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Saso Stavrev | profile | all galleries >> My Land >> Bino Stojanovski - The Last Inhabitant tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Bino Stojanovski - The Last Inhabitant




Bino Stojanovski has always lived in Brnik.
Brnik is a Macedonian village, in the Balkans.

During the World War I Brnik had a strategic role and it was one of the headquarters of the British-French army which fought against German/Bulgarian/ Italian coalition.
Once Brnik had about 40 houses and 150-160 inhabitants, but all that was once...
After the war people started leaving small villages, like Brnik, to move to towns, looking for a better life.

Bino decided to remain.

In Brnik there is not any electrical equipment, there is not electric light...
The streets are not asphalted in Brnik, the closest asphalted road is 7 kilometres away.

Bino Stojanovich is the only inhabitant of Brnik. His relatives left.
Every now and then his son-in-law and his nephew pay him a visit.
During all the rest of the time, which has another rhythm in Brnik, Bino lives alone with his animals.
He has 12 sheep and 15 goats.

Every day Bino bakes his bread in a kind of oven built with remains of bombs, shells and grenades.
Bino shares is peaceful life with left-over of war tools, which might be interpreted as a kind of metaphor.
Brnik had many bunkers at that time, now the sheep and the goats of Bino graze among their ruins.
Bino has serenely faced all the difficulties to remain in his home-village, he copes with the hard weather conditions and every morning goes for fresh water to a quite distant source.
Bino doesn’t complain, he says he feel healthy and well.

Bino Stojanovski is 86 years old.
Bino Stojanovski
Bino Stojanovski		 Bino's world...
Bino's world...		 Bino's oven
Bino's oven
Detail...How to bake bread with weapon shells....
Detail...How to bake bread with weapon shells....		 Bino's small herd...
Bino's small herd...		 The smiling, tranquil wisdom of Bino...
The smiling, tranquil wisdom of Bino...
The austere beauty of Macedonian landscape
The austere beauty of Macedonian landscape		 Time carves history on wood like on Bino's face....
Time carves history on wood like on Bino's face....		 When people leave, houses suffer with loneliness....
When people leave, houses suffer with loneliness....
People who once lived here have left. Bino stays....
People who once lived here have left. Bino stays....		 Bino is not afraid to live in a ghost-village....
Bino is not afraid to live in a ghost-village....		 The stones of Brnik have silent memories indeed....
The stones of Brnik have silent memories indeed....
The sheep of Bino among the ruins
The sheep of Bino among the ruins		 St. Dimitrija - The church of Brnik...
"St. Dimitrija" - The church of Brnik...		 Interior of the Church of Brnik
Interior of the Church of Brnik
Bino's abode....
Bino's abode....		 Once upon a time...
Once upon a time...		 The window...
The window...
Looking down to the modern world....
Looking down to the modern world....		 The remains of WWI bunkers
The remains of WWI bunkers		 Bino shows us another old grenade....
Bino shows us another old grenade....
Bino can use the old bunkers as lumber-room now...
Bino can use the old bunkers as lumber-room now...		 Bino in his sober kingdom
Bino in his sober kingdom		 Brnik today....
Brnik today....
Bino knows how to work with wood for his needs...
Bino knows how to work with wood for his needs...		 Life always keeps on....
Life always keeps on....		 Bino's stick
Bino's stick

comment | share
Guest 25-Mar-2010 05:19
A great piece of story telling. Thanks for sharing. v Lee
John Armstrong16-Feb-2010 11:03
A fascinating story, your photos do it justice. V
Aloha Diao Lavina09-Feb-2010 02:26
it's the story that matters, and what you have here is a story captured with the heart, but also with your superb skill as a photographer. Thanks for sharing, Saso. Well done! Vote
marie-jose wolff07-Feb-2010 11:41
beautiful and interesting story, Bino is a fascinating character! V
G.Pietro Munaretto06-Feb-2010 22:56
Wonderful gallery !!!
Barri Olson02-Feb-2010 15:12
Quite a story and so well told with your camera. Very well done.
an nguyen02-Feb-2010 02:38
Beautiful work.
I do admire your story telling images.
This gallery is underrated , should deserve a well recognition than this.
My compliments.
Gerhard Ritsema04-Dec-2009 10:36
Fantastic gallery and great story of historical importance! Well done Saso!
Chris Sofopoulos18-Nov-2009 11:41
Very interesting and beautiful project!
A fantastic theme and character as well.
Many bravo. v
Guest 28-Mar-2009 13:28
Toa e mojot dedo Bino... Kral na tisinata i cuvar na planinata!
Zana Talevska 28-Mar-2009 13:27
Toa e mojot dedo Bino! KRAL NA TISINATA I CUVAR NA PLANINATA!
Marina Palpati27-Mar-2009 08:09
great gallery...I'd like to see much more images of this magic place whic is our past...
Jola Dziubinska25-Mar-2009 16:32
Wonderful and touching story, fantastic presentation, Saso. Thank you for showing this exceptional man and his place. Vote.
Marwan Habib25-Mar-2009 12:06
Nice pictures and interesting testimony. V.
Bruna K.24-Mar-2009 17:21
Very nice story, moving photos.
mick75223-Mar-2009 13:24
lovely images & a great tale! Thanks for sharing this
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