AVSENIK IN THE PAMPA: TRANSNATIONAL IDENTIFICATION PROCESSES THROUGH POLKA PERFORMANCES AMONG DESCENDANTS OF SLOVENIAN EXILES IN ARGENTINA

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary results of a research in progress about transnational music practices among younger generations of descendants of Slovenian exiles in Argentina. It will explore the case of Baires Polka, a national-entertainment band that performs mainly cover versions of Avsenik brothers as an example to analyse how descendants select, reconfigure and continue in Diaspora homeland music heritages and then reaffirm these practices through return mobilities and newly established transnational connections. The main hypothesis stresses that the wish to continue their ancestor’s cultural practices and their homeland orientated commitment to preserving the roots and social memory, took many descendants to musically enact their Slovenianness.