Беларускія фэстывалі й выстаўкі ў Нью Джэрзі
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Выдавец: Беларускі Інстытут Навукі й Мастацтва
Памер: 219с.
Нью Йорк 2013
May 19th 1979 was proclaimed by Governor Brendan Byrne to be a
Day of Belarusian Heritage in the State of New Jersey. The White House telephoned to convey President Jimmy Carter's best wishes.
Greetings
Written greetings and expressions of support were received from:
Senators Harrison Williams of New Jersey, Bill Bradley of New Jersey, Bob Dole of Kansas, John Glen of Ohio, Charles Percy of Illinois, John Heinz of Pennsylvania, Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, Jacob K. Javits of New York, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Daniel Moynihan of New York; Congresswomen Barbara Mikulski (Maryland) and Millicent Fenwick (New Jersey); Congressmen Matthew J. Rinaldo (New Jersey), Jack Kemp (New York), Peter Rodino (New Jersey), Joseph Addabbo (New York), Edward Derwinski (llinois), and George Bush, Republican presidential candidate and future US president.
Concert
The day of the festival happened to be rainy, but bad weather failed to discourage the performers or the more than two thousand-strong audience. Certain items on the program had to be dropped — e. g., the ceremony of flag raising, the parade of costumes, and the sport matches.
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However, the main component, the concert, went on under the theater's protective roof.
Fred Week greeting the audience on behalf of the Garden State Arts Center, quoted the poetess, Larysa Heniyush (Hienijus) who sent from Belarus words of gratitude to America (as translated by Vera Rich):
Danchyk (Bohdan) Anarusyshyn.
Genadzi Gutkin. left, and Valery Novak accompanying songs of Katsia Jacevich.
And may that land forever be blessed Rejoicing in freedom unending, Which gave to my brethren a haven of rest, In that human family befriended.
The concert featured essentially traditional items: songs, folk dances, music, and poetry readings. There were, however, new talents. Among the latter was the women's ensemble Vasilki (com flowers) from Cleveland, Ohio (directed by Kastus Kalosha) and the duet of musicians, xylophonist Valery Novak and bayanist16 Genadzi Gutkin.
An interesting and impressive scene was
presented by two young women, one a recent immigrant from Belarus and the other a Belarusian-American, both symbolizing the homeland and the diaspora, accordingly. With a musical background rendering the patriotic song, "I Love My Country," each of the ladies, Sviatlana Zarechnaya and Volha Lukashevich, recited a poem, the first one written in Belarusian, and the other in English.
Sviatlana introduced her recital by saying: "Passion for the native land, for cultural traditions and strivings for free selfexpression are defining the young generation
of contemporary Belarus, from where some of us, including myself, have arrived recently. Following in your earlier footsteps, like those skylarks from under the native sky, fly to us voices of young creators of Belarusian culture, and among them a
poem by a young girl from the Palessie region, Zhenia Yanishchyts. Through her words speaks to us Belarus in its ceaseless struggle for self-assertion." And then with her melodious voice she recited the poem:
My land of azure skies, Fairy tale of a verdant spring, Dear to my heart with inner ties.
Warmth of haystacks you will bring As our forefathers' furry hats afore. Swan-white mist will come and creep. But blue skies will soon be there in store.
Flocks of cranes will gently sweep Over the vernal river's edge. Across the lucent heather, with All the smiles and haze I pledge, I’m certain, they'll return forthwith To their beloved, verdant shores.
Menfolk, wide as haystacks, again exclaim: "Look! They're leaving us in scores!" My land, my songs and language mine Unique and in my heart a shrine.17
In another corner of the stage, Volha Lukashevich echoed with a verse by Siarhiej Jasien:
Land of forebears, of misty vision, ugly tyrant, and gracious song, Belarus sends to us her pilgrims with the message: our roots are strong. Welcome sisters and welcome brothers! Take our friendship! Give your hand!
In America freedom flowers with a blossom from every land.
With music still sounding, the two compatriots met in the middle of the stage, hand-in-hand, and left the stage to resounding applause from a grateful audience.
The concert was concluded by the singing of the Belarusian national anthem followed by "God Bless America."
The festival received a high mark from Joseph Carragher, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Highway Authority, who wrote to Vitaut Kipel, chairman of the Festival Organizational Committee: "The outstanding exhibits, beautiful costumes and excellent stage program colorfully presented many aspects of your rich cultural heritage."
FKOM THE PKESS KEPOKTS
Below are excerpts from newspaper coverage of the Belarusian festivals and exhibitions in New Jersey during the period of 19761987.
Belarusians establish identity through festival
HOLMDEL — Don't ever confuse a Belarusian with a Russian.
