Neke društvene ustanove kod Muslimana Župče u srednjoj Bosni
Some Župča's Muslim Social Institutions in Middle Bosnia

Summary/Abstract: In this essay the author writes about several examples of common law and social institutions as well as about the data and the Muslim population Origin in the village of Župča in Middle Bosnia, not far from Sarajevo. According to some material remains and historical sources, we can conclude, that Župča is an old settlement and used to have a changing population in the past. The present inhabitants of Župča are the 19th century settlers, who used to come individually as "čifčije" (serves) to beys' land. Except for one Serbian home, the present day Župča represents one compact Muslim settlement. Under the influence of the neighboring mine Breza and the town of Breza, where there are a lot of miners from Župča, the traditional material forms, and those are primarily houses and farm buildings, have started to change rapidly in their external form and also in the material used for building them. The house interior is also more and more influenced by urban industrial forms. The national costume, especially men's is not worn any more. Along the changes in the traditional material culture, today (1962) the changes in spiritual traditional culture and in social village relations can also be felt, though, as a rule, they develop much more slowly than those in the material forms. Among the social institutions, which have survived up to the present day, "zajednica" (joint family) should be mentioned as the most important. That is a folk institution of communal living of the closest blood relatives, where the belongings are enjoyed together and the work is shared. It is also called "the old house". Until the Austro-Hungarian occupation (1878) of Bosnia and Herzegovina "zajednica" used to be a very common phenomenon. It consisted of 15 to 30 tenants The "zajednica's" belongings consisted of a house for living, a building for cattle and farming buildings. We should also add all the cattle, fields, ploughland and all the furniture. The exception was the dowry that the bridge has brought with her. That is the so called "osobina" which belongs only to her although it is in a commune. The dowry - "sejsana" (maiden attire and jewelry) consists also of several sheep or cows. "Zajednica" was managed by a "starješina" (senior) who organized and planned all the work in the household and outside of it. He disposed of all material goods, and the prosperity of the "zajednica" depended on the senior. His duty as a senior lasted until he himself decided to retire or with his death. In Župča there was not a "zajednica" outside blood relation. During partition, the youngest brother got "stara kuda" and the "ex-starješina" stayed with him. A widow and children got her husband's share. Although the Muslim "zajednicas", in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are under strong influence of sherijat law, still they more or less differ in various parts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In some Bosnian parts for example, any form of. private possession was excluded, while in the Župča's example it existed in a from of "osobina". During our research in 1962 there were three "zajednicas" in župča. Until the end of world War II the "institution of the village senior - "muktar" existed in. Župča, and he was elected by the masters of the village houses during the village meetings. They would elect the most suitable person who knew how to represent the village in the government matters. He did not receive salary for his work, but the villagers used to give him some minor present. The institution of the village "poljar" (the field guard) also does not exist any more (from the end of World War II). He was elected during the village meetings, too. His duty was to guard fields and ploughland. He was rewarded for his work by the farmers, who used to give him a small portion of their agricultural products: wheat, corn, etc. every month. Until World War II there used to exist the institution called "težak" (a farm hand) and it stood for the best farm hand in the village. "Težak" would be the first to plough the furrow, and only after him the other farmers were allowed to start ploughing. He also led other works, harvest and sowing for example. It was carefully seen to that nobody else started to work in fields until "težak" had done so. The custom of helping others in work exists to today, and it is called "moba". Whoever needs help asks to "moba" a certain number of people (those are usually girls and boys) and they help their neighboring villager without any financial compensation. The master of the house makes only dinner or lunch when the work is done.

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