Himzo Polovina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Himzo Polovina
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| Background information | |
| Born | 11 March 1927 Mostar, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Died | 5 August 1986 (aged 59) Plav, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia |
| Genres | Bosnian folk · sevdalinka |
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| Instruments | vocals |
| Years active | 1953–86 |
Himzo Polovina (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Химзо Половина; born March 11, 1927 – died August 5, 1986) was a very famous singer and songwriter from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was one of the most loved artists who sang sevdalinka music, which is a special kind of traditional Bosnian folk song. What's even more interesting is that Himzo Polovina was also a doctor! He worked as a neuropsychiatrist, a doctor who helps people with mental health. He helped make sevdalinka music popular and showed everyone how important it was as a part of Bosnian culture.
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Early Life and His Start in Music
Himzo Polovina was born in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on March 11, 1927. His father, Mušan Polovina, was a soldier during World War I. While serving, his father met and married Himzo's mother, Ivanka Hlebec, who was from Slovenia. This meant Himzo had parents from different backgrounds.
Himzo loved music from a very young age. His father played an instrument called the šargija and often sang sevdalinka songs. Himzo and his brothers and sisters would sing along with their father.
In the late 1930s, before World War II began, Himzo learned to play the violin. His teacher was a well-known Czech professor named Karel Malaček.
From 1947 until he moved to Sarajevo, Himzo was part of a folk group called "Abrašević." He traveled all over Yugoslavia with them, performing in many towns and villages. He really liked the traditional Bosnian clothes and always wore them when he performed.
In 1950, while he was studying to become a doctor, he joined a student cultural club. He also performed with other groups. He successfully finished medical school and became a psychiatrist. He used his medical knowledge to help people, even using music therapy in his work. Himzo continued to be a respected doctor at a hospital in Sarajevo until he passed away.
His Singing Career
In January 1953, Himzo's friends from medical school encouraged him to try out for Radio Sarajevo. He sang a sevdalinka song even though he had a small speech problem that made it hard for him to say the letter "r." He was accepted and got great feedback from other musicians. People saw him as more than just a singer; they thought of him as someone who deeply studied and understood sevdah music.
Himzo often performed at special concerts to raise money for good causes. He also sang in hospitals, for older people, and for children in orphanages. He loved to share his music with everyone.
At one point, Himzo took a break from Radio Sarajevo for five years because of some disagreements. But the problems were solved, and he went back to performing.
During his career, which lasted for thirty years, he sang in almost every city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Song Emina
Many people believe that Himzo Polovina's version of the Bosnian sevdalinka song Emina is the best one. In his 1960s recording, he added new verses to the song. These verses were written after the woman the song was about, Emina Sefić, passed away in 1967. When Himzo heard about Emina's death, he visited a poet named Sevda Katica. He told her the sad news, and she was so upset that she immediately spoke these new verses:
| Added verses | Translation |
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Personal Life and Passing Away
Himzo Polovina was married to Fikreta Medošević. They had a daughter named Rubina and a son named Edmir.
He passed away at the age of 59 from a heart attack. He was on vacation with his family in Montenegro at the time. His brother Mirza said that the last song Himzo sang was Emina, just before he died suddenly.
Himzo Polovina was buried in the Bare Cemetery in Sarajevo.
Discography
Himzo Polovina released many popular albums and singles throughout his career, sharing his beautiful sevdalinka music with the world.
