Глядзець больш здымкаў | Пра пачатак перабудовы

“Clive Anderson examines one of the potentially strangest corners of international politics, the lesser-known governments or rulers in exile – a paradoxical area of international relations and surreal part of international law. The programme examines intriguing examples, drawn from around the world map, which vary from the serious to the apparently ridiculous. Certainly, the relationship between state, territory and sovereignty is not always what it seems. In Toronto, for example, a Belarusian government holds court, run by the charismatic Ivonka Survilla. Their version of Belarus only existed for nine months in 1918 before it was assimilated by the Soviet Union. Now that Belarus is independent, is there any reason for their continued existence?“

A programme is awailable for download from the BBC website or here.

Прэзэнтацыя ўнікальнай кнігі, Writing in a Cold Climate: Belarusian Literature from the 1970s to the Present Day, напісанай адметным знаўцам беларускай літатартуры, праф. Арнольдам Макмілінам, адбылася ў Лёндане ў мінулы чацьвер. Кніга ўяўляе сабой агляд і аналіз беларускай прозы, паэзіі і драматургіі апошніх 30-ці гадоў праз прызму заходняга літаратуразнаўства. Ёй няма аналягаў у іншых мовах (нядаўна зьявіліся паведамленьні пра тое, што рыхтуецца пераклад кнігі праф. А. Макміліна на беларускую мову). Кошт кнігі ў Вялікабрытаніі – £75.

Беларускі рэлігійна-культурны цэнтар, 39 Holden Road, London N12 8HS

Англа-беларускае таварыства запрашае на сьвяткаваньне Дня матчынай мовы. А 14-й гадзіне пачнецца сьвята для дзяцей да 13 гадоў. А 15-й гадзіне для дарослых адбудзецца конкурс чытаньня беларускай паэзіі.  Прынясеньне ежы і пітва для агульнага пачастунку вельмі вітаецца. У праграме таксама – абмеркаваньне новага рамана В. Марціновіча «Паранойя» і ўдзел ахвотных у агульнанацыянальнай беларускай дыктоўцы.

(Паводле “Беларус на чужыне, люты 2010″)

Sasha Belavokaya | Саша Белавокая
Alena Aharelysheva | Алена Агарэлышава
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum | Бібліятэка і музэй імя Францішка Скарыны

As time passes and generations change there remain few reminders of the rich history of a nation. One of those reminders is a traditional national dress.

The national costume is often dubbed a chronicle of a nation charting centuries of its history. For people leaving the country of birth, their traditional clothes represent one of the most important things they take with them. Displaying traditional garments is usually confined to special events and celebrations.

As times and circumstances change, the tradition of national dress remains alive. This unique photo exhibition, BIEŁARUS ZAMIEŽNY (A Foreign Belarusian), explores the ways in which émigrés, past and present ones, identified themselves with their national dress.

Many associations have attempted to create a microcosm of their homeland, in order to satisfy the need for native reminders while parted from their country. In modern times, it has become increasingly common among émigrés to foster a sense of national identity.

This exhibition attempts to look at the Belarusian émigré community through the prism of a national dress.

The exhibition opens on 13 February 2010, 3 pm, at the Belarusian Religious and Cultural Centre in London (39 Holden Road, N12 8HS).

Sasha Belavokaya | Саша Белавокая
Alena Aharelysheva | Алена Агарэлышава
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum | Бібліятэка і музэй імя Францішка Скарыны

Праходзяць часы, ідуць пакаленьні, час адыходзіць у нябыт.

Застаюцца толькі рэчы – маўклівыя сьведкі мінулых часоў.

Адной з такіх рэчаў зьяўляецца народны касьцюм. Традыцыйнае адзеньне складаецца з элемэнтаў, якія маюць асаблівы культурны сэнс і зьвязаныя з пэўнымі падзеямі і каштоўнасьцямі нацыі. Менавіта таму нацыянальны касьцюм захоўваецца непаўторным на працягу стагодзьдзяў і  часам завецца летапісам народу.

Нездарма людзі, якія пакідалі Бацькаўшчыну, як адну з найкаштоўнейшых рэчаў, бралі з сабою нацыянальную вопратку.

Фотавыстава “Беларус Замежны”  - гэта спроба зьяднаць сучасных і былых эмігрантаў праз народнае адзеньне. Розьняцца лёсы, абставіны і час, але касьцюм застаецца нязьменным.

Чаму ж такімі важнымі былі і ёсьць фотаздымкі ў нацыянальнай вопратцы?

