The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bosnian: Bošnjak, pl: Bošnjaci, pronounced [bɔːˈʃɲaːtsi]) are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia. Bosniaks are typically characterized by their historic tie to the Bosnian historical region, traditional adherence to Islam since the 15th and 16th centuries, common culture and language. In the English-speaking world, Bosniaks are also referred to as Bosnian Muslims or simply Bosnians. Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an official ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam. The term Bosnian is used to denote all inhabitants of Bosnia regardless of ethnic origin.

Bosniaks are a South Slavic people. Nonetheless, it has been proposed, based on genetic signatures, that their roots also date back to pre-Slavic inhabitants of the Dinaric region, effectively predating many modern European homogenous ethnic groups. There are well over two million Bosniaks living in the Balkans today, with an estimated additional million settled and living around the world.^{[citation needed]} Several instances of ethnic cleansing and genocide have had a tremendous effect on the territorial distribution of the population. Partially due to this,^{[citation needed]} a notable Bosniak diaspora exists in a number of countries, including Austria, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Turkey, Canada and the United States. Both within the region and throughout the world, Bosniaks are often noted for their unique culture, which has been influenced by both eastern and western civilizations and schools of thought over the course of their history.

Dr. Himzo Polovina (11 March 1927 – 5 August 1986) was a Bosnian singer and songwriter, and one of the most famous and widely revered sevdalinka artists in the region. In addition, Dr. Himzo Polovina was a neuropsychiatrist by profession.

He died at the age of 59 from a heart attack while on holiday with his family in Montenegro.

Hanka Paldum (born April 28, 1956) is a popular Bosniak folk and sevdah singer. She is regarded as one of the best female sevdah performers of all time, and has diva status in her home country. She is a star that has been shining for the last three decades with full intensity at the very top of the sky above Bosnia and Herzegovina and countries that formed ex-Yugoslavia. She has been able to keep the attention of the fans by breaking boundaries and setting norms in the music industry with nothing more than her alluring voice, never resorting to vulgarity and indecency.

In 1975, Hanka won at the festival of amateur singers, “Pjevamo danu mladosti” (Sing for the Youth Day), with the song “Pokraj puta rodila jabuka,” text by Mijat Božović. Her prize was a chance to produce a single for Sarajevo Diskoton. This song was not a big hit at the time, but with time it fought for its place in people’s hearts and souls, and till this day it is sang by many. Hanka’s interpretation, gave the song a new and unique imprint.