"The blood boils right away when we're called Russians," said Vitaut Kipel of Rutherford, who chaired the state's first Belarusian Heritage Festival at the Garden State's Arts Center yesterday.
Belarusians number about 5,000 in New Jersey and 1.4 million in the entire U.S. They trace their ancestry to the westernmost Soviet republic once known as White Russia, bordered by Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Ukraine.
The Belarusians boast their own language and culture, including folk art, music, dancing and food.
Yesterday, 3000 attended a salute to the Belarusian culture as well as the U.S. bicentennial.
The festival planners hope to organize another festival next year so New Jerseyans will no longer ask "Who are those Belarusians," said Mrs. St Tamara /a Tinton Falls artist/.
— Home News. By Sandra Lanman. 1976 June 13.
Wojtenko children.
Display of reginal custumes.
Homewardlook Orish, Belarusian arts flavor Holmdelfestivities
Traditions of farming and nature are evident in their fine and performing arts. In the same way the Swiss nearly venerate the cow because of its importance to their lives, the Belarusians seemed to feel
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most strongly about flax. It is one of the region's most important crops and all about the Arts Center Saturday, it was in evidence, usually fashioned into handmade items including clothing and dolls.
Even the Belarusian dance groups often take their name from natural remembrances of their homeland, such as "flax" or "cornflower."
— Star-Ledger. By Bette Spero. 1976 June 14.
Merriment under the tent.
Ethnic costumes are featured at statewide heritage had
Fascinating ethnic garments were unwrapped and taken out of closets last night for the Heritage Festival Ball at Mayfair Fanns in West Orange.
Those from the Raritan Valley attending in their ethnic garb were Mr. and Mrs. Vasil Rusak of Franklin, representing Belarus.
Belarusian clothing, says Mrs. Rusak, "looks very sophisticated because it is not loud. There is an elegance to it because of the limitation of colors."
— Home News. By Ann Ledesma. 1977 February 20.
^ranhfin's Beharusians wiKwhoop it up at Jersey Arts Center
A dozen Belarusian-American families in Franklin have been hard at work for the past few months getting ready for a full day of revelry, craft shows and good eating on Saturday, May 21 st at the Garden State Arts Center.
Judged last year by the center's screening committee as one of the most authentic and carefully organized international celebrations, the Belarusian group was asked to be the first on this year's roster of ethnic festivals.
Gathered one recent afternoon in the Vasil Rusak's Somerset home to talk about the festival were Nadja Kudasow, who is in charge of the folk arts to be shown and sold at the festival, Halina Rusak and her daughter Ludmila.
Their enthusiasm for the job of pulling together an event that could possibly draw as many as 5000 visitors was infectious. Belarusian words and expressions peppered every sentence as the three women unfolded one after another of the intricately woven and embroidered garments and art pieces that will be displayed or sold at the festival.
For them, next Saturday will be a retrieval of happy years in the country in which they, or their parents, were raised. It also represents a way to share traditions and customs that are still very much alive in central Jersey.
— Franklin News Record. By Jane Petroff, Managing Editor. 1977 May 19.
Belarusians celebrate heritage
HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP — When she was a girl in Belarus, Mrs. Nadja Kudasow of Somerset was taught to spin flax, a skill she will demonstrate at the second Belarusian Heritage Festival at the Garden State Arts Center.
Flax spinning is only one of many Belarusian folk arts to be displayed at the festival, which marks the start of the Arts Center's eighth season of ethnic festivals.
There will also be demonstrations of loomless weaving and exhibits of traditional handicrafts such as woodworking and painting.
A feature will be embroidered work, including examples of an ancient item once again enjoying high status in the world of fashion, peasant blouses embroidered in the traditional red, black and white geometric designs and stylized flowers typical of Belarusian folk art.
— Asbury Park Press. 1977 May 19.
ftyrnejoins festivities at Hefarusian fete
HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP — Nearly 3,000 Belarusians at the Garden State Arts Center applauded and cheered when Gov. Brendan T. Byrne signed a proclamation making May 21 st Belarusian Festival Day.
To a standing ovation, Byrne ran up on stage, told the listeners he kept an embroidered Belarusian pillow in his car, signed the proclamation, threw four pens into the audience, posed for pictures with girls in native Slavic costume, and ran to his waiting car, promising to return for the Slovak Festival this Saturday.
"Getting the Belarusian-Americans involved in the land of their forefathers” is exactly what Dr. Vitaut Kipel, festival chairman, hoped to do.
"We want our second generation Belarusians to be proud to be Americans, but we also want them to be proud to be Belarusians," said Kipel.
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