Željko Kocaj: Nebo iznad Lijeske (The Sky above Lijeska) (Critic)

In Croatian literature today there are books which receive far too easily all kinds of awards, and their authors are given lots of media space. Before us we have a book that most likely will not be seeing anything of the above. However, this book will be a lasting one, outliving by far the mentioned books. Without hollow exaltation it has cut deep into the Bosnian reality revealing all its layers. Those who are not from there everything might seem exotic, and to those who have shared a similar experience everything will appear to be as a reality which they too often have failed to see. Kocaj is an expert in writing, and he skilfully leads the reader through the labyrinths of events, through seven layers of one and the same, reality.

The idea to write a novel, according to the author himself, came to him one day as he was sitting at Cvjetni trg (the Flower Square) in Zagreb. A refugee from Bosnia is begging him to describe the place Lijeska and the people living there. In a somewhat Aralicaesque style Kocaj describes the very meeting and his decision to get down to work. His process of thinking about everything he found out later, he summarises as follows: "... in all those stories about people and customs, about good and evil, there was also a lot of love. And we must never abandon love" (p. 7). These words speak a lot for themselves, and if one fails to notice them, one will not be able to grasp the message the author wishes to convey through this book.

People of different religions and civilizations live in Lijeska. However, all of them were born there and strive to remain living on that patch of land. Very slowly we begin to realise that the place in question is really Central Bosnia, and therefore the author's efforts we start to perceive as a journalist's work. He listens to the stories, adds his observations and writes all that down with his steady hand. Without the coarse support of his own he accepts that we are different, but still need to live together. His words cannot even be compared to similar words of various peacemakers who were passsing through the area and are even today still involved in it. History simply flows down the backwaters, while the river is always the same one, regardless of the quiet or rough backwaters flows.

The plot is divided into three different periods: before the last war, during and after. The war is not given a specific name, it just comes and passes, ant people remain facing all the consequences. A factory remains there too. That factory has torn apart the community which has been living a sleepy everyday life. Suddenly, it becomes important whether the factory workers will be ours or theirs, and whether it will be run by us or them. It soon becoms clear that what was good for us was not good for them and vice versa. The similar differences existed before too, but then less was said and more was done to create mutual coexistence in spite of all the differences. And the factory, one must not forget, was introduced by the Communist era. It did not spring from that environment, but was simply thrown into it. Out of necessity in the end everything started revolving around it.

Although we call this Kocaj's work a novel, it could also be called a collection of short stories as it is comprised of them. I believe that it was Kocaj's wise choice to do so. He arranged the stories like small mosaic stones in order to show us the whole picture in all its colours and shades. In the manner of a good director he leads the plot towards a meaningful closure. That ending is when a cloud above Lijeska leaves and a weather with more sunshine and natural beauty appears. People will be born again, they will die again, and leave again, but Lijeska will always be the cradle from which they are all presented to this world.

Definitely this is also an anti-war novel. However, it does not go along the lines of the levelling of responsibility, but along the lines of having a responsible attitude towards reality. At those times people of Lijeska showed their real faces. There were some tragic detours, as well as some impressive altitudes. Kocaj hides nothing and he is perfectly honest simply revealing all the diversity of opinion and actions that were and still are reproduced at a place like Lijeska. It can be noticed that he values them all and does not want to bring them forcefully together. He is aware that such an action would have tragic consequences. He believes that Lijeska belongs to all of them, and that in each individual the human factor needs to be overwhelming one, and only then the differences arising from different ways of living and everyday life interpretations will be buried for ever. I do not believe he was wrong!

The stories from this novel could be related to many other places in Bosnia, Herzegovina is mostly different, and there lies a key for unlocking it. Therefore, the homeland literature, where we could definitely place this novel, is given a special meaning. An individual becomes a generality and teaches us that there are no big and small things, but only good and bad things. If one knows how to love and cherish his/her homeland, one will know how to love and cherish the wider one, the whole Earth.

In today's words he/she will become a representative of globalisation, but that would mean something different from the meaning that the word carries today. Therefore, it would be a good idea for everyone to read this novel, for those who wish to speak, and especially for those who wish to be involved in decision-making process concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina. Finally, it would be natural for them to come to understand that three different nations live their three different realities at the same time, I repeat, belonging to the same river. Are they capable of understanding that? According to the present course of events, it will be a very difficult task. The protagonists of Kocaj's novel are much wiser, although they will be seen as primitive provincials.

The sky above Lijeska or above Bosnia and Herzegovina, the same thing, will continue living through the changes. Kocaj speaks through friar Krešo when saying how things should function: "There is nothing disgraceful in working and being wealthy, but if you do not feed your soul money will corrupt you. May the spirit be your food and you will be rich" (p. 139). Let us believe that friar Kreso and the other "uncles" will not be the only ones to place their trust in these words. The responsibility lies upon us all. And Kocaj knows it.

Miljenko Stojić

• Published by Matica hrvatska, Zenica 2005, 143 pages, ISBN 9958-9449-6-0

Most (The Bridge), 3-4, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, December 2006, pages 68 – 69

Zdravko Luburić: »Molitva tmine« (Prayer of the Darkness) (Critic)

Name of poet Zdravko Luburić is not much known in his homeland, but his homeland is very much known to him. He constantly goes back to it in his works. The Homeland War marked him deeply, although he did not directly participated. Nevertheless, he has opened a frontline of a sort in literature, in order to defend his country. One of such works of his is Molitva tmine (Prayer of the Darkness). For that work, he received the prestigious »A. B. Šimić« Award. Thus, his homeland honoured him in literary as in any other sense.

The very title of the book is deceiving and I believe it was not the best choice. The darkness can not pray, it kills. We may only pray in darkness, from darkness and so on. However, it was the poet’s wish, and one title can not diminish the value of the entire work. Here we may add the unequal stating of the number of the children killed (somewhere it is 28, in other places 29). Nevertheless, I believe that all this and similar may be attributed to the language editor and the proofreader. Luburić left his homeland a long time ago and certain expressions might sometimes »slip« him, while he tries to write in Croatian and in German.

His writing is today recognisable in writings of Jewish, Palestinian, Kurdish, Northern-Irish and similar poets. Due to different reasons, those nations were left on the windward side and strived to survive as a nation. And that is not easy. Because of that, poets have less time than their other colleagues in the world to turn to descriptions of the everyday life. Death is in force and is devouring people mercilessly. Who may remain silent to all that?

A thunderous scream is emerging through verses of Luburić’s poems. It is not the case of hardened law offenders, adventurers, it is the case of children who did not get the chance to live. In the name of the »interests«, the attacker was allowed to try and realise his intention. The victim defended with everything possible and available, in the beginning only with a brave heart. Children were not in the army, but were being killed in front of buildings, on the playgrounds, in schools. The attacker made no exceptions. People were being killed unsparingly and often in silence. Certain media in the world did not care about the useless death, it was important to present that death in a certain way, to make it useful for particular goals. The poet was aware of all that while he was writing his verses. He wanted to build a permanent monument to the wrongfully interrupted children’s game. And he succeeded in it. These poems are read as an accusation of all those who think of war, and as an ode to all those who think of peace. They are candles burning in the lit darkness. Nothing may put them out. Their force comes from innocent young lives.

Luburić is not the first to write in such way. We should definitely mention the famous »Spoon River Anthology« by Edgar Lee Musters. There, also, human lives are described in poems. One of big differences is that they were dying »everyday« deaths. Even if Luburić was inspired by this poem, he has still created his own, independent work. In Croatian, and I guess, in European literature, he will be remembered as a lyricist who touches all essential actions and events in his nation and relates them to others. Let us repeat that he also writes poetry in German language. Thus he enters even deeper into the European literature, he enriches it with his affiliation to it and to his close homeland. It must be hard for him. Nevertheless, it is yet another fate of the contemporary Croatian writer. Certain obvious facts simply need not to be proven.

