Banjani
Encyclopedia
Banjani is an Old Herzegovinian
and Montenegrin clan
(and settlement) of Aromanian
(Vlach) origin, located in Montenegro
, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić
. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća
, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake. They all have Jovanjdan as their slava
.
Rusen, while the Lower Banjani maintain that the name is derived from Banjska, in Kosovo
, where they also originate from. Some newer sources claim that the Banjani derive their name from the "Vlach Banjani" who as nomads came from Banjane in Republic of Macedonia
. The Banjani are first mentioned in 1319, in documents of the Serbian Kingdom (of which they are part of), during the rule of Stefan Milutin.
The Dinaric clans, such as Vasojevići
, Bjelopavlići
, Ozrinići
, trace their origin to a common ancestor, however, this is not the case with the Banjani, as it exists today. Some sources say that the Banjani were relocated in the second half of the 15th century, with the occupation of the Ottoman Empire
; it seems that the Ottomans also moved a major part of the clan to western Bosnia
, around the Usora, for strategic reasons. In its place families of various Serb regions settled, and in this way formed some kind of community, together with the small numbers of native Banjani. The majority of the Banjani thus originate from refugees and uskoks
, ethnographers conclude that migrations have taken place since the Middle Ages, from regions such as Kosovo and Metochia, Macedonia
, Bosnia
and Herzegovina
, Montenegrin Highlands and Old Montenegro
. And in this way, the brotherhoods were formed in the 16th and 17th centuries, uniting into the clan.
They joined the Principality of Montenegro
after 1860, officialy by 1878. Kruška was their seat for gatherings and important meetings.
Old Herzegovina
Old Herzegovina is a historical region in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina . The largest city in this region in Nikšić, and the second-largest is Herceg Novi. Until the Congress of Berlin in 1878 the Old Hercegovina was part of Bosnian Pashalik, but since then merged into Montenegro....
and Montenegrin clan
Serb clans
Serb clans is a general term referring to what are known as plemena and bratstva , traditional geo-political units of the Western Balkans that now richly attest social anthropology and family history . The descendants of the clans are divided by regional and lately, national affiliation...
(and settlement) of Aromanian
Aromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
(Vlach) origin, located in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić
Nikšić
Nikšić is a city in Montenegro . In 2003 the city had a total population about 75,000.Nikšić is located in Nikšić plain, at the foot of Mount Trebjesa. It is the center of the municipality , which is the largest in Montenegro by area...
. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća
Bileca
Bileća is a town and municipality in the southeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the entity of Republika Srpska. It is in eastern Herzegovina near the border with Montenegro, north of Trebinje and south of Gacko...
, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake. They all have Jovanjdan as their slava
Slava
The Slava , also called Krsna Slava and Krsno ime , is the Serbian Orthodox tradition of the ritual celebration and veneration of a family's own patron saint. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the patron saint's feast day...
.
History
The word banja, means "bath" or "spa", however, it is believed by members of the Upper Banjani that they take their name from an eponymous founder called BanBan
Ban may refer to:* Ban , a decree that prohibits something, sometimes a form of censorship* The imperial ban, a form of outlawry in the medieval Holy Roman Empire* Cherem, usually translated as the Ban, a form of excommunication in Judaism...
Rusen, while the Lower Banjani maintain that the name is derived from Banjska, in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, where they also originate from. Some newer sources claim that the Banjani derive their name from the "Vlach Banjani" who as nomads came from Banjane in Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. The Banjani are first mentioned in 1319, in documents of the Serbian Kingdom (of which they are part of), during the rule of Stefan Milutin.
The Dinaric clans, such as Vasojevići
Vasojevici
The Vasojevići tribe is the largest Serb clan in Montenegro. It occupies the area between Vjetarnih Lijeva Rijeka in the South and Bihor under Bijelo Polje in the North, Mateševo in the West to Plav in the East. The clan is one of seven "highland clans"...
