The Local Hero

The Local Hero

In 2015 I met Ana, an inspiring young woman during a trip to Pristina. Oozing with self-expression and individuality, she was a symbol of the new Kosovo. Also, a major player in the driving force behind the burgeoning, feminist movement. We spent a wonderful afternoon together. I felt privileged to learn about her life and the city in which she was born. This, in a country slowly coming to grips with the bloody conflict that happened in the late 1990's

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A shock of black dreadlocks, she sashayed her way across Skanderbeg Square. As she got closer, I could see that her rock-chick look was topped off by the piercings dotted about her face. And a sleeve of tattoos, where a fine, black outline of a rose, with razor-sharp thorns, took centre stage - as it twisted its way around her elbow. She was swathed in a sea of elderly Muslim women, covered by hijabs in cobalt blue and hues of green and russet. Weighed down by mesh bags, groaning with fresh fruit and vegetables. Then, there were the white-collar workers. Surrounded by debris crumbled from the walls enclosing the square. Sitting in their drab office attire on layers of slithered slate. They were chomping on sandwiches, slipped out of lunch boxes and nattering with colleagues. Everyone in the square was taking full advantage of the bright autumn afternoon and all heads turned, as the black clad Ana, strolled into the limelight.

I'd been zigzagging my way down the Balkan Peninsula, an area fragmented by war and destruction, in the not so distant past. Whilst staying in Niška Banja, in southern Serbia, I'd booked a seat for the bus that would take me on the 7 hour journey, over the border and into Kosovo. This decision was much to the horror of my Serbian friends. Shaking their heads furiously and with eyes growing wider – they urged me not to go. It was dangerous. Their bias was sparked by the propaganda surrounding Serbia's continued refusal to recognise Kosovo's independence. This underpinned the scorn directed towards the nation and her people. I didn't cancel my ticket and was so glad I went.

When I finally arrived at homestay, all I wanted to do was sleep. However, a furious curiosity got the better of me. So, I dumped my bag and was soon off exploring the city. I'd landed in Skanderbeg Square looking for the 'Newborn' sculpture but even better, I'd found Ana. Rather than dig out a map, I tend to ask local people for directions and in the past, it's opened up so many brilliant, cultural opportunities. So, there I was, unable to stop myself, I needed to chat to this iconic gal. I simply walked over and asked her the way to the monument. In an instant, she swung her bubblegum pink backpack off her shoulder and dropped it to the ground. And using the heel of her hand, she pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead, to expose huge, milk chocolate eyes and a glint of silver stabbing her eyebrow

In perfect English and with no hint of an accent, she smiled, "Hey, sure!".

She started pointing and talking me through the directions I should take. Then she suddenly stopped mid-sentence and turned her face to mine, with an expression that looked like she'd just had a brainwave.

Glancing swiftly at her watch, she paused for a split second.

Before asking hesitantly, "I've finished classes for today, so if you want, I can take you?".

As we walked away from the square, probably looking like a couple of friends in full mourning she said, "Your hair's cool, I love purple". Then after running her eyes over me,, "And your black skirt! Wow look at all those zips"

It was almost like we clicked immediately; two women, divided by 30 years, neither any intent to conform to societal expectations.

A 19-year-old art student, she was in her first year at the University of Pristina. Being the creative type, Ana had shaped her own unique style, in a society seeped in modesty. There were no body art outlets in Pristina and hungry for self-expression, she'd taken it upon herself to modify her own body - with a little help from YouTube. She'd pierced her nose, tragus, navel, lip and eyebrow. Tattooed her arm and transformed her hair into a wild tangle of dreads. Remembering the pain from my own skin being drilled into, by a professional tattoo artist.