DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: ART AND LITERATURE

The DRC is rich with art history.  The traditional arts include mask-making and sculptures both made from wood as well as textiles and woven arts that go back centuries.  The art from Kuba culture is probably the most famous as far as traditional arts go. Their famous masks and other carved objects (wine cups, cosmetic boxes, etc) were made of wood, straw, and other natural materials.  Another key characteristic is their geometric designs and elaborate decorations from beads and shells. It’s often attributed to the Kuba that there isn’t a surface that isn’t decorated. Another characteristic (that I think is also indicative of other cultures in this area of Africa) is the red powder made from ground cam wood. They often thought the color red was symbolic for beauty and used it in mask-making as well as painting their bodies with it for ceremonies, important dances, and burial rites.

The capital city of Kinshasa has the only art academy at the university level in the central Africa region.  And out of this, many artists teach courses or got their start there (or perhaps both).  Some of the famous contemporary artists from the Democratic Republic of the Congo include painters such as Chéri Samba, Lema Kusa, Roger Botembe, Nshole, Henri Kalama Akulez, Mavinga, and Claudy Khan.  Bodys Isek Kingelez made his mark in cardboard sculptures; other sculptures include Alfred Liyolo and Freddy Tsimba. 

by Bodys Isek Kingelez

The literature of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is for the most part written in the French language.  One thing that I noticed is the number of female novelists, journalists, playwrights, and poets there are in the DRC.  Clémentine Nzuji is considered the first female writer and poet, emerging right after the country declared independence.  She helped pave the way for other female writers such as Léonie Abo, Amba Bongo, Maguy Kabamba (who taught French at a high school in Texas for a while), Kavidi Wivine N’Landu, and Kabika Tshilolo.  V.Y. Mudimbe is a professor and author of poems and essays on African culture.  Sony Lab’ou Tansi was a playwright, poet, and novelist who was the recipient of several awards. He died at the age of 47 from AIDS.  I also noticed that several of these writers were educated and have/are teaching at the University of Lovanium, a Catholic Jesuit university in Kinshasa. 

Clementine Nzuji

The DRC also has a cinema scene.  It’s not really that big, per se, but it exists.  Years of civil war have put a lot of production on hold for long stretches of time.  The first major full-length film produced here was called La Vie est Belle (1987) and directed by Mwezé Ngangura.  Léonie Abo’s autobiography Une Femme du Congo also was made into a film.

Up next: music and dance

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

New Years Day (January 1):  Not a whole lot of information on this other than one site that said the Congolese celebrate the coming new year with parties. Of course, these are only in certain areas of the country.  Other areas are still actively fighting a civil war.  In fact one small village rang in its New Year a few years ago by being subjected to one of the worst mass rapes in the history of the country: Colonel Kibibi was sentenced to 20 years in prison for ordering the attack. Doctors treated 62 village women for rape.  Many people don’t have jobs and even the people who do have jobs don’t receive consistent paychecks. It makes it hard to celebrate with parties and lavish events if there’s no money to do it with. People do improvise, though, so I’m sure there may be areas that make do and make the best of it.

Day of the Martyrs (January 4): This day is in remembrance of the victims of the violence from human rights violations as well as those who were fighting for justice. In 1959, the Congolese started speaking up for their right to be independent from Belgium.  Uprisings took place in Kinshasa, and hundred of people died in riots that started out as otherwise peaceful protest marches. 

National Heroes’ Day (January 17):  This day marks the death of Patrice Lumumba. He was one of the most widely-known independence leaders in the country. He wasn’t just known in the DRC either, he was known around the world.  And actually, once independence was established, he was elected as Prime Minister. Three months later, he was ousted in a coup and was sent to prison under orders by Joseph-Desiré Mobutu. Lumumba died by a firing squad from the Katanga authorities, a secessionist mineral-rich region.

Labor Day (May 1):  It’s generally celebrated as a day free from working and celebrating the workers themselves, but in the DRC, there’s not much to celebrate about.  Because of war and conflict in many areas of the country (especially in the North and South Kivu areas), there is generally a sense of lawlessness (especially in those areas). It makes it really hard to have a normal functioning society to even address labor issued in these parts. Disappearances, murders, rape, starvation, and disease plague these areas. If someone was lucky enough to have a job, the workers are overworked for inadequate pay in unsafe workplaces – and these are only a few of the problems at hand. Child labor and trafficked persons are also two problems that are nearly impossible to address in many areas of the country.

