What my Slovak heritage means to me:

The USA is a melting pot of cultures from around the world that have morphed and evolved from their original states to coexist with one another. That, in combination with the USA’s relative youth, has not allowed for any real national culture to develop just yet. For lack of a unifying national culture, many Americans have forged connections to their countries of origin and participate in those cultures and traditions instead. 

I’ve always been a citizen of the United States, and even though it’s estimated that ⅓ of all Czechs and Slovaks live in the USA, I knew almost nothing about my roots or my culture for the majority of my life. For a long time, I was jealous of my immigrant and foreign exchange friends  because they had a connection to their ancestors and people that I thought I lacked. Even though my relatives have been in this country for just over a century, my family and I only recently began to find out more about our roots: the Barto and Viezst families immigrated from a district (famous for its bobbin lace) in the Gemer region of Slovakia and arrived in the USA in December 1912 on the ship George Washington, then moved together to Pennsylvania to work as miners. I now know the facts and details about where I come from, and even though it took me a while to uncover my roots, and  realize that heritage isn’t just about facts and geography, but also about the nature of people. 

The history of the Czech and Slovak peoples demonstrates a true ability to survive and grow. Both have an innate willingness to cooperate, but not be controlled or pushed around in the process, and both have lived through centuries of uncertainty--never having been independent countries for roughly a thousand years or even having a hereditary ruling class--by depending on faith in themselves and each other. In that respect, I’ve always been a Slovak: like my ancestors, I make an effort to work with others and trust them; and now, whenever I am afraid of the future or faced with challenges, I remember the bravery and perseverance of those who came before me. 

Not only has my heritage given me comfort and knowledge about my past, but it gives me a sense of belonging--not just  to my family, but to a culture and country that’s far older than anything I’ve ever come into contact with. I am proud and honored to be of Slovakian heritage.