AHS-2018-04-15
Interviewer
Carl Cousins
Date of Interview
Fall 4-15-2018
Interview Location
St. Louis, MO
Length of Interview
1900-01-02
Date of Birth
2001
Gender
Female
Religion and/or Ethnicity
Muslim
Description
Born in St. Louis to a family from the Velika and Mala Kludusa region of Bosnia, Parents moved from the country due to war, Grandparents on fathers side were both killed in the war, Family do not discuss the war or events that led up to it, Lives with both parents and older brother, Earliest memories are of Affton and the family home, Enjoyed Bosnian gatherings and parties with friends and family, Growing up did not understand that she was speaking two languages until starting school, Friends in school are mostly American and became more American in thinking and culture due to school, Parents made an effort to keep her fluent in Bosnia and education in Bosnian culture, Enjoys Bosnian food that she describes as very greasy with meals consisting of lots of meat, bread and oil, Parents set high expectations and feels pressure to also be successful in educational pursuits, Visited Bosnia along with Croatia as a 10 year where she felt at home but also missed the United States, Feels that the culture of Bosnia leads to the judging of others without knowing who they really are, Speaks about the hijab and the personal choice people make to wear or not wear one, Identifies as only Bosnian even if not being born in Bosnia, Family was very religious when first arriving in St. Louis but has shifted to a more secular view, Attended Mekteb (Muslim Sunday School) as a child but has not been to a mosque since those early years, Family celebrates American holidays and puts up a Christmas tree, Feels that changed little by little until being very much American from her early very much Bosnian years.
Keywords
St. Louis, Velika Kludusa, Bosnian Cuisine, Hijab, Culture, Identity, Croatia
First Country of Residence
United States
First US Residence
St. Louis, MO
Document Type
Oral History
Collection
Affton High School
Digital Format
MP3
Digital Publisher
Center for Bosnian Studies
City
St. Louis, MO
Copyright Note
These oral histories are made available by the Center for Bosnian Studies for research, educational, scholarly, and/or creative purposes only. All uses should adhere to the principle of fair use established under Section 107 of Title 17 the 1976 Copyright Act. More on fair use is available here: https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/.
Rights Statement
