Fata Omanović

Fata Omanović (c. 1883 – unknown) was a Bosnian Muslim woman from Mostar who was either abducted or went by her own will to Dalmatia to escape an arranged marriage and was converted from Islam to Catholicism. This brought significant debate to the issue of religious conversion in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the turn of the century. Since she was taken to a monastery and baptized, Omanović has remained a symbol of Christian proselytism attempts on Bosnian Muslims. The case resulted in the development of the first Bosnian Muslim political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fata Omanović
Bornc. 1883
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Diedunknown

Story

In the spring of 1899, Fata's father Osman Omanović's arranged for his 16-year-old daughter to marry an old friend of his.[1] Omanović dreaded her fate and sought advice from her Catholic neighbors who persuaded her to escape to Dalmatia and renounce her religion.[2] On the night of 2–3 May 1899, Fata met up with a Catholic 'guide' who led her on the 32-kilometer journey to Dalmatia.[3]

In the coming days, the Omanović family learned that Fata had been taken to a monastery, baptized and accepted into the Catholic Church. On 5 May 1899, several leading Muslims of Mostar organized a protest meeting due to the kidnapping of young Fata Omanović by Catholic missionaries who took her to a monastery and baptized her.[4][5] The Muslims formed a committee headed by the Mostar Mufti Ali Fehmi Džabić. They called on the ruling Austro-Hungarian Empire to return Omanović and put an end to religious conversions. The Omanović case also resulted in the emergence of the first Bosnian Muslim political party, led by Ali-beg Firdus (1862–1910).[6]

According to Belgrade daily "Vreme", by 1940 Fata lived in Ljubljana as Darinka Prijatelj.[7] She died there in 1967.[8]

Historian Hivzija Hasandedić (1915–2003) chronicled the case of Fata Omanović and three other forced conversions at the turn of the century in Herzegovina.

References
  1. "The Balkans: Nationalism, War, and the Great Powers, 1804-2011". Google Books. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  2. "Bosnia and Hercegovina: A Tradition Betrayed; page 106". Google Books. 1994. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  3. "DA SE NE ZABORAVI, AKO SE MORA PONOVITI". Mufijstvo Mostarsko. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. "Zašto su Bošnjaci zaboravili Fatu Omanović 115 godina od njenog pokrštavanja". Akos. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  5. "A Heritage of East and West; page 180". Google Books. 2006. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  6. "Alija pa Fata". Bošnjaci. 8 February 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  7. (Serbian) Vreme, 17. aug. 1940, p. 7. digitalna.nb.rs Retr. 17. aug. 2019
  8. (Slovenian) HMSejko: julij 2013 - BOSANCI NA SLOVENSKEM V 20. STOLETJU. sejko-hm.blogspot.com Retr. 17. aug. 2019
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