Photos from Our World

Sunat ceremony in Rečane (Reçani)

Islam, mostly Sunni, with a Bektashi minority, is the predominant religion in Kosovo. It was brought into the region with the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century and is now nominally professed by most of the ethnic Albanians, by the Bosniak, Gorani, and Turkish communities, and by some of the Roma/Ashkali-"Egyptian" community as well. Islam, however, hasn't saturated Kosovar society, which remains largely secular.

Muslim boys are traditionally circumcised and this ceremony, called by its Arabic name "Sunat" is a great celebration. In Rečane (Reçani), a small village inhabited by Bosniaks (Bosnians, speaking Serbocroat), about 10 km south east of Prizreni, a "Sunat" ceremony took place. There was music from a four-man ensemble consisting of two "zurla", a high-pitched reed instrument and two large "tupan", Turkish-style drums; one of the very enthusiast and inexhaustible drummers was a twelve year old boy. The "zurla" players often managed to hold a note indefinitely, by breathing through their nose and simultaneously blowing through their instrument, using their cheeks as a bagpipe. Men and boys would dance in a long line, holding hands or with arms around each other's shoulders. The women and girls danced separately. This went on all day until the musicians marched off.

The following day Avzija Sagdati, the boy for whom this ceremony was performed, was dressed in his best suit, with a gold coloured cardboard crown on his head emblazoned with the word "Mašallah"; well-wishers stuffed paper money (Yugoslav dinars in those days) in it. Avzija was then hoisted on a horse, with the imam of the local mosque behind him, and paraded through the village, while everyone walked along, the musicians playing as they went, and all his friends chanting "inshallah!" (God's will) followed by a high-pitched yell. Eventually they arrived at a spot, screened off by a curtain and Avzija was held upright, an embroidered cloth over his face and the operation was performed swiftly while it was suddenly very quiet. The boy had made not a sound and then there was a wild clapping and shouting by his friends as a recognition of his bravery. His wound seen to, he was covered with a blanket and people came congratulating and throwing more paper money at him. The music had started again and the dancing resumed, the village celebrating Avzija's entry into the world of Muslim men.

	Celebration in Rečane	Dance by the men	Dance by the women	Zurla and tupan
	Women watching dance	Playing the zurla	Men and boys dance	Music marching off
	Playing the tupan	Taken to his circumcision	Boy with imam	After circumcision

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