Vino piju nane age Sarajlije

Vino piju nane age Sarajlije (English: Wine is Drunk, Mother, by the Sarajevan Aghas) is a Bosnian traditional sevdalinka. The song is associated with the Sarajevo region and is known for its humorous and romantic portrayal of social life among Sarajevo’s Ottoman-era elite. The lyrics follow a poetic and narrative structure, describing a gathering of local age (aghas or Ottoman lords) in Ilidža, near Sarajevo, where they are served wine by a witty and selective young woman. The final stanza humorously asserts the woman’s autonomy, declaring she will only be the lover of one: Pinjo, the flag-bearer (Bosnian: bajraktar).

Origins

The origins of Vino piju nane age Sarajlije are not precisely documented, as with many sevdalinkas, but it is widely considered a part of the oral musical tradition passed down through generations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The song reflects the aesthetics of sevdah, focusing on themes of flirtation, status, and honor, often laced with subtle satire. The song remains popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other regions of the former Yugoslavia.

Lyrics

Most common version:

Original (Bosnian)

English translation

Vino piju nane, vino piju nane age Sarajlije na Ilidži nane, na Ilidži nane pokraj željeznice Služila ih nane služila ih nane Sarajka djevojka Kako kojem nane, kako kojem nane času dodavaše svaki joj se nane, svaki joj se nane za grudi hvataše Progovara nane progovara nane Sarajka djevojka Čujte mene nane čujte mene nane age Sarajlije Ako moram nane ako moram nane vama biti sluga Ja ne moram nane ja ne moram nane vama biti ljuba Samo jednom nane samo jednom nane Pinji bajraktanu

Wine is drunk, mother, wine is drunk, mother by the Sarajevan aghas in Ilidža, mother, in Ilidža, mother by the railroad They were served, mother they were served, mother by a Sarajevan girl As to each, mother, as to each, mother she passed a cup each of them, mother, each of them, mother reached for her chest Then she spoke, mother then she spoke, mother the Sarajevan girl Hear me out, mother hear me out, mother you Sarajevan aghas If I must, mother if I must, mother be your servant I don’t have to, mother I don’t have to, mother be your lover Only for one, mother only for one, mother Pinjo the flag-bearer

Umihana Čuvidina version

There exists a lesser-known version of the song attributed to the early 19th-century Bosnian poetess Umihana Čuvidina, widely regarded as the first known female sevdalinka poet. While this version differs in lyrical structure and tone, it retains the core themes of longing and social commentary found in traditional sevdalinka. Čuvidina’s authorship, though not universally confirmed, reflects the oral and adaptive nature of the genre, where songs were often shaped by regional, personal, and historical variations.

Original (Bosnian)

English translation

Vino piju age Sarajlije, vino piju, Zašavicu biju, ranjenici mladi podvikuju. Svaki veli: ‘Jallah, moja majko.’ Čamdži Mujo: ‘Jallah, moja Umo!’ Čamdži Mujo družini govori: ‘Ah, družino, moja braćo draga! Kada meni suđen danak dođe, suđen danak i umrli sahat, ufat’te mi konja lastavicu, i na konju zelenu dolamu! U dolami, u džepu desnome, u njemu je prsten i jabuka, u zadžepku mrko ogledalo, podajte ga mojoj Umihani, nek’ se ogleda, a mene ne gleda, nek’ se udaje, a mene ne čeka! A ja ću se junak oženiti, crnom zemljom i zelenom travom. Ako bude roda gospodskoga, žalit će me tri godine dana; Ako bude roda hojratskoga, neće žalit’ ni tri b’jela dana!’ To izusti, pa dušicu ispusti, i umrije žalosna mu majka! Ufatiše konja lastavicu, i na konju zelenu dolamu. Kad su došli šeher Sarajevu, uzimaju prsten i jabuku, dadoše ga dilber Umihani. Desila se roda gospodskoga, žalila ga tri godine dana: Za godinu lice ne umila, a za drugu se ne nasmijala, a za treću kosu ne oplela. Kad nastala četvrta godina, rusu kosu rukom odrezala, pa je šalje daji na kapiju. Dajo joj je kosu pozlatio, dajinica biserom okitila, pa je meće gradu na kapiju: ‘Ova kosa u devletu rasla, u golemu jadu odrezana: Il’ je majka ukopala sina, il’ sestrica brata jedinoga? Il’ djevojka svoga suđenika? Nit’ je majka ukopala sina, ni sestrica brata jedinoga, već djevojka svoga suđenika, što ga neće steći dovijeka!’ Govori joj ostarjela majka: ‘Što ti žališ tuđina junaka, Nije ti ga majčica rodila?’ ‘Luda ti si, moja mila majko! Da si mi ga i triput rodila, ja ga ne bih ovol’ko žalila, ko što žalim tuđina junaka, ja ga neću steći dovijeka!

The Sarajevan aghas drink wine, they drink wine, beating Zašavica, the young wounded shout out. Each says: ‘By God, my mother.’ Čamdži Mujo: ‘By God, my Umo!’ Čamdži Mujo speaks to his company: ‘Ah, company, my dear brothers! When my destined time comes, the destined time and the hour of death, catch for me the swift horse, and on the horse a green dolama! In the dolama, in the right pocket, there is a ring and an apple, in the inside pocket a dark mirror, give it to my Umihana, let her look in it, but not at me, let her marry, but not wait for me! And I will marry, hero, black earth and green grass. If she is of noble birth, she will mourn me three years; If she is of common birth, she will not mourn even three white days!’ He said this, then breathed his last, and his sorrowful mother died! They caught the swift horse, and on the horse a green dolama. When they reached the city of Sarajevo, they took the ring and the apple, and gave them to the beloved Umihana. She was of noble birth, and mourned him three years: For one year she did not wash her face, for the second she did not smile, and for the third she did not braid her hair. When the fourth year came, she cut her blond hair with her hand, and sent it to her uncle at the city gate. The uncle gilded her hair, the aunt decorated it with pearls, then placed it on the city gate: ‘This hair grew in the empire, cut in great sorrow: Did a mother bury her son, or a sister her only brother? Or a girl her betrothed? Neither a mother buried her son, nor a sister her only brother, but a girl her betrothed, whom she will never win!’ The old mother said to her: ‘Why do you mourn a stranger’s hero, He was not born by your mother?’ ‘You are crazy, my dear mother! Even if you bore him for me three times, I would not grieve so much, as I grieve for a stranger’s hero, I will never win him forever!

Covers

• Branimir Štulić
• Divanhana featuring Bradley Dean (2018)
• Himzo Polovina

• Safet Isović
• Zehra Deović
• Hanka Paldum

In popular culture

In 2018, the Sarajevo-based band Divanhana collaborated with Broadway actor Bradley Dean to perform a theatrical version of Vino piju nane age Sarajlije. The performance was supported by the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and was intended to promote cultural exchange between Bosnian sevdah and American musical theatre. The phrase “age Sarajlije” from the song has entered local vernacular and inspired a nickname for the football club FK Sarajevo, whose supporters are sometimes referred to as the “Sarajevan Aghas” (Bosnian: Age Sarajlije).

See also

• Sevdalinka
• Bosnian folk music
• Ilidža
• FK Sarajevo