Mr. Joza Vrljieak from Buenos Aires, Argentina, participated in the First Meeting of the Advisory Council to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats Living Abroad, which was held in Zagreb on 18th to 20th December 2013. The Council was established by Croatian law in 2012 and it is formed by 55 representatives of Croatians from around the globe.
Category: Croatian Life Stories
Zed Seselja's maiden speech to the Australian Senate
Video of the speech prepared by newly elected ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja for his maiden speech in Australia’s Federal Parliament. He was elected to the Australian Senate in the Australian federal elections held on 7 September 2013.
Vukovar is an indelible part of European and World History
In this article we have collected some of the songs and verses dedicated to the tragic destiny of the city of Vukovar and its citizens. The destiny of numerous victims is still not known. This Baroque city on the Danube river was savagely destroyed in 1991.
How do Croatians Communicate? By David Byler 8th Generation Croatian-American
“How do Croatians Communicate” is a vital topic for many of us. Croatian musicians, poets, artists, politicians, preachers, and marketing people of all varieties, no less than those from any culture or from any ethnicity, are communicators. Our success depends on persistent and pervasive communication. A song heard only by a few birds in the forest, as pleasant and appreciative an audience as they may seem to be, is somehow unsatisfying to us. Our satisfaction is not derived from the wealth or power that our communication might yield but about our “voice” being heard and perhaps eliciting a response from our audience.
Phil Boskovich, King of Onions, descendant of Croatian immigrants, dies in 2013 at the age of 97
Boskovich was born in Los Angeles in 1915 to Croatian immigrants. After graduating from North Hollywood High School in 1933, he joined his father, Stjepan, on the family’s small farm, according to a release from the company. His brother Joe, cofounder of the company, died in 2008. Today, Boskovich Farms grows produce on more than 15,000 acres in California and Mexico and employs more than 500 people in Ventura County.
George Mikan gentle giant and the first big dominant basketball player in the history of NBA has Croatian roots
George Mikan, a famous Croatian-American basketball player, the first big and dominant man in the NBA (212 cm tall). He was born in Joliet, and baptized in the Croatian Roman Catholic Church in. His grandfather, whose name is also George Mikan, was born in Croatia, as Juraj Mikan (in Croatian, Juraj = George), and he once said th efollowing: “I am proud of my grandson, and am glad that we Croatians have made a contribution to the progress and development of our America, not only in its industry, but in its sporting world, also.” A statue was erected in honor of the NBA Hall of Famer at the Target Center in Minneapolis. In 2013 his two grand-daughters, Gina and Molly, visited Croatia and, among others, payed a visit to the native village of George Mikan’s grand-father, and to their relatives – Mikans in Croatia.
Joseph Thomas Rukavina 1922-2013 Croatian humanitarian and Democratic activist in the USA
Joseph Thomas Rukavina, 91 years old of White Bear Lake, MN died on June 10, 2013 at Southview Acres Health Care Center in West St. Paul. Joe was a long time activist within the Democratic party and so proud of his work with three Croatian American groups: Croatian Fraternal Union, MN Croatian Cultural Society and the National Federation of Croatian Americans (co-founder). He was honored with awards from both the Republic of Croatia and The White House for his outstanding humanitarian work during the 1990s war in Croatia and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was a founding member of St. Pius X Church in White Bear Lake and was active there for 59 years.
Croatian-American patriot Joseph Thomas Rukavina (1922-2013)
Joseph Rukavina, 91 years old of White Bear Lake, MN died on June 10, 2013 at Southview Acres Health Care Center in West St. Paul after five months battling cardio-renal syndrome and congestive heart failure. He was born in Virginia, MN February 4, 1922 to Croatian immigrant parents, Thomas and Lucy Rukavina. He attended local Virginia schools and then two years at Virginia Junior College . Joe served in the US Navy for three years and earned a commendation for heroism on Iwo Jima. Joe was a long time activist within the Democratic party and so proud of his work with three Croatian American groups: Croatian Fraternal Union, MN Croatian Cultural Society and the National Federation of Croatian Americans.
Nikola Primorac Croatian captain of City of Ragusa craft sailing from Liverpool to New York and back in 1870
There are honored people in Croatian maritime history who contributed to the various fields of maritime affairs. One of them is Captain Nikola Primorac, born in Dubrovnik on July 27, 1840, who sailed in his small boat across the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York and back to Liverpool, England. In Liverpool he made a bet with one Englishman for 100 pound sterling that he will cross the Atlantic in a small boat. It was sensational news in Britain which the London “Times” wrote: “It is an incredible brave and crazy adventure ever made that could turn into tragedy or triumph”.
Don Wolf author of autobiographical photo monograph Croatian Love Story
Long before Don Wolf was born, the outline for A Croatian Love Story was formed in the 1900’s. An ethnic neighborhood was the site where determined women and men struggled to build, to educate and to become citizens. These Croatian immigrants formed the strong shoulders supporting cherished traditions as they learned to live in and to love their new country. Don’s photographs depict Croatian life both in the United States and in Croatia. His writing preserves generations of memories. This book is a tribute to those who came before and a blessing to those who are yet to come.
