Romanians from Serbia in Denmark

is of vital importance that marriage partners should be found within the
ethnic group:
Of course the young people may choose their partner as they
want, but it is preferable if the partner is ‘one of ours’. Danish
girls don’t like spending all their holidays in the village. Often the
mixed marriages do not last(Vlach female, 2008).
Those who live in mixed marriages often live their own lives and
do not take part in the traditions. The spouses don’t understand
our traditions. They might like the meal and the slivovica [plum
brandy] at the pomana, but they don’t understand what it’s for.
Many of the young ones do not keep up with ourtraditions. They
do not learn how to perform them. Furthermore, the outsiders
don’t understand why the women should behave in a modest
manner and take care of the traditions (Vlach male, 2008).
As can be seen, the continuing powers of the mothers and grandmothers
mayexplain why, although mixed marriages are gaining momentum, they
continue to be the exception in Vlachsociety. 10 However, the fear of losing
control is as present as ever.
New Types of Loyalty and Obligation
In general, religion and superstition are gaining ground, both in Serbia and
among Serbs in Denmark. Old Serbianreligious traditions such as the Slava
—the annual celebration of the family saint—have become important
events in both Denmark and Serbia. In Serbia, the churches, which were
relatively deserted during Tito’s rule, areincreasingly visited by both young
and old, all seeking an answer to the social crisis and the ‘crisis of values’
of the last decade. Bio-rythms, healing, all types of herbal medicine and
supernatural powers are also popularsolutions to various social ills.
Among the Danish Serbs, the ‘Civil Religion of Brotherhood and Unity’
of the Tito era (see Perica 2002) isgradually being replaced by a renewed
interest in the Serb Orthodox Church. As an expression of this interest,the
largest ‘diaspora village’ in the Vlach area inaugurated a beautiful little