Photo of the Day for July 5, 2010: The Bench II

The Bench II/Лаўка (частка ІI)

What can seem more prosaic than the plain wooden bench in front of almost every village house in Belarus?  And yet the bench is the pivot of social life, the village agora, the permanent observation post.  The bench is the witness to the changing fortunes of the village and at the same time a testament to Belarusanness beyond time.  Together with the fence behind it, the bench is the clubhouse for the village kids.

Што можа здавацца больш празаічным за звычайную драўляную лаўку, што ёсьць ледзьве не перад кожным вясковым беларускім домам? Але менавіта вакол лаўкі круціцца мясцовае грамадскае жыцьцё. Лаўка – вясковая агора. Лаўка – сталы пост, сведка зьменлівасьці фартуны і адначасова сьведчаньне пра пазачасную беларускасьць. Разам з плотам лаўка – месца збору цэлых бандаў вясковых дзяцей.

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