Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU

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The Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SAS (I-VII)/ SASA (VIII/) is a scientific periodical of international significance which publishes papers in ethnology/anthropology. From its inception in 1952, the Bulletin publishes the results of scientific research projects of scientists and associates of the Institute and other affiliated institutions in the country and abroad. In addition, discussions and articles, supplements, field data, retrospectives, chronicles, reviews, translations, notes, bibliographies, obituaries, memories, critiques and similar are published as well. The Bulletin was founded as a means to publish the results of research of settlements and origins of populations, folk life, customs and folk proverbs. However, the concept of the Bulletin, like that of any other contemporary scientific journal, changed over time to accommodate the social, cultural and political processes and research trends in the social sciences and humanities.

The Bulletin (GEI) is referenced in the electronic bases: DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), Ulrich's Periodicals Directory and SCIndex (Serbian Citation Index). All articles are digitally available in a form typographically true to the original (in .pdf format). The Bulletin is also available in the same form on the website of the Institute of Ethnography SASA.

The Bulletin (GEI SANU) can also be found and read at CEEOL (Central and Eastern European Online Library): http://www.ceeol.com


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A way toward Dužijanca
A way toward Dužijanca
This paper discusses possible methodological inquires related to research about dužijanca, a specific ancient ritual/magic complex of behavior dedicated to ensure grain prosperity and productivity in the minicipalities of Subotica and Sombor. Some of the key moments/years important to this ritual are: 1911, 1948, 1968, 1993, and 2006. In time, the ritual, in the past reserved for the fields and families involved, altered to become to a more open, public ceremony-type, to be exercised in public places, such as a village, city or club event, or even with Church participation. Customarily, it is performed by the members of the Bunjevac group, or Croatian Bunjevacs and gerontological clubs. These clubs members belong mostly to the Bunjevacs groups. The ritual itself is always a parameter for the local but also global social relationships. In this paper, I propose eight separate methodological phases in the research of this ritual, in order to gain a better understanding of the same. This methodology suggests wider comparative, ethnological and linguistic research of the South-Slavic, Slavic, European and non-European people who are familiar/celebrate the ritual; also, the methodology proposes historical, functional and meaning-related research of dužijanca in the northern and middle Backa region during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Abandoned spaces, mute memories
Abandoned spaces, mute memories
Article focuses on degraded heritage(s) and their meanings for different groups of inhabitants, interpreting it/them through the studies of dominant and silenced memories. Case-studies of chosen Slovenian urban centres illustrate the consequences of drastic population change after the Second World War and of the transformation of power relations after Slovenia’s independence which brought changes in the political-ideological and economic system. As the authors observed, memories and heritage of Italian, German and Yugoslav inhabitants are often mute and silenced within the contemporary Slovenian hegemonic/authorised heritage discourse. Consequences of changes in social relations were also recognised at the micro level in the valorisation of the socialist heritage of industrial plants and military barracks. Today, these places are left to decay as the material reminders of the unwanted (pre-WWII or socialist) past or they are transformed into centres of youth culture, creative industries or administrative centres. However, such reinterpretation does not enable their former users to access them and claim them as their own heritage.
After coming home
After coming home
The Dayton Agreement was meant to end the war, restore the Bosnian state to its prewar multiethnic composition, and facilitate rebuilding coexistence among its constituent nations. The peace treaty stipulated that people who were forced to leave their homes had a right to return home freely. To do so, the most important provisions were contained in Annex 7, which focused on arranging the return of refugees and IDPs. Minority returns became a special tool for measuring success in the peace building process. Since repatriation did not happen in the way the international community anticipated, the fulfillment of Annex 7 became a political priority. Since 1999, international agencies (OHR, UNHCR, and others) have set the return of minorities at the top of their agenda. Although the repatriation process has not officially been concluded, the number of returnees were low after 2006. It is no longer much of a priority for anybody except verbally for political purposes. This study addresses the question of under what circumstances we can talk about a minority return being “successful”. Given the complexities of the repatriation process, its dynamics, and the fact that no return could actually end at the moment of formal inhabitation at the prewar address, this article proposes that categories for minority repatriation should not be considered through the binary of “successful” and “unsuccessful” but along a continuum running from “complete” to “incomplete” types of sustainable return and to specific forms of unsustainable (“unsuccessful”) return. Based on results obtained from field research in select Bosnian localities between 2010 and 2018, I argue that the term “return” has several facets which impact its sustainability and character.
