In Bosnian language, the term 'sevdah' represents pain and longing for a loved one. Aside from the lack of clarity of it's origin, anyways, it describes a feeling of nostalgic longing for something or someone that somebody was fond of and which has been lost. It often carries a fatalist tone and a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never really return. It was once described as the "love that remains" or the "love that stays" after someone is gone.
The yugoslavian Kafanas (Cafeterias) - in their social stereotype - were such a place to go to suffer sevdah. They were a place where gamblers squander entire fortunes, husbands run away from mean wives while shady businessmen, corrupt local politicians and petty criminals do business. Beside that, of course, sad lovers cured their sorrows in alcohol and music. Broken glass and bloody hands, faces contorted in pain and lots of emotions. Čaše lomim jebote! Kafana je moja sudbina!
