The Belarusian Big Ben, the Marach whistle, and the 'horned' каравай: what else is the Dubrovno region famous for?
From the past with a whistle
What is interesting about the Marachov whistle, samples of which are even kept in a museum in St. Petersburg?
The tradition of making clay whistle toys from Dubroŭna has recently been added to the list of intangible historical and cultural values of Belarus. At first glance, these are simple items, but they evoke genuine interest among true connoisseurs of authenticity. After a period of oblivion, several craftspeople and researchers of folk art studied and revived them. Some examples are even kept in the State Museum of Ethnography in St. Petersburg. What makes the Marachova whistle so appealing and why has it earned such attention from our contemporaries, was explained by the head of the folk club of craftspeople "Dubrava", ceramic artist of the Dubroŭna District House of Crafts, Alena Alekseeva (pictured).
– The whistle owes its name to craftswoman Anna Marachova, who worked in this technique until the mid-1980s. The revival of the traditional Dubroŭna whistle toy began in 2014. When it was announced through the media that we were conducting research, local residents began bringing in original items. Just last spring, we received five examples. Most often, these finds are encountered near water, which is not surprising, as local potters lived and worked along the river before, – says the ceramic artist, carefully taking out the very originals from a casket.
Among the clay rarities are a horseman, a rooster, a goose, a lamb, a maiden with braids, and the same maiden with a baby in her arms. For our ancestors, these were not just toys, but a kind of talisman. For example, the maiden is the Dubroŭna guardian, and the lamb is a symbol of prosperity. The items were molded from blue and red clay, which was mined in these parts. Some toys have survived in almost pristine condition, while others have been worn by time – craftspeople had to restore broken parts.
– Marachova whistles are distinguished by their plasticity and archaic nature. Throughout the Dnieper region, you won't find toys with such a streamlined shape and without the use of decorative elements. This is what makes them interesting and unique, – explains Alena Alekseeva.
All the whistles lack meticulous detail. For example, a horse figurine differs from a rooster only in that a mane is sculpted instead of a comb. The rider's torso merges with the horse.
Their peculiarity is that parts of the toy are pulled out from a solid lump of clay, which then form a particular image. For example, a goose will have a short leg, and if it is lengthened, it will turn into a rooster. The practical advantage of this technique is that the whistle will not break off if dropped. Olga Sergeevna teaches today's schoolchildren to sculpt such figurines in the club of the district center for children and youth. She also conducts master classes for employees of cultural institutions from all over the district, who also spread the revived tradition of this region to the masses.
It is worth noting that the Marachev whistle is only part of the region's rich cultural heritage. Pottery has been highly developed in Dubrovenshchina since ancient times, and today local craftsmen continue these glorious traditions of their ancestors. The district house of crafts is also engaged in the revival of traditional folk dolls, local costumes, develops straw weaving, patchwork sewing, and other folk crafts and industries, so that the connecting thread of generations is not broken.
Talismans and linen thread: what connects them?
The land of Dubrovno has long been famous for its masters of linen crafts. Apparently, this is why the current successes of local flax growers are not accidental. After all, the roots of flax have firmly bound several centuries into one canvas.
Today, the pride of the region is the restored "Dnieper Manufactory".
"In 1899, when it was announced that a textile factory would be built in Dubrovno, a crowded celebration was held in the largest synagogue in Dubrovno – Vysokaya. After a prayer for the well-being of the royal family, speeches about the significance of the future factory, and a blessing for the patrons, an orchestra played, and weavers and workers danced and had fun until one in the morning," – quote the authors of the book "The History of Leonid Nevzlin's Family." In 1904, the factory provided work for 400 local residents; in the 1910s, the staff grew to 550 people. At the "Dnieper Manufactory," which became the largest producer of tallitot (Jewish prayer shawls) in the Russian Empire, only Jewish managers and workers were employed, and Saturday was the day off. A consumer cooperative operated at the factory, a primary two-year school was opened, and a voluntary fire brigade, an orchestra, and a library were established. From 1921 to 1941, the Dubrovno enterprise functioned as the "Dnieper Manufactory" factory, producing fabric for the needs of the worker-peasant economy instead of tallitot. And in the summer of 1941, the factory was urgently evacuated to Barnaul, from where it would never return…
The monument of industrial architecture stood abandoned for a long time. Restoration work, carried out in two stages, was completed in 2018. The idea to revive the dilapidated structure belonged to the director of the Dubrovno Flax Mill, Anatoly Bosenkov. Now, the building, unique in its architecture, has been transformed into a museum with a hall for civil ceremonies. The surrounding area is a landscaped recreation zone. Gazebos, whimsical flower stands, paths, as well as elements of old equipment used for flax processing, create a cohesive composition and a unique atmosphere.
