TANASIJEVIĆ FAMILY PRESERVES THEIR HOMESTEAD, READY TO WELCOME TOURISTS

As people grow older, they often find themselves yearning for the simplicity and tranquility of their childhood, longing for the peacefulness that only rural life can offer. Radomir Tanasijević, however, is not among the older generation. In his prime years, he has felt a strong pull towards his ancestral roots where his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and even earlier generations were born.

In Zagora, in the hamlet of Dolovi, Radomir, along with his brother Rajko, has restored the family house and started cultivating land that had lain fallow for two decades.

"For the past three years, I felt something missing, something tugging at my heart and soul. I realized I wanted to restore our family home in the village, the hearth, and preserve the traditional Herzegovinian house. We couldn't let our house fall into ruin, so we began the restoration. Once I started, I understood that this was what had been troubling me, and it gave me peace," says Tanasijević.

They have restored the old house, started working the land, planting potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and spending more time in the village.

"Our elders used to say there's no life without the village. It's so close, yet so far from civilization. Just 22 kilometers from Trebinje, and here it's peaceful and quiet," Tanasijević explains.

He aspires to engage in ethno-tourism, offering guests authentic homemade products and sharing insights into traditional rural life.

"The elders would say, offer what the house and God have given. For now, I plan to host small groups (around ten people) on Sundays, and if it goes well, I would build accommodation so people could stay overnight. The Tourist Organization has recognized this potential and supported me," Tanasijević elaborates.

In addition to hosting gatherings with homemade food and drinks, Tanasijević plans to incorporate traditional cultural elements such as gusle music and ganga singing in authentic costumes. He has coordinated with the Guslars Society "Bijela gora" to include this in his offerings.

Guests will enjoy meals, drinks, and songs at an altitude of 900 meters, experiencing the essence of rural life as it once was.

Source: TrebinjeLive