Culture of Belarus
Literature.
Belarusian literature is rooted in the national folklore. In addition to the popular religious songs, Belarussians created a diverse rural and urban folklore.
In the country publishing appear thanks to Francysk Skaryna, who published Belarusian translation of the Bible in Vilnius in 1520-ies, and later - the various religious treatises in the Belarusian language. Printing business spread in Belarus in 16 and 17 cc. During the heyday of Printing in Belarus there were 40 printing presses. Prominent figures of Belarusian culture in the 16 century were reformers and humanists Simon Weekdays and Basil Tyapinsky, and in 17 century - the poet and scholar Simeon of Polotsk.
After the accession (in the late 18 century). Byelorussian lands to Russia, the literature in the Belarusian language intensively developed. An activities of John Borschevsky were Known, who went to villages and farms, collected folklore, processed it and published. His work renewed interest not only to the folk idioms, but also to the language. In the second half of the 19 century Belarusian dictionary and grammar appeared.
Outstanding phenomenon in the literature have been novels and plays of V.I.Dunin-Marcinkiewicz (1807-1884). Other well-known writers in the second half of 19. are Francis Bogushevich (1840-1900) and Jan Nesluhovsky (Janka Luchina, 1851-1897), whose works marked the transition from the theme of patriotism to the subject of revolution and independence; in the early 20. - Maxim Bogdanovich (1891-1917).
In the early 20 century most of the leading writers took part in a literary circles. The most famous was circles, which was organized around the weekly «Nasha Niva» (went from 1906 to 1915, has published poetry and prose, as well as news and political commentary). Such poets like Yanka Kupala (1882-1942) and Yakub Kolas (1882-1956) came from this circle, works which are recognized classics of Belarusian literature. Each reflects the spirit of the Belarusian people in its own way - Kolas, with his constant attention to the situation of ordinary people; Kupala, with his vivid and poetic description of peasant life. Since 1960, this tradition of attention to the life of the people, expressed in the description of the individual fate of people, was continued in prose of Vasil Bykov (b. 1924) and Ales Adamovich (1927-1994).
Art.
The Kolas People’s dance group, the People’s dance ensemble «Lyavoniha» and Academic Theater named by Yanka Kupala provided Among the national professional groups. In the Belarusian theatrical art institute national theater personnel are preparing. There are Belarusian opera and ballet theater, symphony orchestras, more than ten dramatic theaters, the film studio.
The media.
In Belarus, there are the National State TV and Radio, a public channel, and five commercial TV channels. Circulation of the largest Belarusian newspapers - «Narodnaya Gazeta», «Respublika», «Zvezda», «Navinchandra» are from 250 to 100 thousand copies. November 24, 1997 in Minsk a court has decided to close the «Svaboda», which has the biggest circulation among independent Belarusian newspapers. Other media have been subjected to inspections and fines from the authorities.
Sports.
In Belarus the most popular sports are football, gymnastics and wrestling. Belarusian gymnasts received several medals at the Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta.
