Postupci za olakšanje umiranja na Baniji
Ways of Facilitation of Dying in the Banija Region

Summary/Abstract: In a relatively small region of Banija, among a culturally, linguistically, religiously and ethnically heterogeneous population an inquiry was done into customs which aimed either to facilitate (and accelerate) dying or to hasten the recovery of a sick person. The research was made among three Croatian ethnic groups and among Serbs inhabiting Banija. Ways of facilitation of dying are the very ancient customs known to all Slavs as well as to other Indoeuropeans. In the Banija they are very numerous. Some of these very well known customs are: forgiving to and with the dying person, placing the clothes on the sick who is in pain, laying the dying person down onto the ground, pulling out a (feathered) pillow beneath his head, changing the position of his bed or the sick person laying in it, recitation of some »special prayers« beside him etc. At the end of the paper some problems concerning the ways of studying such customs are being pointed out.

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