Again on tradition
Again on tradition
This paper provides a brief overview of the studies dealing with the traditional Serbian spiritual culture of the contemporary times, with an emphasis on the folk, religious and mythological beliefs. Therefore, the paper presents a basic, sy­stematically framed concept in addition to posing some other basic questions. The systematically framed concept (which semantically connects the author's studies and related literature on the subject) especially emphasizes some aspects in regards to continuation and vitality of phenomena related to traditions, especially so mytho­logical and religious dimensions. These, additionally, have seen a reduction versus the processes of revitalization taken place within temporary marginalized phenomena. In this context, a special attention is given to the following relations: past-present, myth-ritual, continuity discontinuity simplification - details and comple­xity, universal-particular. More over the accent is placed on the Christian context (a relation of Christian-non-Christian), particularly on levels and degrees on the ro­le Christianity might play in formation of the folk tradition. Furthermore some current expressions of ideas and systems, based on the new contents but having traditional influence, are also being discussed. A general conclusion can be drawn from this overview, which places the traditional Serbian spiritual culture (seen as a dynamic complex) at an important cross-road: in the current, contemporary circumstances, the culture faces many challenges of being transformed into totally new appearances, and getting layered even more but at the same time, experiencing considerable reduction within its basic contents. This paper thus discusses more general characteristics and directions of the su­bject, while numerous examples (as well as various dimensions of the same) we­re analyzed in the author's previous work. Consequently, based on these various aspects of the Serbian tradition, the author is planning to write an appropriate synt­hesis, to be published in a monograph; also, a more complex and detailed research is underway. The aim of the research is to assess processes with essential significance, which will eventually define the status and role of the Serbian tradition in the future. In any case, tradition is again in the spotlight, as having a key signifi­cance for solving puzzles of the contemporary social processes.
Ala from Zeljin
Ala from Zeljin
The paper presents the results of the recent ethnological research, conduced in Aleksandrovacka Zupa and other areas. In this paper, the emphasis has been placed on notions on mythical beings, i.e. alas and dragons, which in the context of the materials collected take up one of most prominent positions, indicating the specific nature of the micro-regional unit, but also a symbol of the local identity. Namely, there are recordings of numerous and extremely interesting variations of the myth and ideas on the ala from Zeljin which, as the definitely most exposed mythical entity, is certainly a Zupa-specific property.
Aleksandar Krel, Children' games
Aleksandar Krel, Children' games
Сажетак Александар Крел, Дечије игре, традиционалне спрске такмичарске дечије игре у Товаришеву Књигу Александра Крела извукла сам са полице једног недељног преподнева, док сам писала рад о античком грчком спорту, култу мртвих и погребним играма које су, преселивши се са гробља у култ хероја, опстале у форми Олимпијаде (додуше, изван религијског контекста који је првобитно постојао) све до данас. Књигу сам, дакле, узела у руке и нисам је испустила следећих неколико сати. И то са добрим разлогом.
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
The wars and subsequent crisis in the former Yugoslavia have brought about a different, distressed value system to the populations in Serbia. One of its reflections is seen in an establishment of the so-called alternative healing systems. The contemporary, modern medicine holds that illnesses are caused by various psycho-somatic agents, therefore, I take contemporary healers to be alternative psychiatrists and therapists which balance and cure individual distresses. Crisis in societies are psycho-physical triggers that initiate structural disturbances in personalities of active and passive participants, and initiate a search for psycho-therapeutic methods which include transcendental. The processes of globalization and urbanization have helped clear up the fact that the official/established and alternative/traditional medicines have structural determination and corresponding status with the prevailing value system and religious affiliation of the population. Cultural-historic processes are often established in the alternative, and the opposite.
Amateur theater plays by Serbian migrants in Vienna
Amateur theater plays by Serbian migrants in Vienna
