Now, before anyone else says it first, we know that all Slavic countries (and of course, all Slavic people) are not a monolith. Just like any other country or region, there are stereotypes associated with Slavs that aren’t actually true, at least not for all people. With this piece, we just want to poke fun at the more amusing aspects of Slavic culture, rather than offend 13 nations. So with that out of the way, let’s enjoy these photos, pandas!
The Squatting Slavs In Tracksuits Facebook page has been around for an impressive 10 years. And over the past decade, the account has shared countless photos of Eastern European dishes, fashion, bizarre engineering choices, architecture, and more to connect the Slavic people together. Whether you’re from Belarus or Croatia, you may have some cultural similarities, despite how much distance lies between your nations.
Now, if you’re not from a Slavic country, you might not be familiar with exactly which nations qualify. So to be clear, the Slavic countries are: Ukraine, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Belarus, and Russia.
As far as what actually makes a nation Slavic, it comes down to the language spoken there. In each of these countries, the primary language spoken is Slavic, which means that some of these languages bear many similarities. But some of these countries also share similar cultures, cuisines, and fashion choices.
If you want to get a better understanding of Slavic culture, Dutch Trans shared an article breaking it down. First, they note that nearly three-quarters of Slavic people identify as Orthodox Christians. And when it comes to food, the cuisine in many of these nations is centered around meat, bread, and potatoes. Plus, drinking is considered an important part of many of these cultures, with beer and vodka being particularly popular choices.
Now, when it comes to the stereotypes of squatting in a tracksuit while smoking a cigarette, obviously, not all Slavs can relate. However, if you’ve spent some time in Eastern Europe or the Balkans, you’ve probably seen it. So why does this happen? According to Mira Safety, one theory is that the “Slav Squat” originated due to a lack of public benches. Without anywhere to sit, people simply adapted and decided that squatting was easier on their legs than standing upright.
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Regardless of where the Slav Squat came from, though, there’s no question that it has inspired countless memes over the years. Mira Safety explains that, around 2012, it became a trend online to start sharing photos of Slavs squatting in their beloved tracksuits. And the images spread like wildfire.
“Perhaps it was the undeniable coolness of the odd pose, the relatable act of chilling in defiance of social norms, or simply the absurdity of squatting in such unexpected places,” Mira Safety writes. “The Slav Squat meme went viral and became a global phenomenon.”
While these photos of squatting Slavs may have originated to poke fun at Slavic culture, today, they can be a way to bring people from many different nations together. Even photos of various dishes from Slavic countries shared on Squatting Slavs In Tracksuits can open up conversations about different cultures and encourage people to visit their Slavic brothers around Europe to experience the unique aspects of their cultures.
