Music Sets Forth the Journey – The Meaning of Music in Migrations

ABSTRACT
The article highlights some of the meanings and roles of music and music-related activities among the Slovenian emigrant communities in Switzerland. As it gradually becomes a part of the new setting, shaping and reshaping the cultural life, there is at the same time an increase in musical creativity, which is used in migrant processes for establishing relations toward the old, original environment and toward the new environment; however, within the newly established communities, music serves as a medium for creating communities and establishing new relationships toward other communities and toward the members. The paper gives a few examples that show how and why music is used, the role it plays in the emigrant community in question, and attempts to understand what is reflected through music and musical life.
KEYWORDS: music, emigrants, Switzerland, role of music in migration, meaning of music in migration

Text is published on SLO pages