Local traditions and culture in Republika Srpska

Don’t be surprised if someone call you for a lunch or dinner and pay all. It’s a custom here. Even if their salaries are too small, people won't let their guests to pay anything. They don’t pay they bills separately even if they see each other for a first time. To pay just what you had for a drink or food?

FORGET IT!

"The Housekeeper" is the first coloured egg. Mostly the red one. People keep it a year, until the next Easter. It is usual to colour eggs on the Great Friday before dawn. The most beautiful eggs are first drawn with wax then coloured in paint. It makes beautiful drawing on it.

One of the essential characteristics traditional things, which make a difference between Serbs and other Orthodox or other Christians, is “Krsna Slava” (The feast of the Patron Saint), the cult of celebrating the protector of the family. On that day, master of the house, invite Godfather, Godchildren and the family to celebrate together with him and his family. When father died, sons continue to celebrate the same protector. It is always the son and if father has just a daughter(s), they are not continuing than takes husband’s feast.
The most solemn part of celebration is breaking Feast Bread, and it is beginning with lighting the Feast Candle. After he makes the sign of the cross, master of the house do it. The priest burns incense of the house and sacred the water. With that water, using a small bouquet of basil, he besprinkles all present, and sing a holy song to the Patron and read a pray under “Koljivo” (grinded cooked wheat) which takes the central place on the celebration. Next holy song is to the wheat praying the God to bless it and bless all who will taste it after. Than the priest takes the bread in his left hand and by the right hand blesses it. After that, he turns around the bread and cuts it as a sign of cross. That cross he sprinkles with the red wine. Master of the house, together with his Godfather and the priest, starts to turning the bread around. Members of the family join them singing the holy song. The master of the house and the Godfather cut the bread and kiss it three times.
I tried to explain you this ceremony. Maybe you understand, maybe no, but it is great honor if someone invites you on the ceremony. That three things (bread, candle and wheat) are important for the ceremony and after it, people use to serve the lunch as best as they can.
Until the candle is lighting the master of the house has no right to sit down. It means that he has to serves the guests all the time.
My Krsna Slava is Saint George (6th May by new calendar).

Our church, Serbian Orthodox Church, didn't accept the New calendar and we celebrate New Year on, hm, and yours 13/14th January by “yours” calendar. We call it “Serbian New Year”.
The central celebration party is always on the Republic Square with lot of popular musicians, trumpeters, fireworks, hot "Rakija" (home made plum brandy) and hot red wine...
A thousands of people are there doesn't meter which temperature is. Party is always good and you will feel just a heat.

As everything here is in the sign of “three”, almost every home here has altar with three icons. One is, always, of the Patron Saint and the rest are, mostly, Jesus and Holy Virgin. It is always on the eastern wall in the house.
I have Saint George on the top, triptych which is about 300 hundred years in my family, and a small icon of Jesus which my grandmother was caring in her purse. Also, the sanctuary lamp is more than 200 years old.

OK, not everywhere. In state institutions is forbidden but everywhere else you can light a cigarette. Even, people walk and smoke. It is ours national sport, too. Obligatory, offer the other with a cigarette.

When you drink, doesn't matter what but especially alcohol drink, and you want to toast, obligatory look at right in the eyes. It's tradition and a sign of respect. Otherwise, they will think that you minimize thing you toasting to and tell you: “Look at me in the eyes”!

If you come for a business trip don't be wonder if you business partner tell you "We will do it easily, let's go eat something first". It's the tradition here. Whole social, business, cultural and, why not, love life are happening here in coffee bars and restaurants. Simply, we love to eat and drink and there we feel "like a fish in a river".

Prijatno i ziveli! (Bon Appetite and cheers)