It was a most happy day when recently I discovered that there has been a launch of a new website on Croatian traditions and political thought created and maintained by those of Croatian origins born and bred in Canada and the USA – diaspora!

This month of May 2024 the new organisation or movement called “Hrvatsko bratsvo” (Croatian Brotherhood) has been founded by Tomas SAblic from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Krsto H. from New York, USA,  and its works and thoughts will be promoted via its website www.sinjanin.org and, I trust, many others. It is indeed a refreshing and exciting time to see that the children and grandchildren of migrants, of those who fled communist Yugoslavia post World War Two, are engaged in the will power and knowhow in making sure the traditions, knowledge and aspirations of their Croatian forefathers stay alive within their young generation and onwards.

From its website we learn the following: “The symbol of the Hrvatsko Bratstvo is of a Croatian man in traditional Dalmatian-Herzegovinian Dinaric clothing while playing the Dinaric instrument, Gusle. He represents all Croats; thus, his face is obscured by a mask. The Gusle refers to the painting by Croatian painter Vjekoslav Karas ‘Djed i Unuk’. It represents the continuity of our traditions and the relationship of an unuk and his Dida, a relationship that has kept Croatia alive.” (‘Djed i unuk’ in English is ‘Grandfather and Grandson’)

Goals of the Hrvatsko Bratstvo

# In the Domovina (Homeland) we are dedicated to the study and propagation of the old Croatian political system.

# Defence of Croatian culture within diaspora communities, spanning across multiple continents through lobbying Croat communities together.

# Protection of the Croatian language in diaspora, insistence on the Croatian language’s historical value and independence.

# Preservation of Croat history, the republication of historical documents relevant to the common Croatian political and spiritual struggle across the world.

# Legitimatization of Croat political consciousness among those in diaspora, the propagation of Croatian studies as a subject of scholarly intrigue.

# Redirection of diaspora Croats into a more robust political unit, which can function and exchange ideas on a more appropriate basis than is done now.”

While goals of this “Hrvatsko bratstvo” association may overlap with those the Croatian diaspora has focused on for decades it is of special and comforting value to see new ones emerge and steered by the Second, Third…generation of Croatian emigres in the diaspora. Upon visiting this new website, where the articles are mostly written in the English language, the reader will be enriched with the discovery of which Croatian national, historical and current topics those of Croatian descent born in the diaspora are set on concentrating upon and especially endeavouring to pass onto their generational peers as well as the wider world. As one of its goals include connecting the Croatian diaspora across the continents into a renewed political and cultural force, undoubtedly this young generation within the Croatian diaspora has evidently well appraised the need to strengthen our ties among ourselves as a Croatian diaspora overall. I, for one, am impressed with the Hrvatsko bratstvo initiative and trust its name and deeds will become known in the positive light they deserve to many across the world in the foreseeable future. Ina Vukic