Ask Djamila almost anything!

[Djamila]

I should also tell you, Captain, a frustration with people who left during the war extends also to Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats.

This video depicts an American journalist, Jewish I believe, who married a Bosnian Muslim woman and includes her feelings about leaving.

http://digitalfilmmaker.net/SarajevoRoses/SR56K.html

 

[Buttercup]

Enough with sharing the fashions of women in Bosnia, how about some men? :drool: What's expected of the men in the clothing and appearance department?

 

[Djamila]

Basically anything that would be considered homosexual in the West is considered normal for men here. The most important thing is to have, and show off, a fine form.

BAR released a Frajer Dana (Man of the Day) from the photographs it takes of nightlife in Sarajevo. I chose three of my recent favorites. That should give you an idea.

 

[Buttercup]

Oh Wow! Can you send me the bottom two? Ugh! I just want to look at them, really I do. Thanks for making my morning Djamila!

 

[Djamila]

And a few random photographs taken at Cafe Central (Quadro) in downtown Sarajevo, earlier this year. The most important thing then (as now) is the hair spiked in the middle. Also capri-pants for men are huge here, the ones that end half-way between the ankles and knees.

 

[zombieharlot]

Basically anything that would be considered homosexual in the West is considered normal for men here.

Does that mean what would be considered normal for men here is homosexual over there?

 

[Djamila]

No, the concept of "homosexual" does not exist in Bosnian society. Now, I'm not saying we don't have gay men - of course we do, just as many as anywhere else. But there is no societal concept of "homosexual" because they are not visible.

People here, largely, still view homosexuality as a disease of the West.

So there's no boundaries here, really. Men hug and kiss each other's cheeks when they greet each other just the same as Women-Women and Men-Women friends do. They dance together at nightclubs, strutting their stuff for the ladies the same as women dance together to do so for the men - no one thinks "Oh, homosexual".

But the idea of homosexual in the West - well-dressed, a little make-up, nice shoes, talks about fashion, etc... all that is part of the straight male culture here as well.

 

[Djamila]

Now that I'm talking about this, I think our men are so close because our women are so close. It's very rare to see a woman in Bosnia on the streets alone. Go back over the pictures I've posted, you'll see women are in pairs or groups, holding hands, far more than in the West.

Because women are always so close and together, naturally the men have to be as well. You can see this especially obviously at the cafes that serve Mosques. The clientelle are all very strict Muslims, by Bosnian standards, and there is an even stronger divide between the sexes than exists in Bosnian society as a whole.

Even looking at Quadro, you can see a stronger segregation. This first picture shows the greeting thing I mentioned. In America, you'd think these people haven't seen each other in years. In Bosnia, they probably haven't seen each other since breakfast.

And just look at how segregated it is, and there's no official rule doing this, it's just the culture:

Maybe that's why our men are so comfortable with each other?

 

[zombieharlot]

But the idea of homosexual in the West - well-dressed, a little make-up, nice shoes, talks about fashion, etc....

Oh, so THAT's why I was always teased in highschool! Stereotypes are SO lame.

 

[zombieharlot]

Maybe that's why our men are so comfortable with each other?

Well, people in general just do what's expected of them. Things change even within our own culture during different circumstances. Take American football for instance. Out on the field it's okay to slap each other's butts. But don't expect that to be okay anywhere else.

 

[Djamila]

This is my favorite Bosnian Muslim man, Zombie. I just... I love him, really. It's such an odd choice, my friends don't find him attractive at all - but there's just something in his nature that makes me want to run to his arms.

Burhan Saban - Kisna dova

 

[Djamila]

I found another perfect addition. Aida Jasarevic was voted the sexiest Bosnian Muslim woman this year in MAAX Magazine, and I have one of her videos.

She's the blondest (not really blonde, but close) of the two women in this video:


Erato ft. Toni Cetinski - Sigurni

The other girl who looks Arab actually is, well, half. Her Mom is Bosnian, but her Dad is Arab. Her name is Dalal Midhat.

And their most famous song (partially in Arabic, Dalal speaks it obviously!)


Erato - Mr. Hakim

The black guy in this video is an American peacekeeper as far as I know. He was wearing a US army uniform in all his interviews, at least.

 

[Buttercup]

Well, sorry Djamila....I have to be on the side of your friends. He doesn't do much for me. Too conservative. Although he does have a very nice singing voice and great hair. I agree that the sexiest Bosnian woman is stunning.

As far as women and men always being together....the phenomenon with young people is the same here. No difference really. My daughter is seldom out with less than 4 or 5 friends and it's the same with the majority of young men I see.

Do the majority of Bosnians smoke? Or is it mostly a habit of the young? Smoking helps to keep some people thin.

 

[zombieharlot]

I LOVE how you're so into your music culture!

For the first video, I don't think his attire would be considered all too homosexual here. I want to ask, though: you made it sound like you were more attracted to his nature than his looks. What is it in his nature that attracts you so much?

And I do have to say, Aida Jasarevic has a very exotic and attractive look. And I really like her makeup in a particular scene (not exactly sure how to describe which one).

 

[Djamila]

Most Bosnians smoke, yes. An extraordinarily high number, actually. I believe it was up to 80-something % during the war. Now that its peace time, 14 or 15 years old until they start smoking - not 9, 10 like during that war. So that has bumped it back down to about 60%. But most people smoke, yes. It's only 50 cents US a pack, so... lol

 

[Djamila]

I LOVE how you're so into your music culture!

For the first video, I don't think his attire would be considered all too homosexual here. I want to ask, though: you made it sound like you were more attracted to his nature than his looks. What is it in his nature that attracts you so much?

And I do have to say, Aida Jasarevic has a very exotic and attractive look. And I really like her makeup in a particular scene (not exactly sure how to describe which one).

He's just such a traditional man. Like on interviews, most celebrities will hug and kiss the female host (the host is ALWAYS female here, lol) and they'll act like friends and bounce back and forth in each other's arm and then do the interview. But Saban always comes out kisses her hand, then her cheek, lays his hand on her shoulder until she sits, then goes to his chair.

Things like that.

 

[!Fluffy!]

Djamila, where is your family from originally? Have they always been Muslim?

 

[Buttercup]

But Saban always comes out kisses her hand, then her cheek, lays his hand on her shoulder until she sits, then goes to his chair.

Well, that is definitely worth some points.

Why type of club music is popular? Have you posted any on RF somewhere in particular?

 

[Djamila]

Moon - My family comes from the Kozara Plains in northwest Bosnia. My parents were the first in my entire family, on both sides, to leave this area. My sister and I were the first born in Sarajevo.

My whole family has been exclusively Muslim with the exception of my Great-Grandmother on my Mother's side, who was a Polish Christian.

Before the Ottoman Empire, there is no way to know for sure what we were. The choices are members of the Bosnian Church or Roman Catholic. Given the region they lived, the Kozara Plains, they were most likely Roman Catholic. But my family was Muslim before Christopher Colombus set sail, so you really have to go back a long time.

 

[Djamila]

Well, that is definitely worth some points.

Why type of club music is popular? Have you posted any on RF somewhere in particular?

Yes, I made a nightclub music thread in the Music subforum. I'll share one here as well, though - a typical example.


colonia - za tvoje snene oci