Local habits in Montenegro

Dojc is Podgorica's name for a long espresso with milk. In a TV Vijesti report, cafe proprietor Zeljko Kontic describes coffee that people take their time drinking. In the same report, writer Balsa Brkovic tells a story about the name's origin, describing friends coming to talk and then other guests asking for the same coffee.

In that story, ordering the same coffee becomes a shared habit among people who are already gathering to talk. You can therefore understand an invitation for dojc as a suggestion to sit down and talk, without assuming that one cup determines how long you will stay.

Montenegro's rural household association invites interested guests to take part in tasks such as gathering hay, picking fruit and making preserves for winter. Working together can then become a way to socialize. In its description of responsible travel, the association emphasizes that farm work depends on the weather and that the family has to complete necessary tasks on time.

The Bozovic household near Berane provides a specific example. Its published calendar lists preparing hay for winter in June and July, from mowing and drying to baling and transporting it to storage. For December through March, the same calendar describes demonstrations of knitting wool socks, hats, gloves and scarves.

When arranging your visit, say whether you would like to observe, learn or help, then ask what is possible during your visit and what the offer includes.

Moba is a gathering to help with a major job. The National Tourism Organization describes neighbors coming to one property to help build a house, mow, make hay or harvest crops. Preparing food and refreshments for those doing the work is also part of the gathering. Socializing and getting the work done are part of the same event.

The same account says moba is less common today and takes place occasionally in some villages. You should therefore not expect it to be a regular part of every rural stay. If your host mentions a moba, ask what the task is and whether you are being invited to take part. A guest's involvement in an arranged tourism activity has a different purpose from helping neighbors at a moba, even when the work is similar.

In Perast's Fasinada, bringing stones to the island of Gospa od Skrpjela is part of the ceremonial role of those aboard the boats. The Municipality of Kotor describes decorated boats circling the island and unloading the stones along its shore. The procession is traditionally held on July 22 to mark the day when, according to local legend, an image of the Virgin Mary was found on a rock.

In the National Tourism Organization's account, the boats are tied together and set off at sunset. The organization names religious representatives, male heirs of famous sailors, and respected Perast residents among those aboard, while women greet them from shore.

To watch the procession, check the organizer's announcement for the year of your visit, especially the gathering point and access to the shore. The description explains who has a ceremonial role, but does not confirm that visitors can board a boat.