The flax growers of the district have not only managed to preserve the past traditions of flax cultivation and processing but also to significantly increase the results. It is no coincidence that it was Dubrovno region that hosted the participants of the regional festival "Flax Dozhinki" in 2018.
And OAO "Dubrovno Flax Mill" is one of the largest industrial enterprises for the primary processing of bast crops. Thanks to many years of experience, broad technological capabilities, and qualified personnel, the plant can today boast large volumes of manufactured products.
Special attention is paid here to flax cultivation, and to improving the quality of the flax fiber produced.
Its Name is Feat
Visiting this sacred place, one cannot remain indifferent.
An entrance arch with relief images of soldiers' faces. 76 pedestals, 228 slabs with 9443 surnames. Silent stillness and the Eternal Flame. Here, in "Rylionki," the Red Army soldiers of the 11th Guards and 31st Armies, who died in the area of nine nearby villages, found their final resting place. From October 1943 to June 1944, the front line passed through these places. Operation Bagration, during which Belarus was liberated from the Nazi invaders, began here. Along the road from the gates to the slabs, four steles are installed, dedicated to the feats of Yuri Smirnov, whom the Nazis crucified on the wall of a dugout, Alexander Vasiliev, who covered the embrasure of an enemy pillbox with his body, Anna Nikandrova, who led the soldiers into an attack, and Sergey Astakhov and Bruno de Faltan – pilots of the "Normandy – Niemen" regiment, who died in the same plane.
The memorial was erected in 1973. In 2010, a descendant of one of the fallen soldiers built a chapel here; its main wall is adorned with the great August Icon of the Mother of God. And in "Rylionki" there is also a monument to the medical-sanitary battalion (251st Rifle Division), rare in the former USSR.
The complex has recently been renovated. Every year, hundreds of people come to "Rylionki" to honor the memory of the fallen – relatives of the buried and those who cherish the memory of the past for the sake of the future.
Across Countries and Distances
Perhaps one of the most striking calling cards of the region can rightfully be considered the International Festival of Song and Music "Dneprovskiye Golosa v Dubrovne."
Having established itself in the year of the 600th anniversary of Dubrovno as a regional song festival, it first reached the national level, and in 2004 it received international status. And not by chance. After all, the mighty Dnieper is a native river for Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians. In its more than a quarter-century history, the festival has become a creative platform for amateur art groups from 14 countries – Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, Estonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia, Romania, Belarus, India, Denmark.
The festival program is enriched with new projects and ideas every year, but the main events remain unchanged.
Every year, the festival guests are welcomed by the folk club of national cuisine and Belarusian games "Dubrovenskiye prismaki," whose participants invite everyone to taste national dishes.
The grand opening of the creative forum takes place near the monument to Hero of the Soviet Union Anna Nikandrova. Traditionally, the program continues with a requiem rally at the "Rylenkі" memorial complex.
Festival participants are presented at a concert-presentation, after which everyone rushes to rural clubs and houses of culture to share their creativity with the villagers.
The culmination of the holiday is a theatrical procession of amateur groups, soloists, honored guests, and local residents along the central street of Dubrovno. The farmsteads welcome with delicacies, games, and dances.
In other words, Dubrovno region turns into a huge stage for three days, where there is a place not only for musicians and dancers, but also for artists, craftspeople, local chefs, and even medieval knights. Cultural and song traditions of different countries, patriotic events, shows, contests, and honoring the best people of the district and labor dynasties – every year the organizers of the forum bring new ideas to life.
By the way, the festival has its own symbols. Perhaps one of the most important is the nightingale. It is this bird that adorns many attributes of the creative forum, including the festival badge and prizes.
One of the festival's main brands – the Dubravushka doll – turned twenty. Thanks to local craftswomen Klavdiya Gorelikova and Zoya Simutina, the doll began to be presented to honored guests of the festival. After 10 years, the project was decided to be expanded, and a competition for the best doll was announced among creative teams – participants of "Dnyaproŭskiya halasy u Dubroŭne". The prize-winning works remained in the museum's collections. To date, the local history museum has 190 dolls.
The pride of the festival is the "carpet of friendship," consisting of symbols of the cities participating in the forum. Traditionally, the teams bring a small image of their homeland, which is then sewn by folk craft masters into the overall "carpet of friendship."
The official closing, the award ceremony for the participants of the "Dubravushka Doll" competition project, and the farewell to guests according to the folk ritual "Pasakhi – na lyogkiya shlyakhi" are not the final chords of the large-scale event. The festival concludes with a concert by Belarusian pop artists, a spectacular fireworks display, and a night disco.
