Nazmija Alili

“Whatever you have, you cook.”

Padinska Skela, Belgrade suburb, Serbia, 2025

Nazmija is a mother and grandmother, a refugee from Kosovo (Gnjilane). In a spontaneous interview, holding and putting her six-month-old grandson Omer to sleep in her arms, she speaks about the culinary and musical practices in her family’s life. Nazmija is particularly evocative when explaining the role of women and food at funerals – specifically Muslim funerals, where women traditionally do not attend the cemetery. She describes the preparation of the only dessert handed out alongside drinks at the reception after the funeral, held at the deceased’s home. Halva (alva) is made into small treats that anyone can easily take, prepared from basic ingredients: water, sugar, flour, and oil.

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Original language: Serbian/Romani