The literary capital is blossoming before our eyes. How Horadok is being renovated for the Day of Belarusian Written Language
Handmade Souvenir Compliments: What to Expect at the Craft Stalls
Work is in full swing in almost every corner of Horadok, but the main preparations are concentrated in the center. Here, within walking distance, are the main venues that will host the events of the Day of Belarusian Written Language, and where skilled artisans are creating souvenir compliments for guests and participants of the grand celebration with special care and love. Pottery, ceramics, weaving, basketry, and straw weaving – they have much to show and be proud of, as many traditions originated in this land in ancient times. Today, they are carefully passed on to the youth.
We peek into the Horadok House of Crafts and Folklore – every room is strewn with works. "We are making baskets, coasters, magnets, bells, mugs, pots, and plates with Belarusian symbols, ears of corn," says the head of the House of Crafts, Marina Gushcho, introducing the assortment. "Here we have sets of napkins, openwork embroidered rushnyks, panels with straw appliqué, and souvenir dolls."
She stops at a panel made of wood, fabric, ceramic, and other elements, explaining that this idea had been around for a long time. "I am a weaver, so I wanted to synthesize weaving with something. In my weaving, I use linen, straw, and rush – all natural materials. Naturally, wood and ceramics fit in here – they are also warm, and they will look very good together," she says. According to the head, all souvenirs for the Day of Belarusian Written Language were selected taking into account history: they plan to present items that were used in the town centuries ago.
Next to miniature gifts on a large table lies a wooden book with a decorative insert – an image of Francysk Skaryna. It is still being finalized to be solemnly handed over to the host of the Day of Belarusian Written Language in 2024 – Ivacevichy. As Marina Gushcho shares, the image of the Belarusian first printer was initially chased on copper and then cast.
"Belarusian Gold" and the Mediator Between Earth and Bread
Townspeople learn the craft of willow weaving in the "Lozovik" club, located in the adjacent office. Its head, Vasily Simankovich, talks with great enthusiasm and thoughtfulness about willow weaving in Horadok and the district. The master possesses the traditional spiral weaving technique, which is included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Belarus (a total of 6 local traditions have the status of intangible cultural value).
"In the Horadok district, spiral weaving has been widespread since ancient times, as it is an energy-saving technology for storing food and other products (seeds for sowing, cereals, smoked goods). They were folded inwards, covered with a lid, and the product served as a thermos: approximately constant humidity and temperature. There were no sharp fluctuations - the products were well preserved. Such items were practically in the pantry of every family, and initially, they were woven from roots, while willow was more often used for transportation. In Belarus, this has been the case for ages. And in general, straw is our Belarusian gold. There is also a philosophical subtext: straw is a mediator between the earth and bread. And Belarusians actively used it even as a roofing material, wove hats, made shoes, and beehives," says Vasily Simankovich.
The craftsman notes that spiral weaving is more labor-intensive than ordinary willow weaving. It requires more time: in addition to processing straw, the willow strip is prepared separately, and only then comes the weaving process itself. "All the club members help me," he shares. "Children, pensioners, and people with disabilities are involved in the clubs, who come together with other groups. Of course, we want this intangible cultural heritage – spiral weaving – to be represented in souvenir products. We have prepared these bowls, which will hold ceramic items (jugs, mugs), and together they will make a gift. We are also creating collections by club members on spiral weaving. And I am replenishing my collection so that more guests can get acquainted with this type."
"Promoting Our Traditions". A Belarusian Brand You Can Touch and Taste
About 150 souvenir dolls are being made at the "Folk Costume" club. Belarusian beauties will be in national attire, but without faces, as was customary in ancient times. Back then, dolls were not toys but served as amulets. "They were made without faces because it was believed that evil spirits could enter the doll through the face and harm a person. There were many different types of dolls: the 'traveler' doll was given for a journey, the 'herbalist' doll healed, helped with sleep, and drove away evil spirits from infants. Now, dolls have become souvenirs and are simply interior decorations," explains Elena Orlova, the head of the creative association.
In addition to dolls, she sews soft horses slightly larger than a palm. As in olden times, they have round buttons on their legs – analogous to rocking horses, but in miniature. Those wishing to purchase these items will be offered them in specially sewn linen bags – these will also be available for sale during the holiday. "As we are a House of Crafts, we promote our traditions so that people do not forget how our ancestors dressed. We create such souvenirs specifically in folk costumes with our symbolism and embroidery. We try to recreate the elements as they were made before," explains Elena Orlova. "We have already made about 50 large dolls, and there are also medium and small ones – there will be an impressive number of those as well."
