








Lukomir is only 50 kilometers from the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, yet it is the most isolated place in the federal republic. The road from Sarajevo to Lukomir turns to a field road after a while. The terrain is full of stones, but local drivers are used to the terrain and car is definitely not the object to take care of but use. The road leads through valleys surrounded by meadows reaching the heights where the herds are grazing in several herds what I could see from the small car’s window. The village is situated on the slopes of Bjelasnica, the highest peak of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reason why residents settled in the vicinity of hardly reachable Bjelašnica has its roots in the Middle Age, when the sect called Bogomils sought refugee from persecution during the rule of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter I. Bjelašnica became a center of attention even during the Winter Olympics in 1984 and later in massive conflict during the period from 1991 to 1995 as part of the siege of Sarajevo. Location helped people in the Bosnian village of Lukomir avoid the war which has destroyed everything during the nineties. Nowadays, about 40 to 50 people live in the village from May till October. They leave before the winter comes due to the amount of snow and bad conditions to their relatives in Sarajevo or other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A substantial part of the population consists of pensioners. A few decades ago whole families used to live in the village - not today. Kids come only during the summer holiday. Those who stay mostly take care of sheep. One family can also have 800 pieces in the herd.