© Nihad Nino Pušija

Name: Hermine-Sofia U.
Mother tongue: German
Occupation: Office Assistant
My object: baking tray
My story about it:

The baking tray made from copper or How I had my earlopes pierced
This copper baking tray is a legacy of my grandmother’s. She was born in Siebenbürgen in 1914. Ever since, she has lived in a tiny village until she migrated to Germany in 1981. I was born in Transylvania, too. Every time I look at this baking tray, I remember the day I had my first earlobe done. I was four years old. As they used to do from time to time, traveling Roma came to our village and brought the copper tray which my grandmother had ordered with them. While my grandmother and the Roma Iancu bargained about the price, I ran to see the women and children who were camping in front of the fortified church, surrounded by their stock. Amongst other things, they offered earrings which I really wanted to have. The fact that I didn’t have holes in my earlobes was no problem at all. After I had bravely agreed to it, the oldest Roma woman simply pierced my earlobe with a long needle. Paralyzed with fear, I lacked the courage to have the second one done. I ran back home and started crying. Two weeks later, my mother had my second piercing done by the village midwife.