Grandmother Manda Kamenjasevic from the Tuzla suburb Dokanj readily welcomed another Easter, which brings a special warmth around her heart, but also memories of some past, much nicer times. This 99-year-old woman celebrates the holiday with her daughter, son-in-law and grandson who arrived from abroad.
Although she is 99 years old, grandmother Manda Kamenjasevicstill walks bravely through life, knits wool socks in her spare time, and looks forward to every holiday in a special way. Today, she lives with her daughter Ana and son-in-law Boza, with whom she says she feels like a queen.
Their family house in the settlement of Dokanj, near Tuzla, is decorated for the holiday, and grandmother Manda, recalls Easter customs from her youth, compared to the current times in which she lives.
“Easter used to be celebrated 100 times better than today. During my childhood, before Easter, there was a fast, during Palm Sunday the house was prepared, meals and cakes were made, cheese, eggs, bacon, meat, cakes were collected for the consecration, salt and grain in order to sow in the spring. After that comes our big holiday, relatives visited each other…”, Grandma Manda recalls.
“I have a good time at Easter, but, unfortunately, we are not all together. My son died earlier, and my daughter Ana is the only one left. We used to get together as family members, but now there are only three of us, with grandson Sasa who arrived from abroad on Easter. But, that’s how it has to be. As time goes by, the ways of celebrating Easter change, while I try to keep the old customs, to which I am dedicated. Because of my age, I don’t go to church, but with the rosary in my hands I pray to God in myhome,” continues the interviewee.
While counting down to the second century of her life, Grandma Manda spends her days resting, but also knitting wool socks.
“I feel good in this house, everyone respects me – my daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. I can’t say otherwise, I live like a queen. And these young people today live as they want and it’s just right for them,” continued Grandma Manda, who is blessed with a cheerful spirit and good health.
During the holidays, Manda’s daughter Ana Matosevic is particularly emotional, who could not hide her tears. She is especially sad about the fact that all her children were not together for the family lunch yesterday. Life pushed them abroad, and only one son had the opportunity to come to his native house this Easter, unlike the other son, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
“Since I was working, in my youth I didn’t have the opportunity to devote myself to customs, but in the little time I had, I looked forward to Easter and dyeing eggs, which I would bring to my work colleagues and their children. I shared them with my neighbors and friends, but times have changed a lot. Unfortunately, my second son, grandson and great-grandson are not with me today. I feel surge of emotions, and that’s why Christmas and Easter are very hard for me to bear. I’m trying to be strong for my children and I wouldn’t be able to cry in front of them, but I think that many people in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are in the same position as I am. Who should I give eggs to or bring out a cake to?” Ana pointed out yesterday.
Easter in Ana’s family cannot pass without a rich meal, cakes and eggs, because tradition, especially in the older days of life, must be respected, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
