by David | October 21st, 2011
Cultural translation is a complicated thing, and it seems to get more complex the deeper one looks. This suggests that there is no easy way to ever know for sure if people really do understand each other. A local restaurant claiming to serve a European style food is entirely too general, although it might not make a difference to the diners if the food is really good. In the same way, perhaps the way raggare culture works in Sweden has an essence that is the same, or similar enough, to its counterpart in the U.S.
Raggare is a subculture in Sweden that rose almost simultaneously with car culture in the U.S. The almost is key here, because it was a quotation, or a rough copy, of what the kids in the states were doing. The term “raggare” translates roughly as “pick-up artist,” so there is no question that the main force behind the culture is and always has been the elusive search for love. The biggest distinction between the local version of rock and roll car culture and its counterpart across the pond is not found in attitude, however, nor in style. It’s found in the way they treat their cars. In the states, the rockabilly lifestyle is one that takes its cheap tires very seriously. Finding the right way to modify the ride is a contentious issue, and one that sparks a great percentage of the conversations and head space.
In Sweden, it hasn’t been as much of an issue in the past, because the relative difficulty in finding parts made it a moot point. Instead of looking for new wheels to give the car a new look, the stress was placed on the driver’s appearance. The cars there could have the same factory design they were born with, and still pass with flying colors in the subculture. Living a life devoted to good times, loud music, and of course, looking for love, is the heart of raggare.
For the serious car fan in the U.S., this might seem to be a breech of all that is holy in hot rod culture. For some, the mods are the heart of it, and there are plenty of people, young and old, who sleep and breathe the daydreams of their next modification. For others, of course, the heart is that same pulse for rock and roll, a perfect night out, and the search for the most romantic story anyone ever heard. It’s a question of essence, then, and one that translates in different ways, back and forth across countries and generations.
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