This thesis introduces the concept of patchwork identity, which is not only applicable to the case of the Volga German descendants, but also to other members of Argentine society. Patchwork identity marks a distinction from the traditional theories of hybridity and demonstrates how identity is actively created, performed and modified. The descendants of the Volga Germans serve as an example of an ethnic group that has become part of Argentine society in the past century.
The Volga German Argentines’ ancestors migrated from the South of Germany to the Russian Volga River in the 18th century, and then settled in agricultural colonies in Argentina in the late 19th century. Unlike Italian or Spanish descendants, the Volga German Argentines have not received much academic attention, which is the reason for this thesis to explore their customs and rituals and, ultimately, their unique identity formation through fieldwork and interviews with village inhabitants, local government officials and journalists.
Initially, the theoretical framework was based on the notion of hybridity, which did not prove to be entirely suitable and required an extension. In postcolonial studies, hybridity usually presupposes the existence of a colonising and a colonised culture which consequentially mix with each other. The Volga Germans in Argentina have never been colonisers, instead entering an existing Argentine cultural sphere as immigrants and merging their own traditions and values into it. However, there is not one Volga German Argentine identity in the villages of Entre Ríos. All interviewees cultivate different imaginaries of their ancestors’ past and their own present, and on these bases, they shape their individual identities.
The main body of this thesis is dedicated to the case study from which the assessment of patchwork identity has evolved. Patchwork identity is both shaped and performed; therefore, the Volga German Argentines’ displays of cultural heritage including dance, theatre and music, as well as their practising of rituals are analysed.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 One Village, Several Identities
1.2 Hybridity: Widely Used, Strongly Criticised
1.3 Weaving Patchwork Identity
1.4 The Volga German Argentines: A Case Study
Chapter Two: Patchwork Identity in Performance
2.1 Festivals in Entre Ríos: Tractors, Gaucho Competitions and Polka Dancing
2.2 Reenactment of the Past: Arrival to the Promised Land
2.3 The Sound of the “Volga Universe”: Volksmusik Meets Chamarrita
2.4 Rituals of Semana Santa: German Litanies and Russian Bread
Chapter Three: Discussion
3.1 Of Rusos and Negros: Limitations to Patchwork Identity
3.2 Patchwork Identity: Characteristic of Argentine Society?
3.3 Two Opposed Latin American Practices: Patchwork vs Mestizaje
Chapter Four: Conclusion
Research Objectives & Themes
This thesis examines how Volga German descendants in Argentina construct their identities by integrating ancestral cultural heritage into an Argentine context. It argues that existing theories of hybridity, which presuppose a coloniser/colonised binary, are insufficient for this case, and introduces the concept of "patchwork identity" to explain how individuals actively perform and modify their cultural attachments.
- The construction of identity through performative acts like dance, theatre, and music.
- The role of collective trauma and history in shaping cultural affiliations.
- The limitations of identity construction due to societal segregation and internal discrimination.
- A comparison between the Argentine "patchwork" model and the state-imposed "mestizaje" ideology in other Latin American countries.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Festivals in Entre Ríos: Tractors, Gaucho Competitions and Polka Dancing
The performance of cultural heritage and rituals is vital to secure cultural transmission between generations, as Citro and Cerletti (2009) have found. Therefore, Volga German descendants of all ages preserve them as one of their most important cultural assets. In this chapter, I analyse performances that struck me as exceptionally relevant for the villagers I interviewed.
