Zelenci: Rural development and anthropogeographic complex

Abstract

The village Zelenci is situated 25 km southwest of Banja Luka, surrounded with low mountains, on the valley sides of Zelena river. It belongs to the disperse type of settlements. It covers four hamlets (Živkovići, Milekići, Popovići and Vasiljevići) divided by agricultural and forest area. Nowadays village, according to the tales, existed in Turkish period. Even more, it is built on remaining of ancient settlement (archaeological localities from Bronze age, Gradina locality etc). Inhabitants, whose origin was not researched in details until now, according to the locals, have their origins in Montenegro and Kosovo. Zelenci has negative demographic (in 1961 - 337 inhabitants, in 2003 - 89 inhabitants) and overall development after the Second World War and 60s. During this period, mainly because of permanent migrations toward Banja Luka and Novi Sad, Zelenci is changing its appearance, functional and anthropogeographic characteristics. Today four families live in Zelenci (hamlets are named by them), in 29 permanently settled houses (in 1981 - 47 houses, and in 1991 - 29 houses).

Selo Zelenci se nalazi 25 km jugozapadno od Banja Luke, u okruženju niskih planina, na dolinskim stranama ponornice Zelene. Spada u naselja razbijenog tipa. Objedinjuje četiri zaseoka (Živkovići, Milekići, Popovići i Vasiljevići) koje odvaja poljoprivredni i šumski prostor. Današnje naselje koje je, po predanju, postojalo u tursko doba, nastalo je na mestu sa značajnim ostacima ranije naseljenosti (arheološki nalazi iz bronzanog doba, lokalitet Gradina i dr). Stanovništvo, čije poreklo do sada nije izučavano, je po kazivanju meštana starinom iz Crne Gore i sa Kosova. Posle Drugog svetskog rata, počev od 60-ih godina, beleži negativan demografski (1961. - 337, a 2003. - 89 stanovnika) i sveukupni razvoj. U ovom periodu zahvaljujući pre svega selidbenim migracijama usmerenim uglavnom prema Banjoj Luci i Novom Sadu, menja svoja fizionomska, funkcionalna i antropogeografska svojstva. Danas u selu žive četiri roda, po kojima su pomenuti zaseoci dobili imena, u 29 stalno naseljenih kuća (1981. - 47, a 1991. -29 kuća).