Poems are entitled after those they are about. At the end, we conclude that an entire class is wiped off the face of the Earth. The names are real, as is the place where everything is happening: the town of Slavonski Brod. Based on his insight into each particular character, the poet expresses his opinions on war, interpersonal relations, the life in general. How powerful and real do the words of the poem »Mama, poginuo je Bojan iz mog razreda« (Mummy, Bojan From My Class Was Killed) sound. Everything here is already said and seen. A scream for the injustice, a desire for freedom is crying to the skies. »Žeđ je otvorila tišinu školjke pokojnika;/ Bojanom je krenula u srce čista tamna šapata,/ u boravište, kamo dvanaest plakanja u upaljen put zure/ od tamnih srebrnih svirala pokošenih,/ o, te umrle hrvatske nježne ruke!« (»Thirst opened the silence of the shell of the deceased;/ it rushed through Bojan towards the heart of the pure dark whisper,/ to the residence, where twelve cryings are staring to the lit pathway/ of dark sliver mown reeds,/ oh, those dead Croatian gentle hands!«)

An attentive reader will notice an interesting characteristic in Luburić’s work, but also with many other Croatian poets. While writing about recent horrors of war, they do not invite to hatred, revenge, even often do not even mention the name of the attacker. Focused on the meaningless of the evil, they wish to banish it from their lives, but also from the lives of others. Their goal is to say that everyone has the right to freedom, event the one who is attacking. Hate, revenge... imprison us, make us less human. It is a glorious standing, standing of the ones who did not stain their lives despite the deepness of the pain. Result of such standing is that Croatian defenders wore rosaries around their neck, something that no other soldiers have ever done. Aware of all that, Luburić stays open towards the other world, although anyone who would characterise him as a religious poet would be mistaken. He simply lives and sings his humanity in all its width and nothing more.

While reading Luburić’s poems, a question of contemporaneity is unavoidably imposed to the reader. Namely, in many of his poems we may find the trace of laments, hymns, elegies... Considering that he uses such poetry methods, is he less contemporary than some other poets, who are thousands of light years distant from the same? Of course not. The subject of the poem is what matters, and the way in which the poem is written comes after. A good poet will skilfully join all previous poetic methods and the contemporaneity of the subject. And Luburić indeed is a good poet! Everyone who reads him will be convinced of that. They will not be just some patriotically oriented individuals, but also admirers of the quality contemporary poetry. Luburić selfconfidently exercises it.

Poems in the collection Molitva tmine are filled with the living force of the poet. They are overflowing with immersion into the subject, with desire for the pureness of singing. Thus, they return dignity to the today’s poetry in general. Namely, so much superficial poetry is being written today. Luburić, gazing into the distance, creates the world that brings us nearness. And it is so deep and so needed. We might compare it to road signs, pointing us to the right direction. Luburić’s poems are exactly like that. Professionally adequate and vocationally dignified, they bring us closer to truth and make us more human. Only a true, masterly poet knows how to do that.

Miljenko Stojić

• Publisher: Kalke-Verlag, Stuttgart, 2004

• 73 pages

• ISBN 3-935788-17-7

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, May 2005, pages 74 - 75

Nenad Valentin Borozan: »Čekanje blizine. Rukovet za Zlatku Frajzman« (Waiting for the Nearness. A Handful for Zlatka Frajzman) (Critic)

Nenad Valentin Borozan went to the other world, where every man goes. Words are left behind him. Friends gathered them and made the book of them. True, he himself gave the title to the book, but not the form. If he had lived a bit longer, it would certainly appear differently. Now, we have his idea, and his friends trying to interpret his idea. Did they act well?

Borozan is a poet characterised by the hermetic style of writing. His verses are short, brief, filled with meanings. Not with some distorted meanings, but with the profound understanding of things that surround us, their warmth or nearness — to use Borozan’s vocabulary from this collection. Certain individuals, having nothing to say for themselves, look away his dignity with their meaningless prattle, their attempt to hide themselves. However, poetry in fact reveals us, draws the deepest thoughts from us and places them in front of another. Borozan knows and respects that. On the other hand, the others know that, so they respect his poetry.

One of characteristics of Borozan’s poetry is that he writes question marks. He starts from one idea, one image, and then through question marks begins to reveal its richness, that is, to question a reader’s way of thinking. This collection, published after his death, is filled with such question marks. Those are the question marks about the innermost meaning of life. For Borozan, life is not the time to act irresponsibly, but the time during which we are giving answers to ourselves on the most profound questions. Thus, his style of writing poetry gains a touch of morality, about which contemporary aestheticists often do not wish to speak. However, is it possible to create good literature without morality? Let us ask ourselves this question and let us try to answer it. Borozan, for himself, has answered that question with his own way of writing. We should pay no attention to the thinkers from the field of aesthetics much noised about. Let us think for ourselves. Today, what is famous usually is not true. Even Borozan paid no attention to them. He created his own separate world.

Each of us formes many acquaintances during life. Only some of them became nearness. About one such nearness from his life Borozan wrote every day, in every poem. He was not given the opportunity to conclude his work, but nevertheless he has left us a good literary reading. He started with the poetic prose, and continued with poems dedicated always to one and the same person. In such way, he tried to firm his original idea: to bring nearness to the person dear to him. He did it in harmony with his human and poetic feelings. One does not overcome the other. It proves us once more that he was at the peak of his creating forces, that he has left us too soon. But, we can do nothing about it — except to shed light on his path in this world, in order to make it a good model for somebody else’s similar path.

In poems dedicated to Zlatka Frajzman, as well as in poets his friends found among his things, the same heart is beating: lyrics of one gentle soul. He pauses in front of the scene of hands immersing into the sea (Slovo od mora/ Letter of the Sea), in front of the scene of a town reflecting in the sea (Nespokojan dar/ The Restless Gift), in front of the scene of a tree (Privid i žal/ Illusion and Sorrow), in front of the scene of ephemerality (Zrno i krinka/ The Grain and the Mask), in front of the scene of... We could list numerous other things, but what would be the point? Borozan is a poet of things seemingly small, yet so important in our lives, who knows how to smile to them, to recognise the true meaning hidden in them, knows how to live. Namely, great truths only seem small. They are overflowing with the abundance, and not with empty noise, and such truths create the illusion of the ordinary on the surface seen by the observer: »pola mjeseca uhodi goru./ kamo će drvo, trava i/ voda. ako im ponudiš/ pjesmu, što će ostati« (spying on the mountain for half a month./ where will tree, grass and/ water go. if you offer them/ a song, what will be left) — Čekanje blizine (Waiting for the Nearness).

Who is near to whom? It can not be measured by the spatial distance, but by the distance of hearts. This collection also proves it. It appears as the sign of nearness of some to Borozan. If it was not so, who knows when these verses would be out in the open. Maybe just some diligent literary critic searching for new things from someone’s life would point to them, thus climbing one stair higher in this world. There is no harm in it, but it is even better when something like that is done because of the nearness. It gives special patina to the complete work. Namely, we are living in times when nearness mostly describes something spatial. We try to cross over as fast as possible, in order to subject it to us. Then come coldness and alienation. Everyone is uselessly talking about being brought together and the human progress. Without heart and emotions, everything is lost.

Therefore, we have answered that Borozan’s friends were right to decide and publish this new collection of his. We should hope that some day somebody would decide to publish, if not the complete works, than at least the selection of his works. Borozan deserves it. He spoke about many, why shouldn’t somebody speak about him? He has also received one of the most prestigious literary awards: the »Antun Branko Šimić« Award for poetry of the Croatian Writers’ Association of Herzeg Bosnia. The only question is how much does the politicised environment care for an award as such? And Borozan was happy to receive it, regardless of the prosaicness of the everyday life! Everything will pass, even those who are suppressing our language in the 21st century. Let us remember how much Borozan strived for it. He used to surprise us with words we have already placed in the farthest corner of our mind, influenced by the other way of speaking.»Čekanje b

Borozan’s work left a particular trace in Croatian literature, and in Croatian journalism. We should not forget that segment of his work. He demonstrated to others how to be persistent and how to fight. Such teaching is exceptionally significant in these whirling times. They are taking our language away from us, they are prosecuting us because of our fight for self-perseverance and equality, what is next? Borozan would light his pipe and go on. Nobody can harm us if we do not wish it for ourselves. Therefore, it rests with writers to create good literature. Borozan did. That is the nearness, that is the question mark he has successfully answered.

