the loma weekly herald volume 1 issue 12

The League of Macedonian-AmericansVolume 1, Issue 12

7/19/2015 _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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IN THIS ISSUE: Did You Know?...................1

Crossword.......................1

Quotes about Macedonia..........2

Narodna Song of the Week......3-4

Yugos.......................4-12

News from Macedonia............12

Pollution in Macedonia is pretty bad.

Although Macedonia is a country with

beautiful landscapes and an abundance of

natural resources, the Macedonians have not

done a good job in taking care to protect

their air, water and land. A lot of this

pollution, as with most countries,

accompanied the urbanization and

industrialization of the country.

It is estimated that over 1,300 people die

each year in Macedonia due to air pollution.

Most of this pollution is related to energy

production, oil refining and metallurgy. Last

year, Skopje was ranked as Europes second most polluted city. Most water bodies in

Macedonia are also severely polluted,

including Lake Ohrid, due to the chemical

industry, food production, and metallurgy.

Most of the water pollution issues in

Macedonia can be solved with better urban

and industrial wastewater treatment

measures.

Another more visible pollution problem in

Macedonia is the amount of garbage and

litter one can find in the cities and rural

hillsides. Over 200,000 tons of Macedonian

garbage is illegally dumped in the hills of

Macedonia. To understand how much that

is, its about one-third of all of Macedonians waste production. Thats a lot of trash just lying around.

Macedonian Crossword

1 2

3

4

5

6

7

8 9

10

11

Across

1. /denes

5. /vchera

6. /utre

7. /utro

8. /vecher

11. /vreme

Down

2. /popladne

3. /godina

4. /kasno

8. /rano

9. /nokj

10. /nedela


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Quotes about Macedonia

Occasionally, LOMA will highlight several

historical prominent Macedonian figures by

quoting lengthier articles. While there are

debates and controversy regarding some of

these individuals, it is important to note that

each had a significant impact on the

Macedonian Cause. More importantly, these

excerpts about famous historical Macedonians

are not meant so much to emphasize the

individual, but to serve as an insight into the

mood of the times and the lives of those

entrenched in the Macedonian Cause fighting

for freedom and equality.

This weeks excerpt is about the controversial

Boris Sarafoff, who in the 1890s advocated for

Macedonia to be incorporated in to Bulgaria, but

then in the early 1900s started advocating and

fighting for an independent Macedonia, making

him an enemy of the Bulgarian government.

Although, under pressure from Austria and

Russia, the Turkish government has consented

to institute far-reaching reforms in Macedonia,

on paper at least, the spirit of the Macedonian

revolutionist is as warlike as ever, and the name

most frequently and conspicuously associated

with the revolutionary cause is that of Boris

Sarafoff. Nothing of a desperate nature happens

in the Balkans but it is at once attributed to

him...Sarafoff embodies the idea of Macedonia

for the Macedonians. He is a conspirator and

rebel of the classic type, absolutely without

scruple and fond of veiling his proceedings in

lurid mystery. He is, in short, an extremist.

A Macedonian by birth, he was sent at an early

age to Bulgaria, and there received his

education. He entered the Bulgarian public

service, but soon renounced it in order to

conspire for the rescue of his fellow countrymen

from the yoke of the Turk. At first he

participated in the idea of the Great Bulgaria,

which was sought to be restored by the treaty of

San Stefano, and he preached the gospel of the

annexation of Macedonia. About two years ago,

however, he changed his mind, and came

forward as the advocate of a new autonomous

Balkan state, as independent, at least, as

Bulgaria itself. For this purpose he proposed to

work with Servia as well as Bulgaria. From this

moment his autocratic career became seriously

hampered. He incurred the enmity of the

Bulgarian government and in April, 1901, was

arrested, together with several of his colleagues,

on a charge of murder. In due course he was

tried and acquitted amid popular rejoicings; but

on emerging from prison he discovered that the

Bulgarian government had made use of its

opportunity to depose him from the leadership

of the Macedonian movement.

The central Macedonian committee has seceded

from the moderate party and formed a new

organization to carry on his propaganda in

Macedonia. With this organization he is now at

work and all the news received of an impending

rebellion are echoes of his operations. He is

resolved to defeat the scheme of reforms set on

foot by the powers, and there is evidence to

show that it is obtaining considerable support.