Call for proposals for international conference on Croatian history, language, and migration
The conference to be held from 5-7 February, 2014, honours 30 years of Croatian Studies at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia. The focus of the conference is on the development of the identity and political consciousness of Croatians in Croatia or abroad through the exploration of the construction and expression of personal and group identities of Croatians of all social classes, in all periods from the Middle Ages to the modern day. Themes include but are not limited to: identity, history, language, art, trans-national communities, literature and politics of Croatians in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and all the other places where Croatians live as a minority group or diaspora community.
Adam Eterovich 1931-2013 distinguished researcher of the history and culture of Croatian diaspora in the USA
Adam Eterovich’s studies of Croatian diaspora in the USA are inavoidable for understanding the contribution Croatians to the history of the USA. He has accumulated and published a list of several hundred thosanad of names of Croatian Americans. On his well known web-site www.croatians.com Mr. Eterovich has selected dozens of interesting biographies, some of which left indelible mark in the history of the USA, like Nikola Tesla (the father of three-phase system in world’s electrical engineering), Anthony Lucas (or Antun Lučić, a father of world’s petroleum engineering), Mario Puretić (Puratić, important inventor in fishing industry), etc. etc.
Documentary film Lovers and Madmen is now available in English
Lovers and Madmen, (based on a book of memoirs by the same title), is a documentary film about the life of Zvonko and Julienne Busic, which was broadcast on Croatian State Television on March 9, 2013. The facts are straightforward: in 1976, the Busics, along with three other Croatians, hijacked a TWA airliner with the sole goal of forcing major world media to publish a leaflet on the human rights abuses against Croatians and others in the former Yugoslav dictatorship: murders, assassinations, imprisonment of students and intellectuals.
Jacob Jake Matijevic 1947-2012 NASA engineer of Croatian origin father of Curiosity rover on Mars
 Jacob (Richard) Matijevic, also known as “Jake” Matijevic, (3 November 1947 – 20 August 2012) was an American NASA engineer of Croatian origin who worked on Mars Exploration Rovers. Dr. Matijevic, PhD in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, was involved in developing the “Sojourner”, “Spirit”, “Opportunity” and “Curiosity” rovers. For his contributions to the rover projects, NASA named several landmarks (including “Matijevic Hill” and “Jake Matijevic” rock) for him on the planet Mars.
Petar Janjic – Tromblon defendor of Vukovar and Croatia in 1991 and twenty years after
Petar Janjić nicknamed Tromblon, was an active participant of the defense of Vukovar in 1991, and survived infamous concentration camps in Serbia. He is speaking about his life and about Croatian defenders in his important and unique autobiographic book about the 1991 Vukovar tragedy, entitled “Žedni krvi gladni izdaje” (Those Thirsty of Blood and Hungry of Treason). He is openly and very courageously describing some of the current problems of contemporary Croatia.
Dr. Ante L. Padjen Croatian neuroscientist and founder of I Medici di McGill Orchestra in Montreal CA
Professor Ante Padjen was educated in Croatia (University of Zagreb, Croatia; 1966, MD; 1970, DSc), University of Edinburgh (Graduate Studies), NIMH (1971 – 1975, Washington, DC). He has served as Professor at McGill University, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics from 1976. His primary research interests include neuroscience, information technology and knowledge translation in biomedicine with a particular interest in developing areas. He is the founder and principal viola of I Medici di McGill Ensemble (The Physicians of McGill), a performing orchestra made up largely of physicians, medical students and medical faculty.
Nenad Bach, Antun Lučić – Anthony F. Lucas i Boris Ljubičić u Slici Hrvatske s Karolinom Vidovic Kristo
Nenad Bach u Slici Hrvatske na HTV-u govori o svojoj dosadašnjoj karijeri, planovima za budućnost ali i o društvanoj i političkoj slici Hrvatske. Jeste li znali da je otac naftne industrije Hrvat? Pogledajte priču o malo poznatom Splićaninu Antunu Lučiću – Anthony F. Lucasu! Boris Ljubičić govori o dizajnu države Danske. Urednica: Karolina Vidović Krišto na fotografiji, 6. listopada 2012.
Tajci's California Tour Fall 2012
Tajci will be performing a 7 week tour of California starting on October 15, 2012. She will be performing several programs “Born of Love,” “i Do Believe,” “Let it Be,” and a new program for All Soul’s Day – “Love Lives On”. She will also be at the Medjugorje Peace Conference in Ivrine, California on October 20-21, 2012.
The unbelievable story of a Croatian hero: Michael Palaich
We asked Mr. Palaich about his activities during the 1991-1995 war in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as about an indictment against him in the USA, that stemmed from his efforts to help Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina to defend themselves against Serbian aggression. Those who know Mike, are well aware of his hesitation to talk about himself. But since so many have already forgotten about what happened in a not so distant past, and for the sake of new generations, he agreed to answer to a few questions, so that we may all remember how much liberty and independence meant, not only to Croatians in the homeland but to those around the world as well.
Dr. Josip Marcan born in Croatia is widely recognized as the foremost expert on tigers in the world
Dr. Josip Marcan discovered his uncanny ability with animals during his childhood in Croatia. Dr. Marcan eventually made his way to the United States in the late 1960’s and began focusing more on the endangered Bengal tiger. By the early 1980’s he had developed a breeding program that was producing the finest, genetically sound Bengal tigers anywhere. Animals from his breeding program have made their homes in zoos and wildlife parks all over the world.