Montenegro Country Information - the proud Montenegrians

Montenegro's population is very cheerful and mostly extroverted, open-minded, extremely helpful, and hospitable. And, like most southerners, they are very spirited in everyday matters. The more than 640,000 citizens are made up of Montenegrins, Serbs, Bosniaks, Croats, Albanians, and a few minorities. This colorful mix of South Slavs shapes the lively image of a multi-ethnic state. But the native Montenegrin was and is basically a simple, nature-loving person, yet proud of himself and his country and extremely self-confident. Tribal traditions and brotherhoods, repeatedly renewed by endless foreign rule, still have a high status in modern Montenegro and form the basis of social coexistence. Every Montenegrin knows which tribe they belong to, and in the mountains and remote areas there are differences in language and customs. There, blood feuds, which are often hushed up, are still an important element in violations of unwritten laws. There are therefore significant differences between the somewhat reserved population in the interior of the country and the cosmopolitan inhabitants of different ethnic groups on the coast and in the cities.

The family is still the center of everyone's life, and family honor and belonging are part of how people see themselves and are unbreakable bonds. Like in many countries in the South, several generations usually live under one roof. Religious affiliation and practice also play a major role in everyday life, with piety and spiritual values being particularly evident during visits to churches and monasteries. Women are only slowly breaking away from traditional customs; until now, they have been exclusively responsible for raising children, running the household, and even working in the fields. Much to the chagrin of men, who have traditionally found their purpose in life primarily in bars and cafés, exchanging opinions, or in wars. Of course, they would like to hold on to the Montenegrin proverb for a long time to come: “Heroes don't work!”