Miljenko Stojić

• Publisher: Gral, Široki Brijeg 2004

• 133 pages

• UDK 821.163.42(497.6)-1D-004

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, May 2005, page 72

Miljenko Stojić, »River« (»Rijeka«), ICMM, Međugorje, 2002. (Critic)

In his book River (Rijeka), author Father Miljenko Stojić (born 1960 in Dragićina, near Međugorje) included 47 texts, all of them formerly published as editorials in the journal Glas mira (Voice Of Peace), in the period from January 1998 until January 2002. Texts are written in the atmosphere of the appearance of the Virgin Mary in Međugorje, and in everything he says, the author impresses us with the inspiration from her messages, most of all in turbulent times, through which it is possible to sail peacefully. By describing certain occurrences and situations, from the familiar surroundings and life of Christians, to the international society, he splits possible controversies and fills the life-giving horizons, in which the greatness of the small is reflected, not only in words or prayers, but also in doing; in turning to our neighbour, known and the unknown one, in inspiration with examples that are passing us by. For the author, prayer is the most natural state for a man. When we pray, we become aware of ourselves and of our dignity. Such encouragements broaden the horizons of cognition and hope of the one who loves God, because safety is the cornerstone and the standpoint in life, but it also carries on the constant questioning. Who am I, what am I and what must I do – as much as those are questions originated from the everyday life, they are what encourages us and leads the way. To stay within the horizon of the achieved, self sufficient and self-pleasing, is the way to cave in the image of the world and world of the image, as much as it is a humiliation of the true, Christian values. True Christians never put emphasis on themselves and their belonging to Christianity. After all, Stojić wrote: »True Christianity was never pure authority, but the confirmed religious and social life«. In everyday life there are many temptations, it is important to choose the right path. And in that search, there are questions: what are we open to – fullness of life or just the material around us.

Miljenko Stojić's book River, following his earlier essays, is a work of richness, of encouraging pearls, which question us and instructs us out loud. It asks us to stop at some heartening station, to go over everything we read once again inside our mind and then to go on – with our cross towards the fullness of life and the spiritual revival. Despite everything. 

Nenad Valentin Borozan

Most / The Bridge, 2-3, Zagreb, September 2003, p. 64

Antun Lučić: Dodiri, smjene (Critic)

Contemporaneity has been increasingly forcing us to reflect on things that we should not, in actual fact, be even thinking about: are we mere consumers and, at the same time, consumer goods themselves, or are we beings with a past, a present und a future? In his book Dodiri, smjene (Touches, Shifts) Antun Lučić chooses the latter. He is aware of the fact that the orientations of a given period pass, and that that which remains is the good and the great accomplished by someone. Leaning on this thought he wrote twelve discussions and presented the same in the shape of a book. He arranged them in two sections — »Smjenjivo« and »Ruho« (»The Dispensable« and »Attire«). If we take a closer look at them, we notice that the first section deals with universal topics, while the second with national ones. It looks as though he wants to say that we should be open to everything around us, but that, at the same time, we should be open to ourselves too.

The range of Lučić’s interests is rather wide. His discussions tackle various forms of poetry, performances, plays and various genres of fiction. It is apparent that he is a scientist of great and in-depth knowledge, and that his insights are not dry and dull, but rather seek the philanthropic contours around us so as to — with their help — penetrate veiled fields. It is there that he finds the answers to his questions and, emboldened, continues his search. I daresay this is the attitude of a true scientist. Guided by the good he arrives at credible conclusions in his work. This is the thread that helped Lučić present his talk of diverse topics as a single piece of work. Although in one's scientific and professional pursuits inscriptions should not be cited, I do not think that citing it here will be a mistake: »To my family, to which I belong«. This is seemingly natural and clear, but the world we live in favours the individual over the family. Accordingly, one is to attempt to function in all the aspects and roles of one's life. Lučić chooses to belong to the wider world rather than his own inner world in order to learn and discover more about himself within it. And this world of his talks in a multitude of voices.

Dealing with different periods of both Croatian and foreign literature Lučić researches their aesthetic, stylistic and useful examples. He commences with Šop and his renditions of the Roman lyricists. But instead of only examining and discussing his translations, he also talks of Šop himself. That way he actively connects diverse periods pointing to a thought that travels and does not sink into the distant past. His approach is rather similar in his other discussions too, in which he touches on Marko Marulić, William Shakespeare, Miroslav Krleža, August Strindberg, Ivo Andrić, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the Zrinskis and the Frankopans, friar Flip Lastrić, friar Andrija Kačić Miošić, etc. In particular, let us refer to his discussion »on the Kočerin Tablet. Lučić talks of the time of its emergence and the people who birthed it in a warm yet scientific manner. He calls Viganj »our Hamlet; Virgil, in fact« (p. 143). Later he compares him with our more recent past: »In some ways, Viganj is the contemporary Joseph K. from Kafka's The Trial – both are passing through stages of survival within a social environment« (p. 145). It would be wrong to claim that this is an exaggerated preoccupation with one's motherland; instead, I daresay that this is a gaining an insight of one's fate on an example from the region. There too lives were lived regardless of all the darkness sent there for many and various reasons. Yet this darkness did not isolate the people from the surrounding world; quite the contrary, it pointed out its very essence to them. There are no great or insignificant literatures and histories; in this region there are only great and insignificant works and achievements.

In addition to the linguistic and cultural, phenomena Lučić reflects upon, he pays particular attention to the origins of the Croatian heritage. He, thus, extensively discusses Marko Marulić in no less than three discussions. Lučić's consuming passion for the period in question can easily be sensed. Absorbing and analysing it he tries to talk of the present. That way his style approaches and understands man's spirit far better revealing answers at places he never expected to find any. The heritage of the Croatian people has always been incredibly rich in spite of all the evil and wickedness that throughout history threatened to utterly destroy it. In his time, Marko Marulić was not only well known to his town and people, but also left a profound impact on the European literary and cultural heritage. We are also to be greatly indebted to the friars Filip Lastrić and Andrija Kačić Miošić and others like them for having spread Europe's heritage in its Eastern regions too and not only in its West, which the two defended after all.

The book also contains a bibliographical appendix and a summary in English. The author obviously — at least as far as contours are concerned — wishes to reach as far as possible. That will help others seek the way he sought.

Lučić's book introduces us to the heritage of a people that wish to be like all the other European peoples. Their culture is western and they have always been that which we today refer to as »Europe«. When presenting his thoughts Lučić is measured, he does not intend to be offensive; his aim is to shed light on his people from different perspectives. He will be read with great interest by both those who are already familiar with the fields he discusses and those to whom these fields are still rather foggy. And that is what is referred to as quality in a writer and scientist.

Miljenko Stojić

• Published by: HKD Napredak, Split 2005, 293 pages, ISBN 9534651-00-9

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, June 2006, pages 21 – 22

Borislav Arapović: PROLOMOM (Critic)

Without following the imposed rules of the game, in modesty and silence, great Croatian literature is being given birth to at present. A nation, left without its own state and the rights it is entitled to as a nation due to the power of those in positions of authority and influence, managed to escape slavery in the 1990s. The nation started to reunite, regardless of where its people were. The gaolers set to work, and large-scale and merciless persecution began. Writers happened to be in the middle of it all. Many of them voiced their opinions and experiences in a modern way.

Borislav Arapović is one of those who knew exactly what he had to do. Having lived in the West he absorbed a sense of freedom and preserved it in spite of the siren-like wail of hypocrisy. Some would say that he did not forget his people and I say that he did not forget the oppressed. Proof of this is to be found in his biography. While communism still reigned in the USSR he fought against it in his own way. The KGB was on his tail. He, naturally, did not forget his own people either. It was on his people that he bestowed his book Gog i magog hrvatski (Croatian Cog and Magog) just a few years ago, and that now he bestows his collection of poems Prolomom (By Burst). He has persistently been building poetry without retreat, a poetry which has nothing to do with false philanthropy. He screams for the loss of humanity, he screams into the night surrounding him. He has no pity for anyone. He attacks the fickle not only of the West, but also of his own people and in his own motherland. It was the likes of them that contributed to the fact that there was nowhere he could return to in the region he was born in. The ethnocide or — as it is today hypocritically called — ethnic cleansing has been brought to an end. The »masters of ceremony« are on full alert watching closely that no trouble is stirred up. All the outcries from priests, the clergy, bishops and worshippers were in vain. Everything was decided on at the negotiating table, in peace, and any breaking the agreement was disallowed. But, it was »them« who agreed. Arapović writes about this in his cycle Eurobaalske bakanalije (Eurobaal's Bacchanalia).

