Kashubian Informational Site

Remus came to life!

Aleksander Majkowski (1876 -1938)

At least this appeared to be true in Luzino on 8 December, 2008, during the celebrations capping the year dedicated to Aleksander Majkowski. The review of the year from the Kashubian perspective comes across quite uninspiring. Fortunately, the recent Luzino county events immensely improved the tally. Monday’s ceremony at the Pisarzy Kaszubsko-Pomorskich Public Gymnasium in Luzino dedicated to recognizing the participants of the arts and writing competitions mobilized the community, gathered crowds, thus turning it into a tremendous success.

“Remus – albeit high in stature
Had withered like a shaft
His cover was full of patches
As he wore raggedy clothes.”

This is how Remus, the hero of A. Majkowski’s most acclaimed novel was depicted by a young writer hiding under a nickname of “Perełka,” Ewelina Hebel, Luzino’s native. She also was one of this year’s contest finalists. Out of 78 submitted poems, the five-member jury, headed by Tomasz Fopke, awarded 13 grouped into four categories. The first place in the youth category was taken by Kinga Serkowska of Kartuzy; Natalia Król was the first prize recipient in the Gymnasium category. Among the High School contestants, Adam Hebel has been singled out while in the adult category, Elżbieta Bugajna of Goręczyno had claimed the top prize.

In parallel, awards in the arts contest have been bestowed – eleven of them in all. Falling into their respective categories, Andżelika Etmańska of Kościerzyna, Maja Stefanowska of Luzino, and Dominika Peplińska, also from Kościerzyna, were amongst the finalists. In the adult category, Władysław Kowalski of Lipnica (near Bytów) was recognized for his melancholically metaphoric painting depicting an open book in its foreground. All of the received submissions, arranged in the background, beget a tasty scene hypnotizing the bystanders to admire its quantitative and substance riches. The abundance of Remus’ impressions and imitations was truly remarkable. Reappearing motives of wheelbarrow full of books, Kashubian colors along with the region’s landscape were abundant while Remus seemed to be ubiquitous.

“Bulky pants, oversize feet,
Minuscule eyes, dark hair.
Rubber boots he’d put on,
But only when entering a church.”

The finalists were showered with recognitions and awards sponsored by the Wejherowo Mayor’s Office, Luzino County, Strzebielino Forest Administration, and the Krokowa Community Bank. Jarosław Sellin of the Ministry of the Culture, senator Kazimierz Kleina, vice-president of Wejherowo, Bogdan Tokłowicz, Radosław Kamiński of Wejherowo Museum, and Danuta Balcerowicz of A. Majkowski Library (recently recognized with the “Skra Ormuzdowa” award), were some of the dignified guests at the ceremony. The event’s media coverage was inspiring, with outflow of local activists, artists, and first of all, the youth. Although not a contestant, Brunon Szpica of Luzino received a book award sealed with a handshake from Kazimierz Bistroń, the local gymnasium principal; Szpica was the finalist of the recent writing tussle on Wejherowo Calvary.

Artistically, the event was “pro bono” supported by the Association and personally by its leader Genowefa Kasprzyk. It was her idea to stage a play featuring Sławomir Klas as Remus and Zbigniew Jankowski as a musician, the two chief characters of Majkowski’s renowned novel. Jankowski conjointly with the Lębork based “Levino” music group performed some of the traditional Kashubian songs. This combined performance opened the whole happening and when the official part of the event has started, one could still hear it echoing amongst the gymnasium’s walls. While Remus (Sławomir Klas) was posing for pictures, others have partaken in conversations and consumption; the latter prepared by the Luzino Women’s Club. Zbigniew and “Levino” brought the house down with their music. This Luzino-Lębork “Lion” [Polish "Lev”] took charge of the event for almost an hour. Even the gymnasium principal withdrew into the audience allowing the band to continue with their performance. Because such events are rare, with Majkowski’s Year quickly fading away, these memories will have to suffice for a long time. Or at least until done reading the “Life and Adventures of Remus” whose familiarity with had been tested in the foyer by minister Sellin and others.

“Name uttered to frighten children,
As he was labeled insane.
He laid his fate in God’s hands.
Such was Remus’ fortune.”

What an accurate assessment. At the end, it was hard to part. Certainly, Majkowski will affect the future artistic and educational endeavors of the Pisarzy Kaszubsko-Pomorskich Gymnasium. But what is also confirmable is the plan to revive Majkowski again next year, when his younger friend, a writer and a translator, Lech Bądkowski will be commemorated as the year dedicated to Bądkowski is about to commence. (SC)

Artlessly translated by Yurek Hinz.