In the last twenty years, several cultural and educational organizations developed amongst the Serbian migrants in Vienna, and they engage in presenting modern day Serbian culture and the lives of migrants in a different light and with a different approach than some other clubs of our former migrants. The goal we have set with this study is to present just one segment of these activities, and those are the amateur theater plays that our migrants take part in playing themselves and about themselves. After a short overview of the general characteristics of migrant theater troupes, and after giving several vivid examples of those troupes in Europe, we have set our sights on the group “Non-Aligned Dilatants” which was founded by Darko Markov, Serbian writer, amateur actor and director, who surrounds himself with Serbian migrants and together with them makes all sorts of shows in which they comically portray the life, work and day to day activities of our migrants in Vienna. In our study of the “Non-Aligned Dilatants” we have used the methods of observation, informal conversation, interview and questioners, along with the information available on the website and Facebook page of Darko Markov. In the conclusion of the study, we have deliberated the future of migrant theater troupes through the following aspects: problems with migrant enthusiasm and the energy needed to hold the troupes together for extended periods of time, secondly - to find the appropriate finances, thirdly - question of the content of plays regarding migrant’s and post-migrant’s destiny, and finally the problem of the language used in plays (i.e. migrant’s native or the language of the immigrant country). [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 177035 and Grant no. 177027]
An ethnological look at the issue of prolonged adolescence
An ethnological look at the issue of prolonged adolescence
In our environment there exists a special kind of intergenerational connectedness within the family in the form of a strong commitment of the parents to support their children in the course of their entire life (financial assistance, paying for education, providing for housing/shared housing, attending to and care of offspring). The Socialist system had recognized this role of the family and the social care was directed towards the family (allocation of flats according to the number of members of the household, cheap holidays for employee families provided by trade unions etc) In the turbulent times of the post-socialist period, social care and safety from the previous Socialist system vanished. The family became the most important and only source of support for young people. This led to so-called extended childhood or delayed growing up, which is expanding so as to involve increasingly more generations and age groups, including even persons from 16 to 35 years of age.
An example of ethnic exogamy and identity
An example of ethnic exogamy and identity
This paper briefly discuses the Serbian ethnic community in Hungary, emphasizing the change that came about in the 20th century. Namely, the community started to change from an extremely closed, in-group oriented to an open community that allows mixed marriages. Some numerical/statistical data based on censuses and data from the Orthodox Church in Hungary are provided, as well as the Serbian attitudes toward the mixed marriages, and their influences on ethnic identity preservation. Finally, the paper discusses the identity problem of children from such mixed marriages - their self-determination and how other members of the Serbian community relate to them.
An individual and his family
An individual and his family
The paper discuses the relationship between an ideal and real model of a family organization in patriarchal communities, the position of an individual within his family structure, and possibilities of creation and realization of an individual identity. The main assumption is that the creation of an individual identity within patriarchal relationships is encouraged only in stable socio-economic conditions, while crisis situations bring about the return of family/group identity, defined by an ideal model of a family organization. This assumption is confirmed on the example of refugees: in a crisis situation the principle of cooperation and disregard of interpersonal tensions become dominant over display of individual ambitions - and this is proven to be the only modus of survival. Such periods were frequent, and last until this day, so the model of cooperation as a basis of functioning of a Balkans patriarchal family reinvents itself in almost every generation. Some ideal images of the past still live, but they refer to better, wealthier and more stable life, while interfamily relations remain the same.
Andrić's dissertation in the contexts of East and West
Andrić's dissertation in the contexts of East and West
Ivo Andrić, Serbian Nobel prize winner for literature, was also famous for his work in studying the Turkish historic sources, especially the Islamic religion and its influence on Bosnia. He dealt with this topic in his thesis The development of spiritual life in Bosnia under the influence of Turkish rule, which he presented in Graz in 1924. His thesis was presented in Austria, shortly after the ruin of Austro-Hungarian empire, at the time of forming the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, when Andrić was a young Yugoslav diplomat. As an intellectual and a writer from the Balkans, Andrić observed all of the important cultural features of the Eastern and Western civilizations. They were specifically opposed throughout the long Medieval period in the region of Balkan, and especially his homeland Bosnia.

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