This is due to the fact that, while neither

Bulgaria nor Servia desire to see an independent

Macedonia, they would both be exceedingly

disappointed if the country were to be pacified

by a reform administration, and thus bound

more tightly than ever to Turkey. Gregor

Kamaroff, 1902


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Narodna Song of the Week This weeks song is Izlegol Striko Bozhine (Uncle Bozhin Went Outside). This is not a very well-known folk song. However, it expresses something that is quite common in Macedonian traditional music. The melody is sweet and content; the lyrics start out harmless, but then strike you with sadness upon completion. As is often the case in Macedonian music, the lyrics represent the reality and the melodies represent the hopes. Here are the lyrics in English: Uncle Bozhin went outside to stroll through the meadows; On his way he met the young gal Zlatana and he spoke to her: Oh Zlato, Zlato, you golden apple, tell me whether you have seen my boy? I have seen him, I have seen him; how could I have not? Just like a young lamb, he has been slaughtered.

Article

Yugoslavia is No More, So Why Do We

Still Call Ourselves Yugos?

By Victor Sinadinoski

Yugoslavias name officially disappeared

from the world map in 2003 when its name was changed to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro; and the existence of a country serving as a union of South-Slavic speaking peoples went extinct in 2006 when Serbia and Montenegro called it quits and became separate countries. However, the

real dissolution of Yugoslavia occurred in the early 1990s when Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to break up with each other and with Serbia and Montenegro. Actually, the roots of Yugoslavias disintegration

coincided with several parties fierce

opposition to its creation during its conception, and after a lull in anti-Yugoslavianism during the 1960s and 1970s, the political, economic and social problems of the country in the 1980s accelerated the path toward extinction. Macedonia, in particular, held a referendum on September 8, 1991 declaring its independence from Yugoslavia. For Macedonia and Macedonians, this event should have been the end of the Yugoslavian experiment. However, many Macedonians still feel an attachment to Yugoslavia. Although this bond has somewhat faded in the younger generations, there are still swaths of Macedonians plenty who have never even lived in Yugoslavia, or who were born during and after the ending stages of Yugoslavia that talk of Yugoslavia as it is still a real, living entity. Yet, more curiously, even among Macedonian youth who are not fascinated with Yugoslavia, there is an addiction to the use of the word Yugo.

Examples of this phenomenon can be found


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among the Macedonian community in southeast Michigan where it is the norm, and not the exception, for Macedonians to refer to themselves as Yugos. The Macedonian community in southeast Michigan originates from all major regions of Macedonia. The majority of Michigans

Macedonians, however, come from the Polog region in northwest Macedonia. Of these, many come from the Lower Polog region, which includes the city of Tetovo and surrounding villages such as Jegunovce, Tearce, Vratnica, Neproshtino and Leshok. We will see shortly how this regional congregation contributes to why many Macedonians in Michigan refer to themselves and others who come from ex-Yugoslavia as Yugos. The concept of Yugoslavia, or a confederation of nations speaking a South-Slavic language, has uncertain roots. But many academics believe that Croat intellectuals came up with the idea in order to organize the Slavic speaking people of the northern Balkans to unite against foreign rule and intervention. It was also known as the Illyrian movement in many circles. Intellectuals of other Slavic speaking nations, such as Poland, also thought the idea of Yugoslavia would prevent a major clash between Russia and Austria. This

idea eventually spread to the intellectuals of Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria as a means for the Balkan peoples to fend off the Turks, Russians, Austrians and other major powers. However, it is important to note that prior to World War I, many peasants of the Balkan nations had no concept of the name Yugoslavia or of being South Slavs. This

was especially true for the Macedonian peasants. Some of the Macedonian intellectuals were more intrigued with creating a Balkan Confederation, which would have included the non-Slavic speaking states of Greece, Albania and potentially Romania in addition to the South-Slavic speaking states. But Macedonias peasants, aside from possessing a Macedonian identity, thought of themselves as part of a broader Christian group and even had localized, village-based identities. The notion of being a Yugoslav was hardly prominent or existent. Yet, the concept of a country for the South Slavs dominated the

region during the early and mid-20th century, and the desire to fend off foreign invaders (such as Austria, Germany and Italy) instigated this recognition and need for cooperation and unity. Thus, Yugoslavia was born.