Liberation Day (May 17): This holiday is for the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo rebel group during the second civil war. This movement was led by Jean-Pierre Bemba, the son of Congolese billionaire, Bemba Saolona. Each town and city holds its own street fests with food, live music, and parades.

 Independence Day (June 30):  This is the day that the DR Congo won its independence from Belgium.  There have been military parades and other parades, which are broadcast on television.  People generally celebrate the holiday in their own ways, but many people will have large meals and celebrate by having friends and family come over.  It’s also a time to change the wreathes on the gravesites of loved ones who have died in war and conflict fighting.

Parents’ Day (August 1):  It’s a very big deal to give cards and small gifts to their families. This day is basically combining Mother’s Day and Father’s Day together.  Most women have around five children, so she normally takes care of the children and the home while the fathers work outside of the home to provide for the things that are needed. 

 Army Day (November 17):  This day is in honor of the Armed Forces in the DR Congo. In certain areas, members of the army may get free access to museums or discounts on other events or items.  It’s also a time to reflect on the military actions taking place in the country and the efforts made to stop and/or mitigate the casualties.

Christmas Day (December 25):  In the DRC, Christmas remains to be a religious holiday, so much of the commercialism is lost. There isn’t the large-scale decorations and gift-giving spectacle to have to go through (I wish it were more like that in the US. This time of year always stresses me out.)  Churches will often hold nativity plays and music on Christmas Eve, and families enjoy a special meal together, usually with chicken or pork. 

Up next: art and literature

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Years ago, I was working in a middle school in what was called the Resource Department (or what we called Special Ed when I was in school).  These kids were mostly learning disability kids who were in general classrooms, and my job was to sit in various classes and help these kids stay on task and re-explain things to them.  One social studies project was to do some basic research on African countries. One of my girls stood in front of the class and read her first sentence: “The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the most dangerous countries in the world.” And then she paused. At first I thought it was for dramatic purposes, but I think it was just nerves.  But what this girl (whose name I can’t remember now) will never know is how profound an opening statement is. Of course, I’m not quite sure this 7^th grader knew the magnanimity that statement holds when she said it.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a large country in central Africa, surrounded by Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, and Angola’s exclave Cabinda. The Congo River is a major river that runs through this country, also lending its name to the name of the country.  It also shares part of Lake Tanganyika (bordered with Tanzania) and a small portion – about 17 miles – of the Atlantic Ocean on the other side of the country.  Straddling the equator, it’s the third largest country in Africa (after Angola and Sudan).

The earliest residents were thought to have been part of the Bantu migration. One of the first highlights is the Upemba culture (later to become the Luba Empire and then the Kingdom of Lunda).  The area they were established was rich in ores, so the development of copper and iron (as well as their part in the ivory trade) were key to their success. It helped them to have a strong economy and gave them a lot of wealth. Other empires such as the Kongo Empire and the Kuba Federation would have major impacts prior to and during the early days of European involvement. In the late 1870s, the Belgians took over and renamed this area as Congo Free State. It wasn’t such a good time: many Congolese died from disease and torture by the Belgians in their efforts to create a thriving rubber industry in concordance with the new automobile industry.  If you’ve read Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (I did a few years ago), it’s set in Congo Free State.  In 1908, the Belgians officially called it a colony, renaming it Belgian Congo. This move was met with a lot of international disapproval. By the time the 1960s rolled around, Belgian Congo (like many other African countries at this time) started looking towards independence.  After some upheaval after independence was granted and a shift in leadership, it rested with Joseph Mobutu who named it Democratic Republic of the Congo. It later changed to Republic of Zaïre in 1971 (which is how I learned it growing up). Mobutu was against communism yet created a one-party system and maintained a system of embezzlement and corruption that lasted decades. In 1997, the name was changed back to Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the country had suffered two civil wars and several conflicts since the late 1990s.  These have been some of the deadliest fighting in history; a study in 2009 estimated around 45,000 are dying every month (upwards of 5.5 million so far), and a new study estimates that 400,000 women and girls are raped every year as a result of the prevailing sexual violence.

