The memory of ordinary, everyday intercultural or interreligious relationships, in brief
Like many in the region, this village embraced both Christians and Muslims, Serbs and Albanians, for centuries. A primary school taught in both Serbian and Albanian. In 1999, the Serb minority had to flee. Serbian families have not been able to return permanently, but visit their properties and the historic churches of the village on organised trips during the summer.
The context in which these relationships made a difference at the time
In village life, cooperation and friendship made a real, practical difference. While the majority of residents was Albanian, the Christian presence here was especially evident in the churches in the village, and the two hermitages up the hill.
What has happened since, which makes the memory valuable
In the war of 1999, the Serbian minority had to flee, and many of their houses were destroyed, along with a medieval church, the Church of Virgin Hodegetria. The hostilities which continue to prevent Serbs from resettling here contrast starkly with the coexistence of centuries here, under the Ottomans and during the 20th century under the Yugoslav kingdom and republic. It may be that relations between Christians and Muslims here appeared to improve across the centuries, as the rights of ordinary people gained greater recognition. With the violence of 1999, and the political gulf that has followed it, memories of coexistence here have been overshadowed by the attention given to the reality of conflict, separation and deprivation. The Memory Bank aims to provide a space for sharing memories which embrace the other, less politicised part of the reality which was experienced here through most of the changes that have occurred here across modern times.
How might the memory be used in bringing people together in practice now?
The Memory Bank project would like to know if the sharing of more such memories can be of use in your context, bringing students together, or promoting new community-based initiatives that can be inspired by the cooperative life of Mušutište before 1999.
Additional context/Some additional reading