The aforementioned shows that the present and current events exert a particularly strong influence on the poet. Irrespective of the extent to which his lyrical expression is highly perceptive and refined, he is currently a poet of defiance, revolt, a poet of social happenings. This keeps on coming to the fore in his collection very frequently. Regardless of what he writes about, he continues returning to his pains and sufferings within. He refuses to accept the order of things as they are, as other people want us to perceive it: he talks about things in his own peculiar way. He can sometimes sound harsh, but this harshness is justified. Let me cite his poem »Ne dolazi, Gospodine« (»Do not Come, Lord«). Here are some of its lines: »Ne dolazi nam i ove godine, Gospodine,/ manje je sada mjesta u našim vilama i hotelima/ nego nekad u betlehemskim straćarama i noćištima.../ Ne dođi nam kao dijete, Gospodine,/ jer kome je kod nas još i do djece?.../ A ako ipak odlučiš doći i ove godine/ u ovu našu lijepu prelijepu,.../ nek Josip pripazi na svoje magare,/ da mu i njeg ne bi naši tajkuni ukrali pa prodali.../ Ne dođi nam, Gospodine, i ove godine kao dijete,/ nego dođi kao onaj koji uvijek jesi,/ svega svijeta Svevladar presveti.../ Očisti taj svoj hram i od eurofarizeja,/ koji cijede naše komarce.../ Oprosti peru ovom drskom, jadnom, nalomljenom,/ Gospodine./ dođi nam dođi i ove godine...« (»Do not come to us this year too, Lord,/ there is less room now in our villas and hotels/ than there once was in the shacks and shelters of Bethlehem.../ Do not come to us as a child, Lord,/ as who here still cares about children?.../ But if you nevertheless decide to come this year too/ to our beautiful, overly beautiful,.../ make sure that Joseph watches his donkey,/ so that it too is not stolen and then; sold by our tycoons.../ Do not come to us, Lord, this year too as a child,/ but come as the one you always have been and are,/ the holy and Supreme Ruler of the whole world.../ Rid this temple of yours from the Euro-Pharises too,/ who juice our mosquitoes.../ Excuse this impertinent, poor and broken pen of mine,/ Lord,/ come, oh, do come to us this year too...«). Are we not moved by these lines? Is the poem's composition not well developed? Its simple profundity resembles the psalms sung by the Jewish people in their pain and suffering. I must also mention his poem »Uskrs u Den Haagu« (»Easter in The Hague«). It starts with the following lines: »pa kad i ovoga Uskrsa ustaneš/ Gospodine/ pokaži se i našim/ dreyfusovskim žrtvama u den haagu/ koje pohvataše/ dok su s jednog tisućgodišnjega groba/ nekog naroda tvoga/ odvaljivali kamen« (»so when you rise this Easter too/ Lord/ show yourself to our/ Dreyfusard victims in The Hague/ captured/ while tearing down the stone/ from a thousand-year-old tomb/ of a people of yours«). This Croatian poet as the pulse, the soul of his people screams because of the injustices brought upon not only the Croatian people but also upon all those who deeply care about justice and truth. Namely, The Hague lurks over their heads too.

Even when it does not talk about current events, Arapović’s collection continues to play similar-instruments. He talks about existence in the region he was born in. Only, his talk is not as clear as it is in the aforesaid poems. He also uses philosophising in order to express his thoughts (»U praskozorju sutona«/ »At the Twilight of Dusk«). Still, his verses do not abound with thoughts that ought to produce certain images in us, but rather abound with images that will produce certain thoughts in us.

Should the Croatian people manage to preserve their state, this period of Croatian literature — which Arapović is a full member of — will most certainly be described as glorious. It will be talked about as the literature of the samizdat and similar enterprises in the times of antihuman communism. This is a literature of breaking the shackles fastening and limiting both the body and the soul. Some — even some Croatians — neither do nor wish to ever understand it. But this is a true and genuine literature, a literature of individuals and a people who have decided to succeed. Yet, one is to go to great pains to make sure that literature remains literature when it talks about current events. I firmly believe that Arapović has succeeded in this. The poet in him is obviously a lot stronger than all the pain and suffering that has accumulated. He has remained human because of poetry. To what extent do the representatives of today's literature understand this? I shall not ask about the people. They undoubtedly do understand. Be that as it may, Arapović has given us an exceptional work.

Miljenko Stojić

• Published by Naklada DHK HB, Mostar 2005, 85 pages, ISBN 9958-798-11-5

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, June 2006, pages 74 – 75

2001.

Informativni centar »Mir« Međugorje – Cvitak

Gospin trg 1

88 266 Međugorje

tel.: (036) 651-999

faks: (036) 651-300

medjugorje-mir(at)medjugorje.hr

www.medjugorje.hr

2000.

Informativni centar »Mir« Međugorje

Gospin trg 1

88 266 Međugorje

tel.: (036) 651-999

faks: (036) 651-300

medjugorje-mir(at)medjugorje.hr

www.medjugorje.hr

1997.

K. Krešimir – Kulturkontakt

Vatrogasna 15

10 000 Zagreb

tel./faks: (01) 37-50-468

k.kresimir(at)zg.htnet.hr

www.nakladakkresimir.hr

Stjepan Krasić: Pape i hrvatski književni jezik u 17. stoljeću (The Popes and The Croatian Standard Language in the 17th Century)

In the biography of Dominican Stjepan Krasić we may read that he spent a long series of years in Rome as a scientist. He was mostly interested in subjects related to the Croatian history. This must have helped him to notice, while thumbing through the archives of the former Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Congregation de Propaganda Fide — today Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples or Society for the Propagation of the Faith in Rome) something that others have overlooked: in the 17th century, Croatian language was studied in all European ecclesiastical schools and universities, along with other five great languages. After he has published his discovery, history of development of the Croatian standard language will never be the same again.

Times, about which Krasić is speaking, were exceptionally unfavourable for Croats. They subsisted in four state entireties: The Habsburg Monarchy, The Ottoman Empire, The Venetian Republic and The Republic of Dubrovnik. Because of that fact, all significant social and cultural events were proceeding long way from home, in Rome. Croatian intellectuals were trying to find a way to turn the tables on the historical fate. They were aware that apart from the Catholic religion, there is another factor important for the continued existence of a nation: the language. Such opinions found a rich soil in Vatican offices, especially in the 16th century, after the Trident Council in the beginning of the Catholic revival.

Benevolence of the Holy See towards Croatia was definitely not accidental. The Holy See always believed that the Church schism in the year 1054 was only temporary, and was trying in all possible ways to bridge over the created abyss. Such disunion was especially noticeable among the Slavic nations. Considering that, at least from the 15th century onwards, there was a conviction among the Slavs that they are all descending from Croats, it is not surprising that the Holy See has chosen Croats and their language as the most appropriate means for settling the circumstances regarding the Church among the Slavic nations. Krasić says that Italian humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini (1405-1464), later to be Pope Pio II (1458-1464), put into circulation the information that Dalmatian language is not only the most beautiful, but also the oldest and the most spread Slavic language (page 35). During one of his diplomatic journeys across the Middle Europe, he has heard the legend of Croatian brothers Czech, Lech and Mech, who have escaped due to difficult circumstances in Croatia towards north and became ancestors of Slavic nations the Czechs, the Poles and the Russians. Other great intellectual of those times have also known about this legend, including those from the mentioned nations. All of this has contributed to the decision, reached by the Popes, that Croatian language should be the joint ecclesiastic language of all Slavs.

However, the fact that the Croatian language was not yet standardised represented a great difficulty to the realisation of this Papal idea. Croats were speaking and writing in three dialects: the Chakavian, the Shtokavian and the Kaikavian. It seemed that the first mentioned dialect, the Chakavian, would become the Croatian standard language. It was much more expanded than it is today and the most of the literary works were written in it. On the other hand, both in Croatia and abroad the opinion prevailed that it was the most beautiful and the purest Croatian language. Even writers from Dubrovnik, who were born Shtokavians believed it to be true. Still, standardisation of the Croatian language took a different road. Great contribution to such development of the situation was given by Bosnian Franciscans. They wrote numerous, mostly devotional and patriotic books for the people in the Shtokavian dialect. Because of their quality, those books were distributed even through other Croatian territories. Bartul Kašić made the final step. Jesuitical Order, to which he belonged, gave special attention to Catholics in the Ottoman Empire. They came to a conclusion that standard language should not be invented or imposed, but the most dispersed dialect should simply be chosen. And in those times it was the Shtokavian. Task to write the first grammar book was trusted to Bartul Kašić, the Chakavian from the island of Pag. He published it in Rome in the year 1604, under the title Institutionum linguae illyricae libri duo. He has completed some of the other works, too, the most significant being the translation of the Holy Bible, which, unfortunately remained in manuscript. If it were different standardisation of Croatian language would probably have a different course. The main characteristic of his works is that he uses the Ikavian Shtokavian dialect as the most dispersed popular dialect that anyone might understand.