Belarusian Big Ben
In the central square in Dubrovno, you can admire a 13-meter tower with a city clock.
Local residents immediately nicknamed it Big Ben. At the top, there is a copper weather vane with the number "1393". This is the date of the first mention of Dubrovno in the chronicles. Four pairs of clocks (for each side of the structure) were brought from Moscow. Their diameter is one meter, and their accuracy is up to a millisecond. The mechanism is programmed to track time via a GPS receiver. The movement of the hands will not be affected even by power outages: the clocks run on a battery.
The attraction appeared here not by chance: the city was formerly called the "watch capital of the Russian Empire." It was in Dubrovno that Prince Grigory Potemkin built one of the first watch factories in Russia. This happened after the partition of Poland, when the region became part of the Russian state. Dubrovno watchmakers were considered among the best in the Russian Empire. Their products competed with famous Swiss watches. The main advantage was the drive, which for all machines was powered by a water wheel (like a water mill). Before that, foot-powered machines were used. The watch manufactory also served as a factory-school for training watchmakers.
The products of the Dubrovno factory were intended for the royal court, and only a small part of them reached the market. It is noteworthy that in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, there are pocket watches with the inscription "Dubrovno Factory..." on the dial and back plate. The locals immediately nicknamed it Big Ben. At the top, there is a copper weather vane with the number "1393". This is the date of the first mention of Dubrovno in the chronicles. Four pairs of clocks (for each side of the structure) were brought from Moscow. Their diameter is one meter, and their accuracy is up to a millisecond. The mechanism is programmed to track time via a GPS receiver. The movement of the hands will not be affected even by power outages: the clocks run on a rechargeable battery.
The attraction appeared here not by chance: the city was formerly called the "watch capital of the Russian Empire." It was in Dubrovno that Prince Grigory Potemkin built one of the first watch factories in Russia. This happened after the partition of Poland, when the region became part of the Russian state. Dubrovno watchmakers were considered among the best in the Russian Empire. Their products competed with famous Swiss watches. The main advantage was the drive, which for all machines was powered by a water wheel (like a water mill). Before that, foot-powered machines were used. The watch manufactory also served as a factory-school for training watchmakers.
The products of the Dubrovno factory were intended for the royal court, and only a small part of them reached the market. It is noteworthy that pocket watches with the inscription "Dubrovno Factory..." on their dial and back plate are kept in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
The "horned" karavai is born at midnight
In the Dubrovno region, they say: "If you haven't tried the local staffs and karavai, you haven't really been to our town." These special dishes can safely be called the culinary brands of the region.
Tamara Sinyakova, a hereditary karavai maker from the village of Lyady, treats visitors to them. The secrets of preparing these dishes were passed down to her from her grandmother. Among them is a special one – a unique aromatic pastry, which is prepared... at night. While everyone is asleep, real magic happens in Tamara's kitchen. And those lucky ones who have tried her baking at least once will never forget the taste.
— Now you can buy any cake or pie in the store, — says the karavai maker. — But can modern culinary products compare to those baked in a village oven, with an aroma that lingers in the air for days! I never use other people's recipes. I add ingredients as my hands feel. The most laborious process is kneading the dough. It's capricious, it senses any mood. When the soul is good and calm, the baking turns out so delicious that you'll lick your fingers!
A real sweet delicacy is the "horned" karavai on an apple branch. Only a craftswoman from Lyady can make such a thing. It is decorated with a "three-horned" apple branch – a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Moreover, Tamara Yemelyanovna wraps each cleaned branch in sweet dough and bakes it. Here you have sweet "horns," which she then decorates with beads, ribbons, candies, etc. The woman accompanies each of her manipulations with incantations and good wishes to imbue the karavai with positive energy.
However, if you are offered "posokhi" in Dubrovno, it means it's time for the guest to leave. These surprisingly delicious, melt-in-your-mouth small buns are served "na pososhok" (as a farewell treat), with the words: "Pasakhi na dobryya shlyakhi" ("May your journey be good").
The craftswoman prepares the yeast dough buns with a poppy seed filling. The "posokhi" are served with honey, sweet sour cream – piping hot, they are simply delicious!
These dishes, as well as the poor and rich "kutsya," the "Wedding" karavai, kurnik, local kvass, and other delicacies are presented at various festivals, tasting exhibitions, and competitions by the folk club of national cuisine and Belarusian games "Dubrovenskiya prysmaki," of which Tamara Sinyakova is also a member. Based on ancient games, rituals, and customs, the club members create game programs and theatrical performances.