There are two economic-anthropological burekenvironments in Slovenia today: the burekmarket, on which burekgoods are bought and sold, and a burekenvironment which eschews the market. The latter is dominated by the homemade burek, most often in immigrant families, where it is also a frequent subject of expressions of hospitality and gift-giving, occasionally even outside the ethnic group. This “burekgiving to nonburekpeople” also poses some new questions with regard to the understanding of burekmeanings. Burekgiving to nonburekpeople reproduces relations between the two ethnic groups included in the exchange. In these reproductions of the fundamental ethnic relations in Slovenian society the central role is played by the object which is included in the exchange, or more precisely its meanings. Such an understanding of burekmeanings emphasizes their constitutive (active) role, i.e. emphasizes not how people create (burek)meanings, but how (burek)meanings create people.
KEY WORDS: burek, material culture, meanings, gift / commodity, giving, immigrants, Slovenia

There are two economic-anthropological burekenvironments in Slovenia today: the burekmarket, on which burekgoods are bought and sold, and a burekenvironment which eschews the market. The latter is dominated by the homemade burek, most often in immigrant families, where it is also a frequent subject of expressions of hospitality and gift-giving, occasionally even outside the ethnic group. This “burekgiving to nonburekpeople” also poses some new questions with regard to the understanding of burekmeanings. Burekgiving to nonburekpeople reproduces relations between the two ethnic groups included in the exchange. In these reproductions of the fundamental ethnic relations in Slovenian society the central role is played by the object which is included in the exchange, or more precisely its meanings. Such an understanding of burekmeanings emphasizes their constitutive (active) role, i.e. emphasizes not how people create (burek)meanings, but how (burek)meanings create people.
KEY WORDS: burek, material culture, meanings, gift / commodity, giving, immigrants, Slovenia

In this article, the topic of “thinking otherness through material culture” is presented through autobiographical narratives of Slovenian women migrants in the United States and their female descendants. The selected parts of the narratives speak about how food is tied to memory and remembering of the past. This connectedness is particularly interesting in the context of ethnic and intimate identities. One focus is therefore on the experiences of the construction of individual identities beyond the presupposed ethnic identity of migrants. The other deals with the exchange of goods, scents and memories in individually formed trans-national social fields. Particular attention is focused on the social, cultural and gendered contexts that are taken into the consideration as well as the personal experience of the researcher.
KEY WORDS: food and memory, migration contexts, intimate and personal identities, life narratives

In this article, the topic of “thinking otherness through material culture” is presented through autobiographical narratives of Slovenian women migrants in the United States and their female descendants. The selected parts of the narratives speak about how food is tied to memory and remembering of the past. This connectedness is particularly interesting in the context of ethnic and intimate identities. One focus is therefore on the experiences of the construction of individual identities beyond the presupposed ethnic identity of migrants. The other deals with the exchange of goods, scents and memories in individually formed trans-national social fields. Particular attention is focused on the social, cultural and gendered contexts that are taken into the consideration as well as the personal experience of the researcher.
KEY WORDS: food and memory, migration contexts, intimate and personal identities, life narratives

The article compares traditional and civil wedding celebrations among Muslims in urban Burkina Faso. It analyses the types of food served at the two events and compares their meaning. Traditional African food is served at the traditional wedding celebration, while at the civil ceremony “white man’s foods” are served to reflect the modern way of living and thinking. Drawing on these two ceremonial forms and two types of food consumption, the article discusses the ongoing discourse of “traditional” versus “modern” in urban Burkina Faso.
KEY WORDS: food, wedding, tradition, modernity, Burkina Faso

The article compares traditional and civil wedding celebrations among Muslims in urban Burkina Faso. It analyses the types of food served at the two events and compares their meaning. Traditional African food is served at the traditional wedding celebration, while at the civil ceremony “white man’s foods” are served to reflect the modern way of living and thinking. Drawing on these two ceremonial forms and two types of food consumption, the article discusses the ongoing discourse of “traditional” versus “modern” in urban Burkina Faso.
KEY WORDS: food, wedding, tradition, modernity, Burkina Faso

The article considers the changing meanings of the Tuareg veil, or taglmust, that have appeared due to the political marginalisation of the Tuareg, changes in relations between the social categories of Tuareg society, settlement in urban environment and tourism. The author confirms that the taglmust represents a symbol of Tuaregness to the outside world as well as for the Tuareg themselves. In everyday uses its regulating function of relations between affines is becoming smaller, while its function as a symbol of ethnic identity and its related aesthetic function are obtaining primary importance. Like the clothing in general, the taglmust also has a dynamic function of communicating identity in different contexts.
KEY WORDS: Tuareg, veil, identity, social change

The article considers the changing meanings of the Tuareg veil, or taglmust, that have appeared due to the political marginalisation of the Tuareg, changes in relations between the social categories of Tuareg society, settlement in urban environment and tourism. The author confirms that the taglmust represents a symbol of Tuaregness to the outside world as well as for the Tuareg themselves. In everyday uses its regulating function of relations between affines is becoming smaller, while its function as a symbol of ethnic identity and its related aesthetic function are obtaining primary importance. Like the clothing in general, the taglmust also has a dynamic function of communicating identity in different contexts.
KEY WORDS: Tuareg, veil, identity, social change

Chatty artefacts are posited as a central interpretive tool in the understanding of society, social relations and culture. But we should not be misled by this conception. Chatty artefacts refer not only to specific groups, but are also a constitutive part of social relations. Material culture, as this introductory text attempts to conceptualize it, is therefore not merely some sort of medium for social relations, but is a component part of social relations.
KEY WORDS: artefacts, material culture, culture, social relations, language

Chatty artefacts are posited as a central interpretive tool in the understanding of society, social relations and culture. But we should not be misled by this conception. Chatty artefacts refer not only to specific groups, but are also a constitutive part of social relations. Material culture, as this introductory text attempts to conceptualize it, is therefore not merely some sort of medium for social relations, but is a component part of social relations.
KEY WORDS: artefacts, material culture, culture, social relations, language