How the Summer School Felt the Magic of Folk Crafts

Today, the participants of the Summer School of Belarusian Language and Culture exchanged the cozy walls of the main building library for the picturesque landscapes of the Navahrudak region and the historic corners of the Karelichy region. While throughout the week teachers and staff had been bringing Belarus closer to the students in the classrooms, today they set out on a real journey!

The first stop was the Crafts Department of the Navahrudak District Centre of Culture and Folk Creativity. The guests were given a tour of the museum exhibition, which features unique examples of embroidery, fabric, clay and metal products carefully preserved in local villages. The students also saw contemporary works by young students of the centre, who continue to create in accordance with artistic traditions. A craftswoman demonstrated the work of a loom and noted the specifics of weaving characteristic of the Navahrudak region.

Next, the participants enjoyed a fascinating master class on Navahrudak vytsinanka-vybivanka (paper cutting and embossing). This is a distinctive technique where a pattern is embossed on paper using special tools or metal tubes, with a diamond-shaped grid serving as the basis of the composition. In the past, such openwork paper decorations adorned houses – they created towels for icons and curtains with flowers, stars and birds. The main keeper of this intangible heritage today is Natalia Klimko, a folk master of Belarus.

After a sightseeing tour of the iconic places of Navahrudak, the travellers headed to the agricultural town of Raitse in the Karelichy District, where they visited the historic manor of the Rajetski-Putkamer family. The manor house in the classicist style and the remains of the old park preserve the memory of Marylya Putkamer – the beloved of Adam Mickiewicz. Here, another creative master class awaited the students – on straw weaving, led by craftswoman Vera Saldatava.

At the end of the day, the guests visited the local shrine – the Church of St. Barbara, which was originally built as a Catholic church and later reconsecrated as an Orthodox church. Its rich history was told to the students by Priest Alexei Shyshkir.

The day turned out to be exceptionally rich and emotional. We hope we managed to convey at least a part of that unforgettable atmosphere and valuable knowledge that filled the hearts of the Summer School participants today!