International Workers Day has been celebrated around the world for the past 132 years. It was one of the favorite holidays in the former Yugoslavia since it had social character. Families and friends would gather and hang out in the nature with food, drinks, songs and games since early morning until late night hours.
Time has changed and nowadays people that are early celebrating are rare. Ramiz, Džemila and Dika, who cultivate that tradition today, talk about period before and after the war.
“Most of the time, early trips were made to Vratnik, Zlatiste and Vrelo Bosne. Those were good early trips. Youth were gathering, boys and girls were meeting and getting married. There was accordion as well, there were no music bends as nowadays. Sevdalinka was sung and lambs were grilled. ‘Sto je lijepo vrelo Moscanice (The beautiful spring of Moscanica)’ was often sung back then at early trips. Today it is much different”, said Ramiz from the Center for Healthy Aging Novo Sarajevo who sings in “Sevdalije” section.
Dika has lost her husband several years ago and her celebration of The International Workers Day is not the same for years, but she still tries to go to early trips on our mountains.
“I am from Foca and we had to get up early in the morning in order to find nice place next to Drina where we would gather and grill the lamb. We would arrange with friends and there were around 20 of us every time. Women would make donuts, bread, pies or something else and we would have that for breakfast until lamb was done. There was accordion and song as well. We would be sitting until late night hours. Somehow, the weather was better as well. My kids were swimming in Cehotina River, which is slightly warmer than Drina. Today we all hang out less,” said Dika.
She emphasized how today’s youth doesn’t know to hang out and enjoy as they had in years before war since they are working and do not have time for each other.
“When my husband was alive, we would go with our sisters and brother, and now I go with my friends on Igman. Even today the song is a must. I inherited that from my uncle and father, and my brother was playing accordion for me. It used to be a real celebration back then”, said Dika.
Dzemila remembers the International Workers Day in 1991 with sad smile as her parents and family grilled their last lamb together back then. War had consequences, her parents died and she says that everything is different now.
“Every year we would nicely gather and made everything that usually goes. Father would prepare wood in the night for campfire, which he would ignite in the morning and every one of us would gather around it. We would take photos when lamb was prepared. I keep that photo today as well. Children were enjoying and playing around. After lamb is prepared, men would cut it and then we would eat. Everything would be organized on a picnic site”, said Dzemila.
She emphasized that she meets with members of her family today as well, but that it is not the same without the parents.
