Written by: Desanka Markuš Janković
When Montenegro comes up in conversation, the first associations are usually mountains, the sea, or a rich and storied history. Yet as someone from this part of the world, I know that natural beauty is neither the greatest treasure nor the defining symbol of my country – I have always taken greater pride in the Montenegrin identity: a spirit shaped over centuries through struggles for freedom, fortified by strong family bonds, tradition, and a particular way of seeing the world.
In this piece, I want to share what it is like to be a Montenegrin – and to illuminate those qualities of our people that so often earn the admiration and deep respect of visitors to Montenegro.
Pride and honour have always held a place of singular importance in Montenegro, and one's given word was never to be broken. That feeling endures today in the respect people show for their heritage, their family, and the place they come from. You can still hear in everyday speech the oath "u obraz" – sworn on one's honour – one of the most solemn pledges of truth and faithfulness to a promise.
A guest in a Montenegrin home will almost never go hungry or thirsty. Offering coffee, a drink, or a meal is considered a simple matter of respect and welcome. Many visitors cite hospitality as one of the most beautiful impressions they carry home from Montenegro, and this trait, too, has deep roots in the past. I remember the stories of my elders: how even in the hardest times of war, the finest morsel of food was always set aside for the guest. It was a way of honouring him – and of the host preserving his "obraz," his face and good name.
Family ties remain of profound importance. Sunday lunches, family gatherings, and mutual support are woven into the daily life of many households, and it is from these seemingly small "occasions" that I carry some of my most cherished memories. Weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations in Montenegro are wonderfully lively – loud, well-attended, full of dancing and warmth – yet the most beautiful family memories are often those made around the table at a parent's home on a Sunday or a holiday.
Although ways of life are changing, many old customs in Montenegro are still lovingly kept. The Slava, weddings, folk songs, traditional foods, and local celebrations all remain a vital part of cultural identity, and tradition continues to hold an honoured place in the values of contemporary Montenegrin society.
People in Montenegro love spending time with friends and family. A coffee in town will often stretch far beyond its intended length, and impromptu gatherings are entirely the norm. This, too, is something visitors invariably mention – that no matter how pressed for time a Montenegrin might be, there will always be room for one more "dojch" with friends, a colleague, a neighbour…
The mountains, the sea, the rivers, and the villages are not merely part of Montenegro's breathtaking landscape – they are part of its identity. Every Montenegrin knows their roots: the names of their ancestors, the villages where they lived. Many still feel a profound connection to the region they come from, even when life has taken them elsewhere; they return often, and speak of their origins with quiet pride.
If you enjoy easy, unhurried conversation – full of wit, banter, and laughter – then time spent with people from Montenegro will be a genuine pleasure. The ability to meet even the more difficult moments of life with a measure of levity and good humour is something characteristic of many Montenegrins. That approach speaks to an indomitable spirit, a stubborn resilience, a capacity to weather stress that finds perfect expression in the local idiom: the quintessentially Montenegrin "lako ćemo" – roughly, "we'll manage."
To be a Montenegrin is not simply to live in Montenegro – it is to be a custodian of honour, tradition, family values, hospitality, and a very particular relationship with freedom and dignity. It means countless "dojch" coffees with friends, Sunday lunches with family, the telling of ancestral stories and clan heroics, a smile even in difficult times, and a deep, abiding love for the land you call home.
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