31 / 2010

Peter Stanković, Luka Zevnik

Changing Diets: Eating habits of immigrants from the other former Yugoslavian republics in Slovenia

A significant minority of immigrants from the other former Yugoslavian republics lives in Slovenia. In research based on qualitative methodology, authors look for possible changes that happened to the immigrants' culinary practices in Slovenia, whereby they are primarily interested in the interpretative schemes that the immigrants employ when reflecting upon these changes. The results show a large amount of pragmatism in relation to the culinary choices, fatalism with respect to the limitations they are encountering in their newly adopted environment, an almost complete absence of nationalist discourses, and an impressive amount of tolerance towards any kind of possible culinary differences.
KEY WORDS: food, ethnicity, nationalism, immigrants, Slovenia

31 / 2010

Peter Stanković, Luka Zevnik

Changing Diets: Eating habits of immigrants from the other former Yugoslavian republics in Slovenia

A significant minority of immigrants from the other former Yugoslavian republics lives in Slovenia. In research based on qualitative methodology, authors look for possible changes that happened to the immigrants' culinary practices in Slovenia, whereby they are primarily interested in the interpretative schemes that the immigrants employ when reflecting upon these changes. The results show a large amount of pragmatism in relation to the culinary choices, fatalism with respect to the limitations they are encountering in their newly adopted environment, an almost complete absence of nationalist discourses, and an impressive amount of tolerance towards any kind of possible culinary differences.
KEY WORDS: food, ethnicity, nationalism, immigrants, Slovenia

31 / 2010

Jernej Mlekuž

Burekmeanings of Burekgiving to Nonburekpeople

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

31 / 2010

Jernej Mlekuž

Burekmeanings of Burekgiving to Nonburekpeople

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

31 / 2010

Mirjam Milharčič-Hladnik

Food and Memory in the Context of Migration

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

31 / 2010

Mirjam Milharčič-Hladnik

Food and Memory in the Context of Migration

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

31 / 2010

Liza Debevec

Continuity and Change in Festive Food Practices among Muslims in Urban 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

31 / 2010

Liza Debevec

Continuity and Change in Festive Food Practices among Muslims in Urban 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

31 / 2010

Sarah Lunaček

Travelling Meanings of the Tuareg Veil in Different Social Contexts

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

31 / 2010

Sarah Lunaček

Travelling Meanings of the Tuareg Veil in Different Social Contexts

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