An interesting article. I don't know if you like this kind of music, but many metal bands from Belarus are fighting for the Belarusian language and use it exclusively in their song lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x1tgLEubo4
Thank you! And thank you for sharing the song. I’ve heard that many metal bands from Belarus sing only in Belarusian, as you are not the first person who tells me that. It means that it works, and it promotes Belarusian culture among people in the West, and it’s great!
That band Znich even took a part in the Eurovision auditions in Belarus in 2016. Unfortunately many those metal musicians have been forced in the exile to Poland and to other countries because they been part of the pro-democracy movement.
This is not a metal song, but really good. The couple playing those pipes in the video spent two years in prison, because they took a part in the protests in 2020. They released this song after they were released from the prison.
This is a very interesting post, Darya. It makes me realize how little I know about Eastern Europe. My interest has mainly been in Ukraine, but I'd love to learn more about Belarus too.
Thank you, Tracy! Eastern Europe is so stigmatized, and the world’s media still refers to it as “Moscow’s backyard” in their biased coverage. I plan to share more about Belarus in this newsletter, and I hope it will help to break those damaging stereotypes that surrounds my native region.
So many parallels between your history and that of Ukraine. And, I'm sure, many of the other countries muscovy has occupied. Interesting point about the language being in the Latin alphabet. That is definitely news.
So, question. Are there still writings available from prior to 1933 in actual Belarusian? And can you access them now? And read them? I think what I'm asking is, how well has Belarusian been preserved, despite muscovy's attempts to eliminate it?
Sadly, the stories of colonized countries and nations all sound similar.
The books in Belarusian language written in the Latin alphabet were preserved. Not all of them, but still. Some Belarusians who live abroad use the Latin alphabet, either because they come from families who immigrated a long time ago before Russian Cyrillic was imposed or because they consciously made a switch.
Personally, it’s hard for me to read in Belarusian written in the Latin alphabet. I can understand it, but it’s way too difficult than Belarusian written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which I studied at school.
I can understand that, if Belarusian is anything like Ukrainian where the sound matches the letter. I struggle to read transliterated Ukrainian. I much prefer to read it in Cyrillic.
It is good that the original language has been preserved. One day, when Belarus is free, I hope people will be able to relearn it - and will want to.
I've been spelling Belarusian correctly all along but I wasn't saying it correctly. That's fixed now. I also had no idea the language was originally written with Latin script. I hope and pray one day that's reclaimed too. And I'm looking forward to the recipe and trying it out.
Thank you, Rachel! Up to the 16th century, Belarusian was written in the Church Slavonic Cyrillic alphabet. Then, under the Polish influence, it started to use the Latin alphabet. Many works of famous Belarusian writers, poets, playwrights, etc. were published in the Latin alphabet. Then, Russians came and forced Belarusians to use Russian Cyrillic. Belarusians who lived in the western part of Belarus continued to use the Latin alphabet, but, as I mentioned in the essay, Russians did everything to not only prevent people from using it but to eliminate Belarusian language itself.
Hi Darya. Wow, I did not realize that Belarusian was written using the Latin alphabet. It is so sad and crazy to think that the repression of Belarusian language and culture continues to this day. But the history of Belarus is fascinating and your personal insight is illuminating. This letter feels very well done. Seriously, keep writing. And thank you for sharing the photos by Zofia Chomętowska. They are really cool.
Thank you for your support and encouragement, Paul! It means a lot to hear feedback like that. I’m happy you liked the photos because I was absolutely mesmerized when I first discovered them. Zofia grew up in a wealthy family that lived in the Polesie region and she spent lots of time capturing the nature and the life of ordinary people. While searching for photos of Belarus, I discovered not only her works but also the works of other local photographers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I will share more of them in future essays.
Thank you Darya for another reminder of how russia has been, remains, and will always be an imperialist colonial state until it is defeated. That this is known by those who have the power to end it remains absurd. I look forward to the poem. Perhaps, if it is possible, include an audio recordin gof it in Belarusian so that we can hear that language.
Thank you, Mark! I agree, it’s beyond infuriating that the things I “rediscover” right now have been well-known by those in power, but they refused to do anything about it and closed their eyes on Russian crimes and Russian colonialism for the sake of “economic relationships” (=money). What is even worse is that they continue to do it right now by not giving Ukraine enough weapons to win and making everything so Ukraine enters “peace negotiations” with Russia.
It’s a great idea to include the recording of the poem in Belarusian! I’ll try to do it.
Tim Snyder writes in his book “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin” the heart-rending story of this region, Belarus to Ukraine and beyond. Stalin ordered the murder of millions both by starvation and bullet and attempted the extinguishing of many national cultures. Only the beginning of Hitler’s War slowed (but did not stop) Stalin’s murderous campaign. Read Steve Anderson’s novels, including “Lost Kin,” to learn what you never have heard before about what happened in those years after 1945 in Germany and eastward. Shocking doesn’t begin to describe that period and the brutality practiced on war survivors by all sides (including by American soldiers.)
Yes, my native region suffered immensely in the past from wars and oppression. It’s devastating to see the war happening to Ukraine right now and the same crimes repeating all over again.
Belarusian was also written using the Arabic script at one point! I was so surprised when I learned that but it's such a beautiful thing to know.
Yes! I found out only recently about it. It’s very interesting and unique.
