Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/doi.org/10.52328/t.7.2.2
“I think we have come to the end. The real end”: transhumance pastoralism on Humski put in 21st century
Ivo Lučić
; Independent Scholar, Zagreb
Abstract
Transhumance pastoralism, which for millennia significantly shaped the history between the Mediterranean coasts and the mountains in the hinterland, mostly disappeared from the lives of the inhabitants of the belt along the eastern Adriatic coast, but also as a subject of scientific research. In years 2020 — 2022 a research was carried out on the state of seasonal cattle breeding on Humski put, which is maintained today exclusively by members of the Serb ethnic community. It takes place on the paths that connect the Adriatic Coast from Ston and Neum with the mountains in the north of Herzegovina. Two movements of livestock to Mt. Zelengora were followed, the traditional way on foot, and the most active grazing area of Morine highlands was visited. Although it is obvious that there is a need for this type of pastoralism and that it is desirable in many ways, the figures indicate that this practice is in danger of disappearing. A century ago, about 60,000 sheep grazed on each Mt. Zelengora and Morine, and in 2022, only about 2,000 sheep were observed on Zelengora, and about 8,000 sheep on Morine. The article provides a profile of herders, describes the way they work, the technological changes that have occurred in their work, and the problems they face working transhumance. In the text, the author tries to shed light on the unfavorable circumstances of transhumance, especially modernization processes, and warns of the complete lack of support in livestock policies.
Keywords
transhumant pastoralism; Hum paths; Bosnia and Herzegovina; modernization; dying out
Hrčak ID:
323522
URI
Publication date:
13.12.2024.
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