This section explores festivals and dances of the Volga German descendants, as these two elements are inextricably connected with each other. Festivals are a public site for diverse cultural performances, and the Volga German villages of Entre Ríos are popular for their vibrant festivals far beyond the borders of the province. The villagers celebrate their foods, their beers and their traditions; there are numerous occasions throughout the year to assemble festival tents and relish social gatherings. Annual festivals like the Argentine version of the Oktoberfest, the Strudelfest (festival of the German strudel pastry) and the Traktorfest (festival of the tractor) attract thousands of people from all over the country to visit the otherwise quiet agricultural villages of Entre Ríos (LT 14 Radio, 2015). The variety of edibles reflects the patchwork identity of the festival guests, while typical Argentine dishes (asado, barbecue) are complemented with Volga German ones (Filsen, a Volga German cake that accompanies savoury foods like meat). Michail Bakhtin (1981) and Keith Nurse (1999) propose that hybridity evolves in cultural sites like carnivals, festivals and fairs, as those offer public platforms to perform hybrid identities. The Volga German descendants are well-integrated in local and regional festivals and actively use these platforms to combine Argentine with Volga German cultural heritage, which is especially expressed in dances. This fusion of cultures is typical for them, as they identify with both cultures equally. Nurse (1999) argues that public displays of foreign traditions attract citizens belonging to the predominant culture of a country due to their exoticism, as for example in the case of the Notting Hill Carnival in London.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One: Introduction: This chapter provides the theoretical foundation by examining existing hybridity theories and introducing "patchwork identity" as a more suitable framework for analyzing the Volga German descendants in Argentina.
Chapter Two: Patchwork Identity in Performance: This chapter analyzes how Volga German heritage is expressed and maintained through public performances, including festivals, traditional dance, theatrical reenactments of migration, and radio programming.
Chapter Three: Discussion: This chapter explores the social and political limitations of patchwork identity, including instances of segregation and discrimination, and compares the Argentine model of patchwork identity to the state-imposed ideology of mestizaje found elsewhere in Latin America.
Chapter Four: Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the research findings, reaffirming that patchwork identity is a process of conscious individual choice that is central to the identity construction of Argentines with a migrant history.
Keywords
Argentina, Volga Germans, Patchwork Identity, Hybridity, Performance, Cultural Heritage, Migration, Mestizaje, Rituals, Identity Construction, Diaspora, Entre Ríos, Assimilation, Social Boundaries, Collective Trauma
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation investigates how descendants of Volga German immigrants in the Entre Ríos province of Argentina construct their identities through cultural performances and rituals.
What are the key themes explored in this work?
Central themes include the performance of cultural heritage (dance, music, theatre), the role of shared historical trauma, the negotiation between ancestral and Argentine identities, and the concept of identity as a selective "patchwork" rather than a fixed hybridity.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that standard postcolonial theories of hybridity—often based on a coloniser/colonised binary—do not fit the Argentine context, and to propose "patchwork identity" as a more accurate framework for understanding how individuals actively create their identity.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author utilized qualitative fieldwork, conducting twelve interviews with Volga German descendants of various ages in the villages of Aldea Santa María and Aldea Protestante, supplemented by an analysis of cultural events and local media.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines empirical evidence from fieldwork, including the observation of festivals, reenactments of the migration process, religious rituals during Holy Week, and a comparative discussion regarding the societal limitations of these identities versus the ideology of mestizaje.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Argentina, Volga Germans, Patchwork Identity, Hybridity, Performance, Cultural Heritage, Migration, and Mestizaje are among the most significant terms.
How does the concept of "patchwork identity" differ from traditional hybridity?
Unlike traditional hybridity, which is often theorized as a mandatory mixing imposed by colonial power dynamics, "patchwork identity" emphasizes the individual's agency in actively choosing, performing, and modifying specific cultural "patches" to fit their present life circumstances.
Why did the author focus specifically on the Volga German communities in Entre Ríos?
The author chose this community because it is a significant but under-researched ethnic group in Argentina that maintains a strong, distinct ancestral culture while being fully integrated into the broader Argentine society, providing an ideal case for the proposed theoretical model.
What role does performance play in this identity construction?
Performance serves as the primary site where the Volga German identity is publicly displayed and negotiated. Through dance, theatre, and rituals, these communities transform their past experiences into a living, present-day culture, allowing for the reinterpretation of their heritage.
- Citar trabajo
- Christiane Goßen (Autor), 2016, Argentine Identity as Patchwork. Cultivating Volga German Heritage in the Entre Ríos Province, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/901747