And so, prerequisite conditions to learn Croatian in schools were being created. Today it seems as scattering ashes in order to let live coals come to life again in their full strength. Popes have issued two significant decrees. The first one is by the Pope Gregory XV, issued December 6th, 1622. By this decree, Departments of Illyrian and Arabic language are being founded. All ecclesiastic orders that owned monasteries in the territory of the Venetian Republic or in other places where it was possible to find lecturers for the mentioned languages, were obliged to found such departments as soon as possible. The other, for Croatian language even more significant decree, was issued by Pope Urban VIII on October 16th, 1623. By this decree he asked all superiors of all ecclesiastic orders, congregations and institution involved in education and preparation of missionaries for their work, to found departments for the following languages (along with the Latin language): the Hebrew, the classical Greek, the modern Greek, the Arabian, the Chaldaean (the Syriac) and the »Illyrian« language. This decree referred not only to the area of the Venetian Republic, but also to all territories in Europe. And those who failed to perform the duty were severely punished.

Only one significant question is left unsolved: which are the areas belonging to the Illyricum, and congruently, which is the Illyrian language? After the thorough study, the Holy Rota Court delivered the judgement issuing the bull in the year 1655, stating that Illyricum includes Dalmatia, the narrower part of Croatia, Bosnia and Slavonia. On that occasion, the geographical map was created. The language spoken in those parts is Illyrian, which is the synonym for Croatian and Slovinian language. The idea of uniting all Slavic nations was ready to begin its realisation.

Today we are aware how significant and beneficial for Croats were all these moves made by the Holy See. With its language politics, it has set the basis for the unique Croatian standard language, it has created the means to help its realisation (the grammar, the dictionary, the orthography), and it has encouraged literary and scientific creation. In that way, the idea of the union of the nation in all its national territory was kept alive, that is, the Holy See has inspired the union of Croats almost three centuries before they won their union. And it did it in such way that there was no damage done to the Croatian nation.

Krasić’s book is a valuable guide through the path of shedding light on dark places of the development of Croatian standard language. It clearly demonstrates that this language is independent and that the history of its standardisation is very long. This puts the stop on all violent merging of languages, and nations, in the name of the South Slavic, Yugoslavian, and now the West Balkan idea. Croats and their language have been a part of the European civilisation for centuries. Cause to their challenging history was the fact that they were the guards on the contact line between the West European and Christian civilisation with other civilisations. Krasić writes about that, too, but with a scientific distance, which is another quality of this book of his.

Miljenko Stojić

• Publisher: Matica hrvatska, Zagreb — Čitluk, 2004

• 160 pages

• ISBN 953-150-133-5

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, May 2005, pages 20-21

Pero Pavlović: »Što pjesnik nosi u torbi« (What Does Poet Carry in His Bag) (Critic)

Poet Pero Pavlović is persistent in creation of his poetical world. With this book, he reaches the thematic peak. Consistent with the title — he wanted to present the reader with the abundance of subjects he deals with. Indeed, we may find much here: domiciliation in the deeper meaning, true and sincere love for Homeland, wide openness towards God, language deliberately shifted to the old times... We might say, an interesting and useful poetic bag. While reading Pavlović’s poetry, reader will soon recognise that his contemplative world moves in the range: man — nature — God. It is a circle he continuously and persistently tries to close. He attempts to place himself within, to understand it, to absorb its strength. Because of that, his poems are not violent, dark, rooted out of the human desire for good and beautiful. They are warm, silent and gentle, with the purpose of going deep and getting to the core of things. That is why Pavlović today represents a unique phenomenon in Croatian poetry. He belongs to the circle of Croatian poets who do not conform the easiness of living and affiliation to the currently prevailing opinion, but stays himself and affiliates to those who do the same. It is a guarantee that his poetry will survive these days, pouring itself into the future.

Domiciliation usually means staying restricted within one’s own small world. It is not the case with Pavlović. On the contrary, with him, domiciliation means openness. He recognises the world around him, but he does not run intoxicated by someone else’s and does not lose himself in the far wide world. He recognises what is his, and with such certainty opens himself towards everything good in the world different from his own. We might call it the reaching of true universality, cosmopolitism. In today’s fashionable words: multiculturalism. He understood that what is foreign may not be recognised in the proper way by the one who did not make it his own.

The Homeland War did not liberate the Croatian man only physically (well, there is more to say about that), but primarily did it spiritually. Pavlović belongs among those Croatian poets and writers who have understood and accepted that. That is why one of the future divisions of Croatian literature will be registered under the Homeland War line. However, Pavlović is not a patriot poet in the inciting way, as yellow public newspapers often say. He is a patriot poet in the contemporary meaning of the word. He suffers as member of his nation and transfers this suffering to the paper. He does not despair, but redeemed by the pain, he wishes to create a different, more just world. Idle salon poets do not understand that, to them it represents nationalism, and they strive to be the measure of things. Oh, God, how presumptuous and forlorn!

Here we should mention another interesting characteristic of Pavlović’s poetry. In his poetry, he introduced the talk of the international community, although not in a great range. As if he asks: if he may pour into a poem a cloud floating in the skies, a single grass growing in the garden, a man passing the street, why couldn’t he make a poem out of a hurtful event. One such event is burning the creche in Mostar. He does not name the perpetrator, but he names the order givers and those responsible for what has happened.

Domaća događanja, itekako, pogoduju Herodu/ Još tri maga: Amerikanac, Englez i Francuz// Na dar Mladom Kralju donijeli su samo spletke/ A ne bijahu poučeni u snu/ I Herod pomno koristi sve povoljnosti (Local events do favour Herod indeed/ And the three magi: American, Englishman and Frenchman/ Bring only intrigue as gifts to the Young King/ And they were not instructed in their dreams/ And Herod carefully uses all the privileges — from the poem »Božićne jaslice u Mostaru« (The Nativity Creche in Mostar).

He understands that life would have a different course if there weren’t for those pulling the strings from the shadow. Are those only the mentioned ones or are there more of them, we leave for each one of us to answer. In that we might be aided by the following verses from the mentioned poem: E, moj jadni Herode/ Opet si se prevario/ Nisi spalio Malog Isusa/ On se upravo rađa u našim srcima i dušama/ A Mostar liječi svoju ranu) (Oh, my poor Herod/ You were wrong again/ You did not burn Baby Jesus/ He is being born right now in our hearts and souls/ And Mostar is healing its wound).

As in Drago Štambuk’s verses, in Pavlović’s poetry, words and medical terms also are poured out before us. In this case, it is the medical biochemistry. We are what we do, and that may open new horizons for us only if we want it to. Lavish world of plants appears in front of our eyes. That makes us recall Vesna Parun and her herbarium. The same life breathes in Croatian poets and they are jointly building the future of a nation that has been recently freed from captivity. I deliberately won’t speak of those who see their nation only from the point of exploitability. I may only recommend them to read Pavlović. In such way, they will discover even more beauty in their country and hopefully that would make them guard it, and not sell it for nothing because of their own profits.

For a long time, Pavlović has been a complete poet. And he was awarded for that. He does not get tired, he goes on writing. His poetry is clean, self-confident, turned towards human life in all its entirety. In that way, with his poems he continuously contributes to the development of Croatian poetry. It is interesting to follow his steps. They are complete and reserved in the affirming meaning of the word. Let us listen.

Miljenko Stojić

• Publisher: Croatian Writers’ Association of Herzeg-Bosnia, Mostar, 2005

• 260 pages

• ISBN 9958-798-09-3

Most (The Bridge), 3-4, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, November 2005, pages 70 – 71

Zdravko Kordić: »ARS POETICA JANKA BUBALA« (Critic)

Croatian literary critique accepted father Janko Bubalo as an important contemporary Croatian poet. It happened already in communist times, what makes it even more significant. As Franciscan and priest, he did not fit into the governing social image. However, his talent and courage of those who dared to recognise him overcame all the obstacles. Kordić briefly deals with all that in the short preface. He was not wrong, on the contrary! Inhuman communist times have left deep traces on fra Janko Bubalo as a man and as a poet. His inner personality belonged to another place, and his body was attached to them. This contributed to the creation of a specific poetry, woven out of lyrics, philosophy, theology. His way of expression flirted with Hermeticism. It helped Bubalo express in poem what he really wanted to express, but staying spared from prison, that is, from suppressing his further poetry writing, even from taking his life. Communism was not joking, only idle salon leftists believed it to be a hobby.