An interesting article. I don't know if you like this kind of music, but many metal bands from Belarus are fighting for the Belarusian language and use it exclusively in their song lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x1tgLEubo4
Thank you! And thank you for sharing the song. I’ve heard that many metal bands from Belarus sing only in Belarusian, as you are not the first person who tells me that. It means that it works, and it promotes Belarusian culture among people in the West, and it’s great!
Here are a few songs more if you are interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt9vK0RgXiQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlKtBvGfojI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LedwaT9ed4
That band Znich even took a part in the Eurovision auditions in Belarus in 2016. Unfortunately many those metal musicians have been forced in the exile to Poland and to other countries because they been part of the pro-democracy movement.
This is not a metal song, but really good. The couple playing those pipes in the video spent two years in prison, because they took a part in the protests in 2020. They released this song after they were released from the prison.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DjYddmyjNM
Thank you so much for sharing! 🙏
This is a very interesting post, Darya. It makes me realize how little I know about Eastern Europe. My interest has mainly been in Ukraine, but I'd love to learn more about Belarus too.
Thank you, Tracy! Eastern Europe is so stigmatized, and the world’s media still refers to it as “Moscow’s backyard” in their biased coverage. I plan to share more about Belarus in this newsletter, and I hope it will help to break those damaging stereotypes that surrounds my native region.
So many parallels between your history and that of Ukraine. And, I'm sure, many of the other countries muscovy has occupied. Interesting point about the language being in the Latin alphabet. That is definitely news.
So, question. Are there still writings available from prior to 1933 in actual Belarusian? And can you access them now? And read them? I think what I'm asking is, how well has Belarusian been preserved, despite muscovy's attempts to eliminate it?
And. I've always said the name correctly.
Sadly, the stories of colonized countries and nations all sound similar.
The books in Belarusian language written in the Latin alphabet were preserved. Not all of them, but still. Some Belarusians who live abroad use the Latin alphabet, either because they come from families who immigrated a long time ago before Russian Cyrillic was imposed or because they consciously made a switch.
Personally, it’s hard for me to read in Belarusian written in the Latin alphabet. I can understand it, but it’s way too difficult than Belarusian written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which I studied at school.
I can understand that, if Belarusian is anything like Ukrainian where the sound matches the letter. I struggle to read transliterated Ukrainian. I much prefer to read it in Cyrillic.
It is good that the original language has been preserved. One day, when Belarus is free, I hope people will be able to relearn it - and will want to.
I've been spelling Belarusian correctly all along but I wasn't saying it correctly. That's fixed now. I also had no idea the language was originally written with Latin script. I hope and pray one day that's reclaimed too. And I'm looking forward to the recipe and trying it out.
Thank you, Rachel! Up to the 16th century, Belarusian was written in the Church Slavonic Cyrillic alphabet. Then, under the Polish influence, it started to use the Latin alphabet. Many works of famous Belarusian writers, poets, playwrights, etc. were published in the Latin alphabet. Then, Russians came and forced Belarusians to use Russian Cyrillic. Belarusians who lived in the western part of Belarus continued to use the Latin alphabet, but, as I mentioned in the essay, Russians did everything to not only prevent people from using it but to eliminate Belarusian language itself.
Hi Darya. Wow, I did not realize that Belarusian was written using the Latin alphabet. It is so sad and crazy to think that the repression of Belarusian language and culture continues to this day. But the history of Belarus is fascinating and your personal insight is illuminating. This letter feels very well done. Seriously, keep writing. And thank you for sharing the photos by Zofia Chomętowska. They are really cool.
Thank you for your support and encouragement, Paul! It means a lot to hear feedback like that. I’m happy you liked the photos because I was absolutely mesmerized when I first discovered them. Zofia grew up in a wealthy family that lived in the Polesie region and she spent lots of time capturing the nature and the life of ordinary people. While searching for photos of Belarus, I discovered not only her works but also the works of other local photographers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I will share more of them in future essays.
Thank you Darya for another reminder of how russia has been, remains, and will always be an imperialist colonial state until it is defeated. That this is known by those who have the power to end it remains absurd. I look forward to the poem. Perhaps, if it is possible, include an audio recordin gof it in Belarusian so that we can hear that language.
Thank you, Mark! I agree, it’s beyond infuriating that the things I “rediscover” right now have been well-known by those in power, but they refused to do anything about it and closed their eyes on Russian crimes and Russian colonialism for the sake of “economic relationships” (=money). What is even worse is that they continue to do it right now by not giving Ukraine enough weapons to win and making everything so Ukraine enters “peace negotiations” with Russia.
It’s a great idea to include the recording of the poem in Belarusian! I’ll try to do it.
Your very personal testimony enlightens our russian colonialism understanding and how they enboxed and erased your true culture.
Thank you
Thank you, Phil!
Tim Snyder writes in his book “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin” the heart-rending story of this region, Belarus to Ukraine and beyond. Stalin ordered the murder of millions both by starvation and bullet and attempted the extinguishing of many national cultures. Only the beginning of Hitler’s War slowed (but did not stop) Stalin’s murderous campaign. Read Steve Anderson’s novels, including “Lost Kin,” to learn what you never have heard before about what happened in those years after 1945 in Germany and eastward. Shocking doesn’t begin to describe that period and the brutality practiced on war survivors by all sides (including by American soldiers.)
Yes, my native region suffered immensely in the past from wars and oppression. It’s devastating to see the war happening to Ukraine right now and the same crimes repeating all over again.