Died unknown Ethnicity Bosniak | Name Fata Omanovic | |
Born c. 1883 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||
Fata Omanović (c. 1883 – unknown) was a Bosniak historical figure from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1899, sixteen-year-old Omanović was either abducted or went by her own will to Dalmatia to escape an arranged marriage and was converted from Islam to Catholicism which brought significant debate to the issue of religious conversion in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the turn of the century. Since she was taken to a monastery and baptized, Omanović has remained a symbol of Christian proselytism attempts on Bosniaks. The case resulted in the development of the first Bosniak political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Contents
Story
In the spring of 1899, Fata's father Osman Omanović's arranged for his 16-year-old daughter to marry an old friend of his. Fata dreaded her fate and sought advice from her Catholic neighbors who persuaded her to escape to Dalmatia and renounce her religion. On the night of 2–3 May 1899, Fata met up with a Croat 'guide' who led her on the 32-kilometer journey to Dalmatia.
In the coming days, the Omanović family learned that Fata had been taken to a monastery, baptized and accepted into the Catholic Church. On 5 May 1899, several leading Bosniaks of Mostar organized a protest meeting due to the kidnapping of young Fata Omanović by Catholic missionaries who took her to a monastery and baptized her. The Bosniaks formed a committee headed by the Mostar Mufti Ali Džabič. They called on the ruling Austro-Hungarian Empire to return Fata and put an end to religious conversions. The Omanović case also resulted in the emergence of the first Bosniak political party, led by Ali-beg Firdus (1862–1910).
In popular culture
Historian Hivzija Hasandedić (1915–2003) chronicled the case of Fata Omanović and three other forced conversions at the turn of the century in Herzegovina.