Zdravko Kordić deals with Bubalo in three unmarked chapters: the one about each particular Bubalo’s book; the other one about themes in Bubalo’s work; and finally, the one about language in Bubalo’s selected poems. Each of these chapters is significant, but to Kordić himself the most significant is the one about themes in Bubalo’s work. There he managed to accomplish a notable deed, he explained to us what he really believes about poetry and life around us. Speaking as a poet about a poet, he created a reading that might be read with a bit more interest than it is usually the case. He shows us that he originates from the same world as Bubalo, that he thinks of literature in the similar way as Bubalo does. That is why his words on Bubalo are close, warm and filled with interest. Still, it did not lower the threshold of his critical observation. He managed to demonstrate that we have before us a man and a believer on whose thoughts we should reflect in our mind, thus coming to understand the secret sides of life.

We might divide the work of Janko Bubalo also in the chapters: poetry, memoir prose and devout literature. His poetry is the most significant segment of his work; it is a locomotive pulling ahead his entire contemplation. However, it couldn’t do without being stranded on the cliffs of life. Bubalo speaks about that in his memoir prose »Apokaliptični dani« (Days of Apocalypse). It suffices to read the inscription: »to my brothers, butchered, while rose-dogs were blooming, and it was spring of the year one thousand nine-hundred forty-five« (page 45). Some parts of the International community deliberately have forgotten all about it, considering that they were responsible for that event, but Croatian poet did not forget, lie carried within his talent and his life and nation destiny as a mirror through which he observed himself. With the appearance of the Queen of Peace in Medugorje, he anticipated new, different days. When nobody wanted to, the Heaven was merciful, offering a comforting hand to the Croatian nation and to the entire world. Dog-roses were blooming in winter — to paraphrase Bubalo’s manuscript »Dog-roses were blooming, it was spring«, destroyed by humidity (heedfulness).

Kordić does not bother to point to a book that would represent the farthest reach of his poetry. He speaks of the each one in a way that he puts before us the wealth found within and in order to point to the shortcomings in relation to other of his poetry collections. Hence, the treasure of Bubalo's poetry is strewn in front of us in an instructing way. I believe he described him best in the following words: »Bubalo is a poet of poetry, simplicity and uniqueness of the order of beings and things in the world. Bubalo is a modern poet of fossils, archaism and researches of the original matter, poet of the invention, searching for the tree of conception, which is at the same time the stumbling tree!« (page 40). His poetry filled with images teaches us that this earth is transitory and that we should always search for answers to questions put before us every day. We have already mentioned that he was especially facing questions of the unnecessary human suffering caused to others only because of hatred. He was not able to forget about the Second World War, about the cry for freedom and a cry for the pain caused. He stopped writing, due to reasons known only to him, before that war, but it also contributed to the fact that he started writing again only in his mature age. Nevertheless, in a short time, he managed to crate a huge poetic work. Zdravko Kordić did well to take an effort and write this testimony-book about a poet in evil times, thus contributing to the strength and expansion of Bubalo’s speech. And it definitely makes sense to hear it today, unlike some other speeches much noised about.

Apart from Kordić, some other renowned Croatian writers have also spoken about Bubalo. But, it is not by a long shot enough. I dare to say that Bubalo deserves a much greater place than the one he now has in the literary world. The time has come to be able to speak openly about him and other like him. Or I should say — I hope the time has come. On the whole, Kordić opened the way towards discovering of yet another literary greatness. Thus he enriched not only Croatian literature in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in its entirety. We should be grateful for that, expecting to see other of our greatnesses come to the light, instead of mere forgeries.

Miljenko Stojić

• Publisher: Croatian Writers’ Association of Herzeg-Bosnia, Independent publishing, Mostar-Zagreb, 2005

• 196 pages • ISBN 9958-798-10-7

Most (The Bridge), 3-4, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, November 2005, pages 72 – 73

It is nice to dream. It is nice to aspire. Trouble arises when our dreams and our aspirations tend to become somebody else's too. And that is exactly what has been happening to the Croatian nation (I am not going to talk about the other neighbouring nations). There are those who still dream the Yugoslavian dream and wish it would become a reality. It needs not be called that, it can also be named the Western Balkan dream or something along those lines. If someone represents different ideas, they scowl and label everything as nationalism, reactionism or something alike.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina everything is yet more sharply defined. The dreamers from all spheres seem to have found their heartland here. They compete with each other who is going to have a more exuberant dream. Years later, they cold-bloodedly admit they were wrong and move on as if nothing has happened. Let me just mention the recent statement given by the American Ambassador. For the first time the Dayton has been criticised. However, there has been no mention of punishment for those who imposed it, nor is there the urge to redress the wrong done. Therefore, the process is miming, running..., and we are slowly getting older and becoming more tired. What we have left is hope in new, fresh blood.

Will the young generations of Bosnia and Herzegovina have a chance to become the pillars ot future society? It we are those who let hope die out, hardly! Unemployment is great, the international community keeps introducing new blueprints of our social life, there are protests in schools, there is no difference made between the victim and the culprit, court proceedings are increasingly beginning to look like theatrical shows for the mob in different kingdoms, big, hollow words... The smallest Croatian nation is struggling most in all this. It has been cornered into an entity with some others who can outvote them at any time, it is not allowed to enjoy the rights which even the minorities in different European countries have. It is being lectured on multiculturalism, while the English, its great advocates until recently, have already started pushing it away at the big door out of their country, before the eyes of the Croats the Yugoslav past is placed, although the Council of Europe has condemned all the evils of totalitarian communism. Forcefully the social and cultural aspects of life have been disintegrated, and, along with the religious aspect, they represent the essence of human existence on Earth. Because of all that, talking about culture necessarily means talking about the social happenings and vice versa.

History passes by, and the Croats have still not realised their right to have radio and television channel in their language. I am bored of repeating, but nonetheless I will do it again: the Serbs exercise their right through the radio and television stations in Republika Srpska, Bosnians through their majority representation in the B&H Federation. And it would be so simple to set up three radio and television channels on the level of the whole Bosnia and Herzegovina, for each nation one channel. That would be a much greater contribution to peace and coexistence than what we have at the moment. I would just press the button to see what is happening at my neighbours', the other two nations. Under the present circumstances we waste our energy proving that black is black and white is white.

Neither do the Croats have much trust in the newspaper agencies. Formerly they had their own, and then they were ordered to reorganise it into a new one which still needs to be established. Furthermore, the Croatian language, like in the time of Yugoslavia, yet again has gone underground. If someone accidentally uses his/her word, or God forbids starts insisting upon it, first one receive a reproving glance. The rest follows soon after. The adults handle those situations much better than the younge generations. They seem incapable of understanding why something is referred to differently in different situations. Those with more experience explain that, sooner or later, they will come to understand the difference, there is really no need to rush things.

The International Community als understands that there is no need to rush things, so it has left Mostar as a permanently opened issue. Just how many words have been spoken in defence of that attitude!? How much their bank accounts have increased thanks to their peace-making task in this town!? And all for nothing! Those who think, say that the opposite is not possible. It is impossible to violate one's democratic rights more easily as Mostar has a special status in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, the election rules applied everywhere else are not valid rules, it has its own, special ones. When there are elections conducted under such rules, difficulties arise in everyday life. Reality turns to be different and it cannot be squeezed into somebody's selfish dreams. Let us just mention one of the "gems": the merging of schools. They say that it is irrational to have two schools in two different languages. Let us merge them under one roof and give them some shared subjects. Parents and pupils then come to a conclusion that the next step will be the abolishing of their school and melting the same into a new one with the curriculum in another language. Very democratic, really!

When talking about art and culture the idea is to promote those who miss the past times "when we all understood each others", those who talk about "our" language, "our" school, "our" art, "our"... By doing so they are trying to create a virtual reality and silence the voices which wish to speak about true art and the culture of the Croats, Bosnians and Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They say that those true voices would be a kind of segregation. I fail to understand, unless segregation is when the British and French, as others too, live in separate countries. For them, in other words, "ours" has fully understandable meaning. They go on and on saying that if we want to join Europe we must be like others. Ok, we want to be like the English, French, Dutch, Italians... then why are we being deprived of that?

Here I would like to mention the help that Croatia has offered every year to the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is actually a financial aid for different cultural, art, media and similar projects. One question buggs me: why are the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina again queuing for something? Sometime ago we were told that we are queuing for an opinion and that we should go to Zagreb for it. Today, when we want to be self-reliant, we are accused of insufficient cooperation with Zagreb, of weak grouping. Where to go? The self-confident ones just brush off and try to find their own way.

