: pregnancy in the family

Pregnant woman: monetary gain, present

Horse: a victory in court or in sports

Chicken: others are slandering you

Pyramid: trouble with a court or the law

Dog: stable relationship or marriage, loyal friend

Ring: marriage

Heron: pregnancy

Fish: worry, disease

Letters: A-new beginning or a new job, T- stress, F-love...

Heart: the best symbol in love fortune telling. This is a sign of love. If the heart symbol is white then it signifies true feelings

Deer: an important conversation with your partner

Cat: a black cat is a symbol of hatred, someone doesn't like you. A white cat warns you to be careful with blandishment and mellifluous words

Bird: a symbol for news

Parrot: you will meet a person who speaks two languages or is a stranger

Spider: be careful of your pride and stubbornness

Rifle or a gun: stress, anger

Dragon: you are prone to saving and keeping money

Snake: enemy, adversary in love

Rabbit: you are having problems sleeping

Squirrel: lack of confidence or bravery

Cross: argument, fight

Fox: be careful or lies and hoaxes

Glasses: you will meet a new person...

At the end of every fortune telling the client presses his finger on the bottom of the cup and makes a wish so that the fortune teller can see if it will come true. The sediment that remains on the finger of a female client is placed under her tongue so that her man says her name often and that he thinks about her often.

Fortune telling for marriage: When a girl comes to someone's house for coffee for the first time, she needs to steal a lump of sugar in a manner that no one notices it, and then when she goes to sleep she should place that lump under her pillow. That night she will have a dream about the man that she will marry.

MYTHOLOGICAL WORLD OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Čifuti: Coming to Bosnia the Jewish people were known as very stingy people to which a dozen sayings witness. That's why they are called Čifuti or misers. But the thing which was most linked to them was the killing of children. This belief about the Jews is not far from the truth because we find written records in Bosnia about the concoction of a magical remedy made out of human parts, called mumijo or mumya, which were made by the Jewish witches or rabbis. They acquired human parts by stealing corpses or by kidnapping and killing Christian and Muslim children. It was believed that during Pasha or some other holiday the Jews steal a child place him in a casserole and sting it with needles until it bleeds out. That's why children were frightened by these words: "Run to your uncle, run to your uncle, sting!" (Bježi amidži, bježi daidži, boc!”) in order for them to stay away from the Jewish homes.

Festivals in BiH

Festivals

„Baščaršijske nights“ (July in Sarajevo)

For the entire month of July the old town in Sarajevo (baščaršija) hosts cultural events from whirling dervishes to Viennese sympharmonic and Celtic concerts. Each night has something special and most events are free of charge. It's the longest and one of the best events in the whole country.

Sarajevo Film Festival (August in Sarajevo)

The rebellious and artistic soul of Sarajevo flared during the war years. Amidst the death and destruction of Sarajevo, several Sarajevan artist decided to host an international film festival. It has gone from an improvised vision to one of the best film festival in Europe. It's a great place to meet and mingle with actors, producers, and the stars. Unlike Venice and Cannes, Sarajevo's film festival has no barriers between the viewing public and the artist themselves. Its a fun, laid-back occasion and an opportunity to check out great films, short films and documentaries from some of the world's greatest.

MESS (October in Sarajevo)

MESS theatre festival has been a tradition in Sarajevo for over a century. Some of the finest theatre groups in Europe regularly take part in this annual gathering. MESS also highlights the event with alternative and modern dance. Alongside the well-known names are also the best regional performers from southern Europe. Tickets are sometimes hard to come by but can be purchased online in advance. Check out the website.

Jazz festival (November in Sarajevo)

More and more of the big names in jazz are starting to buzz around the annual jazz in Sarajevo. The venues are usually small and intimate and there are always free jam sessions in jazz clubs around town after the show. Tickets can be purchased over the internet and there is good information about all the acts.

International Folklore Festival (July in Sarajevo)

Whereas folklore events in most countries aim to pay homage and preserve the old traditions that once existed in their homeland, folklore here is still very much alive and part of both rural and urban life. The great folk traditions of the Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs invite dozens of other folk groups from around the world to offer a 'peek into our past.... how we dressed, danced, played music, sang and lived“.

