Do you believe there are major cultural divides in the Balkans?

[poiuytrewq0987]

Do you believe there are major cultural divides that make Balkan peoples totally differ from each others?

[ChocolateFace]

religion and language are the biggest ones

[Dacul]

I think there are 2 cultures in Balkans.
One is of the states who are most west like and includes Croatia,Serbia and maybe Montenegro and rest,of usual balkanic states,like Romania ,Albania,Bulgaria,Macedonia.
Transylvannia from Romania is as Serbia and Croatia,people there are hard working and so on.Maybe is the Austrian Empire influence.
A very weird thing,a lot of serbs went to Germany,there are over 500.000 serbs in Germany who settled there.

Greece was a western european state but no ideea what happens there now.

[agent_orange]

i think the ottoman's messed alot of things up in balkans, everyone was against each othr for any reason, be it religion or whatever.e.g. serbs are slavs and albanians are different. i can only see religion being really different, other than that culture is quite similar.

[Rastko]

Yes.

There are some similar social patterns,tough.

[poiuytrewq0987]

I think there are 2 cultures in Balkans.
One is of the states who are most west like and includes Croatia,Serbia and maybe Montenegro and rest,of usual balkanic states,like Romania ,Albania,Bulgaria,Macedonia.
Transylvannia from Romania is as Serbia and Croatia,people there are hard working and so on.Maybe is the Austrian Empire influence.
A very weird thing,a lot of serbs went to Germany,there are over 500.000 serbs in Germany who settled there.

Greece was a western european state but no ideea what happens there now.

Interesting perspective. My take on this is basically Western Balkan - Eastern Balkan divide. Ex-Yu bloc vs ex-Eastern bloc in essence. Greece is an exception. They're a lot like Turkey except they're not secular.

Despite the East-West "divide" the Balkans is still unified culturally by pure Ottoman heritage which was built over 500 years. Even there are books on the "Ottoman Ecumene" (http://www.amazon.com/Balkan-Popular-Culture-Ottoman-Ecumene/dp/081086021X) which basically outlines the reality that the Balkans is a single culture due to shared Ottoman heritage.


i think the ottoman's messed alot of things up in balkans, everyone was against each othr for any reason, be it religion or whatever.e.g. serbs are slavs and albanians are different. i can only see religion being really different, other than that culture is quite similar.

The only thing the Ottomans messed up was the failure to disestablish religious structures. Christianity was and is the primary source of conflict in the Balkans. Of course, this doesn't mean Christian countries in the region like to ally with each others. We've had plenty of backstabbing Greece-Serbia-Bulgaria partition of Orthodox Macedonia for one.

[Queen B]

The only similar things in Greece's and Turkish culture is music and food.

But culture, is neither only food, nor only music, is a collection of society norms, customs, arts,architecture, heritage, attitude,etc

[Romanion]

The only thing the Ottomans messed up was the failure to disestablish religious structures. Christianity was and is the primary source of conflict in the Balkans. Of course, this doesn't mean Christian countries in the region like to ally with each others. We've had plenty of backstabbing Greece-Serbia-Bulgaria partition of Orthodox Macedonia for one.

The primary source of conflict in the Balkans was and is outside influences. And there was no Macedonian nation to divide, sorry.

[Dacul]

Muntenia and Moldavia (south Romania and East Romania) were neither under Roman Empire too much neither under Byzatine Empire,compared to the states to the south of Danube or to Transylvania which was a lot under Austrian Empire.
The culture in south South Romania (Muntenia) and Moldavia is that of barbarism,I doubt there is too much culture here.

[Europa]

Besides religion and language I don't see any major cultural 'divides' between the countries on the Balkans.Same attitude all over,just some people are more intelligent then others,meaning have spent at least few years in college or university abroad or just worked there.Many are 'missing the first 7 years of their childhood' too.:coffee:
Indeed the Ottoman ocupation really effected the development of all countries in all aspects.Or as I like to say...'They sent us back in first grade'...Same shit for those boogers the Commies..

[Grizzly]

I believe in a Balkan brotherhood.. Balkans will never prosper if we are small, weak and stabbing each other any given moment.

I'm not saying the Balkans should all join together(like Yugo) but we should atleast work on making trading unions and what not.. baby steps.

[Incal]

And there was no Macedonian nation to divide, sorry.

lol

[poiuytrewq0987]

I believe in a Balkan brotherhood.. Balkans will never prosper if we are small, weak and stabbing each other any given moment.

I'm not saying the Balkans should all join together(like Yugo) but we should atleast work on making trading unions and what not.. baby steps.

I proposed this:

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/innocent456/232.png

but we both know that it's never gonna happen. Too much historical animosity and all.

[Guapo]

I proposed this:

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/innocent456/232.png

but we both know that it's never gonna happen. Too much historical animosity and all.

capital: podgorica?? no thanks(monteniggers), that would be more corrupt cuntry than the US

[Sikeliot]

As far as music goes anyway, all Balkan nations have similarities.

[Guapo]

As far as music goes anyway, all Balkan nations have similarities.

thanks to Greece and bouzouki

[Dilberth]

I see divide between purple and gray area,Austria/Venice influence and Ottoman influence

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/innocent456/232.png

[Guapo]

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/innocent456/232.png

Get rid of Crete, they are lazy and stupid.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Get rid of Crete, they are lazy and stupid.

What's funny is little Netherlands has about the same GDP as the whole of Ottoman Balkans.

[Queen B]

Get rid of Crete, they are lazy and stupid.
I guess you ve never been to Crete.

[Guapo]

I guess you ve never been to Crete.

No, but I've been to Knossos.

[Queen B]

No, but I've been to Knossos.
Knossos - archeological site.

So, from Knossos , the archeological site, you jumped in the conclusion that Cretans are lazy and stupid? :coffee:

[Guapo]

Knossos - archeological site.

Iraklion? macedonia is greece.

[Queen B]

Iraklion? macedonia is greece.
Iraklion, yes.
Iraklion and Chania are the most busy cities in Crete, hardly to call them lazy.
If you have said Rethimno on the other hand.... :p

[Onur]

thanks to Greece and bouzouki
You sending your gratitude to the wrong address. Most of the so-called "Greek food and music" are in fact a rip off from Turkey and Turkish culture. Just take a look at the names of the so-called Greek food. Most of the food names are Turkish words and you know what, even "bouzuki" is a corrupted Turkish word from "Bozuk saz, bozukça".

Already, these Greek cultural elements only developped after the christians of Anatolia brought these to mainland Greece after 1924. Before these people gone to Greece, there was only Albanian elements in there, like tsamiko dances of Cham Albanians with Albanian white skirt fustanella (Turkish word again!) etc but after Anatolian christians gone there, they brought Turkish culture with them. Thats why modern Greece`s culture is some kind of fusion of Turkish and Albanian customs. Just look at their folk costumes, it`s either Albanian or Turkish styles (except Macedonian ones)


Get rid of Crete, they are lazy and stupid.
Again, are you sure that it`s only Crete but not whole Greece?

[Queen B]

1 out of 2 posts of Onur, is about Greece. This obsession is getting ridiculous.
Onur, no matter how you bash Greece, won't change the image of Turkey.
''Look how ugly is Dandelion'' won't make you look more beautiful, sorry



Again, are you sure that it`s only Crete but not whole Greece?
Actually, I have a better offer. Exclude Greece of this stupid map, and include Turkey :coffee:

[o__o]

Absolutely yes, if not there would be no explanation of the constant flamewars between them here.