Do you remember last spring, friends? That time of anxiety growing day by day, terrible news, closed borders, the world that virtually stopped? If you do, you will certainly understand me. After a few hard weeks, I needed a mental reload, a chance to mellow out, bring thoughts in order and feel that harmony and peace are still possible. I needed a very special place – and I found it.
Actually, it was not a great discovery – many people here in Belarus know about this magic place of power just 40 kilometers north-westwards from Minsk.
They come here for different reasons. Families and companies of few people enjoy meditative rest with a picnic out in the country, lonely artists and photographers wander about searching for picturesque views – and always find them, be it bright and sunny spring morning, sultry summer midday, viscous like honey, or monochrome misty afternoon of late autumn. Noisy crowds of schoolchildren and groups of curious tourists come here for an excursion: probably, every pupil in Belarus knows that Viazynka is the very place where our great national poet Yanka Kupala was born in 1882.
The well-restored small house once rented by the future poet’s parents is still there serving as a museum nowadays. And still, the wooden building looks rather as an organic part of the landscape. Nature plays the main part here. It glorifies life with azure of heaven reflected in the river and impressionistic dots of forget-me-nots. It generously paints lush shining grass with free strokes of wide hard brushes. It sculpts sophisticated figures out of trees bending over the mirror of river. It reminds us of remote ages inviting us to touch trunks of centuries-old oak trees or huge hoary boulders.
The surrounding sounds in splashing water, trembling trills of birds and whisper of wind. And, observing and hearing it, you catch yourself thinking that once, more than a century ago, a cry of a newborn baby, like a thin golden thread, twined into this powerful choir of nature. And that pristine sound of life grew into one of the most powerful voices in the history of my country.
I'm bound to earth and sky by a thread wondrous strong,
Eternal gossamer that none can break or sever,
The earth caresses me, like her true son ever,
The bright sun holds my soul in its caresses long.
Even in my cradle I learned to know from song
Of all things close to me, of my home's narrow tether:
That I am but a millionth part from my field severed,
That the stars strike the sparks that bright in my heart throng.
These are the lines by Yanka Kupala who was just one year old when his family left Viazynka and never came back. But still, numerous people agree with the same idea: it is the very place where an outstanding poet should be born. They believe in the magic of this captivating place that gave him a sparkle of rare and precious talent: to feel united with everything in the world – the earth and the heaven, millions of people and separate persons.
Not by chance, Yanka Kupala, born on the very time of summer solstice, took his pseudonym from the ancient pre-Christian festivity marking this moment of the year. This is the time when people celebrate together feeling a part of eternal cosmic turnover, taking a charge of energy from the land and the sky, believing that the impossible can happen if one believes in it. They sing and feel the magic power of their songs.
It seems that the voice that once sounded in Viazynka will be certainly heard. And not by chance, year by year, people come here to mark special moments of the year that have been celebrated in Belarus from time immemorial: the day of winter and summer solstices, calling for spring, autumn harvest festivals… They leave behind their dynamic urban routine and come here, tune their voices to the mode of eternal natural harmonies and start singing – glorifying life-giving power of land, thanking the revered ancestors and asking them for blessing, asking the sun and cosmic forces for support to everything good and fair. They hope to be heard just like Yanka Kupala did writing this sonnet:
I take my flute, so long in slumber lying,
And try once more to make its voices heard;
Will they suffice, those shining thoughts and words,
Will its benevolent song soar, smoothly flying?
And I begin to play, with some fear lying
On me, though the song as of old is stirred
Chimes like breeze through the heather, and like bird
Its trills with the sweet nightingale are vying.
And still I wonder, how my song will seem, though,
To kinsmen-neighbours? Will they bless it, say?
Or in the bog to drown cast it away?
Yet, as my path I wander, sadly dreaming,
I shall play loud 'midst nightmare's secret looming,
For native land, my mother, I shall play.
And now I know: in the moments of anxiety, desperation and doubts, you can come to Viazynka. Talk to yourself or speak aloud – and you’ll feel you’re not alone anymore.
Sincerely yours,
Volha Blazhevich
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,
dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI
Hallo Radio Belarus,
ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.
Dietmar
Answer:
Lieber Dietmar,
das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!
I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA
Answer:
Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng
Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng
73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)
Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!
My name is Michael.
I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.
Lots of love from UK
Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture
Michael Rogers
Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham
B17 8LG
United Kingdom
Answer:
Michael,
thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!
Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?
Thank you,
Joe Cosimo
23 Ivy Ln, Dupont, PA 18641 U.S.A.
Answer:
Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!
Hello,
My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:
Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie
Thank you.
Answer:
Dear Younes Lazazi,
we're happy that you like our boradcasts. We'll send you some of our printed materials via mail in the nearest future. 73!
Dear English Service Radio Belarus,
Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
We are waiting for your reply.
With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
President
Metali Listeners' Club
India
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul,
thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!
Hello!
Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!
Answer:
Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar
FM transmitters and frequencies:
Rakitnitsa - 106.2 MHz
Hrodna - 95.7 MHz
Svislach - 104.4 MHz
Heraniony - 99.9 MHz
Braslau - 106.6 MHz
Miadzel - 102.0 MHz
Satellite broadcasting:
see satellite parameters here
