Zeljko Tomic : Sokolac
Broj: 16576 Datum: 06.12.2007
City of SokolacI live in Sokolac, Republic of Srpska, the eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are many things centered around life in Sokolac. Forestry, agriculture and cattle breeding are, and always have been, important part of the community. The city is surrounded with many historical sites, not so much known to the residents of the community. Sokolac doesn’t have conveniences of larger towns, so we have the opportunity to experience small town living.Agriculture has been important part of the community. For most inhabitants, the businesses of agriculture is the only a way to make a living, but also a tradition to the families. Potato is the main product of agriculture. Sokolac used to be known by high quality potato. Not a long ago, the potato chip industry was a promising industry for this region. At the same time, Center for Advancement of Agriculture (ogledno dobro) was established. Livestock production is the second largest agriculture industry in the community. The area surrounding Sokolac is well known for its quality grasslands, due to foggy, moist conditions that keep the grasses green much of the year and make them well suited for grazing dairy, cattle and sheep. The beef cattle and sheep is the second larges export of the community. Although Sokolac has a small diary factory, the milk market production is very small. Sokolac is surrounded by high quality woodlands, which have been recklessly destroyed in last ten years. Although this industry generates most revenue for the community, a small percentage of people work in the industry. Not many people even in our community know that Sokolac is a well-known historic site. During the Early Iron Age (Hallstatt Period), this region was a center of a well-developed culture, which is in history known as the Glasinac Culture. The culture reached its highest level from 700 B. C. until 250 B. C. During the Early Iron Age, Glasinac had the same number of inhabitants like today! In the Middle Ages, residents of Glasinac, buried their dead under the medieval gravestones, called stećci (the plural of stećak). At the same time, Christianity came early to this region. One of first orthodox churches in Bosnia was built on a hill called Megara, near village of Bjelosavljevići. Everyone in Sokolac enjoys different recreational activities and there are several to choose from. We have sports set up through school activities and also through other organizational groups. Some people enjoy school athletics such as football or volleyball, while others enjoy basketball and skiing. The countryside around our town is abundant with wildlife for the hunting enthusiasts. Due to luck of water resources, only limited fishing is possible on the Biostica river. I like living in a small town because I know most of the people, and I have a lot of relatives in my town, too. Many people that live in Sokolac work a local factory called “AD Romanija”. They make windows, doors, plywood, boards and other wood products. Another large business that employs a many people in Sokolac is the Mental Hospital Podromanija. I should also mention “A. D. Karavan”, a private venture that has a Hotel and a Slaughterhouse. So now you know why my town is the center of it all. We have agriculture, which is not only a tradition, but also a large portion of the economy. Sokolac is a well-known historic site to Europeans, but not to its inhabitants. Last of all, in Sokolac you can enjoy all opportunities of living in a small town. So if you are ever traveling from Belgrade to the Adriatic Sea, take the shortest way through Sokolac. Please stop and visit our town and you will see why I think my town is the center of it all! |