33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

8 themselves Kosovars, which, when stated, is somewhat of a political and ethnic statement; saying they are ethnic Albanians who live in Kosovo. The second primary group of people living in Kosovo is the Serbians. While these people almost always will refer to themselves as Serbs (in the ethnical, and sometimes political sense), they may sometimes also be referred to as a Kosovac, to indicate that he or she is an ethnic Serb, but a citizen of Kosovo. BEHAVIOR Justin Dodge Most of the behavioral rules and restrictions in Kosovo are based on Islam, but more recent cultural history has altered many of these cultural aspects so today how the people of Kosovo behave is a combination of European and Islamic in origin. As a visitor to Kosovo j ust try to follow the lead of the locals by dressing in alike manner (see below for details), dining in the local etiquette (see our Kosovo Dining & Food Page) , and avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics, finances, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also try to avoid being loud, rude, or showing off wealth. Dress The traditional dress of Kosovo was fairly distinct from its neighbors (other than Albania) as it was likely rooted in their Illyrian past. For women, this traditional clothing included long-sleeved shirts, jackets called guna, hats with gold embroidery, a skirt or dress of some sort, and sometimes vests. Girls tended to wear a similar outfit, but the decoration was very floral to symbolize youthfulness. For the men shirts called telinat, blazers called mitani, vests called xhamadani, a scarf, and a long red belt was the dress of choice. Men also traditionally wore a fair amount of rings and other decorations, including armor such as a pistol or sword. Today this traditional dress is less frequently seen, although in some mountainous areas they can be found and they are also worn by some people on holidays or for special events, like a wedding or funeral. Today most people wear modern western- styled clothing, but most of the people are Muslim so do tend to cover up their arms and legs; only some women cover their hair. As a visitor to Kosovo try to cover your shoulders and knees at a minimum. Also try to dress for the occasion as entering mosques or conducting business in the country