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The term Yugo, therefore, came about as a

shortened and simplified form of the words Yugoslav and Yugoslavian. Many people used it to mean several different things. Some simply used it to indicate country of origin. Others used it to signify a cultural attachment or linguistic connection. There were few who even began to use it as an ethnic identifier. Today, the reasons for its prominence and existence among Macedonians in Michigan are several. First, many of us, our parents, and/or grandparents were born and grew up in Yugoslavia, and the term Yugo became

engrained in our culture. Parents passed this term on to their children who grew up with other children with roots from Yugoslavia, and they began using the term Yugo loosely and frequently. Second, as a result of the Macedonian Orthodox Church becoming independent, splits among the immigrant community from Macedonia became apparent. Some Macedonians, who were connected more to a Yugoslavian identity than to a Macedonian identity, decided to remain loyal to the Serbian Orthodox Church to which they had become accustomed. Some even began to feel less Yugoslavian and more Serbian because of the historically nationalistic and political role of the Serbian Orthodox

Church. Others had descendants who became assimilated into the Serbian ethnos from continual exposure to Serbian culture, even though the parents and grandparents lacked affinity toward any ethno-national identity. Furthermore, in part due to the diligent late 20th century efforts by certain Serbian priests and historians, and in part due to lingering Serbian influence in northwestern Macedonia stemming from the years prior to Macedonias division up through the formation of Yugoslavia, many immigrant villagers from Vratnica, located in Macedonias Lower Polog region (as well as families from surrounding villages), were convinced of their Serb origins and identity. Many organized to create a Serbian Orthodox Church in Michigan based around their village (St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Church of Vratnica). Some of the churchgoers felt strongly Serb; others felt strongly Yugoslavian; and others felt no (or an equal) loyalty or connection to the Serbian, Macedonian or Yugoslavian name, and simply wanted to remain loyal to their village. Thus, these two separate church issues created some sharp ethnic divides among these Macedonian immigrants, with many arguments and disputes occurring, some


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resulting in physical altercations, which peaked in the 1980s and early 1990s. Fathers, brothers, and cousins became split, with one family member calling himself a Serb and another remaining a Macedonian. This is certainly reminiscent of the divisions in Macedonia during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with brothers becoming divided based on what church they attended. As a result, the term Yugo

became a mechanism for families and peoples of the same village to maintain peace and normalcy between them. The term Yugo served as a tool that would

allow one to acknowledge that his brother, cousin or fellow villager was of the same culture or ancestral lineage without resorting to arguments about their ethnic affiliation. Finally, many people of ex-Yugoslavia use the term Yugo either to highlight their

nostalgia for times they believe were better for the people of the Balkans, or to demonstrate their hope for a resurrection of some sort of union between the peoples of ex-Yugoslavia. During any given year, depending on political and economic circumstances, these sentiments can be strong and widespread or weak and regionalized. There are three main causes for this obsessive nostalgia among Macedonians. First, most individuals are usually nostalgic about their past, especially

regarding the good-old times. For most people, our childhood is usually one such period in our lives, and most of us or our parents spent childhoods in Yugoslavia. It is always heartwarming and soothing to retreat to those times of frolicking around with your friends, playing and experimenting most of the day, when you had less responsibilities or when times seemed to be simpler. Academics have a lot to say about perception and the passage of time. For our purposes, it is sufficient to highlight that with the exception of some who had it unusually painful we will generally think of those years as innocent, simple and fun. Second, Yugoslavia experienced economic booms when many Macedonians lived there. Additionally, the Balkan countries were at peace with one another during that period, which, when considering the past two centuries of bloodshed, and the disastrous Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, seemingly gives the notion of Yugoslavia more validity and credibility. Third, as mentioned earlier, an independent Macedonian Orthodox Church emerged from Yugoslavia and so did a Republic of Macedonia. But without the backing of a strong government or military since its independence from Yugoslavia, Macedonia has experienced economic lows, a costly (economically and socially) name dispute


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with Greece, and violence from Albanian extremists and terrorists seeking to expand Albanian territory. For some, this is just more proof that the days of Yugoslavia were the better days. Now that we have established some of the main reasons why the term Yugo gained

prevalence among the Macedonian community in southeast Michigan, it is important to detail why Macedonians should stop using the term Yugo. We will not

concern ourselves with the Serb, Bosnian or Croat immigrant communities because whether they want to continue an idea of unity based on a Yugoslav ideal is up to their communities to decide and does not concern Macedonians (so long they do not attempt to reinvigorate this concept among the Macedonians). Yet, for the Macedonian people, there are strong and compelling reasons for why we should stop using the term Yugo. First, Yugo isolates hundreds of thousands

of ethnic Macedonians. The Macedonians of Aegean Macedonia in Greece and Pirin Macedonia in Bulgaria, whose combined territory consists of three-fifths of undivided Macedonia, were never part of the Yugoslavian experiment. The term Yugo is