Teatar Fest (September in Sarajevo)

This theatre fest highlights young actors and actresses from around Europe and North America. The festival is free of charge and brings a wide array of excellent university theatre and dance groups.

„Sarajevan Winter“ (February-March)

Every winter Sarajevo hosts a regional thetre festival of friend and colleagues from former Yugoslavia.

Mostar Summer Festival (July)

Mostar is slowly creeping back into the cultural scene. To match its stunning architecture and beautiful surroundings, Mostar's summer festival hosts a great range of local productions in drama, music, art and film as well as international events in music and drama. It takes place for several weeks in July in venues all over the city. One of the main venues is the Croatian Cultural Centre near the Rondo.

Futura party (August in Sarajevo)

Futura is exactly what it sounds like – a great rave. Young people from throughout the region gather for finest new beats and hottest new DJs.

Una International Regatta (late July in Bihać)

The Una Regatta celebrated its 30th anniversary not too long ago. This rafting event is unmatched in the region as more and more enthusiasts gather to kayak, raft and have fun on Bosnia's most beautiful river.

Bullfight at Ilijino Brdo (20 July in Posušje)

Bullfights are gaining popularity in BiH. This events staged in western Herzegovina is a great day trip from the coast or Mostar. Bring a camera; you won't see this too often.

Summer on the Vrbas (end of July in Banja Luka)

This Banja Luka tradition is a time to visit this northern city. The cool Vrbas is a great attraction in itself let alone the various range of events and concerts.

Bullfight of Grmečka korida (9 August in Oštra Luka)

From what I understand this is one of the oldest bullfights in the country. Althought none of the bullfights is necessarily arranged for tourists, I must say it's a fascinating sight to see.

Celebration of the Apparition (24 June in Međugorje)

This event usually attracts over 100,000 faithful each year from every corner of the globe. It celebrates the day when a group of young teenagers saw the apparition of the Mother Mary on a stony hill in western Herzegovina.

The Bosnian culture of coffee (kahva)

On so many occasions I've watched confused visitors make a mess of the ritual of drinking a good Bosnian coffee, Turkish style.

Bosnian coffee comes in a small metal džezva (pronounced „jezva“) coupled with a small round cup called fildžan (filjohn). With the tiny spoon you gentle stir the top layer of coffee in the džezva. When the top turns a cream colour you are ready to pour. The džezva is usually filled with a little more coffee than the fildžan can hold.

Be aware that at the bottom of džezva are the coffee gronnds that will feel like a mouthful of sand if you pour all the way to the bottom. Leave a tiny layer on the bottom of the džezva just to be sure. Traditionally the sugar cubes are dipped into the fildžan and eaten. Feel free to plump them into the coffee and stir. Always hold the fildžan from the outer rim and never by the body, for it will more than likely be hot. If the fildžan is served in a copper holder that is meant to hold the heat in, don't pick up the copper holder to drink your coffee – that stays on the table. In some places a jelly-like candy called rahatlokum is served. It will be coated with powdered sugar and have a toothpick sticking out from it. It seems obvious what is next but I've seen people trying to dip the rahatlokum into the coffee. Please don't do that. Bend towards the table (the powdered sugar tends to go everywhere) and enjoy your Bosnian delight.

                                 Dear, prepare coffee for me

                                    (Kahvu mi, draga, ispeci)

                                 Make me a cup of coffee, dear

                                 As if it were, darling, for уоu

                                 And I shall come

                                 At midnight to sit beside уоu.

                                 Do spread a mattress, dear

                                 As if it were, darling, for you

                                 And I shall come and midnight to lie beside you.

                                  Bosnian love song - sevdalinka

 

Kahvedžija –  one who enjoys in coffee.

Kahvenisati – a Bosnian form of Turkish term verb „to drink coffee“

Kahvenjaci – a Bosnian word form of Turkish term for coffee dishes.

