"Emina" () is a poem by Bosnian Serb poet
Aleksa Šantić
Aleksa Šantić ( sr-Cyrl, Алекса Шантић, (); 27 May 1868 – 2 February 1924) was a poet from Bosnia and Herzegovina. His poetry reflecting both the urban culture of the region. The most common themes of his poems are social injus ...
that became a popular ''
sevdalinka
Sevdalinka (), also known as Sevdah music, is a traditional Musical genre, genre of folk music originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sevdalinka is an integral part of the Bosniak culture, but is also spread across th ...
'' song, covered by many prominent singers from
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
and other parts of former
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. It was first published in 1902 in the Serbian literary journal ''
Kolo
Kolo may refer to:
Places Poland
*Koło
*Koło, Łódź Voivodeship
* Koło, Lublin Voivodeship
* Koło, Lubusz Voivodeship
Other places
* Kolo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Kolo, Central African Republic
* Kolo (Tanzanian ward), Kondoa district, Dod ...
''. The subject of the poem is Šantić's neighbor, a
Bosnian Muslim
The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, cu ...
girl named Emina Sefić. It is one of the most well-known ''sevdalinka'' songs of all time.
Main character
Emina Sefić (later Koluder; 1884–1967) was born to a
Bosnian Muslim
The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, cu ...
family in the city of
Mostar
Mostar (, ; sr-Cyrl, Мостар, ) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina.
Mostar is sit ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. Her father was a prominent
imam
Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
and the family lived near
Stari Most
Stari Most ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Stari most, Стари мост, Old Bridge), also known as Mostar Bridge, is a rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects the two ...
; they were next door neighbors to poet
Aleksa Šantić
Aleksa Šantić ( sr-Cyrl, Алекса Шантић, (); 27 May 1868 – 2 February 1924) was a poet from Bosnia and Herzegovina. His poetry reflecting both the urban culture of the region. The most common themes of his poems are social injus ...
's sister. Her great-granddaughter Alma Ferović is a
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
and has performed with
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
and
A.R. Rahman.
Statue
On 27 May 2010 a bronze statue of Emina was unveiled in Mostar. It was unveiled on Šantić's 142nd birthday, although it's not publicly known if that was intentionally done or coincidental. The Emina statue was sculpted by Zlatko Dizdarević over the period of three months and was not based on photographs of her, rather the artistic vision of a Bosnian beauty. The statue was sculpted with clothing that women wore in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the turn of the century.
Lyrics
Many artists have covered the song, but the version by fellow Mostar native, Bosnian singer
Himzo Polovina
Himzo Polovina (; 11 March 1927 – 5 August 1986) was a Bosnian singer and songwriter, and one of the most famous and widely revered folk and sevdalinka artists in the region. In addition, Dr. Himzo Polovina was a neuropsychiatrist by professi ...
, remains the most popular. Upon hearing of the death of Emina Sefić, Polovina went to poetess Sevda Katica's home in the
Mostar neighbourhood Donja Mahala. He found her in the yard of the family home, informed her of Emina's death and she shuddered with grief and spoke the verses:
Himzo Polovina recorded the song and added Sevda's new verses.
Legacy
Some have suggested adopting the words from "Emina" as the lyrics for the wordless
Bosnian national anthem, due to its connection to Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs (the three main Bosnian ethnic groups) alike.
Covers
*
Amira Medunjanin
Amira Medunjanin (; born 23 April 1972) is a Bosnian singer and interpreter of sevdalinka. She holds both citizenship of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Biography
Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo and her fascination with the Music of Bosnia ...
*
Divanhana
*
Himzo Polovina
Himzo Polovina (; 11 March 1927 – 5 August 1986) was a Bosnian singer and songwriter, and one of the most famous and widely revered folk and sevdalinka artists in the region. In addition, Dr. Himzo Polovina was a neuropsychiatrist by professi ...
*Maja Milinković
*
Ibrahim Jukan
Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam.
For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam.
Ibrahim may also refer to:
* Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people w ...
*
Ibrica Jusić
Ibrahim "Ibrica" Jusić (born 15 December 1944) is Croatian chanson, folk, pop and sevdalinka singer-songwriter and musician.
Early life and career beginnings
Ibrica Jusić was born as Ibrahim Jusić in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik into a ...
*
Nedeljko Bilkić Nedeljko ( sr, Недељко) is a Serbian masculine given name. It may refer to:
*Nedeljko Bajić Baja (born 1968), singer
*Nedeljko Bulatović (born 1938), footballer and football manager
*Nedeljko Čabrinović (1895–1916), revolutionary
*Nede ...
*
Nihad Hrustanbegovic Nihad Hrustanbegović (born 7 June 1973) is a Bosnian-Dutch composer, accordionist and pianist from Amsterdam. He is considered to be one of the most prominent and successful solo concert accordion artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Netherlands ...
*
Saša Matić
Aleksandar Matić ( sr-cyr, Александар Матић; born 26 April 1978), better known as Saša Matić is a Bosnian Serb pop-folk singer.
Life and career Early life
Matić was born on 26 April 1978 in Bihać, SFR Yugoslavia. He has a twi ...
*
Božo Vrećo
Božo Vrećo ( sr-cyr, Божо Врећо; born 18 October 1983) is a Bosnian musician.
Childhood
Božo Vrećo was born in Foča, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia on October 18, 1983. His father died when he was five years old, and h ...
See also
*
List of Bosnia and Herzegovina folk songs
This is a list of folk songs and traditional sevdalinka songs which originated in Bosnia and Herzegovina but are also popular in Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
A ''Ah, što ćemo ljubav kriti''
'' Aj, kolika je Jahorina planina'' ...
*
Sevdalinka
Sevdalinka (), also known as Sevdah music, is a traditional Musical genre, genre of folk music originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sevdalinka is an integral part of the Bosniak culture, but is also spread across th ...
* ''
Kraj potoka bistre vode''
* ''
Moj dilbere''
* ''
Sejdefu majka buđaše''
References
{{reflist, 2
Serbian literature
Bosnia and Herzegovina songs
Bosniak culture
Sevdalinka
Bosnia and Herzegovina literature