However, with the last several generations, as well as the more recent emigrants, especially those from the Republic of Macedonia, there is an emphasized emigration of people with completed tertiary education and a higher cultural and social level, which in turn results in a new structural level of Macedonian emigration. Thus, among them we find intellectuals from various fields, affirmed not only in Macedonia, but throughout the world.
Changes in the economic, political, social, educational, and qualification structure, and the accomplished material potential, also bring about a partial transformation of the living habits of the Macedonian emigrants in the Diaspora. Thus, many of them, especially the second and third generation, have made their way through to the higher classes in the societies in which they live. However, in the political life of their new environments and societies, the Macedonian emigrants are far behind the other ethnic groups, which is also the case with the other emigrants from the Balkan countries. Nevertheless, their achievements in an economic, spiritual, educational, cultural, and sports scale increasingly contribute to their not being treated as second class citizens, but instead, as an integral and important factor in their new environments in the Diaspora, especially in the multi-ethnic societies.
Despite the differences in social structure which the emigrants of Macedonian origin in the Diaspora possess, and which are the result of the different levels of education and material status, they still have joint mutual characteristics in their everyday life. Thus, many of the emigrants from Macedonia are in a way assimilated or “melted in the assimilation pot.” On the other hand, the majority of the Macedonian emigrants only seemingly accept integration in those societies while in fact they remained faithful to their traditional way of life. They continue to maintain close family ties, essentially based and nurtured in a traditional patriarchal spirit, keeping the folklore, language, customs, and traditions brought with them from Macedonia.
Providing for and completing the family is one of the priority aims in the life of the Macedonian emigrants in their new environment. For this reason the most part of their social life takes place mainly within the Macedonian ethnic communities. At the same time, some of them resist the demands of the new environment and find it difficult to adapt to the new way of life, afraid of losing their personal and national identity. Therefore, the majority of Macedonian emigrants continue staying close and gathering into the Macedonian ethnic communities located mainly in the larger industrial centers, where they initially began their organized life.
The first forms of meeting among the Macedonian emigrants date back to the time of their massive arrival in the new environments, when they brought with them their culture, traditions, religion, customs… As a result of this at the very beginning they established groups from the same village for helping each other, and later cultural, church associations, and other forms of meetings in all of the major centers, such as Detroit, Gary, Chicago and Cleveland in the USA; Toronto, Hamilton, and Windsor in Canada; Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia; Goteborg and Malme in Sweden; in Copenhagen in Denmark; in Paris, France; Munich, Berlin and Hanover in Germany; Zurich in Switzerland, and other industrial cities.
The aim of these associations was to maintain the Macedonian culture, customs, and religious traditions, and to provide material aid to those Macedonians in need. At the same time they collected funds for construction of churches and other buildings in their new environments and in their native places in Macedonia. Thus, as early as 1919 they built the first church in Toronto, the Macedonian – Bulgarian church of St. Cyril and Methodius. Here also, in 1912 the first bank of the Macedonian emigrants from Aegean Macedonia was established. In those early years they also established a number of village societies of emigrants from the whole of Macedonia.
Macedonians in the Diaspora began more widespread organization as late as after the First World War. In the period between the two world Wars there was a noticeable movement and activity on a national scale. In the beginning many Macedonian emigrants, especially from Aegean Macedonia, had joined the Macedonian Patriot Organization (“Makedonska patrioticheska organizacija”) known as MPO. However, after the change in its political orientation, and its shift toward the Great Bulgaria assimilatory policy, a certain number of Macedonians began establishing independent progressive groups in a number of cities in the USA and Canada. They basically supported the affirmation of the realistic ways and paths which could be followed by the Macedonian revolutionary ideological struggle, which was an inseparable part of the struggles of the other progressive forces in the Balkans.
After the first conference in 1930 these progressive groups united into one Soyuz, or association, i.e. the Macedonian People’s Association (Makedonskiot naroden sojuz, MNS.) The main objective of the MNS was to fight for the freedom of Macedonia with the desire of establishing a Balkan federation which would guarantee wide national, political, and social rights and freedom of the Balkan peoples, including the Macedonian people of the three parts of Macedonia. In realizing this political platform the MNS had counted on the support and mutual action of every progressive force and everyone in the world, especially those of the Balkans.
There is a lot of data which clearly shows that during the Second World War the MNS, together with the other progressive organizations in USA and Canada, directed its forces toward an active anti-fascist battle. The members of this organization struggled to liquidate fascism, and were also supporters of the establishment of a life that promises greater democratic freedom and permanent peace. Their assistance was also huge during the period of the establishment and renewal of what was then the People’s Republic of Macedonia until they were stopped in the 1950’s as a consequence of the Inform bureau.
At the same time, the Macedonian emigrants in the Transatlantic and other countries manifested a positive attitude and great loyalty toward the National Liberation War in Macedonia and offered organized assistance in the renovation and construction of the country after the war. Nevertheless, the campaign for construction of part of the hospital in Skopje was by far the greatest and most valuable in its effect and significance. Activities began in 1946, and in 1948 the hospital was officially opened. This was at the same time both pride and encouragement for the connections with Macedonia. During those stormy times the liberal national and social development and penetration of the truth about the People’s Republic of Macedonia, strongly induced the organized life of the emigrants on a national basis. At the same time this was a most effective protection against every foreign propaganda and enemy activity in the communities of the Macedonian emigrants.
On the other hand, when speaking of the organized activities in the Transatlantic countries, we need mention that it includes the majority of Macedonian emigrants. Furthermore, an important component in this kind of organization is the fact that they have joined into independent associations, churches and church communities above all, where the members are Macedonians regardless of the part of Macedonia they come from.
At the same time the religious and national structures, emigrant organizations, and their memberships continued to grow constantly, while their activities spread and improved in quality. Hence, in this period evident results were achieved in the spiritual and cultural and educational life. Numerous Macedonian churches and societies were established, as well as sports clubs and other forms of activity in which Macedonian emigrants gathered massively. However, the establishment of Macedonian Orthodox churches and church communities are of special significance for the activities of the Macedonian emigrants
By Slave Nikolovski-Katin
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