Through music, choir aims to ease the hurts of post-war Bosnia

Mennonite Central Committee
Friday, 3 March 2000

AKRON, Pa. — The world watched in horror as artillery shells destroyed 600-year-old buildings and snipers shot people who chose the wrong moment to step outside their houses. When the horrific Bosnian war finally ended in 1995, Sarajevo was left in ashes and its residents — who had once lived together peacefully despite religious and ethnic differences — were deeply divided.

A chorus of voices is rising above the ruins, its melodies bringing healing to a shattered nation. Pontanima, a choir whose members include singers from Bosnia's major religions — Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Jewish communities — has performed throughout Bosnia, proving that religion can bring people together. Now, with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) sponsorship, Pontanima is planning a U.S. tour from March 29 to April 15, which will include concerts in Virginia, Ohio and Indiana Mennonite communities.

Many scars remain in post-war Bosnia. Choir member Lirija Krusa, 24, who sought refuge in Macedonia during the war, recalls returning to Sarajevo to find her dreams of home destroyed. The city was torn apart, most of her friends had left. Some who stayed during the war criticized her for leaving.

"And then one day three years ago, I joined this choir and found something that looked almost unbelievable. I found the spirit of my hometown before the war," says Krusa.

Some friends questioned how Krusa, a Muslim, could sing in an interreligious choir that rehearses in a Roman Catholic church. The choir sings Western Christian music and Jewish, Orthodox and Muslim songs as well as songs from Far East religions. They asked how she could sing music of all religions.

"My response was always the same: Why not? They never answered me. They couldn't find an appropriate response," she recalls.

Seeing people from different backgrounds blending their voices has been an example for their audiences. Krusa sees "that this choir, with me in it, is making a difference in this town [Sarajevo]. A lot of changes have happened, for the best of course, in ordinary peoples' minds."

"Now, more and more, people think that this kind of [interreligious] orientation, which my choir has, is a good way of healing wounds. And I am proud to be a part of that healing process," she says.

The choir will appear at:

* Parkview Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va., April 5 at 8:30 p.m.;

* Yoder Recital Hall, Bluffton College, Ohio, April 10 at 7 p.m.;

* College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind., April 11 at 7:30 p.m.;

* Sermon on the Mount Chapel, Elkhart, Ind., April 12 at 7:30 p.m.

In addition, the choir will perform in Boston, Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago.

MCC has given $58,000 Cdn./$40,000 U.S. to make this tour possible. Pontanima choir is a project of MCC partner Face to Face Interreligious Service, a dialogue center in Sarajevo (see "Interview: Ivo Markovich on the role of interreligious dialogue in Bosnia." ) MCC workers John and Karin Kaufman Wall of North Newton, Kansas, serve with Face to Face. Both sing in the choir and coordinate its activities. They are looking forward to traveling to the United States with the choir.

"I believe this choir has the power to bring to life dialogue about differences of religion and culture among people," says John. "This is extremely important in light of the increase of conflicts based on ethnic and religious hatred in the world today."

Kaufman Walls are members of New Creation Fellowship in Newton, Kan., and Salem Mennonite Church in Freeman, S.D.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org