irrelevant, meaningless and sometimes even offensive to them. They never could

relate to the Yugoslavian cause and they never felt Yugoslavian. It becomes increasingly difficult to reconnect and ferment strong bonds with our brothers and sisters from these Macedonian regions when we consistently use this term to symbolize a present identity rather than solely using it to explain the past. While it is not unfair to recognize that Vardar Macedonias inclusion into Yugoslavia certainly had a different impact on the development and mentalities of Macedonians from the region, as did Aegean Macedonias inclusion into Greece

and Pirin Macedonias inclusion into

Bulgaria, it is not beneficial to the Macedonian cause of creating an unshakeable sense of Macedonian culture and identity when the term Yugo is given

an equal standing to Macedonian, or even

if it is given some sort of relevant position in how we Macedonians identify. Likewise, we Macedonians from Vardar Macedonia would probably not take too kindly if Pirin Macedonians used the term Bulgarian like

we use Yugo or if Aegean Macedonians used the term Greek like we use Yugo. It is wise to remember that division and oppression of the Macedonian people was instigated by many influential leaders in the early years of Yugoslavias formation and

that many of our ancestors were either


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opposed or indifferent to any course other than one of a free and united Macedonia. The same applies to the Macedonians of Aegean and Pirin Macedonia, except substitute Greece and Bulgaria for Yugoslavia in their cases. Second, just because the term Yugo has

been used to create and maintain peace and unity between family members and fellow villagers, it does not mean it is the only way or even the best way. While eliminating the casual and loose usage of the term Yugo in conservation may take a

little more effort and courage, and perhaps exercises in patience and understanding, it is still possible to refer to each other as how we choose to identify. It does not take much more effort to say Serbs and Macedonians

instead of Yugos when appropriate, or to

find narrower labels (such as using the village name or family name) that would be more accurate and meaningful than Yugo. We Macedonians may not be particularly happy with the choices that family members and village friends made concerning their affiliation with the Serb identity, and surely many of them feel the same regarding Macedonians; but we do not have to periodically and voluntarily suppress part of our Macedonian identity simply to appease their Serbian affiliation. Enough time has

passed, and most people have matured enough, to respect one anothers decisions

to identify as Macedonian or Serb. We may not agree with those choices, but mutual respect demands that we should treat and call each other as we want to be treated and called. It is not wise or courageous to use Yugo simply for the sake of not wanting to

offend each others sensibilities. We are Macedonians, they are Serbs so be it. It happened. Now let us treat ourselves to a dose of self-respect by refusing to refer to ourselves as Yugos in the presence of

Serbs. Third, it is true that the Macedonians gained a republic and an independent church through Yugoslavia, something that happened in part because Macedonians strongly repelled Serbianization, and partly because Yugoslavia consisted of Croats and Slovenes who also feared a Serb-dominated Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, the same could not happen for our brothers in Greece, Bulgaria and Albania. Yet, despite the successes Macedonians gained from Yugoslavia, Yugoslavian officials were especially cruel to Macedonians who had sought to emphasize a Macedonian identity over a Yugoslavian identity. Communist Yugoslavia was unforgiving to Macedonians who wanted an independent Macedonian state or greater autonomy within


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Yugoslavia, or to those who wanted to continue a struggle that would unite all parts of divided Macedonia. While certainly some of these Macedonians had a pro-Bulgarian agenda, most only had a pro-Macedonian agenda. In the early years of restructuring Yugoslavia after World War II, especially during the late 1940s and 1950s, many Macedonians were killed and imprisoned because they placed Macedonia above Yugoslavia. In a way, the weary Macedonian people, who had only known continued violence and persistent poverty for several centuries, were intimidated and contented to accepting their newly-gained but limited freedoms as one of the six republics of Yugoslavia. Further, as national unification became less realistic, the hopes of economic prosperity took precedent. But this does not serve as enough justification to throw around the term Yugo as some

sort of identifier, especially without truly grasping the entire impact and influence the Yugoslav experiment had on the Macedonian cause and identity. It is not a fair or accurate identifier, and it will gradually and subtly continue to hold back the development of our Macedonian identity. Good and bad resulted from the Yugoslav era. It happened; and now it is

history and has been so for over two decades. Time to learn and move on. Finally, for all the nostalgic talk about Yugoslavia, we should recall that many of us and/or our families migrated from Yugoslavia for political and economic reasons. Most of the Macedonians in Michigan came from the Yugoslav era. Clearly, Yugoslavia did not provide them with the economic opportunities that the US provided, and it was difficult to make a political or social difference in Yugoslavia if one was not part of the Communist Party. If Yugoslavia was something to aspire to, then why did so many leave? One can make the same argument for recent immigrants from an independent Macedonia. But the point is not to suggest that Macedonia is economically better off now than it was under Yugoslavia, but rather to show that Yugoslavia must not have been as ideal as it is perceived to have been if Macedonians were leaving in droves. Further, most of the contact that Macedonian immigrants in Michigan had with other peoples of Yugoslavia were generally with the Serbs; and of those Serbs, many were from the villages of Tetovo and either family members or village friends of Macedonians. Therefore, the Yugoslav unity and brotherhood concept in actuality had very little significance or relevance to the daily


