Božo Vrećo is a folk singer-songwriter from Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He started to get popular in the balkan region for his stunning voice and traditional Bosnian sevdalinka performances. At the beginning of his career, Božo dressed in men's suits, and this was why he had such strong support from the region. In Bosnia, tradition and religion are very important aspects to the culture. Regardless if a person is Muslim, Eastern-Orthodox, Jewish, or Catholic, Bosnians have strong connections to religion and implement this into daily life. It is taboo for people to go out of the “status-quo” and do anything that would make them “different” than others – and since Bosnians can be very judgemental, this ruins a person's self-image, which is something I have experienced in my own life as a queer Bosnian girl. This is not to criticize my culture, but rather the people.
Soon enough, Božo decided to perform as his true self, rather than appealing to societal standards. He does not identify himself as either male or female, still using he/him pronouns, and has come out as gay, but does not emphasize on any certain labels. When performing, Božo wears traditionally “female” clothing, kohl around his eyes, and his long hair. In his work and publicity, Božo hopes to be a voice for LGBTQ+ rights in the Balkans. However, he does not want to be labeled as a drag performer but instead a revolutionary.
Although he has a beautiful voice and was once fairly famous in the Bosnian community, once he came out as his true self many people revolted and boycotted against him. Against the harmful comments that have been said to Božo, he continues to stay confident in his identity and sings his sevdalinke, and that is something that I find to be beautiful. The connection that Božo has with his identity and culture is especially unique in the Balkans, where homophobia is very prominent and alive.
In connection to my focus book, Culture Care by Makoto Fujimura, chapter 5 Soul Care emphasizes the importance for artists to accept their suffering and turn it into art. I see this with Božo, especially coming from a homophobic community, instead of suppressing his pain and quitting art he continues to create music and embraces his lifestyle. A quote from the chapter that really stuck out to me was "culture care starts with the identification and articulation of brokenness" and this is exactly what sevdah is (Fujimura 46). Since sevdah is a branch of folk music that is based around the emotions of yearning and heartache, I believe Božo's life experiences made this genre not only relevant to him, but important to represent the resilience queer people in Bosnia need to have. The connection of our culture to his sexuality not only makes Božo unique, but important to queer history. His process of showing emotion and love for his country, especially seen in his song "Bosno, Zemljo Moja Mila" shows how regardless of what people in our community say about him, Božo does not let this affect him or his art. Showing resilience by rejecting normalcy is what Božo's creative process is.
I find Božo Vrećo a strong creative and inspiration, not only because of his music, but for his resilience to toxicity. Though he does not have a set traditional “creative process” I see his process as simply showing strength and embracing his culture. Sevdah is full of so much emotion, and I find his song “Crne Oci” to be one of my absolute favorites. His “twist” on tradition is something that should absolutely be admired.
I find this incredibly inspiring! As a Bosnian, minority (especially queer) communities are heavily criticized and judged, which makes it difficult to connect to my Bosnian culture. I have never heard of Božo Vrećo before, but I think Božo embracing his true identity is something other Bosnians should embrace and not hold against him. Bosnians can be very strong-willed people, and I love that Božo is using this strength to be himself. I will have to start listening to him!
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