culture
January 20, 2026
Ристо Одавић, чувар српске усмене баштине
Народне пословице и изреке које представљају мисли о животу истичући мудрост, савет и поуку део су српске усмене баштине. Да не остану само на усменом предању потрудили су се највише да их прикупе и запишу Јован Мушкатировић (1743–1809), српски просветитељ, књижевник и адвокат у Угарс кој, и Вук Стефановић Караџић. Њима уз раме на овом плану био је и Ристо Ј. Одавић (1870–1932), српски књижевник, професор, драматург Народног позоришта у Београду, народни посланик, шеф Пресбироа Министарства иностраних послова, начелник Министарства просвете, управник Државног архива Србије и управник Државне штампарије.
TL;DR
- Serbian proverbs are a significant part of the country's oral heritage, offering wisdom and lessons about life.
- Jovan Muškatirović and Vuk Stefanović Karadžić were instrumental in collecting and documenting these proverbs.
- Risto J. Odavić was a dedicated collector of Serbian proverbs, amassing approximately 30,000 on individual cards.
- His collection, "Serbian National Proverbs – a supplement to the collection of V. St. Karadžić – collected by R. J. Odavić", included explanations of their meanings.
- The Archive of Serbia published 14,005 of Odavić's collected proverbs in a three-volume edition in 2018.
- During World War I, Odavić worked in France to support Serbian refugee children and published a book of Serbian proverbs in French.
- He was also an editor and writer, known for introducing photography as an independent form in his newspaper 'Nova iskra'.
- Odavić collaborated with other prominent Serbian writers and figures of his time.
- His family, originally from Herzegovina, produced several accomplished individuals who served Serbia.
Continue reading the original article