Чалавек нідзе так востра не адчувае сваю нацыянальную прыналежнасьць, як на чужыне. Разнастайныя эмігранцкія згуртаваньні можна разглядаць як спробу людзей стварыць свой маленькі Сусьвет, сваю далёкую родную краіну. Вельмі важна адчуваць сябе СВАІМ, сярод СВАІХ людзей.

Нягледзячы на тое, што і гэтыя людзі, і гэтыя рэчы даўно пакінулі Бацькаўшчыну, яны – БЕЛАРУСЫ і душа ў іх БЕЛАРУСКАЯ.

Запрашаем на выставу!

Фотавыстава “Беларус замежны” адкрыецца 13 лютага а 15-й гадзіне ў Беларускім рэлігійна-культурным цэнтры (39 Holden Road, London, N12 8HS).

Кніга налічвае больш за 1100 старонак і ахоплівае паэзію (якая, паводле аўтара, працягвае дамінаваць беларускую літаратуру як і стагодзьдзе перад тым), прозу і драматургію. 170-ці аўтарам прысьвечаныя асобныя артыкулы, а Рыгору Барадуліну, Адаму Глобусу, Анатолю Сысу, Уладзіміру Пякляеву, Уладзімеру Арлову і Алесю Разанаву – даўжэйшыя разьдзелы. Таварыствы Тутйшыя і Бум-бам-літ вылучаныя ў асобныя разьдзелы, гэтак жа як і аўтары з Полацку, Гародні й Гомеля (разьдзел “Літаратура па-за мэтраполіяй”).

Кнігу можна замовіць праз Амазон, ейны поўны кошт – £75. Прэзэнтацыя кнігі адбудзецца 26 25 лютага а 17.30 у Masaryk Room, floor 4, SSEES, 16 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BW.

Папраўлена 3 лютага 2010.

You ask me about the most significant event in my life. The single most significant event happened in October 1953, when I was 17 years old. At that time, I regularly attended the local Catholic church – Christ the King  in north London-which was run by Benedictines.  At that time, the language of Roman – rite services was still Latin; but one of the monks was very keen that the young people of the parish should understand that ‘Catholic’ did not necessarily mean ‘Latin’. So he organised various events to teach us about other rites. He invited various priests to celebrate liturgy according to their own rites – I remember there was a Syrian, and a priest from the Malankara rite of India. Then, one day, he took a group of us to the Belarusian Catholic Mission, which is also in north London – about 6 km away. I remember being a little disappointed when our priest told us that, although the liturgy was the Byzantine rite, it would be in Old Slavonic, not Greek, because I had learned  some Greek at school. However, I thought, whatever language it is in, it will be interesting.

And, indeed, the other young people found it ‘interesting’. But for me, it was the beginning of a new life. When I walked into that beautiful little church I suddenly had a strange feeling that for the first time in my life, I was where I ought to be. I could not get the feeling out of my head, and a few weeks later, I went back again… and again…

My mother was a little anxious about my sudden new interest. She decided to come with me the next Sunday.., and the same thing happened to her. Then my grandparents came too, to see what it was all about… And, as they say, the rest is history!

My mother and I learned to sing in the choir.  I gradually learned some Belarusian – mainly through listening to the sermons. I began to translate Belarusian poetry… Then the Ukrainians too wanted me to translate their poetry… By the time I left university, I had already produced a book of translations from the Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko – and this helped me both to establish myself on the English poetic scene, but also to find work as a professional translator of more down-to-earth texts.

Then came ‘Like Water, Like Fire’ – the first-ever anthology of Belarusian poetry in English… or, I think, in any West European language.  It is not often that a translator has a chance to be the very first in the field, and I felt it a great honour.

Shortly after Like Water Like Fire went to press, I was invited by Nature, the leading scientific weekly in the English language, to become their Soviet and East European correspondent. (I had by this time taught myself some Russian and Polish). I held this post for more than 20 years. It was a peculiar situation, since for various reasons the Soviet authorities would not give me a visa; nor would the Czechoslovak ones, nor the East Germans.  But this did not prevent me discovering  and writing about what was going on in those countries! And even in the ones I could visit, there were occasionally – shall we say – unpleasantnesses… But that too, is history!

I am now – by the calendar, almost 64 years old. But in my new life, which began in October 1953, I am only just over 46.  Which is a good thing… as in that life there is still a great deal for me to do… if the Good Lord gives me the health and strength.

2004-04-30