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Playlist: Bosnia

Compiled By: Eva Breneman

Caption: PRX default Playlist image
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La Nona Kanta ("The Grandmother Sings")

From Julie Subrin | 14:22

Profile of Flory Jagoda, an 83-year old Sephardic folk singer from Sarajevo

Default-piece-image-2 Flory Jagoda grew up in a family of singers. Her childhood, in a mountain village outside of Sarajevo, was filled with songs, sung in Ladino - the language passed down by Jews expelled from Spain during the Inquisition - that told of the loves, lives and rituals of her community. With the horror of World War II, all that changed. She and her parents were the only survivors of the 42-member Altaras family. Since then, Jagoda, winner of a 2002 NEA National Heritage fellowship, has dedicated her professional life to composing, performing and teaching songs that preserve her memories of that lost life. Her songs, sung in Ladino, echo the Spanish and Bosnian melodies and rhythms of her past. This piece combines Jagoda's stories - told unflinchingly, and with humor and warmth - with music from her 4 recorded CDs. "La Nona Kanta" could air anytime, but might be especially appropriate during Hanukkah, as Jagoda is perhaps best known for what has now become something of a Hanukkah standard, her original composition, "Ocho Kandelikas." This piece was recorded and produced in 2007.

The Cellist of Sarajevo

From Claire Cunningham | 06:00

Bosnian musician Vedran Smailovic describes the incident on 27 May 1992, during the war in Bosnia, which inspired the act of commemoration and grief which caused him to become known as the Cellist of Sarajevo.

Default-piece-image-0 On 27 May 1992, less than three months into the war in Bosnia, the capital city, Sarajevo, was under siege. As people queued for bread, a mortar attack killed and injured many civilians. Despite the obvious danger, Bosnian musician Vedran Smailovic was moved to play Albinioni's Adagio in the street to commemorate and grieve for the victims. Through this act he became known internationally as the Cellist of Sarajevo. 

RN Documentary: Bridges of Bone and Blood

From Radio Netherlands Worldwide | Part of the RN Documentaries series | 29:30

A special documentary edition focusing on the work of the International Commission on Missing Persons to identify the remains of people who disappeared during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

10901391_small A decade and more after the former Yugslavia fragmented in bitter conflict, many thousands of people from the region are still missing. In “Bridges of Bone and Blood” – a special edition of The Research File – Laura Durnford visits the International Commission on Missing Persons in Bosnia-Hercegovina, and explores the various ways in which its scientists are helping to identify the mortal remains which continue to be discovered.

Bosnian Memories

From clay scott | Part of the Mountain West Voices series | 27:39

Mountain West Voices producer Clay Scott returns to Bosnia and explores the question of war and memory. What are the consequences of remembering wars? What are the consequences of forgetting?

Bosnia_077_small Mountain West Voices producer Clay Scott returns to Bosnia and explores the question of war and memory. What are the consequences of remembering wars? What are the consequences of forgetting?