IV. FOLKLORE FESTIVAL UNDER KRÁĽOVÁ HOĽA 

LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA 1999

I said that before and I am saying it again, that this is as far as I am concerned The Festival of Festivals in Slovakia. The program started under sunny skies Saturday afternoon by members of folklore groups singing through the village and inviting people to come to the amphitheater. Shortly after we were treated to performances of folklore groups Teplican from Liptovska Teplicka, Porac from Porac with wedding songs and traditions, Strbian from Strba and Vernar from Vernar.

On Sunday morning there was an outdoor mass in the amphitheater honoring father Stefan Nahalka who was born in Liptovska Teplicka and he was the first director of the Slovak Institute of St. Cyril and Methodius in Rome. The mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Bishop Stefan Vrablec of Trnava. Father Stefan Vrablec used to work with Father Stefan Nahalka in Rome. He thank the people of Liptovska Teplicka for Mons. Nahalka. He also talked about his life. Bishop Stefan Vrablec met Monrs. Stefan Nahalka first time in Ruzomberok in 1945 and second time they met was in 1953 when he came to Rome as a refugee. He worked in Rome for 22 years. He organized Slovaks throughout the world. He was in the forefront in organizing and creating the Slovak Sts. Cyril and Methodius institute in Rome together with Cardinal Tomko, and with Jesuit priest Pater Litva, and Pater Mazanek selesian. The Slovak Institute became the Slovak church of Rome. In 6 years they welcomed 127000 Slovaks at the institute. During the former regime over 2000000 of religious books made it to Slovakia from the Slovak institute in Rome.

By coincidence the official cameraman of TV Liptovska Teplicka was attending this commemorative service and didn't make the video recording. We were taping the whole service including the procession prior to the service and we do have the video tape of this service available for purchase. Participating in the mass were folk singers from Liptovska Teplicka, Vernar and two of the best Slovak folk singers Darina Lastiakova and Hanka Hulejova. They were both fantastic.

As usual early Sunday afternoon there was a procession of all the participants through the village. Many houses were decorated and there were actual working displays of numerous folk crafts such as: honey cookie decorating, working the flax, working the sheep's wool, embroiling, shoe making, wood carving, spoon making, horse hair brush making, tasting of zincica and sheep's cheese, and sampling of local foods. It was great. After all the participants arrival at the amphitheater the main program started and went on until almost 10:00 PM. The groups performing were: children's folk groups Turnicka from Liptovska Teplicka that celebrated 45th anniversary in spring of 1999, Sunava from Sunava, Sumiancek from Sumiac, Anna Hulejova and Darina Lastiakova, folklore groups from Vazec, Margecany, Sumiac, Poland and the final performance was by Kosice's folk ensemble Zeleziar. The atmosphere at this festival is just unbelievable, everybody is so friendly and it is gaining more popularity every year. So if you are in Slovakia at the end of July 2000, I will see you in Liptovska Teplicka.

After the festival I had few more videotaping and genealogical jobs to do in Velky Folkmar, Margecany, Kosice and Zdana and few days later I was again on the way to Munich and my flight home to Vancouver, Beautiful British Columbia.

For more information about the festival and this beautiful and many times forgotten part of Slovakia please contact the mayor of the village:

Obecný úrad Liptovská Teplička
Jozef Mezovský-Starosta
059 40 Liptovská Teplička
Slovakia

011-421-52-7798132
011-421-52-7798125 home

Email: ouliptteplicka@sinet.sk

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA SPRING 2003

Take a VIRTUAL TOUR of
Vladimir Linder's Photo Exhibit
SOUL SEARCHING IN LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA  
SLOVAK HERITAGE LIVE II

GO TO LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA 1997

GO TO PENSION DOLINKA

GO TO FOLK CRAFTS IN LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA

SEE LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA WINTER 2001

SEE LIPTOVSKÁ TEPLIČKA FALL 2002