Zbiranje poročnih fotografij Slovencev iz Minnesote / Projekt Združenja Slovencev v Ameriki / Slovenian Union of America

Zakaj zbirati prav poročne fotografije? Poroka je zakrament, ki se ovekoveči s fotografijo kot glavnim slikovnim dokumentom, in ta zmeraj zavzema posebno mesto med družinskimi fotografijami.

Slovenci v Minnesoti: vnaprej določena usoda?

Bogata kulturna dediščina pripadnikov slovenskega naroda in njihovi dosežki so pognali globoke korenine v zgodovino Minnesote. Začelo se je leta 1838 z misijonarjem in pionirjem Francem Pircem, sledil pa mu je misijonar Jožef Frančišek Buh. Oba sta preživela več let med tamkajšnjimi Indijanci. Odkritju železove rude leta 1884 v severovzhodni Minnesoti je sledil naval priseljencev iz vzhodne Evrope. Med njimi je bilo tudi na tisoče Slovencev. Danes je to območje znano kot Iron Range.

Jožef Frančišek Buh je po štiriindvajsetih letih med svojimi ljubljenimi Indijanci po škofovem dekretu zapustil osrednjo Minnesoto. Kot župnik se je naselil v mestu Ely v Iron Rangu in postal osrednja osebnost za vse Slovence, ki so prihajali na to območje iskat delo. V na novo ustanovljenih rudarskih naseljih in mestih je gradil cerkve. Kot vizionar in zagovornik domače kulture je postal voditelj vseh tukaj živečih Slovencev. V tistem času so Slovencem najpogosteje rekli kar Avstrijci ali Kranjci. Tudi Buhova na novo ustanovljena naselja, kot sta na primer Sv. Vid (St. Vid) v Clevelandu in Sv. Štefan (St. Stephen) v Minnesoti, so se imenovala »kranjska mesta«.

Misijonarju Buhu gre vse priznanje za prerod in rast slovenstva v Ameriki. Vsako na novo ustanovljeno mesto je bilo povsem samooskrbno: imelo je slovenske zdravnike, duhovnike, odvetnike, rudarje, trgovce, čevljarje, domove in organizacije, svojo slovensko diasporo.

Tudi danes v Minnesoti cvete bogata slovenska kultura. Je torej to že vnaprej določena usoda?

Namen projekta Zbiranje poročnih fotografij Slovencev iz Minnesote je arhivirati in ohranjati zavest o slovenskem poreklu družin priseljencev in narodno istovetnost v prihodnjih rodovih ameriških Slovencev.

V letu 2013 je združenje Slovenian Union of America izdalo oglas:

Vsem, ki imajo slovensko- ameriške korenine: zbiramo poročne fotografije vseh, ki so se rodili, odrasli, ki so živeli ali so se poročili v Minnesoti.

V enem letu je bilo tako zbranih več kot 400 fotografij. Vsaka fotografija je postala arhivski dokument, ki je bil nato podarjen državi Sloveniji in je zato dostopen na spletni strani Slovenskega etnografskega muzeja.

Mary Lou Deyak Voelk, Podpredsednica za kulturo in dediščino pri Slovenian Union of America

Frances Kovatovich, asistentka

The Minnesota Wedding Project

Why wedding photos?  A wedding is a sacrament, considered an archival document and most cherished of family photos.

Minnesota History: Predestined, Preordained?

The rich cultural heritage of the Slovenian people  and their accomplishments are deeply woven in Minnesota history. It began in 1838 when pioneer missionary, Fr. Francis Pierz, followed by  Fr. Joseph Buh, spent  years among the Indian people. A rush of immigrants from Eastern Europe arrived in northeastern Minnesota after iron ore was discovered in 1884.  Thousands of these immigrants were Slovenians. Today the area is known as the Iron Range.

After 24 years with his beloved Indian people, and at the Bishop’s request, Fr. Buh left central Minnesota. He  became the leading force among his Slovenes who had come looking for jobs. He established churches throughout the newly established mining towns. Buh, a visionary, and an advocate of culture, became their leader. At that time, Slovenians were referred to more often as an Austrian or a Krainer. Even Buh’s  settlements and parishes were referred to as Kraintowns as were  parishes such as St. Vid in Cleveland and St. Stephen in Minnesota. Credit is given to Fr. Buh for the rebirth of a Slovenianism in America.  Each of the towns were self sustaining, with Slovenian doctors, priests,lawyers, miners, shop keepers, shoe makers, their lodges and organziations, a diaspora.  Today, the rich Slovenain cultural heritage continues to flourish in Minneaota. Again, predestined?  preordained? destiny?

The Wedding Project was meant to archive and preserve family lineage of the immigrant and  future generations of Slovenian Americans.  The word went out:

Those of Slovenian American Heritage: wedding photos wanted from those who were born, raised, lived or  married in Minnesota.

One year later, over 400 photos had been  submited. Each photo has become an archival document, and gifted to the country of Slovenia.

Mary Lou Deyak Voelk, VP Culture & Heritage Slovenian Union of America

Frances Kovatovich, Assistant