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lives of Macedonians living in the United States. Presently, the path of the Macedonian people has moved away from a Yugoslav ideal and toward the reality of an unwavering attachment to the Macedonian name, land and identity. We Macedonians from southeast Michigan should not lag behind this development. In his dictionary of three languages, which was published in 1875 and included the Macedonian language, Georgi Pulevski said the following:

What do we call a nation? People who are of the same origin and who speak the same words and who live and make friends of each other, who have the same customs and songs and entertainment are what we call a nation, and the place where that people lives is called the people's country. Thus the Macedonians also are a nation and the place which is theirs is called Macedonia.

The reality is that we are Macedonians and not Yugoslavs. Academics have continually shown that the term Slav does not represent an ethnic or racial identifier, but rather a linguistic relation with some regional cultural similarities. The reality, however, is that we have more in common concerning genetics, mentality and culture

with Greeks, Bulgars and Albanians than we do with certain nations of former Yugoslavia, such as with the Croatians, Slovenians, and Bosnians. Further, our historical connections to the Serbian and Montenegrin nations are no more important than are our connections to those of the Albanian, Bulgarian and Greek nations. And as we Macedonian-Americans continue to immerse ourselves in ethnically diverse America, our connections to other Balkan peoples become even less significant and relevant.

Thus, the term Yugo really has no force of

argument when it comes to the Macedonian identity. Certainly, it was a forced term that became an accepted term and sometimes was viewed as a necessary term. But it is not a Macedonian construction and it is not a Macedonian reality. For those of us Macedonians in the U.S.: every step we take toward a Yugoslav ideal is another step we move away from embracing our Macedonian identity. This fading of the Macedonian identity will become increasingly evident in our descendants

lifetimes if we do not take proactive steps to promote the Macedonian identity and culture and to resist the cultural pressures and influences engulfing us here.

If it is a peaceful, strong and united Balkan Peninsula for which we aspire, then the


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term Yugo is quite exclusionary and the

term Balkan is probably the most inclusive. The term Yugo is too tainted and

intertwined with the suppression of the full growth of the Macedonian identity, and it excludes non-Vardar Macedonians, and it emphasizes a promotion of a credible Yugoslavian national and cultural identity. A Balkan identity, however, is primarily geographic in nature and includes all of the Balkan peoples. We should not look back to Yugoslavia for a prosperous and peaceful Balkan future, but rather forward to promoting the equality and strength of the Balkan nations to the extent that doing so will not cause us to sacrifice aspects of our Macedonian identity.

Still, I use this overwhelmingly with regards to foreign threats to the Balkan peoples. The Balkan countries are managing to cooperate economically, militarily, and politically without needing to unite into any sort of a confederation. We should be able to respect each other enough to leave each other to be who we are while still cooperating and interacting with one another to protect and strengthen the Balkan Peninsula. Furthermore, this of course has less of an impact on Macedonians in the US, as the intricacies and peculiarities of our geographic

circumstances mean we face different and additional threats to our identity, which is a separate matter that I alluded to earlier.

In conclusion, we Macedonians must drop the term Yugo from our vocabulary. It hurts the Macedonian Cause; it is an inaccurate and incomplete term to describe Macedonians, inappropriately and unfairly segregating Vardar Macedonians from Aegean and Pirin Macedonians; it is based on the fancies of 19th and 20th century political elites and the falsehoods they preached; it keeps us glancing at the past rather than living in the present and marching toward the future; and it simply is not who we are. The sooner we recognize the dangers and negative consequences that the continued use of the term Yugo poses to the Macedonian identity, the sooner we can begin to develop and maintain a stronger Macedonian culture and identity here in the U.S.

News from Macedonia

Macedonian political parties have resolved the political standoff. Elections will be held in the spring of 2016 and Prime Minister Gruevski will resign in early winter and let an interim government assume power until the elections are finished. He will seek reelection.

*News generated from a Google news search

the loma weekly herald volume 1 issue 12

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