Welcome to PravaLine! This is the first post and also serves as an introduction of sorts to what awaits you here.
I’ve decided to begin with a consistent theme: The experiences of someone with a Balkan background, growing up in North America and at the same time looking for ways to keep their culture alive and a part of their life.
Hopefully many of you will find something to relate to, regardless of age!
“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
Growing up in Manitoba, there were many extremes to deal with; the always-present sunshine, snow and mosquitos (not always in that order although there were many moments where all three were present at the same time); the impression that nearly everything in Manitoba was rigid and monotone, and anything outside of that wasn’t as easily accepted like what is seen in larger cities in Canada.
Not to mistake it with an outright negative reaction, though; it was never something direct. As to why, since I’ve moved out of the province, it’s become more clear. that it is due to the reality that the colder the climate, the more rigid the people living there, are.
As a result, not everything was straightforward or simple, since I grew up in a family where our cultural background played a role in nearly every aspect of life.
This background was about as varied as possible of someone with family in the Balkans; there were many countries I could use as a response to the inevitable question “Where are you from?”.
In Manitoba, I couldn’t have been any further away or more disconnected from the region of my background; there were vague ethnic food shops that were mainly stocked with Italian products, no club or organization, and the population being quite spread out meant it was rare to come across another person like me. Somehow Italy-sourced roasted red peppers in a jar never came out the same as Ayvar, that wonderful one-size-fits-all mix of vegetables that never seems to get boring.
All of this would normally reduce a person’s interest in or ability to keeping their culture and heritage as they grew up, although it didn’t really have a hold on me. There were several factors for this. In my pre-teen years, the main interaction I had with my culture was from social events organized by the Yugoslavian population in Manitoba.
The single thing that has kept my interest since that time, in learning about and furthering understanding of my heritage has been music. For me, Balkan music became an escape of sorts from the day to day sameness that was present in almost every aspect of life in Manitoba.
Unlike North America where there is a clear disconnect between the content in country music and every other style of music popular here, in my opinion, in Balkan music everything was tied together; the instruments used, the basic sound and vocal tones as well as the lyrics were largely consistent across all the popular styles of music coming out of that region.
This was also my first visual connection with my culture; seeing the people, lifestyle, landscape and cities all displayed on the available imported music videos on VHS left an impression that I still hold dearly to this day. Still to this day, creates an instantly accessible feeling, always a sense of carefree youthfulness, positivity, inspiration and pride. To be honest, I don’t have a clear explanation for this feeling of pride and what was the source of it, although hopefully one day I can put a clear definition to it. It is one of those matters that take much reflection and time to figure out, I’m certain.
For someone who was only exposed to Manitoba from day one, this all seemed so exotic and exciting and interesting. This played a crucial role in later years, when I went to visit family overseas during summer vacation. The music was real there; it was ever-present, from tv to radio to the live music played at seemingly every restaurant. The difference of it all, from the landscape, language, scents, sounds, personalities, left an impression that it was all something to be held on to, something to identify with rather than going the easy route of letting go of anything that nobody else living in Manitoba could relate with.
For me, it all started with those VHS music videos, played almost daily for several years. Music was what created my desire to hold on to my heritage, regardless of what changes or what happens.
From personal experience, as opposed to what most people think, this enduring interest doesn’t come from being shown or taught about culture in a learning environment, or in a manner that resembles a learning environment. I never kept a memory of anything that was taught to me, in comparison to what I experienced on my own terms.
I rather believe that it comes with connecting a person’s culture with multiple positive moments, memories or experiences at a young age. That’s certainly how I came to have such a lasting connection, and no longer feel the uncertainty that came from not entirely fitting in with either Canadian culture or the cultures my family came from.
I hope to inspire others to look at life through a different perspective; learning about your background and even learning the language used in that culture all open your mind to new concepts and ideas. There are so many amazing things that can be learned from maintaining a connection with your culture and heritage.
What Franklin Roosevelt said all those years ago still has relevance, even today.
Everybody has a family member that at some point fit the description of an immigrant.
As to the quote connecting immigration Considering the point in history when Franklin Roosevelt was alive, the term revolutionist used here certainly had a different meaning. It has since come to have a strong connection to political or social activity.
The act of immigrating, itself, is a major change. Anybody who immigrates to another country is doing so to make a real, lasting change in their life; a revolution of sorts.
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