 

Blood and Vengeance: One Family's Story of the War in Bosnia

Chuck Sudetic

Blood and Vengeance: One Family's Story of the War in Bosnia

The events surrounding the genocide of eight thousand Bosniaks in 1995 by Bosnian Serbs is told through the odyssey of one Bosniak family, recounting the long and brutal history of the rival factions that claim the region.

http://www.womenforwomen.org/

Why do we work in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Women for Women International exists because of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 1993, Women for Women International Founder Zainab Salbi heard reports of wartime atrocities against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Compelled to act, she visited the country herself.
She spoke with women who'd been imprisoned in rape camps, endured daily mass rapes by soldiers and had lost their entire families to ethnic cleansing.
When she returned to the U.S., she founded Women for Women International to help Bosnian women.
Although the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was more than 15 years ago, it toppled the economy and shattered lives, and women are still struggling today: to heal, to recover and to reunite.
With your help, Women for Women International in Bosnia and Herzegovina is working with women to rebuild their lives.

The Godfather (šišani kum)

If the infant gets ill, they will take him, on a »young Sunday«, ie the first Sunday in the lunar month, to a crossroads before sunrise. They will address the person who happens to come first to that crossroads by the following words: »Euzubillahi mineš šejtanir radžim. Bismillahir rahmanir rahim“«. And the chance passer-by will cut the ill infant's hair, ie make a sing of cross cutting his hairs with the scissors. It is considered a great sin to refuse to cut the hair of an ill infant. The person who has performed this »haircut« is called the »šišani kum«, ie a god- father through hair-cutting, and this is observed and respected; the »šišani kum « «, like any god-father, is considered a relative. The infant's mother immediately gives a present to the god-father through hair-cutting, and he gives a present in return on the first occasion. In case of a serious disease of an infant, a ritual sale of the infant is arranged.

If the child does not start speaking on time, also -magic actions are performed: the infant is carried in one hand and a cock in the other three times round the house and while doing so the following ritual words are pronounced: „Cock, do crow; the mute one, do speak up!“ Or a small bread is kneaded with the handle of the coffee grinder and is given to the child to eat it up.

Bosnian beliefs

 

It is believed that the willow is a cursed tree, that it bears no fruit, and that the hazel tree is a blessed tree, because it is the first food to animals in spring-time. It is believed that it is not good to get asleep under a walnut tree, and that it is not advisable to plant a walnut tree in the vicinity of the house, because the members of the household will die when the walnut tree root hairs reach the house.

It is believed that all the sins can be pardoned by grafting fruit-trees. „A hajduk walks through the forest in spring-time grafting fruit-trees to earn a place for his soul“.

The belief in the healing properties of some sources is is particularly linked to the source at »Teveric«, a locality between the villages of Brodac, Dazdarevo and Ostojicevo. Since times immemorial mothers have been bathing their children in that source. They throw money into the source and leave the shirts of the ill children on the trees round it.

 It is believed that each house has its own snake protector which must not be killed. In order to avoid this sin, they drive the snakes from the vicinity of the house by burning old rags.

Bosnian Pyramid

Welcome to the official website of the Archaeological Park:
Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation
http://www.piramidasunca.ba/

Witchcraft in Bosnia

http://magic.bosnianforum.com/


Thanks to Bogumils who at one period of the BiH history used to be dominant religion and, in the same time, worshipers of Nature, the old cults managed to survive. By their credit we can, today, follow the leads of old days witchcraft performance, which, after so many centuries still exist through various beliefs and practical performance.

Witches and their religion of Nature; worshiping of God and Goddess through the Sun and the Moon, have their deep roots in the beliefs of many nations across the Balkans and the rest of the Europe. These days, analysing ethnological data, as well as traditional beliefs from Bosnia; dozens of extremely interesting details can be disclosed showing us that old religion of Nature managed to survive both time and monotheism. However, in order to present data on witches’ performance it is necessary to write so many pages with so many data enclosed. Since, every single journey begins with a single step we’ll commence the story on witchcraft along with this very text and end it sometimes/somewhere in the future.

