semja

Sěmьja (the proto-Slavic word referring to family and close communities) is a reflection on identity, memory, and cultural continuity. Drawing on my Polish heritage, I captured Eastern European clubs and community centres across Bradford. Photographing second and third generation migrants, I focused on those who have grown up in Bradford but remain deeply connected to their ancestral homeland.

Brought together by their experience of living between two worlds, these people are united by their history, culture and identity. Visiting the Ukrainian Club, Eesti (Estonian) Kodu Club, Latvian Club, and Polish Parish Club, I re-imagined these centres as home in their own right. These spaces allow groups to come together and rejoice in their shared heritage.

These centres function as a space for chosen family: intergenerational and deeply connected through a mutual understanding of what it means to live between two worlds. Even though many of these people were born in Bradford, they carry with them the influence of where their families came from through language, customs, and the stories passed down.

The work presents the devoted individuals and families that continue to fill these spaces with music, dance, and celebrations, decades after the clubs were founded. Through capturing intimate, intergenerational portraits, I uncovered the traditions passed down through time. Sěmьja is a testament to how cultural identity is preserved, reshaped, and carried forward within Bradford’s Eastern European communities.