Marija Zaknich
| Town/City | Broken Hill |
|---|---|
| First name | Marija |
| Last name | Zaknich |
| Country of Origin | Blato Korcula, Croatia |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1961 |
| Submitted by | Christine Adams |
Story
Marija and her two daughters prepared to join their husband and grandparents in Australia when Ante, their husband and father told his wife in letters that living in Broken Hill would be better not just for them – but also for their children. That\’s why they came; for their children and others that they could help.
Marija and her two small daughters left on the Orsova on the 22nd May 1961. The first few days were really sad for Marija because she left our family. It was an English ship so they couldn\’t talk to anybody because they didn\’t know the language.
The crew asked them what they would eat but they couldn\’t understand our answers. One lady at another table she heard us speak Yugoslav and she joined their table to help the family communicate with the crew and passengers. So, from then on Marija and the girls were happier to ask, to eat, to stay on the ship.
An Australian friend had just bought a new car and offered to drive Ante to Melbourne to meet his family. And they arrived! It was six years since Marija and the children had seen Ante so the reunion was wonderful.
The family arrived in Broken Hill three o\’clock in the morning several days later and Ante\’s mother was waiting for them. She had the fire burning and the coffee on. She was full of happiness inside when her son Ante had arrived in Broken Hill six and a half years earlier; she was even happier when she saw her daughter-in-law and grand-daughters. The family lived with their grandparents for six months so was no different to what it was in Croatia. Everybody lived in a big house until three days before Christmas 1961 when Ante. Marija, Katie and Maria moved into their own home.
Eight months after the family arrived Marija was pregnant with twin boys. She was admitted to the hospital for weeks because she was very heavy. The other ladies laughed and talked but Marija couldn\’t understand and she cried all the time. After the twin boys were born Marija\’s mother said she would love to see them but it was not possible to go back because they had no money.