Time of the ritual

In Bosnia, the most powerful and the most dangerous days are considered to be those between 30^th of April and the 13^th of May in which, accidentally or not, the witches holiday Beltane (1^st of May) happens to be. In this very period the regeneration of Nature is at its peak, as well as farming works. In the middle of this period there is a Hidirllez (6^th of May) Christian-Moslem holiday of Pagan origin that is traditionally put in the context of Nature and water which is under the influence of the Moon. The worshiping of water as one of the manifestation of the Goddess is well reflected in two customs that are practised even these days in some parts of Bosnia.  This is about the celebration of the first Tuesday that precedes Hidirlez Holiday called Boni Tuesday  (Boni utorak) entirely devoted to the water treatment (of the sick). During Boni Tuesday, healing springs in the Nature are being visited; the sick drink the water and wash their bodies with it. The first Tuesday after the 6^th of May is called Dovni Tuesday  (Dovni utorak) and on this day prayers are to be chanted for the wellbeing of individuals and the community as a whole. Clearly speaking; the believers used to pray or, better to say, thank to the ruler of the water (the Moon) for its support, aiming to get its protection throughout the year. Of course, by the appearance of Islam all that referring to the old Cult had to be suppressed and assimilated into the new religion. The Goddess had been changed to the prayer to Allah, although it is clear at the very first glance that those rituals have nothing to do with the Islam.

Light and the darkness

Even today in the 21st century the Bosnian witches follow the ancient guidelines in their magic performance. The part of the day when the Sun is setting and the night falls down between Aksham and Jaci ( „između akšama i jacije“ ) is still considered to be the best period for the magic performance, especially for the love magic.

Analysing in detail the information why the sunset period is the most important period of the day to the Bosnian witches for performance of the magic ritual, is to be sought in the very roots of European witchcraft history. Two of the most important holidays Beltane and Samhain celebrates the beginning of the shiny & dark part of the year. Both holidays are the moments of the most celebrated celebrations and most powerful rituals related to the divinity of the Nature. Similar to that, the end of the day and the beginning of the night represents the miniature alteration of light and the darkness, Beltan and Samhain. According to Bosnian believes , immediately after the sunset Jinny get the power, they wake up and go active, what is coincided with the belief that in the night of Beltan and Samhain the door of the spiritual world open from which various spirits and demons come to he world of human beings. 

The Moon Cult

Although small number of ethnological data on magic inheritance of Bosnia & Herzegovina can be found today, from what such data disclose it can be clearly found that in the past existed several types of cults among which the Sun and the Moon cults dominated.

 Even these days, when they see a New Moon, some Bosniak women perform the ritual in which the influence of Islam and the old days Moon cult interlace with each-other. While gazing to the moon, a woman, lifts her arms to the chest level, with her palms pointing the sky, chants 5 Qu'ran-s prayers, after what she wipes her face with the palms. In the continuation, a Moon Cult ritual follows; a woman points her right forefinger to the Moon saying: “The way you Moon grove and transform so renew my form (existence)”. Apart from this ritual there were dozens of similar rituals amongst Bosniak women that were passed from one female generation to another. In another ritual woman prays to the New Moon for a good health of her children, in which case she directly alludes to the Goddess of the Moon; the protector of fertility and children. Another interesting belief alludes to the old times idea on divine characteristic of the Moon, namely; it is believed that when the New Moon is seen for the first time the formula:“ I see New Moon, Mashallah!“ should be chanted, as in contrary a bad magic of “evil eyes” can strike the person. In traditional Bosnian beliefs small kids are most vulnerable to the influence of the evil eyes what leads to the idea that in the old days the New Moon has been considered as a divine child,i.e. freshly (re)born Goddess, which her followers need to protect; in the faze when she has no enough strength and power.  

