Serbian Culture for Beginners
(Fun, Food, Language, and More)
Serbs are Slavic people living in Eastern Europe. We are related to other Slavic nations, such as Russians, Polish, Czech, Slovak and others. That means we can quite well understand each other when speaking. Actually, we have even much clor relatives – Croats, Bosniaks and Montenegrins and when speaking our languages we understand each other perfectly, to the point that a foreigner would easily conclude we speak the same language. Serbian language is specific when compared to tho related languages. Namely, we are one of few who can write language either in Cyrillic, our traditional script, or in Latin.
Food
Serbs live in the European peninsula of the Balkans. We are mainly concentrated in our homeland – Serbia, but we are scattered among our neighbors: Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, and we make a considerable part of population in Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well. Our homeland – Serbia – is land of mountains, rivers, forests and fields. It is perfect place for growing fruits. We are famous for our apple and plum orchards. Plum is traditionally ud for making home brandy. In autumn, we go to our grandparents in the country to help them collect plum, and in winter our grandfathers start producing world-known home-made brandy – the slivovitz.
Stories and Epics for Kids
Quite often, the elders have to stay wake overnight. That is the right time to tell old stories and songs to the kids. Tho are the stories of past battles and heroes. One of tho heroes is Marko Kraljević – a superhero of every Serbian child. He was a fifteenth century hero no one could fight or outwit and carried huge maces and shared vine with his hor!
In tho nights, the elders play music also – they take a traditional Serbian instrument called gusle, with strings made of hairs from hor tails, and they make harsh and squeaky sounds only one’s grandpa might call music. Sometimes they connect their hands, make a circle and start traditional Serbian round dance – kolo. Serbian youngsters, alike any in the world, prefer rock, dance, techno, disco, rap or any other modern music, but they like to dance kolo as well, for it is joyful group dance.
Fun Serbian Common Activities
Besides music, Serbs like sports. We are excellent in tennis – with Novak Đoković as one of the best in the world. Our basketball team quite often won against best teams of the world –even USA. We are respected opponents in water polo and handball. But, what we especially like is the football. There are two major Serbian football teams – Partizan a
nd Red Star, and one is suppod to be fan of one of the. If not, you are hardly accepted as sports lover at all.
Religion and Holidays
Religion with Serbs is Orthodox Christianity. It is quite similar to other Christian beliefs and the difference is most notable with numerous beautiful orthodox monasteries – they are very ornamental and remble the medieval Byzantine Empire.
We are specific and proud of our special holiday – the slava. It is a family patron’s day. Each orthodox Christian Serbian family has its own patron saint – the most usual are St Nicholas, St John, and St George, but there are many others as well. When that day comes, the families prepare glorious feasts, invite numerous guests and celebrate all days, or even for three days. There is also difference when it comes to Christmas time: for Serbs it is not in December, but two weeks later – in January – and we do not cut the pine for Christmas tree, but the oak.
Leisure Time of Serbian Children
Almost all of the January is time for winter holidays, when Serbian children do not go to school but to hills and mountains. They adore skiing, sledging and snowball fighting, but skating and ice hockey are not that popular. The other major school break is in summer. For two months and a half during the summer children leave the school and enjoy swimming, either in numerous rivers or at the a. But, to e the a we must go abroad. Then we usually visit our neighbors –Montenegro, Greece or Croatia.
Famous Places of Serbia
The capital of Serbia is Belgrade, a beautiful city built on the Danube. With about couple million inhabitants it is the biggest Serbian city, its cultural and economic center. Other major cities are Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, Čačak. Almost all Serbian cities boast with long and famous history and at least one crucial medieval battle. Some of tho historical moments can be caught in castles and fortress scattered throughout the land.
Did You Know?
Today, Serbs are a precious part of global community and world heritage. We live just as anyone in the USA or elwhere. We u iPhones, wear Nike and Adidas, buy Ray-Bans, eat at McDonalds, drive German or Japane cars, listen to Michael Jackson and watch Hollywood movies. One of the few things that make us different is the tradition – the customs and the beliefs. Looking for better jobs, we ttled all around the world, some of us maybe in your very own neighborhood. Find us and get to know us better.
