Today we are talking with German Komarovski, who is not only observing the Polish culture in Lithuania, but creates it and promotes it abroad.
About stable development of the Polish culture in Lithuania
When asked to evaluate the level of the Polish culture in Lithuania, German Komarovski says, that Polish cultural life in Lithuania is growing steadily, and has not recorded any major ups or downs in recent years. It is stable.
Folklore does not have to be boring
Folklore is probably the dearest and closest form of culture to our interlocutor. But he honestly admits, that some Poles feel glutted with folkloric cultural offer. ‘On the other hand, Polish culture and traditions can survive thanks to folklore. Folk art is one of the most important forms of cultural life of the Polish minority in Lithuania,‘ states Komarovski. Folk groups present Polish traditions, remind of special days and occasions, do not let people to forget about traditional folk dances, songs, folk costumes, which are an integral part of our Polish collective consciousness. ‘Untraditional groups, mostly formed by young people, no longer have these elements, and the only thread connecting them with the Polish identity is the Polish language,’ believes Komarovski.
In any case folklore does not have to be boring. The TV show ‘Kadagys’ is the perfect example of this. Producers required teams to perform folk dances to contemporary music or in a modern arrangement. And ‘Perla’ managed to do everything at the highest level.
Components of Polish culture in Lithuania
When speaking about other components of the Polish culture in Lithuania, German Komarovski says that ambitious Polish film productions enter our lives. He mentions Polish Film festival organized by the Polish Institute in Vilnius. Among the fields of ambitious culture German Komarovski also mentions exhibitions organized by the Institute. ‘The Institute willingly engages in cultural life, takes part in organizing movie viewings and exhibitions,’ says Komarovski.
To the group of ambitious forms of Polish culture in Lithuania the choreographer also includes youth groups that take, for example, part in the music event ‘Street Musicians’ day’, uniting music amateurs and professionals. ‘On the day of the event one can hear Polish music created and played by our Polish youth on the streets of Lithuanian cities,’ claims Komarovski.
There are people and conditions
German Komarovski tells us about his experience when working with Polish or Polonia organizations and teams. ‘When they come to visit us and see in what conditions we work, they become jealous. Usually Polish teams abroad have to rent expensive halls for their activities,’ he says.
On the other hand, he notices that better conditions make people achieve better results. Although as a perfectionist he also admits, that one could always do better.
According to Komarovski, path of development of culture depends to a large extent on managers of teams or groups. If managers are ambitious, then high level can be easily reached.
When asked about dominant cultural needs of Poles in Lithuania, German Kovorovski says that he does not want to generalize. ‘There are lots of different recipients of culture,’ he claims. Komorovski thinks, that it would be useful to conduct a research that would emerge an average recipient of Polish culture in Lithuania. ‘We need to have wide knowledge and be able to distinguish between substantive criticism and noise of displeased,’ argues Komorovski.
The demand for new forms of artistry. Who has to take care of this?
G. Komarovski claims that there is a need to develop demand for new forms of cultural life. It is not an easy task and it should be undertaken by animators, not by team managers.
Mature Polish recipient
Komarovski believes, that Polish national minority in Lithuania is mature enough to enjoy ambitious culture of higher level. ‘People need to have choice,’ explains Komarovski. The choreographer mentions the concert ‘Carrol from Vilnius’ which took place in the church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius during the pre-Christmas period and which united artists from the Vilnius Region and Poland. Singer Evelina Sašenko, maestro Zbignev Levicki, saxophonist Jan Maksimovič took part in the concert. They are all Poles and are all well known and respected in the Lithuanian artistic environment. The interest in the concert was huge, there was not enough tickets for everyone. Komarovski states, that it is easier to find ambitious culture in Vilnius, but the situation may be different in smaller towns.
Cultural umbrella organization: necessary or not?
Komarovski notes that there are Polish umbrella organizations uniting smaller cultural organizations functioning in countries inhabited by Polonia and Poles abroad. ‘Here in Lithuania we have a lot of organizations working in the field of culture, but we do not have any strictly cultural entities. Association of Poles in Lithuania meets its functions in this field, also House of Polish Culture in Vilnius operates in this direction. There are many houses of culture in the Vilnius Region. And each of these institutions has its own concept, each acts in its own area and does not enter on each other's way, we are free to do what we have to,’ he tells. He adds that these organizations are quite strong and have developed their way of action. For example, House of Polish Culture in Vilnius invites, among others, rock artists, creators of popular culture, what is not usual for houses of culture in the Vilnius Region. Polish Institute in Vilnius is the only one in Lithuania broadly presenting the best and the latest cultural products produced in Poland. ‘There are areas not filled enough and, as I already said, it can always be better,’ evaluates G. Komarovski. He adds, that an umbrella organization would not fix everything. ‘Each of our Polish organizations operating in the area of culture is strong, works reliably and fulfils its mission,’ he says.
Good actors and theatres
The artist believes that the Polish minority in Lithuania has educated many talented people in terms of acting, therefore he sees just financial reasons for the lack of Polish professional theatre in Lithuania. ‘The question is who would pay for it. The Lithuanian state has to keep Polish theatre from its own pocket? Local governments have no funds for it, but specialists would surely be found. We have many good actors, our amateur theatres are also great,’ states Komarovski.
Polish and Lithuanian cultural worlds
When asked to evaluate how Polish culture fits into the picture of the cultural life in Lithuania, because, perhaps, the cultural worlds - Polish and Lithuanian - run in parallel and do not meet at all, G. Komarovski says that this is not the case. You cannot work in the Lithuanian environment and have no contact with Lithuanian culture at all. The contact is always there, but it is not always planned. Sometimes it is ad hoc, ex prompt,’he says.
As examples of cooperation between Polish and Lithuanian artists German Komarovski mentions cultural projects such as the ‘Street Musician's Day’, where no one is paying attention to the nationality of performers; large youth festivals, during which, among others, outstanding talents are looked for; or the largest festival in Lithuania ‘Friends to Friends’, the co-organizer of which is a Polish team. ‘Our rock bands take part in such festivals, they perform in Lithuanian clubs,’ says G. Komarovski. The choreographer lists a number of Lithuanian television projects, in which many Polish teams from Vilnius and the Vilnius Region took part. And he modestly said nothing about the project ‘Kadagys’, the winner of which was ‘Perła’ directed by him.
It is very good
The victory in this project increased interest in the Polish culture and ‘Perła’ in Lithuania. The victory of ‘Perła‘ is not a coincidence. It is a part of a rich cultural life generated and created by the Poles in Lithuania.
We have something to be proud of. We have something to show. Though ‘it can always be better’, but when speaking about the Polish cultural offer in Lithuania, we can safely say that ‘It is very good’. This assessment is not spontaneous. It is the results of the Polish hard work, determination, ambition and enormous potential.
German Komarovski - Polish choreographer in Lithuania, head of the Polish Folk Dance Group ‘Perła‘, director of the Multifunctional Cultural Centre in Nemenčinė, longtime dancer and choreographer in the Representative Polish Song and Dance Team ‘Wileńszczyzna‘.
Beata Nanevič
‘This project is co-financed from the funds granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.‘