The Croatian intellectuals are not silent, even though it may appear so at first glance. Yet again they give us some hope by establishing the Association of Croatian Intellectuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is understandable that they had to encounter difficulties. However, they steadily and quietly tackle them. They are not moaning, but are trying to eliminate the piled up obstacles. They are calling for unity and harmony, good neighbourly relations, courage to start using one's own head. I am really interested to see how they will do in future thanks to all this! Still, I believe they will be strong enough and will fight off all the opposition they come across.

Colonialism has fallen, so has Nazism and Communism, and all the totalitarian ideas are going to fall regardless of their guise. I hope that the Croatian nation, as well as the other two nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will rise to the surface wiser than before. Often their justified longing for freedom and progress has been misused. It is time to put an end to it. The condition is to disperse all the unreal dreams and abandon all the unreal expectations.

Miljenko Stojić

Most (The Bridge), 3-4, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, December 2006, pages 64 – 65

They say that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a strange country. Some have even called it »a dark shire«. When observing it today, we may conclude that it is not far from such descriptions. One country, two entities, three constitutive nations... There is no such social system anywhere in the world. For those living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the only comfort is that they did not have the choice. They had to accept everything, regardless of the words used to describe it and regardless of the feelings such descriptions were causing. In such social system, the most cramped is the smallest constitutive nation. In this case, those are the Croats. Moreover, to make it more absurd, this was the same nation that was the most numerous in the former Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was the first nation to start standardising its language, thus firming their sense of affiliation. Jesuit Bartul Kašić wrote the first Croatian grammar already in the year 1604, in the shtokavian ikavica dialect, which was the most spread dialect in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Popes and the international community of those times have determined the area in which that language was spoken. That is what history says. And what about the present?

The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, by the way, is still not officially translated into languages of constitutive nations, guarantees to each nation the right to their language and education system, probably this also refers to the media... However, the reality is somewhat different. The Serbian Republic entity is mostly cleansed of Croats and Bosnians and lives its life closed in its own world. On the other side, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity with each day belongs more to the exclusive majority nation: the Bosnian one. High Representative of the international community was authorised to prevent the Serbian Republic and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to become the entity of one sole nation. Much money was spent, many words and promises were give that it will be done, but until the present day, no results were achieved. Sometimes strange moves are being taken, like, for example, in Mostar. In the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina, and probably everywhere else in the world, exists the principle that the authority belongs to the party that wins most votes at the election. In Mostar it is irrelevant. Among other things, the number of representatives of each nation in the town authorities is proscribed. Is it really by accident that such exception entered into force in the only town in Bosnia and Herzegovina where Croats are the majority nation?

The mentioned poor political frame is followed by even poorer consequences for the Croatian language. It may sound strange, but the Croatian language had its best position during the Homeland War. It was liberated from the Yugoslavian pressure, it started breathing freely. The publishing activity bloomed, the media were developing to become a significant social subject, the university system was intensely progressing, founding of the Academy was initiated and many other things were happening.

Although it seemed that the Dayton Peace agreement would bring an even greater freedom to the Croatian language, hopes were not realised. The regulation regarding the Croats' right to their own language, education and media, considering that they are the constitutive nation of the country, is constantly trampled on by the cruel reality. One of the first blows was the attack on the University of Mostar, the only university in Croatian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while other nations have several each. A strong fight for its independence was fought. Under the mask of the town reunification, diverse forces tried to unite it with the university from the other pert of the town. Its management was always stating that they have nothing against students of different nations, religions and believes studying there. They should only know that the study plan and programme are in Croatian language. It was not convenient for the creators of disorder. They tried to act against constitution and to impose their own personal political believes. Owing to the ability of the management of professors at the University, they did not succeed in their intention. The situation now is the following — the University of Mostar is the only university in Bosnia and Herzegovina to sign the Bologna Declaration and has received high acknowledgments and praises from the European Union.

The media in the Croatian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina have also, completely undeservedly, experienced the veritable after-Dayton Calvary. Only one radio station and one television company managed to expand themselves on a more or less national level. However, after that they first prohibited the broadcasting of the Croatian Television in Bosnia and Herzegovina, after that they prevented the only television company in Croatian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina from further broadcasting. Only the mentioned radio station was left, but it also was experiencing very difficult work conditions. Those conditions were made more difficult simultaneously with the deteriorated position of the Croatian nation.

Let us also mention the education system, while listing this adversities in today's progress of Croatian language in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its visible agony started the moment that censors crossing out the so-called undesirable contents in school textbooks started, and to make no mistakes, they verified it with the special stamp, if it was not tragic, it would be humorous. And this undesirable contents was not pornography, violence or something similar that bombards us every day, but certain heroes and great names of a nation, events from one nation's history, different formulations etc. All three constitutive nations met such obstacles, but it was made most difficult for the Croatian nation, because it stands in the worst position in general. Another obvious attack was the socalled unification of two schools under one root. Instead of enabling children to follow one study plan and programme, it was made possible for teachers to speak the language they choose in class. They even named it: the Inclusive language. By allowing teachers to speak the language they chose, it was also allowed to children. Which language will those children speak and will they at all be literate when they leave the school... is it difficult to conclude? However, the show goes on.

As hard as the circumstances may seem, and they indeed are, the Croatian language tenaciously endures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I will not single out anyone in particular, but I will mention certain events.

Trying to meet the challenge of the moment, on January 24th, 2004, intellectuals gathered around the Croatian Writers' Association of Herzeg Bosnia have officially made public the foundation of the »Croatian Intellectual Circle '04«. The idea is to direct their activities through the Managing Board of the Association, until the circumstances are such that they may be active without the additional help. Operating in difficult circumstances, the Circle starting clearing the muddy water, and it is presented on the web page www.hik04.info.

The »Matica hrvatska Easter Days« have become not only a traditional, but also an international event. This year they lasted for the whole seventy-two days. Significant names and significant events followed one after another. Nothing similar was ever done in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Regarding the publishing activity we should first mention the book of poet and Yugoslavian prisoner Adrija Vučemil, »Kap svjetla u tami trajanja« (A Drop of Light in the Darkness of Endurance). It is a selection from his previous poetry. Vučemil is deservedly included in the most eminent Croatian poets today. Then follows the book by Boris Arapović »Gog i magog hrvatski« (Gog and Magog of Croatia). Although he is member of the Swedish Academy and for the most of the time lives in Sweden, his works are often published in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this book he is in an original way dealing with the Croatian suffering and torment timing the Homeland War. It is a serious accusation against the aggressor. He tried to bring nearer the events that took place even with the very construction of sentences. And he was more that successful. Dominican Stjepan Krasić found the historical writing regarding the Croatian language in the papal archives in Rome. He revealed everything in his book »Pape i hrvatski književni jezik u XVII. stoljeću« (The Popes and The Croatian Standard Language in the 17th Century). This book will also meet a significant response at university departments all over the world, not only the ones of the Croatian language, but of the Slavic languages in general. We should also definitely mention the posthumously published book by Nenad Valentin Borozan »Čekanje blizine. Rukovet za Zlatu Frajzman« (Waiting for the Nearness. A Handful for Zlata Frajzman). This book completed the life and poetry path of a man who had experienced and survived the war in Mostar and fought selflessly for the Croatian language. He was even being threatened for it.

From the journals writing in Croatian standard language, let us mention Cvitak, journal for happy childhood, as it reads in its title. Self-denyingly and persistently this journal has found the way to its readers. It became a recognised journal for children in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And what can we say about the book »55 suvremenih židovskih pjesnika«(Fifty-five Contemporary Jewish Poets)? It was published by the Croatian Writers' Association of Herzeg Bosnia, although there is almost no money for the everyday up keeping. The wish for the first-class cultural event prevailed. Something similar last time appeared among Croatian people in the thirties of the twentieth century. Beautiful continuance of this event was the publishing of the book »Molitva tmine« (Prayer of the Darkness) by Zdravko Luburić, for which he has received the prestigious A. B. Šimić Award, awarded by the Croatian Writers' Association of Herzeg Bosnia. He dealt with the baneful influence of a war to the gentle world of children. It is a powerful anti-war book by the poet who lives abroad and writes also in German language.

Along with the mentioned Days of Matica hrvatska, we must say something about the Hum Poetry Evenings. This year the event was held for the fifth time. I have no intention to speak about financial difficulties, considering that even other events in the same town would not receive larger sums of money. Eradication of language is obviously performed in that way. too. After that event, followed the Days of Nikola Šop in Jajce. Croatian Cultural Society Napredak wished to celebrate the one hundredth birth anniversary of this author. He was a poet who fought for his language and his believes during his entire life. Somewhat more of a fighting spirit was definitely Antun Branko Šimić. He died young, but left a majestic work. Already in the seventies of the past century, the literary manifestation in his honour was initiated in his hometown Drinovci. It was thus continued this year, too. The closing ceremony was held in the mentioned Drinovci with appearances of renowned poets and presentation of awards to those who are yet to be confirmed.

