• Home
  • Search
  • Browse Collections
  • My Account
  • About
  • DC Network Digital Commons Network™
Skip to main content
EngagedScholarship@CSU
  • Home
  • About
  • FAQ
  • My Account

Home > Michael Schwartz Library > SICANJE

SICANJE

SICANJE

 
SICANJE

The practice of Croatian Catholic tattooing in Bosnia and Herzegovina is referred to as Sicanje, Bocanje or Saranje. Sicanje and Bocanje both mean “to prick”; terms which are fitting because the tattoos are created through a process that involves the pricking of the skin with a needle. Saranje, the other term, means “coloring”, which is derived from the coloring matter of the ink used to produce the tattoos. Although the mixture has slight regional variations, it is generally made with a gunpowder or soot mixture, which is stirred with saliva, honey, water or milk.

The tradition of Sicanje in the Balkans has evolved out of a long existing tradition of tattooing in the area that was then re-attributed to Christianity as religious conversions began taking place. The practice has been traced back to the Illyrians and the Thracians. The Ancient Greeks depicted tattooed Illyrians on their vases and archeological findings in the necropolises of Glasnica, where short and pointed bronze needles fixed to handles were discovered, further confirm this practice. For more details on the tradition of Sicanje, Bocanje or Saranje please see research by Dr. Ciro Truhelka and Edith Durham.

Project Coordinator and Author: Marija Maracic.
Born in Kraljeva Sutjeska, a town in the municipality of Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maracic fled to Germany during the Yugoslav Wars with her family; eventually emigrating to the United States in 1999. She received her Masters in History specializing in Art History from Cleveland State University in 2016 and a dual Bachelors from Bowling Green State University prior to this in 2011.

Project Co-Author: Josipa Karaca
Born in Donja Vast / Uzdol, a small town in the municipality of Prozor - Rama, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Karača migrated to Austria before the Yugoslav Wars, in 1990. Together with her mother and sisters, she joined her father in Austria, who had been living and working there since the early 70s as a migrant worker. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Innsbruck in 2014 and is currently living in Innsbruck, where she works as a trainer with deaf and hearing-impaired adults.


The Sicanje Project

The Sicanje project provides a bank of primary interviews on the tradition of Sicanje/Bocanje/Saranje which were executed in the summer of 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The interviews were conducted in the regions vernacular of Croatian and Bosnian, then translated into English by Maracic and German by Karaca. The project features 24 interviews with transcriptions in PDF format, photographs, video and audio.

Regional Guides in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Biljana Gilbo Bilic, Josipa Karaca, Janja Lazic, Ljilja Maric, Antonela Paponja.

Project Sponsors:
Nikolina Alaupovic, Marijana Anderson, Jelica & Boris Andrijic, Dinko Bačić, Mara Bakula, Ana Bakula, Vladimir Batinic, Jagoda B, Kata Beslic, Dragana Boras, Hadley K Conner, Julie Despot, Jelena Dordic, Ana Dorsey, Tom & Eileen Fallon , Rachel Harner, Christina House, Adrijana Jajcevic, Anto Jakovljevic, Natalia Jelovic, Davor Jozic, Vinko & Jelena Jozic, Maria Jukic, Jovanka Jukic, Ivan Jurcevic, Ljubinka Kapetanovic, Slavko Katic, Felix Kilimakher, Ivan Krnjić, Angela Križanac, Kulturno Drsutvo Hrvata BiH Kraljica Katarina Cleveland, Rosanna Pecirep Lanza, Mladen & Zorica Laush, Biljana Lovrinovic, Daniel Majhan, Dajana Markovic, Anto & Lucija Maracic, Mijo & Ruzica Maracic, Danijel Maracic, Robert Maracic, Elizabeth Maric, Pete Maric, Danijela Martinovic, Pero & Ruza Martinovic, Angela Miskic, Tatjana G. Palavra, Nika & Kristina Paulic, Elizabeth Pehar, Deborah Petri, David Petrovich, Natasa Rakic, Suzana & Ivan Sabljić, Andrea Sapina, Pero & Lucija Tolo, Ana Topalovic.
Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Follow

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow
 
  • Andje Franjic & Andja Jakovljevic by Maracic Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Andje Franjic & Andja Jakovljevic

    Maracic Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Andje Brajko by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Andje Brajko

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Anica Prskalo by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Anica Prskalo

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Iva Crnjac by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Iva Crnjac

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Mara Stojanović by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Mara Stojanović

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Marija Burecic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Marija Burecic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Veronika Crnjac by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Veronika Crnjac

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Luca Markesic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Luca Markesic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Mara Dzolan by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Mara Dzolan

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Mara Pavlovic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Mara Pavlovic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Ruza Ilicic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Ruza Ilicic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Marta Sarcevic & Mara Burecic by Maracic Marija and Josipa Karaca

    Marta Sarcevic & Mara Burecic

    Maracic Marija and Josipa Karaca

  • Anica Maric by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Anica Maric

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Jagoda Duvnjak & Ana Komso by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Jagoda Duvnjak & Ana Komso

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Janja Majstorovic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Janja Majstorovic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Kata Kapcevic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Kata Kapcevic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Kata Ostojic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Kata Ostojic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Mara Bojic by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Mara Bojic

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Nevenka Vazgec by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Nevenka Vazgec

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Sima Maric by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Sima Maric

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

  • Zora Mendes by Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

    Zora Mendes

    Marija Maracic and Josipa Karaca

 
 
 

Search

Advanced Search

  • Notify me via email or RSS

Browse

  • Collections
  • Disciplines
  • Authors

Author Corner

  • Author FAQ

Profiles

  • Scholar Profiles
  • Expert Profiles
  • Learn More About Profiles

Sponsors

  • The Michael Schwartz Library
  • CSU|LAW Library

Contacts

  • ES@CSU Administrator
  • Personal Librarians

ES@CSU ISSN:
2572-3480

 
  • View Larger
 
Elsevier - Digital Commons

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright