Belarus marks 140th anniversary of Yanka Kupala, the author who shaped modern Belarusian literature

This year Belarus marks 140 years since the birth of Yanka Kupala, the first People’s Poet of Belarus. A powerful lyricist, playwright, publicist, translator, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, he became a truly outstanding personality in the national literature, culture, and history. Ivan Lutsevich (the real name of Yanka Kupala) was born in the village of Vyazynka, Minsk Oblast on Kupala Night of 7 July 1882.

 

He redefined the Belarusian literature, and his works became a real encyclopedia of the life of ordinary people. The poetry of Yanka Kupala is filled with feelings, emotions, deep reflections and experiences. At different times, depending on the circumstances, he acted as a proponent of national revival, or a prophet, or a philosopher. Yanka Kupala contributed more than any other Belarusian author to the formation of versification techniques; he also introduced his own rhythms, intonations, and set the development path for contemporary Belarusian poetry.

 

The celebrations of the anniversary of the 140th anniversary of Yanka Kupala’s birth were running since winter. The program wove together a variety of projects running across the country. For example, on 21 February, more than 1,000 people, including children, Belarusian and foreign students took part in the Kupala Dictation campaign in Grodno.

 

This year the Kupala Days organized by the Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum were held on a bigger scale than usual. The celebrations featured all the main places that have to do with Yanka Kupala: the Yanka Kupala museum in Minsk, the Levki memorial reserve in Orsha District, the Yanka Kupala Park in Minsk. The program wrapped up in the Yanka Kupala House Museum in Vyazynka in Molodechno District where the 50th installment of the festival of poetry, songs and folk crafts was held.

 

Belarusian museums have put together interesting exhibitions dedicated to the life and work of the Belarusian poet which you can still visit: 

 

- the exhibition "Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas. Wits from the classics" in the Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum, from 16 May to 30 July;

- My Homeland art exhibition dedicated to the famous homeland of Yanka Kupala at the Yanka Kupala House Museum in Vyazynka, Molodechno District, from 7 June to October 2022; 

- the exhibition about the life and work of Yanka Kupala during the war years "Happy victories, my freedom-loving people!" in the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History, from 24 June to 25 July; 

- the literature and art exhibition "Voices of the Belarusian Land" to mark the 140th anniversary of the birth of Belarusian authors Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas in the National Library of Belarus, from 23 June to 25 December 2022 (Vitebsk Center for Contemporary Arts, from 14 July to 14 August); 

- the international plein air dedicated to Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas (from 29 June to 15 July), and the exhibition of plein air paintings at the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk festival. 

 

Tributes to the first people’s poet of Belarus were made abroad and by foreign admirers of his works. A renovated commemorative plaque was unveiled in the Yanka Kupala museum in the village of Pechishchi in Tatarstan, Russia. The village of Kopys, Orsha District, was gifted a bust of the poet made by Chinese sculptor Wu Weishan by the Chinese Embassy in Belarus.