And he added: “We must care for history and remember it, because together with us it creates a coherent whole that must be respected. We are a multicultural municipality.”
There were performances by Kresy artists, a Lviv recital and, of course, bałakan, meaning Lviv-style storytelling.
The event was hosted by actress Aurelia Sobczak and Tadeusz Samborski, president of the “Krajobrazy” Cultural Association in Legnica. The association preserves folk traditions and promotes creative activities connected with Kresy. “Here, in the Lower Silesian lands, every fourth resident—or someone in their family—comes from the Eastern Borderlands. That is where they find their family roots,” says Maria Ugniewska, coordinator and activist of the “Krajobrazy” Cultural Association. It is therefore no surprise that the Kresy Gala in Rudna proved so popular. “If someone associates Kresy and folk artists only with folklore, they should see our gala. This is my second time here and I will come again, because nowhere else will I find such a combination of tradition and entertainment,” emphasizes Małgorzata Krupa, who was sitting in the audience.
The gala could not have taken place without performances by invited artists from across our eastern border, supported by Polish performers who are also fascinated by Kresy culture. The Belarusian Folk Ensemble Prialica from Grodno, the Rycki Kuferek Ensemble, Leonid Wołodko, Barbara Twardosz-Droździńska, the Sweet Four vocal quartet, Stanisław Górka and Tomasz Kuba Kozłowski performed. “Kresy are a source of inspiration and genuine fascination. That is probably why they have accompanied me in my artistic life for so long. These include performances featuring Marian Hemar’s repertoire and the play “Ten Drogi Lwów,” which has been staged at my theater for 20 years,” says actor and professor of theater arts Stanisław Górka.
The concert was organized by Rudna Municipality head Władysław Bigus, the Cultural Center in Rudna and the “Krajobrazy” Cultural Association.
Rudna Municipality/ii