The Bogomils

When Christianity commenced to spread in the East and West, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, it intermingled in the East with the learning of Zoroaster, which reigned in the Persian Empire as the official religion of the state. By a mixture of both creeds, the Persian prophet Mani (216-276) fashioned a new teaching, known after his name as „Manichaeism“, and adopted the the principal ideas of Zoroaster, as for example, the old Aryan dualism, and rules for foodstuff. Thus when this new creed began to spread speedily through the Byzantine Empire, it was severely opposed by the powers of state which caused a dispersion of the religion and atomization into many sects. One form of persecution of the adherents of the new religion took the form of sending them to western confines of the Empire to be used as „cannot-fodder“ against invading Bulgars, who menaced the Empire from the 6th to 10th century. But the heretics, instead of waging war against the Bulgars, fled to them and spread amongst them the new creed. Thus, during the first half of the 10th century there appeared in Bulgaria a man named Jeremija, who found a new religion, based on Manichean teachings and old Slavic customs. Jeremija took the name of „Bogomil“ meaning „Dear to God“; it was he who named the new religion Bogomilism. It soon spread all over Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and finally reached Bosnia. Bogomils thus came to Bosnia directly from Bulgaria and established therein a powerful bulwark.

Ćuhum be quite Lehum fly

When a husband was aggressive and when he would abuse his wife, she would take a fist full of dust from a grave and while her husband was sleeping she would throw the dust on him. Besides this, women used to mix their menstrual blood with coffee or they would give their husbands a sugar cube that was previously wiped through her vagina. Even though the male's extra marital affairs were tolerated to a degree because of the traditional upbringing, Bosnian females didn't shy away from using magic to ward off their husbands from their lovers. Most wives were seeking help from local witches (Sihirbaza), which would heat a sowing needle in a secret ritual and then they would bend it in a way that the tip of the needle would go into the needle's eye while pronouncing magical words. The bent needle was then carried home by the wife, and a favorable moment for its use was anticipated. When an unfaithful husband would leave to meet his lover, the wife would throw the needle after him which would then activate the spell. According to the statements of some women, who wish to stay anonymous, the magic worked and the husband would return home quickly often ill tempered. Besides this, the cheated wife should wash her bra and underpants and dry them on a nacre bush (Ruta graveoles) a few days in a row. It is believed that in this way the husband will lose his passion for the lover and he will return to his wife.  

The spell with the needle aims at making the man impotent and to weaken his sexual power when he reaches his lover. To annul this negative effect the husband would often seek the help at a local witch or Imam. Some witches request the following from the impotent man: some water from three various springs, four leafed clover, nine different flowers from a meadow and a stickyweed (Galium aparine). All of the above mentioned ingredients are thrown into the water and the following words are uttered :"Ćuhum be quite Lehum fly....." and the verse El-Fatiha is uttered three times. After that the impotent male washes his face with that water and drinks some of it. And then on a starry night he washes first his left hand and right foot and then the right hand and left foot. It is interesting to note that the man creates a five-pointed star: head, left arm, right leg, right arm and left leg. The five-pointed star in Bosnian health rituals plays a major role since it is considered to be a symbol of health and protection therefore we find it in almost all descriptions of ritual washings of the sick.

How do charms work?

 When a sihirbaza  wants to create love magic that is to bring together two persons, she first needs to find out if this is possible by divination. After she has taken a large branch of hawthorn (Crataegus Oxyacantha) she then splits it into three parts of equal length. Then she waits for the fire in the fire place to tone down and then she places one branch upright into the ember which she names as the person she wishes to put her spell upon. The next branch she places right next to the first one, on its left side, in the hot ember 5 inches apart and names it as the person for whom she is creating the spell, and the third branch she places on the right side of the first one with the same distance apart but she doesn't name it. Then she watches to see what will happen. If the branch, the one she named as the person for whom she is creating the magic, falls as it is burning in the middle (named as the person she wishes to put her spell upon) then she is certain that her magic will succeed. However, if it happens that the un-named branch falls in the middle then it is clear that the magic will have no effect.

Bosnian prophecy

During the last decade of the 20^th century many astrologers were announcing the coming of the age of Aquarius which should bring peace and advancement to humanity and it should forever close the doors on the dark age of the Pisces which was full of wars and misfortunes. Entering the 21^st century and the long awaited era of Aquarius nothing has changed, on the contrary the whole world entered an even bleaker and negative era. What do the old Bosnian prophecies say about all of this?