The House of Crafts, educational institutions of Gorodok, and the Territorial Center for Social Services for the Population will release souvenir lines by the beginning of September. Everyone has joined the production: "We just returned from the 'Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk,' where all our products were sold out. And now we have to replenish our stock at a rapid pace," the craftspeople explain with a smile.
At various times and on different days, people of silver age and with disabilities are engaged in creating their collection of handmade products. For them, 27 hobby clubs and 5 workshops operate at the territorial center department. Festive stalls will be complemented by "bags of happiness," shoppers with cornflowers and the inscription "Gorodok-2023." Guests will also be offered bed linen and bread of their own production from the "Dobry Khleb" (Kind Bread) workshop opened last year. "We bake two types of bread: unleavened sourdough and 'Gorodoksky.' For now, we are learning and making them for our own needs," they say at the center. "And in the future, we plan to sell them. We want to organize a tasting for the Day of Writing."
According to the staff, people with disabilities enjoy learning new directions, and this is an important aspect of vocational rehabilitation.
By the way, the concept of each product has been carefully thought out here. The focus is on ecological materials. "We are thoroughly preparing for the Day of Writing. We are making many items from eco-materials on the theme of 'Taras on Parnassus.' Hats, bast shoes-amulets, horseshoe-shaped amulets, dolls, and keychains in the shape of books – all in Belarusian style. We are making brooches and earrings from genuine leather and turkey feathers. All this is in the project, and we hope to finish it by the holiday. We will have herbal sachets, decorative pillows, and kitchen mittens. Everything is practical and will be used in everyday life. I also plan to paint pictures with acrylics, and we will definitely present these items on the Day of Writing. Hosting such a holiday is very exciting, a huge responsibility for our city," clarifies the head of the club, Tatyana Pavlenok.
"There will be beauty." Who is behind the transformation of Gorodok
The city square near the administration has been particularly crowded in recent days. However, for now, it's not tourists but construction workers who are here in larger numbers. Nearby, tiles are being relaid, and in the center of the square, a foundation is being prepared for a small architectural form – a large sculpture of a primer will be installed here. Forged figures will be installed in some locations, says Alexey Kuzmich, head of housing and communal services at the Gorodok boiler and heating network enterprise. The fountain will become shallower and will have a fence, making it safer for visitors.
Work is progressing from early morning until late, without days off. "There is very little time, and we have a lot of tasks," clarifies Alexey Kuzmich. "There will be significant visual changes. We will then install new forged benches in the square. All of this has been purchased and is waiting for its time."
The enterprise is the main contractor for the city's improvement works. All forces are currently focused on this, as everything needs to be completed by August 15. Therefore, about 200 employees of the organization are involved in the improvement of all sites. Planned works are being carried out in parallel.
"Firstly, we are carrying out current repairs: the plan included 37 buildings for the Day of Writing, and only a little bit is left. Improvement works in the square, tiling on Sovetskaya Street, repair works at the 'Immortal' memorial complex, plus we are also engaged in landscaping," he lists. "And people are working on cleaning all the tiles and paths from any small vegetation. In total, about Br900 thousand has been allocated for maintenance and improvement this year. Asphalt concrete is also being laid on Burlyga, Marks, and Vokzalnaya streets. Asphalt granulate is being used to cover Valiev Street. The issue of Youth and Tolkacheva streets is being worked on. Roughly speaking, two to three days of work are allocated for a street."
As a city resident, Alexey Kuzmich is particularly pleased to observe its transformation. "Any changes for the better are pleasant. The town is a compact city, everyone knows each other here. It will be beautiful, all that's left is to maintain cleanliness and order in the future," he assures.
"A Collective Image of My Observation." Students on Stone Figures That Will Adorn the Town's Square
For almost a month, second and third-year students of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts have been staying in Gorodok. The future creators were honored to create sculptures for the square during their summer practice. They say the task is responsible and pleasant, as their stone works will adorn the local landscape for many years to come. "There are 7 of us, six are making figures on the courts, and one is creating a composition in the form of letters from fiber concrete elsewhere," shares Anastasia Sipach. "You have to work with stone very carefully. One wrong move, and it will crack; you can already see cracks on my stone. But it's just the kind of stone I got initially, but in general, working with stone is the easiest. If you choose between wood and metal, then stone is the most pleasant and comfortable so far."
