12 Comments
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Rachel's avatar

I love it when you record her poems for us in Belarusian. It's so beautiful and almost musical.

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Thank you, Rachel! ❤️

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Natalia's avatar

This is so beautiful! Both your story and poem, as well as your voice, brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing your culture with the world. Thanks to people like you, I want to learn more about Belarus and Ukraine every day💙💛❤️🤍

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that! ❤️

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Paul's avatar

Thank you for sharing your light with us, Darya. It’s really cool to hear your recording of the poem by Larysa Hienijuš in Belarusian and to read about the Pahonia/Пагоня coat of arms on the BNR Rada site.

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Thank you, Paul! Larysa Hienijuš was the General Secretary of the BNR government in exile, so it felt right to share the information about the Pahonia from their website.

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Veronique Christophe's avatar

Thank you, Darya, for sharing Larysa Hienijuš' talent with us. Stories like hers remind us of the importance of sharing - without these efforts so much of the treasures of Belarus would simply be overlooked or forgotten.

I like the poem, but also the image you have created of the memories of the past, and the light in the window.

Thank you for everything you do in support of the countries and the people trying so hard to walk their own path, away from the pains inflicted on them by the Soviet/Russian empire.

Keep going, dear Darya, your writing is so valuable! 🫂

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Dear Veronique, thank you so much for your kind words and support! ❤️

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Mark Lagus's avatar

Thank you Darya for this poignant reminder of the struggles of people intent on having dominion over their past, present and future, over their collective memory and identity. Thank you for reminding us a Belarusia intent on not being part of muscovy's orbit even as it is harder to imagine today than even a few years ago. Thank you for sharing the sounds of a language too infrequently heard. While your words will resonate with the stateless peoples everywhere, it is another particular reminder of the misfortune of those which possess homelands too close to moscow. The RF is, has been, and will always be a terrorist state until its defeat and fracture. Pity that that looks less likely now than even a few months before.

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Thank you, Mark! I appreciate your support! A note: The correct spelling is Belarus, not Belarusia. “Belorussia,” or, as it’s pronounced in Russian, “Belarusia,” is how Russians call Belarus to show that it’s not an independent country and belongs to Russia.

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Frank's avatar

Thank you for your moving narratives. It’s good to be reminded how many have suffered so much, and to help keep their history alive.

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Darya Zorka's avatar

Thank you! I hope that reminding and learning about their stories will ensure that these people didn’t suffer in vain.

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