Belarusian Homesteads (part II). Беларускі хутар (частка II).
Western Belarus is an area still heavily dotted with homesteads (khutar – хутар), created during the land reform of 1923-26 while these lands were part of the interwar Polish Republic. Remarkably these homesteads have survived the continuing oppressive legacy of Soviet collectivization, under which the Soviet authorities forced smallholders into collective farms.
A khutar embodies the common Belarusian’s yearning to be self-sufficient and left alone to work his own land, no matter how small his holding is.
See also the photo of the day for November 21, 2012 for the first photo in this series, which continues through March 11.
Khutar, Lida-Shchuchyn road 2013. Хутар ля дарогы Ліда-Шчучын 2013 год.