Initially, each of the young people prepared several sketches related to Belarus and the Day of Belarusian Written Language. The commission approved the most interesting ideas. A handshake between two people as a symbol of agreement, the "Zubr" (Bison) composition, a flat stone with the words "Gorodok" and "Belarus" carved on both sides, and a collective image of a prince and a chronicler – this series of figures will delight residents and guests.
"Here is a bird in hands - a very banal theme," says the student about her sculpture. - It is a symbol of faith, of something new - a young bird in old, flabby hands. It will be a symbolic monument, in which everyone will see something of their own. It's just a collective image from my observations. In fact, I really like this practice. I'm glad I ended up here. At an early age, I was lucky to participate in such an event, and my work will stand here for decades. By the way, I plan to come here for Belarusian Written Language Day."
Third-year student Anton Gursky will present Horadok with a sculpture of a chronicler. It will be a collective image. "The figure is a symbol of my understanding of Belarusian literature and history. The sculpture is three-dimensional, round, and should be viewed from all sides. And this is a sketch," he points to a miniature installed on a stone. - To work with stone, you need willpower and patience; it's difficult, but it's worth it. I'm glad that I also managed to participate, to contribute my share, a part of my thinking, my art."
According to the future sculptor, he had not participated in such large-scale projects before, so it was all the more interesting to join this one. He says that the weather was not very favorable - during this period, Horadok turned out to be a "rather stormy city." The students experienced both downpours and scorching sun. Partly due to weather conditions, progress is slower than desired.
The figures are planned to be moved to the park on August 11, where special pedestals have been prepared for them.
Residents of a small town with a population of just over 11,500 are confident that the region will appeal to even the most meticulous tourist. They are particularly proud of the natural wealth, as forests cover more than 44% of the district's territory, and numerous lakes, 162 of them, adorn the landscapes. Some of these will be offered to guests of the Day of Belarusian Written Language, as tourist routes have been specially updated for the holiday.
"We have developed 29 tourist routes covering various types of tourism: cultural and educational, religious, gastronomic, military-historical, and nostalgic routes. They differ in modes of transport, for example, walking, water, cycling, and car routes. We offer animation programs, quests, and master classes at the House of Crafts and Folklore. We will offer six routes to tourists during the holiday itself, but this does not mean that the others will not be available," clarified Alla Grigoryeva, chief specialist of the sports and tourism sector of the Gorodok District Executive Committee.
The main route will be associated with the writer Konstantin Verenitsyn, the author of the poem "Taras on Parnassus," titled "Along Verenitsyn's Lands." It starts from Gorodok and covers many key points of the district: memorial signs near the museum, a monument to the poem's character in the town square, and then tourists head to the writer's native places, the village of Ostrovlyane. "We have updated this route, including tourist sites along the way, such as our famous natural monument, the Giant Oak," she added. "In addition, attractions can be visited at the Losvido Tourist and Health Complex. The cultural organizer of the complex can guide visitors along the famous 'Napoleon's Trail' – also a quite interesting and popular route, as it runs along Lake Losvido."
The total length of the round trip route is 35 km and, depending on the mode of transport, takes from 3 to 5 hours. Among other options for visitors is water rafting on the lakes. The 9 km route is called "Pearls of Gorodok" and runs across three lakes: Lugovoye, Orekhovoye, and Shcherbakovskoye, starting from the ski and roller ski track. "The lakes themselves are located in a picturesque place - the Vorobyovy Gory tract, which is also known not only for its sports component but also for its cultural objects," emphasizes Alla Grigoryeva. "On the route, there is the 'Pantheon of Memory' memorial complex, and on the island between the two lakes, there is the Snegurochka's residence, where our famous festivals 'Taras on Parnassus' and 'Mara Gurmana' and theatrical programs are held."
The Gorodok district will welcome guests with a pure and open heart and will show its hospitality to the fullest, assures the chairman of the district executive committee, Irina Polyakova. According to her, thanks to the Day of Belarusian Written Language, the city has gained an opportunity to become even more attractive to residents and guests. "We are preparing to hold the celebration at the most decent, highest level. And we want to show our important highlight," she clarified. "And for this, we are making every effort."