Announcement of war and crimes

All of the prophecies coming from the Bosnian people are of an oral character, they were recited traditionally as a warning from the elders to the younger generations. It is interesting that they are full of negative predictions which talk about accidents, wars, misfortunes. They never determine the time of any of the events, however it can be easily discovered by analysis. The most interesting predictions are those that deal with the Bosnian people. An old Imam from Velika Kladuša foretold during the 70's "the rule of a Woman Jinn which is more wicked than the Male Jinn"- "When the female Jinn starts ruling, said the old Imam, our people will disperse around the world, and we will long to see each other!"

Aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) from Serbia and Montenegro which culminated with the genocide on the Bosniaks in Srebrenica forced millions of people to abandon their homes and try their luck in other countries. Another harbinger of the war is the sentence "When the world becomes red, horrible times will await Bosnia!" In this sentence the symbolic term "red" means when the roofs of the houses become red (red bricks). The economic boom in Bosnia which took place during the second half of the past decade enabled the building of better houses and it also changed and upgraded the way houses were built.

"Neighbours will start hating each others, brothers will hate each others, there will be no shame, children will be giving birth to children", foretold the great prophecies announcing the coming of a great hatred whose consequences could have been seen in the media that reported of the great atrocities that the Serbian army undertook throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The second part of the prophecy dealt with the moral debasement of the human race, the rise of juvenile delinquency, crime, no moral role models.

Judgement day or nuclear war?

Today the folk wisdom claims that the world is "cleansed" every 40 years, i.e. there is a big war or a disaster that sweeps away millions of human lives. And this will continue until judgment day. According to the predictions of the people, "40 years before the judgement day three heavenly gifts will disappear from the Earth- bees, sheep and wheat!" The description of the last day on Earth, or the world as we know it are summed up in the following dramatic sentences: "A multitude of hot stones will fall on the Earth and it will melt and scorch its surface." We can forebode that here we are dealing with a nuclear disaster or another disaster that will afflict the Earth because the Bosnian prophecy continues with the following words: "Not all people will perish, from this disaster new people will emerge, shorter and instead of two eyes they will only have one. Because the sun will beat down mercilessly these people will run underground where they will have some peace and quite." By interpreting these omens we can reach a conclusion that people could suffer some sort of radiation because of some sort of disaster and that their bodies could mutate or evolve into a different and deformed form. The prophecy also foretells our future that will take place in underground cities whose blueprints and plans are already among us.  

China- rulers of the world

According to the prophecies of the 20th century in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnian people claimed that the "yellow ants" (Chinese) will rule in the 21st century. According to that prophecy in the 20th century the white race (white ants) was supposed to rule, which was reflected in the rule of USSR and USA. As we know USSR vanished begining 90's of the previous century. Judging by the claims of the elderly Bosniaks the time of American domination is at its end, and it is clearly shown in the last turbulent decade in which the USA led by two disastrous presidents, Bush and Obama, made a lot of bad judgments and actions, whose repercussions are being felt now.

Iran- military power

The USA, in the last 10 years, created an ideal environment that promoted Iran into a single military and nuclear power in the Middle East. Attacking Iraq, the USA weakened Iran's greatest adversary. Today Iraq is a country doomed to internal division and military and economic powerlessness. Attacking Afghanistan, a traditional ally of Iran, made things even worse and convinced the Afghan people that Taliban's are the best solution that they have at their disposal. The Taliban are objectively the only victors in this war. Current attempts of the USA and Europe to create a similar scenario in Syria weren't fruitful. With such an attempt the USA made another bad move and created an adversary from a former ally that will certainly seek to ally itself with Iran. All in all they created an ideal environment for the creation of a powerful Shia union that will return Iran on the throne of military power. A similar thing is happening with Egypt. With that, we come to the Islamic prophecy of Israel's final destruction whose end was announced. "Israel will exist for 70 years and then it will be destroyed by Allah's will", claims the old prophecy. With that the Middle East would be finally free of the culprit that created all the unrest in that part of the world.

