Currents of History 3/2019 

Božica SLAVKOVIĆ MIRIĆ
Institute for Recent History of Serbia
bozica.slavkovic@gmail.com 

Clothing and Entertainment in Kosovo and Metohija between the Two World Wars^[1]* 

Abstract: With the help of relevant literature and press, this paper analyzes and describes the mentality and behavior of people in Kosovo and Metohija in the period between the two world wars. The way of life was determined by a mainly agrarian existence on small farms, and by cultural and educational backwardness of the population, especially in the countryside. It was hard to adopt modern influences from nearby towns, because farmers jealously guarded their way of life, customs, and traditions. However, positive qualities such as hospitality and humor, and also colorful costumes, traditions, a great number of different customs and folk literature, are some of the important features of the population of Kosovo and Metohija preserved to this day.

Summary 

The period between the two world wars in Kosovo and Metohija was determined by the agricultural way of life in small farms and the cultural and educational backwardness of the population, especially in the countryside. They were preoccupied with rural chores and did not have the time or the opportunity for entertainment, such as townsfolk did. The people in the rural areas came together at slavas, religious holidays, church slavas, sabors, and litijas. Young women organized prelas, gatherings primarily at home. Another type of mainly female pastime and an interesting folk phenomenon, especially in the villages, was singing folk songs while turning a pan on the table or on the floor. They did not celebrate birthdays because there were many family members, but they did celebrate “name days.” The inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija, especially Albanians, were famous for their hospitality. They often visited each other and socialized with music and conversation. The appearance of motion pictures was very important for the development of cultural life and entertainment in Kosovo and Metohija. Costumes began to disappear under the influence of nearby towns, which replaced folk costumes by producing more modern textiles and clothing products. The urban cultural influence came not only from local surroundings, but also with migrant workers, “pečalbari,” from various distant places. The Muslim population found it more difficult to accept the changes because they were a closed community. Consequently, changes were inevitable and unstoppable, until the outbreak of World War II, when the modernization of Kosovo and Metohija was partly disrupted. The war brought a new way of life and a new awareness among the people.