Oral history interview with Abdulah Polovina

Collection

Identifier: SR 12318

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Abdulah Polovina was conducted by Elizabeth Mehren and Sankar Raman on January 7, 2019. The interview was recorded for The Immigrant Story, an organization that documents and archives the stories of immigrants and refugees in the United States.

In this interview, Polvina discusses his experiences as a Muslim in Bosnia during the Yugoslav Wars. He talks about the history of Muslims, and of genocide against Muslims, in the region, and about politics in Yugoslavia leading up to the wars. He speaks at length about his Islamic faith, about his early life and education in Bosnia, and about changing his name to Abdulah. He talks about his marriage to his wife, Hatidza, about being separated while he served in the war, and about his reasons for leaving Bosnia for Seattle, Washington, in 2001. He talks about his experience as the first Muslim student at Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry, and about his experience serving as imam at a mosque in Portland, Oregon. He closes the interview by talking about the Portland Muslim community, and reflecting on the experiences of Bosnian Muslims during the war.

Dates

2019 January 7

Creator

Polovina, Abdulah, 1973- (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and The Immigrant Story. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

Biographical note

Abdulah Polovina was born Admir Polovina in Bosnia, in 1973. When he was five years old, his parents separated, and he grew up near Sarajevo with his mother. He attended a madrassa in Bosnia, and changed his name to Abdulah in honor of one of his teachers, who was later killed during the Yugoslav Wars. He served in the Bosnian army during the wars. He married in 1994, and he and his wife, Hatidza Polovina, later had five children. In 2001, the family emigrated to the United States and settled in Seattle, Washington. Abdulah Polovina earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, and in 2015, he earned a master’s degree from Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry, where he was the first Muslim student. That same year, he and his family moved to Portland, Oregon, and in 2018, he began serving as imam at a mosque at the Islamic Bosniaks Educational and Cultural Organization.

Extent

1.02 Gigabytes (1 audio file (WAV, 1 hr., 35 min., 13 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Abdulah Polovina conducted by Elizabeth Mehren and Sankar Raman on January 7, 2019, for The Immigrant Story. Polovina discusses his experiences as a Muslim in Bosnia during the Yugoslav Wars.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to audio recording is provided online in OHS Digital Collections.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of The Immigrant Story, June 2021 (RL2021-057).

Related Materials

Oral history interview with Hatidza Polovina, by Elizabeth Mehren and Sankar Raman, SR 12319, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Publication note

An article about Abdulah Polovina, "Love in the Midst of Mayhem" by Elizabeth Mehren, was based on this interview and published on The Immigrant Story website at https://theimmigrantstory.org/love/