Music in diaspora: The example of Bosnians in Sweden

PROGRAMME

h 16.00, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa - Centro per la Cooperazione Internazionale

First migrations of Bosnians to Sweden can be traced in the context of migrations from other parts of former Yugoslavia. Those were working migrations, which had started after the World War II and increased in intensity in the 1960s. The war on the territory of the former Yugoslavia (1991-1995) had its culmination in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result of politically motivated violence, ethnic cleansing and genocide, more than a million of inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina were forced to leave their homes. Bosnian refugees have found their new homes in the countries of Western Europe, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New ZeaFirst migrations of Bosnians to Sweden can be traced in the context of migrations from other parts of former Yugoslavia. Those were working migrations, which had started after the World War II and increased in intensity in the 1960s. The war on the territory of the former Yugoslavia (1991-1995) had its culmination in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result of politically motivated violence, ethnic cleansing and genocide, more than a million of inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina were forced to leave their homes. Bosnian refugees have found their new homes in the countries of Western Europe, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Together with the migrants who went to other countries searching for job and better life conditions in the second half of the 20th century, refugees today make numerous and well-organised Bosnian diaspora. Focus of my research had been solely on the musical activities of Bosnians who were forced to leave their homes and start a new life in Sweden in the early 1990s due to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The collected material and scientific curiosity led me to broaden the scope of my research and additionally explore the musical activities of Bosnians who came to Sweden as working migrants in the second half of the 20th century.     The main aim of the research was focused on different forms of musical activities of the Bosnians in Sweden, which are not only seen in music making, but also in listening to it. Listening to music, and very often its performance, is connected with the past, with their life in the old homeland. I would like to present Bosnian music and dance in Sweden regarding musicians, styles, genres, music groups and arenas. My presentation includes both “music from Bosnia” and “music practiced by Bosnians”, which also means that the first category comprises Bosnian music practiced by non-Bosnians, and that the other includes music that is not presented as “typically” Bosnian.
At the end of lecture, I would like to show you several selected examples that I recorded during field research in Sweden.

BIO

Jasmina Talam earned her PhD degree in ethnomusicology from the Academy of Music, Uni-versity of Sarajevo, where she currently serves as Professor of ethnomusicology and Head of the Institute for Musicology. In 2018, she was awarded a scholarship from the Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy for Swedish Folk Culture for postdoctoral research. Her recent publication is a book, Bosnians in Sweden – Music and Identity (Svenskt visarkiv and Kungl. Gustav Adolfs Akademien, 2019). Her principal research interests are musical instruments, fieldwork and ar-chival research methods, gender, religious musical practices, and the convergence of minorities and migrations. She is corresponding member of the Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy for Swedish Folk Culture. She serves as ICTM Executive Board Member.