PEACE TO THE PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL

As usual immediately after my arrival in Bratislava I went to the National Cultural Center to visit my friends, but the second reason for my visit was to find What's happening on the folklore scene for the duration of my stay in Slovakia. Here I learned about Kycera's 65 and Partizan's 40 anniversaries and also about a series of concerts in three Eastern Slovakia's locations by Bratislava's folklore group Lipa and Javorcek a Folk Ensemble of young individuals with Down Syndrome. As soon as I learned about the concerts I had a feeling I must go and see it. So I set out Friday early morning to drive to Vranov nad Toplou. It was snowing, windy, and cold, but I made it safely, well before the program started.

The Javorcek folk ensemble, affiliated with the Institute of Social Care for Young People and Adults in Bratislava was formed in 1992. At the present time it acts under the auspices of the Christian League for Help of the Mentally Handicapped in Slovakia. Its establishment represented a unique answer to two questions: Is it possible for us, people with mental handicap, to be equal partners to the others whom the fate favored more? Are the others able to accept us the way we are? "Yes" in reply to the first question has come from the Javorcek itself through its enthusiasm and endeavor. The young people of the Lipa folk ensemble has given "Yes" to the later question.
Justification for the course embarked upon comes from nearly 50 performances out of which the join ones have been the greatest success. Performances at the National Theatre and the Istropolis Cultural Center have also been broadcasted by the Slovak Television.

Dear Friends:

Welcome everybody, we are happy to be with you today. We would like to thank you for your sympathy, your smile, friendly hand shake, and sincere applause, for having recognized our right "to be different." To be "different" does not mean to be "inferior." For even if we are "different," we are part of you. Our life, universe, supreme value-Love.

Like in the words of a poet:

This one whose heart is so clear and pure
Doesn't need much for being pleased,
Simply ascends from morning de
To the heaven on lamed wings.
Oh. Children divine, stars surrounding...
With lilies at their heels.
And God knows it, never forgetting.
Neither can we forget.

By: Milan Rufus.

What an experience, to see less fortunate young people sharing their love for folklore with the other groups and the audience. In Vranov nad Toplou we seen performing with Lipa and Javorcek also Vranovcan, folklore group from school in Sedliská, Vysny Zipov and Caklov. They were all great, but somehow I had a warm feeling from the men’s voices from Caklov, just great. After the performance we went to student dormitory in Juskova Vola near by and stayed up till wee hours of the morning.
Saturday morning we went to warm up with the kids to the local krcma, a pub in Juskova Vola, even though it wasn’t open yet, the owner did opened it for us and bought all the children tea and soft drinks and no one even suggested for her to do that. That felled really great. The kids were all singing Christmas carols that they have learned.
In the afternoon the program continued in Bardejov with Folklore group Cerchovcan and Vienok from Bardejov, Tarka and Mala Tarka from Tarnov. Here the local groups also treated us to a very beautiful program.

After the program we rushed to Presov where there was another performance with Sarisan, Sarisancek and Puls, all from Presov. Of course the Sarisan was great as usual as was the Sarisancek.

Idea of these programs was born 15 years ago, to visit with this program every village and town in Slovakia to show the integration of mentally challenged people into community through folklore. This started four years ago with performances in Bratislava, in first year Nitra, Levice and Komarno second year. Velky Krtis, Dobra Niva, Lucenec, Roznava third year. And this year with performances in Vranov nad Toplou, Bardejov and Presov. Year 2, 3, 4 performing are Lipa and Javorcek, first year it was with Bezanka, another Bratislava’s folklore group.

The man in charge is:

JAN SKOT
Planckova 3
85101 Bratislava
Slovakia

Director of Social Services for children and Adults
Javorinska 7
Bratislava
Slovakia

GO BACK TO FOLKLORE FESTIVALS

Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 7, No. 1, Spring 1999
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1999 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.