Three-finger salute (Serbian)
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- This article is about a salute used by some Serbs. For other meanings, see three-finger salute.
The three-finger salute (Serbian: три пpcтa or tri prsta) is a salute with the thumb, index, and middle fingers open used by some Serbs.
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[edit] Meanings of the salute
Members of Serbian Renewal Movement political party, say that it was popularized by Vuk Drašković during street demonstrations in March, 1991 in Belgrade, where the three fingers represented the three demands that the Serbian Renewal Movement has put before the government. [1][2] However there are other meanings of the salute and it is also used by some political opponents of the Serbian Renewal Movement.[3] Srđan Srećković, a vice-president of the Serbian Renewal Movement, said in an interview to Kurir that it can also symbolize "one finger for St. Sava, other finger for for Njegoš, and third finger for Karađorđe." [4]
One popular theory of the origin of the salute is the way Orthodox Serbs cross, with the three fingers (which is associated with the Christian Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit).[5][6].
[edit] Usage
Within Serbia itself, it can be most often seen by some sport fans and even some players themselves when celebrating sport victories. After Serbia and Montenegro won the World Championship in water polo in the 2005, team captain Vladimir Vujasinović stated "thank you for being there for us in hard times, you gave us the strength to go all the way and win the gold medal. I am proud of you, my country and all my people," and displayed the traditional three-finger Serbian salute.[7]. When winning the European basketball championship in 1995, the entire Yugoslav national team displayed the three fingers. Sasha Djordjevic says he flashed the three fingers "not to be provocative. Just: That's Serbia, that's us, that's me - nothing else. It's my pride. "[8] Vlade Divac is also known to have often shown the three-finger salute after wins and scores.More recently, the best Serbian tennis player Novak Đoković often shows three-finger salute after his victories.[9]
[edit] Connotations
Members of other Balkan peoples, especially Croatians, Bosniaks and Albanians will often find it provocative and offensive due to what happened during the Yugoslav Wars.
Showing three fingers in public is seen as nationalist provocation,[10] or that the salute is simply attributed to nationalists[11][Quotation needed from source]. In fact, it has been known to incite fights during football matches.[12][13][14] When Bobby Despotovski, a footballer of Serbian descent for the Perth Glory was believed to have used to gesture after scoring against the Melbourne Knights, a club built around ex-fascist Croat exiles in Australia, there was anger in sections of the crowd.
[edit] Eurovision 2007
Eurovision song contest winner, Serbian Marija Šerifović, while celebrating the maximum of 12 points that she received from Bosnian viewers displayed the three-finger salute. This has caused controversy as some Bosnian viewers have seen it as provocation. [15]
[edit] References
- ^ Tri Srbije?. B92 Editorial. 10 October 2002.
- ^ "- Lepo ste se toga setili! Podignuta tri prsta jesu simbol koji je u masovnu upotrebu uveo Vuk Drašković na mitingu u Beogradu 13. marta 1991. godine. Tada je SPO imala tri zahteva, a jedan od njih je bio da se puste svi pohapšeni 9. marta. To je bio naš simbol borbe za promene, a iako je trebalo dosta vremena da se taj simbol prihvati, očigledno je da je uspelo. I kada ga danas koriste radikali, nemam ništa protiv - kaže Srećković.". Three fingers are a symbol that was introduced by Vuk Drašković during demonstrations in Belgrade on 13 March 1991. Serbian Renewal Movement had three demands, and one of them was to release all people arrested for 9 March. That was our symbol of fight for change, although it took a lot of time for that symbol to be adopted it is clearly now adopted. I don't mind Serbian Radicals using it today" - says Srećković. [1] from Kurir
- ^ Ni supruga lidera SPO, Danica Drašković, nije bila ništa manje zatečena radikalskim preokretom. Najpre je kroz osmeh konstatovala: "Neka, neka, uskoro će početi i da uzvikuju i "svi, svi, svi", pa dodala da "nema ništa protiv toga da i radikali mašu sa tri prsta". -- The wife of SPO's leader, Danica Drašković, was not less surprised by the Radical's turnaround (usage of salute). She firstly said: "That's alright, everybody will soon start shouting "all, all, all" and said that she "doesn't mind that the Radicals use three fingers salute". [2] from Kurir
- ^ [3] from Kurir
- ^ Hajdinjak, Marko. (2000) Yugoslavia - Dismantled and Plundered.
- ^ 1 THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL CASE NO. IT-94-1-T
- ^ Swimming-Serbia's water polo team get heroes' welcome by Reuters on August 2nd, 2005
- ^ Prisoners of War by Sports Illustrated
- ^ [[4]]
- ^ (Serbian) "Dalmacija našeg detinjstva", Jasmina Lukač, Danas, July 16, 2003
- ^ (Croatian)"Cjenik raspada Jugoslavije", Marinko Čulić, Feral Tribune, 25 May 2006
- ^ (Croatian) "Utakmica sretno završila", Slobodna Dalmacija, 14 March 2005
- ^ "Serb arrested at Croatian gay parade", B92 News, June 26, 2006.
- ^ "Posljednja granica Sarajeva", IWPR, Antonio Prlenda
- ^ Pincom.info: Tajni znakovi Eurosonga: Kome je Marija podigla tri prsta?
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