Introduction

Introduction

A nation's tradition is made up of culture and art, customs and beliefs, beauty and wisdom od living. Serbian folk tradition is an invaluable treasure yet to be discovered and researched and the beauty of our nation's spirit must never be forgotten. For centuries, our ancestors gathered experience through their work, struggle with themselves and the nature, and everlasting search for something new and the unknown. Throughout history, depending on the circumstances, the treasure changed: sometimes it was abundant, sometimes scarce. New times and generations, with their tendency to keep up with the modern world seem to repress our roots.

Folk Customs

Serbian folk customs, as a nation's heritage, were a picturesque expression off skilful time management and harmony between everyday life and work and the accompanying festivities. Agricultural work, cattle breeding, gatherings in villages, family gatherings around the fireplace, had, on a daily basis, strictly defined places, time, content and form, in accordance with natural elements and phenomena. Serbian communities all over the world, have preserved the full ethnographic vividness, abundance and magic of folk customs and holiday festivities up to the present moment.

Habitation and housing

Human habitation represents a very important aspect of material culture. By settling on one location, man tried to build an appropriate habitation and provide other living conditions necessary for the life of his family. Depending on the geographic and weather conditions as well as the economic factors, Serbian population in different areas lived in different types of houses. At the time, houses were roughly divided into village and town houses.

Depending on the region, each village household had the main house and some additional buildings like guest houses, barns, stables, dairies, bakeries and wooden cottages called vajati.