A person's culture and heritage are a core part of their identity. Suppressing that culture is a form of cultural genocide. Larysa Hienijuš was an extraordinary person and a gifted poet. It's wonderful that you have discovered, and are inspired by, her in your quest to shake off Russian cultural oppression and reclaim your Belarusian identity.
I agree with you, Peter! I hope more people will learn about Larysa Hienijuš and her poetry, and see that Belarusian culture has always existed and never belonged to Russia.
Thank you Darya for sharing Larysa Hienijuš's story, her powerful words, and for giving voice to them in a language too little heard even in the place where it should flourish but where it instead lies silent with roots dormant in native soil. May Ukraine's victory bring the rain and sun that coax those roots into life and then into bloom.
How does one really respond to her story? And it holds echoes of countless others. Again and again, the destruction muscovy leaves in its wake. Lives ruined. Land ruined.
Thank you for sharing this with us, and another beautifully read poem.
A beautiful poem to read and hear. Thank you for the translation and recording! How closely related are the Belorussian and Ukrainian languages? I thought I could hear some similarities.
Thank you, Sky! Ukrainian and Belarusian are pretty similar, and people understand each other without studying the languages. The two languages are very close and share lots of vocabulary, but there are many differences in pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. For example, I understand Ukrainian because I speak Belarusian, but it’s hard for me to speak or write in Ukrainian.
During the Soviet times, Russians changed the spelling of Belarusian into Belo-russian to erase Belarusian culture and make it look like Belarus belonged to Russia. The right spelling is Belarusian and it is pronounced as be-la-roo-sian.
Thank you so much for the correction and the context! In my haste, I let my phone autocorrect my spelling, not realizing the historical and cultural implications of a russified version of Belarusian. How extensive is russian propaganda if it can dictate the default spellings of nations, halfway around the globe?
Just shared this essay on Facebook to the Ukrainian Cultural Association of Ohio with over a thousand followers. Hoping to help spread your fantastic work
Wow, I don’t think that I’ve ever heard Belarusian poetry read out loud before! It is really something great to hear it in this way, especially in the words of such an important and talented writer as Larysa Hienijuš. Thank you for sharing her work and for telling us about her life. And for the translation, of course. The links to the historical facts are also very helpful. Really, really cool stuff, Darya!
What an incredible story! And once again, Belarusian is such a beautiful language. Thank you for letting us hear it. I love it when you read poems in Belarusian.
Thank you so much for sharing her story with us - what a phenomenal woman, such strength and courage. May her words continue to echo down the years, inspiring and uplifting not only Belarusians but all of us.
A person's culture and heritage are a core part of their identity. Suppressing that culture is a form of cultural genocide. Larysa Hienijuš was an extraordinary person and a gifted poet. It's wonderful that you have discovered, and are inspired by, her in your quest to shake off Russian cultural oppression and reclaim your Belarusian identity.
I agree with you, Peter! I hope more people will learn about Larysa Hienijuš and her poetry, and see that Belarusian culture has always existed and never belonged to Russia.
Thank you Darya for sharing Larysa Hienijuš's story, her powerful words, and for giving voice to them in a language too little heard even in the place where it should flourish but where it instead lies silent with roots dormant in native soil. May Ukraine's victory bring the rain and sun that coax those roots into life and then into bloom.
Thank you, Mark! Your words sound like poetry! I hope, too, that they will come true 🙏
Fascinating read, thanks for sharing your - and their work. ‘The tombstones are crying behind us’…
Thank you! Very powerful and somber metaphor indeed.
How does one really respond to her story? And it holds echoes of countless others. Again and again, the destruction muscovy leaves in its wake. Lives ruined. Land ruined.
Thank you for sharing this with us, and another beautifully read poem.
❤️🩹❤️
A beautiful poem to read and hear. Thank you for the translation and recording! How closely related are the Belorussian and Ukrainian languages? I thought I could hear some similarities.
Thank you, Sky! Ukrainian and Belarusian are pretty similar, and people understand each other without studying the languages. The two languages are very close and share lots of vocabulary, but there are many differences in pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. For example, I understand Ukrainian because I speak Belarusian, but it’s hard for me to speak or write in Ukrainian.
During the Soviet times, Russians changed the spelling of Belarusian into Belo-russian to erase Belarusian culture and make it look like Belarus belonged to Russia. The right spelling is Belarusian and it is pronounced as be-la-roo-sian.
Thank you so much for the correction and the context! In my haste, I let my phone autocorrect my spelling, not realizing the historical and cultural implications of a russified version of Belarusian. How extensive is russian propaganda if it can dictate the default spellings of nations, halfway around the globe?
Right? It’s crazy how it became so deeply rooted and how hard it is to get rid of it.
❤️🔥 thank you for sharing this
Thank you, Maksym!
Just shared this essay on Facebook to the Ukrainian Cultural Association of Ohio with over a thousand followers. Hoping to help spread your fantastic work
Thank you, Jeffrey!
Powerful poem, thank you for sharing
Thank you!
Wow, I don’t think that I’ve ever heard Belarusian poetry read out loud before! It is really something great to hear it in this way, especially in the words of such an important and talented writer as Larysa Hienijuš. Thank you for sharing her work and for telling us about her life. And for the translation, of course. The links to the historical facts are also very helpful. Really, really cool stuff, Darya!
Thank you, Paul! It means a lot to receive feedback like that! I hope to shed more light on Belarusian culture and history in this newsletter.
Looking forward to it! Thanks, Darya.
What an incredible story! And once again, Belarusian is such a beautiful language. Thank you for letting us hear it. I love it when you read poems in Belarusian.
Thank you, Rachel! ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing her story with us - what a phenomenal woman, such strength and courage. May her words continue to echo down the years, inspiring and uplifting not only Belarusians but all of us.
Thank you, Tanya! Couldn’t have said better ❤️