Bosnian traditional music - sevdalinka

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvg5qZQPzoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjLye_pYjRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgyygUEckGc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMkOcLaa6vs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rahh6Afa91Q&feature=related

Sevdalinka is a traditional genre of folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The actual composers of many sevdalinkas are unknown.
In musical sense, sevdalinka is characterized by a slow or moderate tempo and rich harmony, leaving a melancholic feeling with the listener. Sevdalinka songs are very elaborate, emotionally charged and are traditionally sung with passion and fervor. The combination of Oriental, European and Sephardic elements make this type of music stand out among other types of folk music from the Balkans. The singer will often impose the rhythm and tempo of the song, both of which can vary throughout the song. Traditionally, sevdalinkas are women's songs, most addressing the issue of love and longing, unfulfilled and unfortunate love, some touch on a woman's physical desire for her loved one, and some have comic elements. Currently they are often performed by men as well. Traditionally, they were played without any instruments, hence the elaborate harmony. Modern interpretations are followed by a small orchestra containing accordion (the most prominent), violin, nylon-string guitars and/or other string instruments (occasionally), flute or clarinet (occasionally), upright bass, snare drum. In between the verses, an accordion or violin solo can almost always be heard.
The most prominent performers (singers) of sevdalinka in the 20th century are Zaim Imamović, Asim Brkan, Beba Selimović, Hanka Paldum, Himzo Polovina, Meho Puzić, Safet Isović, Silvana Armenulić, Zehra Deović and Nada Mamula.

Bosnian War and Genocide

During the Bosnian War (1992-1995), the fighting was fierce among the region's three main ethnic groups: Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs (in pact with Serbia-Montenegro army). At the start of the war, the Bosnian Serb army and Serbia-Montengero army (JNA) set about ransacking and burning the homes of Bosniaks. Then army rounded up Bosniaks civilians, who were beaten, killed, or detained in camps. By the war's end, as many as twenty-six thousand Bosniak civilians had been systematically murdered.

.„Ethnic cleansing“ became a common term used to describe the mass killing occurring in Bosnia and other areas on the Balkan Peninsula. The phrase remined people of the Holocaust, which was perpetrated by Adolf Hitler's Nazis during World War II. During that genocide, the Nazis used intimidation and force in their attempt to „cleanse“ Germany.


„Killing centers“ were places where the victims were brought for immediate or nearly immediate execution. Thus the famous Drina River bridge in the eastern Bosnian town of Višegrad was used for nightly executions and „sport atrocities“ against Bosniaks by Serb militiamen; the victim would be tortured and then throw off the bridge and shot as they fell down into the Drina River. Similar centers were found in Zvornik, Foča and most other centers of Bosniaks population occupied by the Serb army.

Massacres, one-time acts of mass killing at discreet locales, occurred in every area occupied by the Serb army. There were various basic forms of massacre; those that took place as Serb militias entered a village or town; those that took place against unarmed civilians behind Serb lines during the time an area was already occupied and fully under the control of Serb forces; those committed against Bosnian villagers in deportation transit; and those committed against Bosnian prisoners in war. Even when captives thought they were being released, they were often disabused of their hope. In the Vlašić mountain massacre, busloads of Bosnians who had been released from the Trnopolje camp were stopped by Serb soldiers and killed.

In late 1992, after the Serb army had consolidated the 70 percent of Bosnian territory it controlled, the mass killings changed into steady, individualized killings and rapes. In the fall of 1994, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) made an extraordinary apeal to world leaders to stop the atrocities. The appeal was ignored.

The following testimony was offered by a survivor of the Sušica camp in eastern Bosnia, whose commandant, Dragan Nikolić, has been charged by the Internationl Criminal Tribunal with crimes against humanity. The witness was testifying about several young women who had been „selected“ from other refuges: „They started  selecting young women. The first was only 14, the second could have been 16 or 17.... I knew them all, they were from Vlasenica.....Then they started yelling: „We want the Bosniaks to see what our seed is“ Then women were never seen again...We know that Dragan Nikolić knows about it very well. That's what he did...He told us himself: „I'm the commander of the camp. I'm your God and you have no other God but me“. 

