Interview with Ranko Ravlija

Read our new interview with Mr. Ranko Ravlija.

Thank you for your time and for speaking to us for our Eastern Mining newsletter, which is part of the Living History Project. For start, tell us a little more about yourself?

My name is Ranko Ravlija. I am retired and father of three children. I live in Zagarski potok, near Vareš-Majdan. I was born there. I am 63 years old and fortunately I am still working.

What was your first job?
I finished the learning the craft in 1976, and then I was treated as a high school student in business. I graduated as a locksmith and worked at the Ironworks for 15 years. A wonderful 15 years. Currently what I do, I inherited from my father. I had the opportunity to learn from him. It is the so-called "artistic cast". I have been in this business for 25 years. It was easy to learn our creative art at the Ironworks, because we were surrounded by excellent masters. As a locksmith at that time, I was also given the opportunity to learn as much as I wanted and could work with people who are trained craftsmen.

Can you make a comparison of life as it was before, and as it is today in Vareš?
I am nostalgic, it cannot be avoided. However, there are things that strike me when I see the present time and when I compare it with the previous one. Part of that I attach to the fact that I was young then and youth in itself has some capacity that is supernatural. However, now in these years, when I look at it realistically, it is really incomparable. In my time when I finished learning the craft in 1976, there were about 1350 young people in high school in Vareš and it can be freely said that Vareš was a town of young people. Now the situation is quite different and that is the biggest difference.

How important do you think it is for the community for your craft to survive?
This job can be an ancillary activity today. I sell my works, but here only love can prevail for a man to deal with it. It will be a great pity if this craft disappears, but I am afraid it is too late.
Do you have someone to inherit your business?
Unfortunately not, but if someone interested in learning appeared, I would be very happy to pass on my knowledge to him.

You mentioned that you sell your works, where do your customers come from and what is the most interesting thing for them to buy?
I did a little bit of statistics and analytics to see where these things are and there is no part of the world where there are these products that I have created, even the smallest details. At one time, standard Vareš souvenirs such as levar, rudar, kovač were the most sold. It was related to this area. Then lamb-shaped molds used to bake a Christmas cake. That is what has traveled the world.

Are you familiar with the mining project in the area of Rupice and Veovača?
I follow your work and I am very happy for everything you do. This is the emotional thing that we, the older generation has in us. The possibility of moving, reviving the industry that once existed in Vareš. I am very happy about that.

What do you think, will the opening of the mine and the new life affect your work and what kind of impact will it have?
So I think yes, probably new people who will come to this area, who will get acquainted with the project  and will probably be interested in the area and then might like to buy something. Basically, the development of anything in Vareš, I felt on myself and it opened some new spaces for me. People get interested, they come out of curiosity to see something. I’m a little self-effacing, I haven’t exposed myself in any way, but roughly people know about me.

In your opinion, how do you see the future after the opening of the mine in Vareš?
I am very sorry that, for the youth of Vareš, the mine was a little late. If only it had started working 5 years ago because I think there was still youth in Vareš at that time. More people had the need and motive to stay in Vareš. And now the young people are gone, but other young people are coming. It is not disputable, it is just a fact of whether they will be truly attached to Vareš like we are. But in any case, for the city, I think some effects have already been seen. It breathes differently.

Do you think that Vareš will flourish again in the future?
It will not be able to and I have no illusions because the fact that in Vareš in that period 8500-9000 people out of 21000 inhabitants worked, cannot be ignored. Very few people will want to start a new life in Vareš. We as people are attached to our space, our hometown, we are not mentally in that capacity to be so happy to come to another city and live there.

To conclude our conversation… do you have a message for young people?
I would like the wave of departures that has taken place in recent years to be at least partially stopped, and with your help, I think that could happen. You are the driving force at the moment, someone new who can bring good to Vareš.

Thank you very much for your time.
Thank you too.