, Bjelopavlići
Bjelopavlici
Bjelopavlići is a strip of fertile lowland in Montenegro. It stretches along the Zeta river, being wider in river's lower end, down to the confluence with Morača river near Podgorica...
, Ozrinići
Ozrinići
Ozrinići is a small town in Montenegro. According to the 2003 census, the town has a population of 2024 people....
, trace their origin to a common ancestor, however, this is not the case with the Banjani, as it exists today. Some sources say that the Banjani were relocated in the second half of the 15th century, with the occupation of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
; it seems that the Ottomans also moved a major part of the clan to western Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
, around the Usora, for strategic reasons. In its place families of various Serb regions settled, and in this way formed some kind of community, together with the small numbers of native Banjani. The majority of the Banjani thus originate from refugees and uskoks
Uskoks
The Uskoks were Croatian Habsburg soldiers that inhabited the areas of the eastern Adriatic and the surrounding territories during the Ottoman wars in Europe. Etymologically, the word uskoci itself means "the ones who jumped in" in Croatian...
, ethnographers conclude that migrations have taken place since the Middle Ages, from regions such as Kosovo and Metochia, Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
and Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, Montenegrin Highlands and Old Montenegro
Old Montenegro
Old Montenegro is a geo-historical part of the modern Republic of Montenegro. It refers to the territory of the Principality of Montenegrin prior to its expansion and the proclamation of a kingdom during the Balkan Wars...
. And in this way, the brotherhoods were formed in the 16th and 17th centuries, uniting into the clan.
They joined the Principality of Montenegro
Principality of Montenegro
The Principality of Montenegro was a former realm in Southeastern Europe. It existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a kingdom by Knjaz Nikola, who then became king....
after 1860, officialy by 1878. Kruška was their seat for gatherings and important meetings.
Families
The families of the Banjani clan, by the villages they inhabit:- Dolovi - Erakovići, Kilibarde
- Dubočke - Miljanići, Milovići
- Dukat - Erakovići, Kilibarde
- Koprivice, Cerovica - Koprivice,Elezovići, Ognjenovići, Pejovići
- Klenak - Orbovići, Antovići, Baćovići, Đurkovići, Komnenovići, Lučići, Tomaševići, Zečevići
- Macavare - MirkovićMirkovicMirković is a Serbian and Croatian surname, and may refer to:*Dragana Mirković , Serbian pop-folk singer**DM SAT , Serbian cable/satellite music video and entertainment channel...
i, Perovići - Muževice - Miljanići
- Petrovići - Janičići, KneževićKneževicKnežević is a Serbian, Montenegrin and Croatian last name. Its root is the noun knez.The Anglicized version of this name, is Knezevich or Knezevic, as typically seen in the United States...
i, Mrkajići, Pejovići, PopovićPopovic-Popovich:Popovich or Popovitch is a common Ukrainian or Russian surname, and sometimes a patronymic meaning son of Popov...
i, Vasiljevići, Draganići, KovačKovacKovač , meaning "forger" in Slavic languages and in Hungarian, is a common surname in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia...
i - Podljut - Bijelovići, Đurkovići, Elezovići, Milovići, Radojevići
- Prigradina - Matovići, Mićovići, Krušići
- Riječani - Andrijaševići, Kilibarde, NikolićNikolicNikolić is a Christian Croatian Serbian and Montenegrin surname and may refer to the following people:*Aleksandar Nikolić, basketball player and coach...
i - Rusenovići - Ognjenovići
- Tupan (Upper and Lower) - Bakoči, Erakovići, Kilibarde, Sarići
- Velimlje – Papići, Radojevići, Lazarevići
Sources
- Momčilo S. Mićović: Mićovići iz Banjana u svom vremenu, Beograd, 2001.
- Momčilo S. Mićović: Prigradina u vremenu i prostoru, Beograd 2007
- Svetozar Tomić: Banjani, Beograd, SANU, 1949.
- Slobodan Raičević: Spomenici u staroj župi Onogošt, Beograd, 1992.