In one sense, the rapes in Bosnia are a manifestation of the toleration for and condoning of rape throughout history. Rape is also a feature of warfare, and some have argued that it is a rationale for war – that a purpose of war is the free rein it gives to rape. But the use of rape against Bosniak women in Bosnia has been overwhelming even by the bleak standards of war. In one town, Foča, a rape center was set up in the former Partizan Sports Hall in May 1992. Bosniak girls and women were held there, underwent continual rape and other physical violence, and also were sent out to apartments where they were held to several days and then returned to the Partizan Hall. The organized rape of Bosniak women took place throughout the portions of Bosnia occupied by the Serb military, as well as in areas controlled by Croat nationalist forces. Militiamen boasted about their gang rapes of Bosniak women.

Bosnian-English Dictionary

magic in bosnian:

* sihir
sihir učiniti = to cast a spell; to bewitch; to charm; to fascinate 
sihirbaz, sihrobaz, sirbaz, n. (male) magician; sorcerer,

sihirbazica, sihrobazica, sirbazica, n. (female) magician, sorceress

* učin
* manđija
* čarka
* magija

In the Land of Blood and Honey

Plot Summary: Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s, "In the Land of Blood and Honey" tells the story of Danijel (Goran Kostić) and Ajla (Zana Marjanović), two people from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosniak's girl, held captive in the camp he oversees, knew each other before the war, and could have found love with each other. But as the armed conflict takes hold of their lives, their relationship grows darker, their motives and connection to one another ambiguous, their allegiances uncertain. "In the Land of Blood and Honey" portrays the incredible emotional, moral and physical toll that the war exerts both on individuals and people as a whole, and the terrible consequences that stem from the lack of political will to intervene in a society stricken with conflict.

www.srebrenica-genocide.blogspot.com

Mythological world of Bosnia and Herzegovina

According to scientific definition, mythology is a science that studies stories of fantastic content whose heroes are various gods and goddesses, warriors, demons, etc. Seen through the eyes of modern psychology, mythology is a bond that binds the man of today with the past, shapes his identity and even his childhood. No matter the geographic location, culture or period every mythological story whether from a large civilization or a small one is based on a classic Pantheon or more commonly on a dualistic division of fantastical beings and spirits, where humans are in the centre. Today, mythology is present in large numbers of various publications, TV documentaries, art and history itself. Not even movie directors could resist its call and mythology is a constant theme of many films.

Analyzing the legends and stories of a country one can discern a lot about the thinking and behaviour patterns of a given people. Mainly in most of the mythological stories we find a classic fear in humans of disease, death and evil, constant need of upholding the cult of the hero and warrior, love towards his country, family, individual, etc. Besides this, mythological characters represent intractable human imagination, ability to weather the hard times as best as one can, or creation of an authentic identity for a people or a country.

Mythology of Bosnia and Herzegovina abounds with various external influences because of its geographical position but also its turbulent history which shaped the Bosnian spirit and imagination. In Bosnia both the East and West always manifested which is clearly evident through mythology where we come across interesting elements of both eastern and western beliefs.

With the above mentioned in mind, the mythology of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be best understood if it is divided into three groups of influence which were the keys to its creation:

      The old Slavic beliefs (Europe)

      Bosnian beliefs (lllyrians, Bogumils)

     Oriental beliefs (Iran, Turkey)

Slavic pagan beliefs were preserved in legends about demons of diseases and generally in negative creatures like vampires (Lampir), Mora (Nightmare), Witch (Sihirbaza), Plague, Cholera, etc.

Remnants of the old Bosnian beliefs of the Bogumil also remained especially in the beliefs about Did Adža, Black bull, mysterious bird Plačo, etc.

The vast number of Oriental beliefs that were brought to Bosnia by the Ottomans originate directly from Iran. By that we mean first and foremost on the belief about angels (Melek), Faeries (Periler), visiting burial grounds (Dobri), etc.