Book
'The Hired Man' by Aminatta Forna tells the story of an English family that buys an abandoned house in the small village of Gost, Croatia, in 2007. The locals do not exactly roll out the welcome mat and only Duro Kolak, a hunter and handyman, is willing to help renovate the house. As the work gets underway, memories are unearthed and the impact of the war is laid bare, from the scars on the landscape to the damaged community.
Music
Much like the local food, traditional Croatian music draws on a variety of influences, including Italian and Balkan. However, Ojkanje polyphonic singing, traditionally performed in two parts, is purely Croatian. It was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2010.
Film
Set over three decades, Dalibor Matanic's 'The High Sun' (2016) attempts to exorcise the demons of a fractured society and turn the narrative back to love and hope. In 1991, two teenagers from neighbouring villages dared to fall in love as Yugoslavia teetered on the brink of violence. In 2001, borders were drawn and war devastated any plans for the future. She is Serbian. He is Croatian. Hatred has destroyed their dream of living in peace. Finally, we meet them again in 2011.