High mtDNA variation in Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a reflection of the turbulent and complex demographic history of this area, influenced by gene flow from various parts of Eurasia and a long history of intermixing. Our results of 1035 samples (488 from Croatia, 239 from Bosnia and 130 from Herzegovina, reported earlier, and 97 Slovenians and 81 individuals from Žumberak, reported here for the first time) show that the SEE maternal genetic diversity fits within a broader European maternal genetic landscape. The study also shows that the population of Žumberak, located in the continental part of Croatia, developed some unique mtDNA haplotypes and elevated haplogroup frequencies due to distinctive demographic history and can be considered a moderate genetic isolate. We also report seven samples from the Bosnian population and one Herzegovinian sample designated as X2* individuals that could not be assigned to any of its sublineages (X2a'o) according to the existing X2 phylogeny. In an attempt to clarify the phylogeny of our X2 samples, their mitochondrial DNA has been completely sequenced. We suppose that these lineages are signs of local microdifferentiation processes that occurred in the recent demographic past in this area and could possibly be marked as SEE-specific X2 sublineages.

Storytelling and mythology are as old as humanity. According to some scholars the role of myths is "to unify the groups, tribes, nations or other entities where they are being told around certain common ideas, values and orientations" (Stugu 2003). Nations, in particular, need a unifying element, which they usually fi nd in mythology, where the character of the hero often embodies desirable characteristics of the nation. Since mythology knew no boundaries until "the birth" of nation-states, some heroes are shared by more than one nation. One such hero is Petar Klepac (in Croatian)/Peter Klepec (in Slovenian)/ Pitr Kljepc (in local dialects), a hero of the Kupa and Čabranka Valley in the Slovenian-Croatian border region, who still appears in the local narrative tradition. He is a mighty hero with a "dual citizenship" and hero legends about him are part of the heterogeneous intangible heritage of the valley. The subject of this article is the strength of this folklore hero, manifestations of his strength in the border region, as well as, more broadly, in the folklore and literary heritage throughout the territories of both countries, his diverse roles in the creation and mobilization of identities and in tourism promotion.

Preliminary communication Prethodno priopćenje U radu je predstavljen sociodemografski profil sudionica u Kohortnoj studiji rođenih na istočnojadranskim otocima (CRIBS), prvoj longitudinalnoj studiji u Hrvatskoj koja prati trudnice i njihovu djecu do navršene dvije godine života. Uzorak čini 286 trudnica (145 s otoka Brača i Hvara te 141 trudnica s kopna). Cilj je ove studije: 1) opisati glavna obilježja CRIBS uzorka, 2) usporediti uzorak s općom hrvatskom populacijom, 3) analizirati razlike među sudionicama u projektu CRIBS s obzirom na mjesto stanovanja (otoci vs. kopno) i tip obitelji u kojoj žive (nuklearna vs. proširena obitelj). U usporedbi s ženama s kopna otočanke su češće višerotkinje i češće završavaju samo srednju školu, dok većina žena na kopnu ima fakultetsko obrazovanje. Prevladavanje različitih tipova obitelji značajno se razlikuje između otoka i kopna, otočanke žive u proširenim obiteljima i imaju niže prosječne prihode kućanstava.

Only a few studies have been conducted so far on the long-term impact of war. We investigated whether a life-long impact of the war experiences could be detected in advanced-agers who have successfully overcome all life's challenges. The participants in this study were oldest-old (80+ years) residents of retirement homes in Zagreb (Croatia), who were divided into two groups – ‘war-exposed’ and ‘not-exposed’ – according to their direct war experience (First World War, Second World War, Croatian Homeland War). Within this 1906–1928 birth cohort, a higher percentage of participants with war experiences reached extreme longevity (95+ years). We found no significant difference (p < 0.01) between the two groups concerning demographic and socio-economic characteristics, their life satisfaction, their self-rated current health and functional ability status. Despite numerous similarities, several traits related to life-history, current quality of life, attitudes and reflections distinguish the group of participants with direct war experience. The kind of war involvement – active military service, imprisonment in concentration camps or prisons, forced migration due to war and war-related death of close family members – stretched through various aspects of the life-history features, quality of life and attitudes. It differed for men and women, so it is no wonder that the significance pattern in the two genders mostly seems mutually exclusive. Socio-economic situations strongly differed by gender and according to the kind of war exposure, amplifying the differences within the ‘war-exposed’ group in terms of the life-long impact of wars on their lives. Therefore, we could claim that the war experiences were not the same for everybody, and that they had lasting consequences on the lifecourse of persons who directly faced war-related events. The results also point to the high resilience capacity as a common feature among persons who survived direct exposure to at least two wars and yet survived to exceptionally old age.

On islands and in island communities, especially smaller and more isolated ones, epidemics were often of greater intensity and left more significant consequences than on the mainland. The unique characteristics of an island (size, remoteness, isolation, small population size, and several manageable access points) affect the transmission of mainland epidemics and their frequency. The current global COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to investigate how the infection and epidemiological measures affected the life and death of island communities. The pandemic has brought mass death into our daily lives and altered the way people grieve, commemorate and remember their deceased. This paper presents the experiences and feelings of people during the COVID-19 pandemic on Croatian islands, with a focus on death, funerals, mourning, and the loss of family members. Due to the impossibility of carrying out the usual practices related to the funeral because of COVID-19 restrictions, the process of mourning and dealing with the loss of loved ones was difficult. Island communities accepted the new rules and adapted to the new circumstances but indicated that island-specific and more flexible crisis management should be applied during this health crisis. Some epidemiological measures, such as social distancing, internal island travel restrictions, and reduced gatherings, were highlighted by islanders as challenging and sometimes unnecessarily strict for some islands and their specific situations. For family members of those who died from COVID-19, additional factors and challenges have complicated their loss. Digital and social media were used to connect people and helped in coping with mourning in solitude and isolation. In this global pandemic, island communities responded to the impact of pandemic crises and adapted to new circumstances of the “new normal”.