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    New Lemko Cultural Celebration Debuts in Poland with C-RS Support
    (New Rusyn Times, January/February 2006)

      Lisiec, a village in the Lower Silesia region of Poland, was a place of resettlement in 1947 by Lemko Rusyns displaced in the Vistula Operation (Akcja Wisła). Those who came to Lisiec were deported from their homes in the Carpathian Mountains, from the village of Bortne in the old county of Gorlyci. The regional town of Lubin is about 10 miles to the northeast.

    Lisiec had been the site of Lemko cultural activities in the past, particularly in the 1960s under famed Lemko composer-director Jaroslav Trochanovskij (who later went on to establish and direct the “Lemkovyna” ensemble). But on October 1, 2005, a grand presentation of Lemko culture, “A Moment of Rusyn-Lemko Culture”, put Lisiec back on the map of Rusyn centers.

    It was the first such event organized by the Lisiec branch of Stovaryšŷnja Lemkiv (Lemko Association) established in 2003 mainly by young people from 18 to 27 years of age. What made this event particularly notable was that the head of this branch, and organizer of the celebration, was college student Van’o Feš.  Feš is a member of Stovaryšŷnja Lemkiv and the noted Lemko folk ensemble “Kŷčera” based in Legnica.

    The Lemko ensembles “Kŷčera”, “Okmel” (based in Przemków), and the youth ensemble “Lastivočka” (also from Przemków) performed traditional Lemko Rusyn dances and songs. Lemko children from Lisiec took to the stage, reciting Lemko poems by Ivan Rusenko and Nestor Repela.

    The stage decorations included the Carpatho-Rusyn symbol and the regional Lemko symbol. A “zabava” (dance party) with the modern sounds of “lem-folk-band” followed the stage performances.

    Around the whole program a great feeling of excitement was evident; some in the audience even cried.  Around 250 people, mainly Lemkos from throughout Lower Silesia, especially Legnica and Lubin, were in attendance.

    A children’s choir, “Komanyčka”, was organized specially for the event, and will continue to perform at future public events of the Lisiec branch.  The next one, “An Evening of Lemko carols”, was scheduled for early 2006.

    Posters and the program booklet listed sponsors, among which was the Carpatho-Rusyn Society. Feš likewise sends his sincere thanks to all the members of C-RS on behalf of the Lisiec branch of Stovaryšŷnja Lemkiv. The Lisiec branch hopes to organize an even bigger and better “Moment of Rusyn-Lemko Culture” event in 2006.

     

    Photo captions:

      Local Lemko ensembles wow the crowd at Lisiec. (Photo: Petro Rusynko)

    Jurko Starynskij, director of “Kŷčera”. (Photo: Petro Rusynko)

    Several hundred Lemkos from near and far came to Lisiec to celebrate Lemko Rusyn culture. (Photo: Petro Rusynko)