Filip Višnjić

Poet and guslar. Višnjić is widely considered one of the greatest epic poets ever to have played the gusle. Born in a village near Ugljevik, he became blind at an early age after contracting smallpox. He lost his family early in life also, and began playing the gusle and reciting epic poetry around the age of 20. He spent years wandering the Balkans as a vagabond, and performed and begged for a living. His storytelling abilities attracted the attention of a number of influential figures. Višnjić is revered for his contributions to the oral tradition of the region. He has been dubbed as the Yugoslav version of Homer.