RETURN, STAY, AND SURVIVE IN HERZEGOVINA

Viewing from the perspective of someone living in a small community and accustomed to a simple life under the slogan peculiar to this part of Herzegovina, "day by day while death lurks" or "Herzegovina populates the whole world, yet does not scatter itself," amidst the universal migration both locally and regionally, even globally, which has gained momentum especially in recent years, the narrative of return, staying, and survival somewhat resembles "idyllic science fiction."

PHOTO: TO Gacko

The story is entirely real, believe me, written with heart and confirmed by facts. To return to our "factory settings" or, artistically put, to let the soul breathe honeyed air, we must think and work like bees and ants, be cautious like wolves, have the foresight of eagles. Speaking of eagles, to continue like them, we must sharpen our beaks, shed feathers, and regrow anew to be worthy of the nature bestowed upon us by God.

If we look back centuries, there isn't a household from Herzegovina where someone didn't leave in the 1900s, crossing the oceans to see the other world, earn a living, survive, and return, but return to their own fields, to mow their grass, to drink water from the spring until their teeth ache, tears of joy flowing, to light a candle for their father and mother who remained longing for them (usually they would return when they were no longer there), to help their sister, brother, and show the way to their child, grandchild, to cross themselves and light a candle in their own church.

And so, full of scars, nostalgia, longing, craving for bread and a chunk of cheese from the cellar, roughened only in the face, lungs tightened, one would only breathe with tears under their piece of sky, reborn as if born anew and wanting to shout to the whole world what Herzegovina is.

And the stone here is light as a feather because it's yours. Today we have the same, our land, and forest and water and raspberry and St. John's Wort and wild grass, we have it, but it seems as if it's not important to us, we hurry, we rush, digitized, confined by deadlines, reserved in different respects, unconsciously lonely, lost.

Somehow we've lost ourselves a bit, forgotten, withdrawn and isolated, everything seems somewhat forced. We bid farewell to our own, instead of guests to whom we could show how beautiful our native soil is, not just because it's native, but because it's truly special, we welcome children for holidays for a day and let life flow.

Any attempt at initiative for something to happen so that we "open our eyes" and loudly proclaim, "people, see, we have a spring that never runs dry," "to breathe at over 1000 meters above sea level means to be healthy," "whey from Gacko cattle guarantees healthy muscles" often encountered laughter and ridicule.

And about tourism, "Who will come here?" "What tourism?" "I wouldn't give my land for others to trample for all the money in the world?" But someone still listened to us and believed when we, from the Tourist Organization of Gacko, went to villages and told people all this, well not everything but the point, the essence of it all is love for our place and the fact that happiness shouldn't be sought far, it's here, it just needs to be aware of and nurtured, not forgotten.

Enthusiasts who didn't listen to negative comments initially built two wooden cottages in Izgori under Volujak. The idea plus the desire to bring people closer to the natural richness and soul of their land sparked a different view on everything. That's how it started, and now there are more cottages, even a shepherd's hut, a restaurant, and immense experience. From St. George's Day to St. Demetrius' Day, guests come and go, and often even in the winter season there are people interested in visiting "Mountain Camp Izgori."

And then came 2019 when people mostly sought refuge in nature to breathe and survive. That's how "Kamp Volujak" sprung up in Izgori, by Lake Desivoje along the main road from Gacko to Foča, two weekend houses, in the village of Cernica from Gacko towards Trebinje, a vacation home.

The house in Cernica, as a fantastic place for vacation, walks, visiting the old town of Ključ where in the 15th century the Grand Duke - Duke Huma Sandalj Hranić reigned when Cernica was the main customs destination from Ragusa (Dubrovnik) to the Drina, and in whose surroundings Sandalja's wife, the daughter of Prince Lazar, erected seven churches. The village has a microclimate and sources of drinking water.

Houses in Čemerno, an air spa rightly said to be the lungs of Gacko, cottages in the village of Jasenik, the birthplace of Sava Vladislavić, a diplomat at the Russian court in the 18th century, in the immediate vicinity of Lake Klinje.

We've started, and we're heading in the right direction, towards return and survival. The village is a guarantee of strength, a strong village, strong people, a region, a country.

The topic of the TAIEX EU seminar workshop held in March in Trebinje was precisely sustainable tourism, from idea through project to results. Seminar lecturers from Italy and Croatia, aware of the potential in rural and agrotourism, especially in Herzegovina, shared with us knowledge and experiences from their countries, of course highly appreciating the important aspect that is specific here, that hospitable and warm welcome of people who come.

When all this is complemented by the beautiful mountains Volujak, Zelengora, Lebršnik, Ivica, Bjelašnica, it's no wonder people from other countries are amazed, walking barefoot, looking at water with reverence. They've realized how gifted we are. Agrotourism is a very important factor, both for the economy and the sustainability of the village.

The Association for the Preservation of Gatački Beef Cottage Cheese as well as the initiatives of the associations for its preservation are very important in reviving the village. The autochthonous breed of Gatački cattle was almost forgotten; through dedicated work, these two associations and the wonderful women from Gacko who make cottage cheese and cheese promote Gacko and domestic products in the best way.

The table of domestic products offered to people who visit the mentioned accommodation facilities receives all praises, and why wouldn't it, from early spring and the first plant of ramsons (wild garlic that is a cure) with cheese or as a salad, and with tea made from primroses, thyme, raspberry leaves, chicory, homemade bread, cottage cheese, cracklings, bedding, etc...

My dear, this is not fantasizing, we are where we are, and for those who gave birth to us and those whom we have borne, let's do everything so that the native soil is known, and it will please God.

Authored by: Dragica Ivanović