Bosniaks and Bosnian Serbs

[Loki]

How closely are they related ethnically? Since Bosniaks are Muslim Slavs ... is religion the only historical distinction between the two groups?

[Loki]

I find the identity of Bosniaks interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosniak...osnian_Kingdom

Eventually, a powerful Bosnian Kingdom evolved on the territory of present-day Bosnia in the 14th and 15th century following the coronation of Tvrtko I of Bosnia as the first Bosnian king in 1377, also expanding into neighboring Serb and Croat dominions. However, even with the emergence of a kingdom, no concrete Bosnian identity emerged; religious plurality, independent-minded nobility, and a rugged, mountainous terrain precluded cultural and political unity. As Noel Malcolm stated: "All that one can sensibly say about the ethnic identity of the Bosnians is this: they were the Slavs who lived in Bosnia."

[Rastko]

There was no Bosniak nation until 1993. and that's the biggest truth.

[Loki]

There was no Bosniak nation until 1993. and that's the biggest truth.

Sorry, even I know that is nonsense.

[Rastko]

Sorry, even I know that is nonsense.

How so?

On the census 1991. only 1280 people declared themselves as Bosniaks.

EDIT: I don't think being a young nation is bad per se,everyone has to start at some point.

[Loki]

How so?

On the census 1991. only 1280 people declared themselves as Bosniaks.

You can thank the Serbs and Croats for that, for suppressing Bosnian ethnic identity. They even have a distinct language for fuck's sake - a Slavic language inbetween Croat and Serbian.

Bosnians were unable to list themselves as Bosnians, and they were simply referred to as "Muslims" and had to accept that.

[Rastko]

Supressing Bosnian identity while being Bosnians themselves??

Bosnian language??

They were able to list themselves as they wanted especially in 1991. when turmoils already started.

[Mraz]

How so?

On the census 1991. only 1280 people declared themselves as Bosniaks.

We were "Muslim by nationality" and it was the only denomination allowed by commies.
Negating other people's identity...Inferiority complex I guess.

[Loki]

Bosnian language??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_language

[Loki]

We were "Muslim by nationality" and it was the only denomination allowed by commies.
Negating other people's identity...Inferiority complex I guess.

Indeed.

A Bosnian's identity as a Bosnian - even if it originally referred to his geographical homeland or state membership - has roots going back many centuries, whereas the classification of any Christian Bosnian as a Serb or a Croat goes back barely a century. The idea of being Bosnian Muslim in a "national" (as opposed to a religious) sense is even more recent.