As reported several months ago, the proposed Tichy Potok Reservoir Project would essentially eliminate several of the oldest and most beautiful Rusyn villages in Slovakia. Walt Orange, who has roots in Torysky, and Dave Felix, who has roots in OI'savica (the other endangered villages being Nyzni Repasy and the Slovak- inhabited Vysne Repase, decided to help fight the reservoir after they learned of it in The New Rusyn Times.
They began by mounting a campaign of protest letters to the Slovak Embassy in Washington, DC At our Rusyn Day Picnic in September, they collected 80 letters, which they mailed immediately, and have continued to collect letters and forward them ever since. The volume of letters was impressive enough to get Walt a personal meeting with the Slovak Ambassador himself. He then learned that the most recent proposal would spare the villages from inundation, but would forbid the villagers from keeping their livestock, would restrict their farming, and would result in the demolition of 414 of the oldest buildings and houses. Deprived of their means of economic support, the people could no longer remain in their villages and survive, very quickly turning them into ghosttowns.
In Slovakia, the reservoir project is opposed by the ndangered villages'
residents as well as environmental groups there and elsewhere in Europe.
An alternative site for the reservoir has been proposed which would be
cheaper to build, would not present the ecological dangers of the current
proposal, and would spare these villages (nor endanger any others).
Walt has been in touch with the environmental group, "L'udia a voda" [People and Water] in Kosice, Slovakia. They are delighted to have our support. They have requested that in the future, letters of protest be sent to them via Walt so that they can present them to the appropriate officials and can publish our letters in their newspapers.
If any C-RS members, especially those with roots in these villages would like to help, you may contact Walt at (412) 795-7634.
Carpatho-Rusyn culture made a big splash (really!) at the 20th Annual
Luzeme County Folk Festival held October 12-15, 1995 at the 109th F.A.
Armory in Kingston, PA, Along with a diverse group of Greek, Polish, Jewish,
Ukrainian, Slovak, Croatian, Arab, Lithuanians, Welsh, and German participants,
C-RS had a dynamic display coordinated by member Rich Custer (Hershey,
PA) and assisted by C-RSers Margaret Curran (Harrisburg, PA), Jeff and
John Hoodak (Dushore, PA), festival vet John Kish (Ashley, PA), and John
Tokarick (Lancaster, PA).
We saw lots of C-RS members and made some new friends (Donna. Betty,
George, Kathryn, Joe, Monsignor John!) and overall had a really great time.
Thanks to everyone who participated !
The large stage featured Polynesian, Indian, Ukrainian, Middle Eastern, Czechoslovak/Moravian, and Polish (from Pittsburgh!) dancers and Polish choirs (including one directed by C-RS member Donna Kuliczkowski). We hope that a Rusyn performing ensemble will be able to wow the crowd at the 21st Festival this year.
Shoppers at Johnstown's Richland Mall on December 18, 1995 were able to experience the sights, sounds, and aromas of a traditional Rusyn Christmas. Johnstown-area members of C-RS organized the exhibit as part of a "Christmas Around the World" program which also featured Irish, German, African-American, Polish.and Croatian exhibits, but the Rusyn display was by far the largest.
The exhibit focused on the customs of Rusyns from Spis County in Slovakia, since the majority of Johnstown's Rusyn immigrants came from Spis villages, especially Kamjunka and OI'savica. Authentic Rusyn costumes and embroidered cloths (rucnyky from the Spis villages of Kamjunka, Fol'vark, OI'savica, and Jakubjany added a special touch. Visitors saw Bethlehem Carolers (jaslyckary) photos (Johnstown, 1930s, and McKeesport, 1990s) and accessories: tall hats, wooden staves (palycky) with bells, and axes (sokiry) carried by the shepherds and a replica sheepskin coat (hunja). A life-size mannequin was dressed as the "staryj guba" for the day. A full table layout showed the elaborate Christmas Eve Holy Supper with real food (kracun Christmas bread, bobal'ky dough balls, macanka mushroom soup, nut & poppyseed kolaci, and more) prepared by C-RS members and friends.
Rounding out the exhibit were a marketplace and information center with Rusyn shirts, tapes. Christmas decorations, books, and free literature.
C-RS members David Felix, Jerry Jumba, Stan Kopitnik, Keith Koshute, and George Lemak coordinated and staffed the exhibit. The Holy Supper foods were prepared by Martin Buchkovich, Keith Koshute, Pani Constance Miloro, Anna Mindala, and Maryann Sivak. Display items were loaned from the collections of Kathy Dubnansky, David Felix, Jerry Jumba, Stan Kopitnik, Keith Koshute, John Righetti, and Maryann Sivak.
information translated from Svoboda. Sep. 27, 1995
The 5th annual gathering of the Committee for Relations and information on Transcarpathians Abroad (KoZI) drew 20 members to Kane, PA September 15-17, where they were hosted by member Rev. Dr. Julius Kubinyi of Erie, PA, a priest of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh.
From the group's resolutions passed at this meeting, concerning Transcarpathia and the Diaspora: "We protest the effort of some individuals to 'codify' a new 'Rusyn' language for Presov Ukrainian-Rusyns; we declare our discontent to the Apostolic See [the Vatican] for its interference in the affairs of Ukraine -- by way of moral support of political Rusyns and church separatists in Ukraine (most recently the Papal letter on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Union of Uzhorod). We call on the Ukrainian democratic powers in Ukraine to unite and to lead a coordinated fight against centrifugal internal and external agents in Transcarpathia.'
At the convention, held in October at Lemko Resort, Monroe, NY, President
of Lemko Association and Karpatska Rus' temporary editor Alex Herenchak
reported that new subscribers to the newspaper from 2nd and 3rd generation
Lemko-Americans who are interested in their heritage more than made up
for those older subscribers who passed away during the past two years.
Mary Barker (also a C-RS member), Vice-President, urged delegates to think about the Talerhof Memorial Chapel and the museum at Lemko Resort, and to prepare an inventory in the event a move is needed. She said that it is imperative to preserve items of culture that reflect our forefathers' homeland. She also said that Lemko Association must find a way to attract the younger generation to the organization.
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Last modified on September 27 1997
URL:http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/crs/america4.htm
Greg Gressa [ggressa@carpatho-rusyn.org]
The Carpatho-Rusyn Knowledge Base