Banjani

For the Hindu Indian traders in Africa "Banyani", see Asians in Africa.

Banjani
Current region	Northeastern Montenegro
Traditions	Jovanjdan (slava)
Estate(s)	around Nikšić

Banjani (Serbian: Бањани) is an Old Herzegovinian clan and region located in northeastern Montenegro, of which territory comprises 380 km², west of Nikšić. The territory is the centrum between Nikšić and Bileća, from the top of Njegoš to the Trebišnjica, and to the Bileća lake. All Banjani families have Jovanjdan as their slava.

History

The Banjani are first mentioned in 1319, in documents of the Serbian Kingdom (of which they are part of), during the rule of Stefan Milutin. The word banja, means "bath" or "spa", however, it is believed by members of the Upper Banjani that they take their name from an eponymous founder called Ban Rusen, while the Lower Banjani maintain that the name is derived from Banjska, in Kosovo, where they also originate from. Some newer sources claim that the Banjani derive their name from the "Vlach Banjani" (Aromanian) who as nomads came from Banjane in Republic of Macedonia.

The Dinaric clans, such as Vasojevići, Bjelopavlići, Ozrinići, trace their origin to a common ancestor, however, this is not the case with the Banjani, as it exists today. Some sources say that the Banjani were relocated in the second half of the 15th century, with the occupation of the Ottoman Empire; it seems that the Ottomans also moved a major part of the clan to western Bosnia, around the Usora, for strategic reasons. In its place families of various Serb regions settled, and in this way formed some kind of community, together with the small numbers of native Banjani. The majority of the Banjani thus originate from refugees and uskoks, ethnographers conclude that migrations have taken place since the Middle Ages, from regions such as Kosovo and Metochia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegrin Highlands and Old Montenegro. And in this way, the brotherhoods were formed in the 16th and 17th centuries, uniting into the clan.

They joined the Principality of Montenegro after 1860, officially by 1878. Kruška was their seat for gatherings and important meetings.

Monuments

• Kosijerevo, 14th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery

Families

The families of the Banjani clan, by the villages they inhabit:

• Dolovi - Erakovići, Kilibarde
• Dubočke - Miljanići, Milovići
• Dukat - Erakovići, Kilibarde
• Koprivice, Cerovica - Koprivice, Elezovići, Ognjenovići, Pejovići
• Klenak - Orbovići, Antovići, Baćovići, Đurkovići, Komnenovići, Lučići, Tomaševići, Zečevići
• Macavare - Mirkovići, Perovići
• Muževice - Miljanići
• Petrovići - Janičići, Kneževići, Mrkajići, Pejovići, Popovići, Vasiljevići, Draganići, Kovači
• Podljut - Bijelovići, Đurkovići, Elezovići, Milovići, Radojevići
• Prigradina - Matovići, Mićovići, Krušići
• Riječani - Andrijaševići, Kilibarde, Nikolići
• Rusenovići - Ognjenovići
• Tupan (Upper and Lower) - Bakoči, Erakovići, Kilibarde, Sarići
• Velimlje – Papići, Radojevići, Lazarevići

References

Sources

• Momčilo S. Mićović: Mićovići iz Banjana u svom vremenu, Beograd, 2001.
• Momčilo S. Mićović: Prigradina u vremenu i prostoru, Beograd 2007
• Svetozar Tomić: Banjani, Beograd, SANU, 1949.
• Slobodan Raičević: Spomenici u staroj župi Onogošt, Beograd, 1992.

See also

• Serb clans