José (Josip) Pasinović was born on February 26, 1860 in Dobrota, Kotor. His parents were Ivan Pasinović and his mother Agnese Radonicić. Both Agnese and Ivan belonged to distinguished and tapered Croatian families from Boka kotorska. José Pasinović studied foreign trade in Trieste and from a young age showed great intellectual ability and talent of learning languages. He spoke and wrote native Croatian, Italian, Spanish, French and German.

His relatives were members of the Bokeljska mornarica (Boka Navy), a Croatian brotherhood of sailors from Kotor. In this brotherhood the socio-humanitarian factor stood out, especially helping the poor and sick. One of its components was the military-naval. The aim was to train the members of the Navy so that they will carry out their functions of defending territorial waters.

 

         

Young Krsto Pasinović (1920) and Ivan Radoničić (1904) in the Boka Navy costumes

 

José Pasinović belonged to the Croatian political sphere and was very important in the Croatian community in Chile, Punta Arenas. Due to his business skills and his intelligence, José was appointed by the Emperor Franz Joseph to Chile, Punta Arenas to represent Dalmatia (it was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time). There he had his own signature. Later he was president of the Austrian Benevolent Society which was later renamed the Croatian Benevolent Society. This society provided economic support and asylum to those Croatian immigrants who arrived in Chile at that time. It is for this reason that my great-great-grandfather, José Pasinović, was so important in the Croatian community in Chile and remained faithful to the Croatian sentiment that identified him. It is also to highlight his activism and commitment to the Croatian community in Chile, as well as his concern to help Dalmatian immigrants.

 

  Business of Jose Pasinović in Punta Arenas, Chile

 

Later he married Maria Juana Tijoux Scudyer. From that marriage they had a daughter, Marta Pasinović (my great-grandmother). She was born in Santiago de Chile. Marta was active in the Croatian community during her youth. She participated in all Croatian community events and kept alive the traditions of her ancestors by accompanying her father to Croatian community events and ceremonies.

Marta Pasinović married Enrique Tijoux Maynard and from that marriage my grandmother, Maria Josefina Agnes Tijoux Pasinović, was born on October 27, 1923 in Punta Arenas, Leñadura.

My grandmother told me that on weekends the family would get together to sing typical Croatian songs and taste meals that her mother, together with her friends from the community, prepared.

José would quietly retire to chat about political issues while Marta and her daughter enjoyed a rich sarma (cabbage rolls) with friends and good music. At the end it was time to eat some delicious kolači (pastries).

In 1929 José, Marta and María Josefina boarded the Comodoro Rivadavia ship and emigrated to Argentina where they settled in a boarding house located in the Almagro neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

The days in Buenos Aires passed quietly, enjoying going to the theater and doing cultural outings that reminded them of Croatia.

In Buenos Aires Pasinović was looking for that piece of Croatian culture in every corner of the city, getting together with illustrious Croatian citizens of his stature.

With them he discussed politics and the feeling that identified him. Years passed and he passed away. The remains of José Pasinović were cremated in the Chacarita cemetery.

María Josefina married Jesús Gómez and from that marriage my mother, Silvia Patricia Gómez and my aunt Adriana Gómez were born.

Later, together with my mother, we went to the Argentine Atlantic coast and threw the ashes of José and Marta Pasinović into the sea.

Since my young age I was in contact with Croatian customs as well as with the language. My grandmother always told me about the events she attended in the Croatian community in Chile and her active and committed participation in the Chilean community. She, along with her mother, met on weekends to sing and eat typical dishes with the Croatians from Magellan. At the same time, my mother, since I was little, motivated me to participate in the Croatian community of Buenos Aires, which I currently attend every weekend.

I play in the tambura group as well as in the dance group, Igra Kolo.

The Croatian sentiment in my family has been going on since my great-great-grandfather to my generation.

My great-great-grandfather with his sentiments, support and solidarity with the Croats left a very important imprint on my family that my great-grandmother and my grandmother continued to preserve over the years.

 

I remember when I was a little girl I listened to my grandmother speak Croatian with my mom at the table. My mother sang Croatian lullabies to me, and on weekends we would get together with the kids from the community to cook eels.

I will never forget those times and will continue to celebrate the Croatian sentiment in Argentina.

 

Luisina first from the left with group of young Croatians from Buenos Aires

 

Luisina Rampinini Pasinovich