Cult of fertility among the Bosnian People

trend disappeared due to a
difficult economic situation which
dominates the country and larger
migration of the young to the
countries of the EU or USA.
But, it would be wrong to conclude
that all pregnancies in the past
were wanted, especially if in the
family there was already a lot of
children or the pregnancy was a
result of an extra-marital
relationship. It often happened
that due to a couple of previous
births, but also difficult manual
labour, complications and
miscarriage happened. It was
considered as a great sin to
provoke a miscarriage (abortion)
on purpose, since it was
considered to be sacrilege. Older
women traditionally scared younger
women with stories of abortion
being a huge sin and that every
woman which dares to perform this
act, will have to eat that
offspring in the second world.
However, that propaganda didn't
have a profound effect on the
thinking pattern of many Bosnian
women since most of them resorted
to various methods to interrupt
their pregnancy. One of the most
widespread ways is insertion of
the root Christmas rose
(Helleborus), otherwise a
poisonous plant, into the womb, or
even root of marsh mallow (Althaea
officinalis L) and in the lack of
Raif Esmerović
31
the above, especially during
winter times, a spindle was used.
From the more familiar ways was
the practice of drinking a bitter
potion out of boiled (unroasted)
coffee beans. In certain parts of
BiH, such as Rogatica and Žepe,
women placed a spicy clove in the
coffee. With the intent of causing
complications a pregnant woman
would fumigate herself with hot
lye, breathing in steam for longer
time which would force her to
vomit. While vomiting her stomach
muscles would contract forcefully
and would cause uterine
contractions, which could lead to
miscarriage. Among the more
familiar ways of causing
miscarriages was lifting heavy
things, sitting in cold places or
bathing with cold water.
Folk name for pregnancy is "other
state" which clearly stresses that
the woman during that period is in
a totally different physical and
mental state, and so is subject to
other norms of behaviour and
living. Similarly, this name
implicates that the pregnant woman
is in a special state when certain
elements of the cult of fertility
come to the fore. At that period
the woman takes on some of the
religious-magical features of the
Grand Mother, which is
demonstrated by certain widespread
beliefs such as a person eating a
Cult of fertility among the Bosnian People