It was late November. I was driving to the very North of Belarus to visit the old cemetery near the Hory village where many of my ancestors and relatives are buried. I drove up a hill and had to stop. Several months before, there was a road there. And now, only a ploughed field stretched before my eyes.
I stepped out of the car and looked at the familiar landscape. The landscape I associated with hoary, mysterious, silent and secretive Belarus since my childhood. The land of ancestors. Then, I often spent summers there, in the Belarusian North, and it seemed to me that the edge of the earth was not farer than the forest on the opposite shores of the huge lake.
Later, I read a book by writer-romanticist Jan Barščeuski who lived right there 200 years ago. And what a surprise it was – I found my impressions in his books. The aura of this land hasn’t change, though centuries have passed.
“The one traveling to Belarus from the North… sees extended and dark dense forests that, just like rain clouds, overhang above the horizon. Sometimes, the eyes of the traveler grabs an iron cross of moss-covered chapel between fir-trees and two or three bells hanging on a couple of poles. Graveside crosses and stones are scattered across the vicinity. And this appearance of the land, gloomy and wild, spreads from the Lovac river to the banks of the Dzvina. Throughout this expanse, narrow stony roads cross the hilly country, pass along wild banks of lakes and then hide in thick forests.
Closer to Polack, the Nieščarda lake spreads miles away, concaves the sandy hills with its waves. Looking southwards, you will see wide meadows; here and there, rivers flow from far away in the bed of rushes and hide in the mirror-like surface of the lake.
The years of my childhood passed in that corner. The memories of old local people about the hoary past that passed from mouth to mouth told me about the history of this land, the character and feelings of the Belarusian people.
And now, these places where I saw so many miracles being a child – these groves, these green banks of the Nieščarda – rise in my memories like a wonderful orchard of my dreams”.
Jan Barščeuski described this land as sparsely inhabited. And it is quite the same nowadays. Villages with few residents stay silent for most of the year, except for summer when townspeople come here for vacations. And it seems that people don’t rule here. But if not people, then who or… what? Maybe, diligent bees carrying honey to the ancient beehive. Maybe, transparent lake water that gleams as cold quick silver even in hot summer. Maybe, a generous apple tree which’s branches bend under the strain of fruits every autumn though none comes to the orchard to taste them. Maybe, an old cemetery that once a year, on the Holy Trinity Day, attracts the local natives living in different cities and countries for commemoration of ancestors. And maybe…
Jan Barščeuski wrote down numerous local legends that are similar to horror stories: about evil witches and magicians who sold their souls to the devil, about an unknown young woman who appears on the eve of a great woe and cries sitting on a stone, about fiery dragons that can show where ancient treasures are hidden… Surprisingly, being a child, I heard very strange stories from the old people living here. They said they saw some “pillars of fire” and “mirrors of fire” in the sky, mentioned clever snakes in forests and mysterious marshes, told about a man killed by a huge bear whose grave is marked with a stone cross and about a castle that formerly stood on a lake shore. And I think now that it could be the echo of colorful and fearful stories told here long, long ago. Maybe, these stories rule here?..
I took a deep breath and looked once again into the distance where gentle hills stretched to the horizon. And I realized that they heard me from the “other bank” of the field. They, waiting for me at the cemetery, under huge birches. I turned on the engine and drove across the ploughed field on the edge of the earth…
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