In the conclusion, I should probably answer the question: How to go on? Many years ago the Croatian Writers' Association of Herzeg Bosnia suggested that all three literary associations of constitutive nations enter the joint institution, nevertheless preserving each its own identity. Instead of applying the same idea to the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus having it complete and allowing everyone to think of it as their own, these days accusations from the part of the Federal Television are appearing, especially against Croats. The reason are unpaid subscription rates. Answer of the accused: allow us to start a channel in Croatian language under your television company, and we will pay even more. What seems to be problem? Indeed, what seems to be the problem?

Miljenko Stojić

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, May 2005, pages 70-71

Due to its past defeats politics deals with Croatian people more than is desirable. This happens on both sides of the border, except that on this, i.e. the Bosnian-Herzegovinian, side it is far more pronounced. Literature or art in general cannot escape the influence of all these events, regardless of the extent to which its representatives sometimes pretend to be independent.

Last year's Šimić Encounters could not avoid getting involved in political skirmishes. Mile Pešorda, a member of the Croatian Writers' Association of Herzeg-Bosnia (CWA HB) — the organiser of the Encounters together with the District of Grude — called another writer a Matvejevićian and provoked an unpleasant reaction. Continuing on what they had started earlier, the media came down hard on Pešorda, while later the court in Zagreb passed a sentence in his favour in his legal dispute with the real Matvejević. And as far as CWA HB is concerned, it should be noted that it has been barely managing to survive. In contrast, the Association of Writers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AWBH) as well as the Writers' Association of the Republic Srpska (WARS) have both been officially supported. Obviously, being able to write requires an appropriate political framework. Unfortunately, the Croatians of Bosnia and Herzegovina still do not have such a framework and it is still difficult to say when they would.

Today many contemporary Croatian writers coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina either work on both sides of the border or have moved to the side where life is somewhat easier. If nothing else, at least the Constitution of that side of the border states that the Croatian language is called Croatian. Still, writers do not surrender. As far back as 1997, a project on Croatian literature in Bosnia and Herzegovina (entitled Hrvatska književnost BiH u 100 knjiga / Croatian Literature of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 100 Books) was initiated. The editor-in-chief of the series is the reputable writer Mirko Marijanović. The project encompasses Croatian literature from the time of Humačka ploča (the Tablet of Humac, lOth-llth century) to date. Over this long period of time Croatian literature has been written in three scripts: the Croatian Glagolithic script, the Bosnian Cyrillic and the Latin Script. This is a tribute to the political changes in the region in which it emerged.

In spite of this evident historical truth, the Croatian people of Bosnia and Herzegovina are still unable to have news media in the Croatian language. After their political frame, i.e. Herzeg Bosnia (while others were allowed to have their own political frame), and their economic frame, i.e. Hercegovačka banka (while others were again allowed to have their own economic frame), were shattered, finally their national language came under attack, something that — yet again — others were allowed to have. All argumentations proving them wrong, showing that even minorities — let alone constituent ethnicities — have the right to news media in their own tongue were in vain. Once Croatians stopped paying the TV subscription subscribing them to a television they did not want to watch, the TV subscription bill was integrated with their telephone bill. In other words, if you decided not to pay your TV subscription, your telephone line also got cut off regardless of the fact that you had paid all your telephone bills to date. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a number of other international institutions and organisations are fully aware of this, and yet they claim that there is no other way. Is that so? What about justice, democracy, the UN and various other resolutions?! Pardon me for having deviated from the politically correct. I seem to have forgotten that even after the fall of communism in this region one is to act only according to strictly established rules and regulations. This is our kob, udes or kismet1 — I believe this is how it is expressed in the respective languages of the three constitutive ethnicities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On 27th and 28th October 2005 in Neum a scientific symposium entitled Ustavno-pravni položaj Hrvata u BiH (The Constitutional-Legal Position of Croatians in Bosnia and Herzegovina) was held. Its subtitle was: Pravni status, jezik, mediji, obrazovanje, kultura (Legal Status, Language, Media, Education, Culture). Many thought it the voice of the crying in the desert. It was an attempt to draw the attention of Bosnia and Herzegovina itself and the world to that which has been befalling one of Bosnia's constituent and sovereign nations. It is now obvious that those in positions of authority either simply did not hear or refused to hear the »cry«, as they have tirelessly continued with what they call constitutional changes. They have already set deadlines and outcomes, and all they need to do is find compliant players to implement them. By hook or by crook. Due to all of the above, the Croatian Cultural Council from Zagreb has been warning of the intentions to fully abolish the constitutive role of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their language and schooling system, and has accordingly been adopting and proclaiming various declarations. The bells of politics should have tolled, but either did not toll or were not heard for some reason or other. This did not seem to be particularly upsetting to either men/women of letters or those engaged in culture, except those involved in the Croatian Cultural Council. The instilled framework of »having to be politically-correct« has achieved its task. Well done!

The Croatian schooling system in Bosnia and Herzegovina still bears the brunt. This equally applies to the only institution of tertiary education in the Croatian language, and all the secondary and primary schools with a Croatian curriculum. They have managed to survive so far in spite of the intolerable pressures. I must correct myself — yet again. Closing them down was never the issue — what the issue is about are changes, progress, our path to Europe, and so on and so forth. Tremendous amounts of money were spent on persuasions, but the Croatian people again failed to understand that shutting down their schools was not the issue. What they have concluded and understand is that they need to build and open schools wherever they used to previously live regardless of the fact that they are being prevented from being there in every possible way. At the end of October 2005 a Catholic grammar school opened in Banja Luka. It is yet another school in a whole series of Catholic schools in various towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These schools are attended not only by Catholics but also by children of other nations and religions. This is a beautiful example of knowing how to be your own master, yet at the same time of knowing how to be open to others. It seems to me that this ought to be the guiding light of today's Europe. Am I being politically correct now or have I said something inappropriate again? Those who today protest within the schooling system could answer my question. All the games concerning the political framework of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina have reduced them to poverty. They need to protect their rights, but those who are actually entitled to these rights are the children, parents and society as a whole. The certainty of the school year is being questioned. No one knows who is capable of solving the problems that continue to pile up and of setting the world to rights. Croatian politicians are obviously not. They too have been prescribed rules of proper conduct, i.e. what they should be doing. A melting pot — rather than a Bosnian pot2 — is threateningly simmering.

Slowly but persistently the Croatian people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been trying to institute their own academy of sciences and arts. Needles to say, the other constitutive ethnicities already have their own. Whenever the Croatian people attempted to found their academy, they would regularly stand accused of separatism or similar intentions. And they could never understand this at all. Rather recently they have set to work again. Let us hope they will succeed. After all, hope is the only and most life-giving concept in this region. One who loses it will not have a chance to write the history of one's literature in this region, or the history of anything else for that matter, within a few decades or centuries. It will be written by the winners, whatever this may mean. It is thrilling to be different — this is shouted from the rooftops all the time. Yet, what does it mean under these conditions? I do not have the faintest idea!

And before I forget, Dani Matice hrvatske (Days of Matica hrvatska) are about to open in Mostar in April. The event used to be called Uskrs s Maticom (Easter with Matica), but the idea of Mostarsko proljeće (The Spring of Mostar) has slowly been taking root. Within the scope of these Days Mostarsko književno proljeće (The Literary Spring of Mostar) will also be held. They claim that it is to be an international evening of literature in collaboration with AWBH, the Croatian Writers' Association and CWA HB. Things are not all that clear, but let us wait and see. Making friends is great, but being and remaining master of your own fate is just as great. Only that is fullness, i.e. being politically correct. Let us look forward to the spring!

1Translator’s note: the three words in italics – kob, udes, kismet – are not translated but are left in the original because of the sentence that follows. Once translated though, all three words mean the same thing – i.e. fate, destiny and/or kismet – in the three respective languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (i.e. Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian).
2Translator’s note: »Bosnian pot« is the literal rendition of »bosanski lonac«, which is the name of an actual Bosnian meat and vegetable casserole.

Miljenko Stojić

Most (The Bridge), 1-2, Društvo hrvatskih književnika / The Croatian writers’ association, Zagreb, June 2006, pages 70 – 71