The capital city is Kinshasa, the city across the Congo River from the capital city of Republic of the Congo, Brazzaville. However, there isn’t a bridge built yet to connect the two – people use a ferry to get across. These two capital cities are the closest capital cities in the world (outside of Rome and Vatican City). While under Belgian control, it was known as Léopoldville, but when Mabutu took control, there was a large movement to “Africanize” the names of the cities, so it was changed to Kinshasa (named after an old fishing village that was located near the current site).  Kinshasa, incidentally, is the second largest French-speaking cities in the world, after Paris.  It’s also attributed as being the site of the earliest documented HIV-1 strain in 1959. 

Like nearby Angola and other African countries, the DR Congo is quite wealthy if you look at its raw mineral quantities. However, because the country suffers from so much corruption, it’s not able to mine it effectively. They have more than 30% of the world’s diamond reserves and more than 70% of the world’s coltan (used for making tantalum capacitors in electronic products).  They’re also the largest producer of cobalt and a large producer of copper as well as some other minor minerals.  Because of the civil wars and internal conflicts, many foreign companies have pulled their business operations out of the DR Congo until it becomes safer and its economy more stable. 

About 80-90% of the population consider themselves as followers of Christianity.  A smaller number of Congolese follow Islam (about 10% or so).  There is even a small number of people are members of the Baha’i faith, which was banned for a time during the 1970s and 1980s.  There are those, as in many other areas of Africa, who embody both animism and other indigenous religious ideologies with the mainstream religions.  However, many of the mainstream religious people condemn such practices and are especially harsh in dealing with things such as witchcraft, etc. 

French is the official language used in the DRC, thanks to the Belgians. It’s also used as a lingua franca in areas where there are people from different ethnic groups working together.  Of the 242 languages that are actually spoken by citizens of this country, only four have any special status: Kikongo (Kituba), Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili.  Dutch was also spoken during the colonial period since many Belgians also speak Dutch, but it’s not used much anymore, if any.

The country has a lot of areas in need of improvement.  Much of this is a direct result of the corruption at the top. Less than half of the country has access to clean water (only 27% in rural areas), and less than a quarter of the population has functional sanitation. They have a very high chance of contracting infectious diseases (including both airborne and waterborne), and their life expectancy is only 54 years old, but they average only 1 doctor per 10,000 people.  Only 2 out of 3 Congolese are literate (in any language). 71% of the population lives below the poverty line.  On the plus side, they’re the 7^th least obese country in the world.

Despite its dire situation, there are some cool things about this country.  For instance, they have a small space program believe it or not. Bonobos and eastern lowland gorillas are only found here as well. It’s said that locals (and probably more in rural areas) don’t take too kindly to taking pictures of people – they think when you take a picture of someone, you’re actually stealing their soul. I always find that even in the poorest of countries, there is always silver lining somewhere. When I tell people I’m on the DRC now, I either get blank stares or looks of pity like I just told them I buried my favorite cat. But I’m convinced it has much more to offer than being caught up in its horrific statistics regarding war and corruption. And after I found my recipes, I’m determined there is more out there.

Up next: holidays and celebrations

CZECH REPUBLIC: THE FOOD

So, this has been a huge weekend for me.  I bought a new printer so that I can print off the first copy of the book I’ve written that I’ve been working on for ten years off and on. However, I forgot to check the price of ink cartridges before buying it, and of course I chose one of the most expensive ones to replace. I really have a knack for picking out the most expensive things. It’ll all work out, I suppose. I may learn how to refill ink myself. The other thing is that I celebrate 34 years of continuous breathing tomorrow. And what better birthday dinner than the food from the Czech Republic?

The first thing I got started on was the kolaches. A kolache is like a sweet roll with a well in it filled with a variety of fillings. There are a couple different kinds, both savory versions using meats and cheeses as well as fruit-filled ones.  I’m making the fruit versions today, and I let my kids each choose a flavor, so we’re making apricot, cherry, and pear kolaches. (The pear ones aren’t something that I gathered is traditionally authentic, but since I did find some pear preserves at the store that I ABSOLUTELY had to have, I’m hoping it’ll be good.) To start off with, we made the dough, and the kids got to learn how to make lemon zest. This dough needs a ton of resting time: the first rest is 2-3 hours. I pushed it back to 1 ½ -2 hours. After a second kneading, it rested for another hour.  Then I cut my dough in half and made two balls, letting it rest for 10-15 minutes. Now it’s time to actually do something. I rolled out the dough to where it’s about a ½” – ¾” thick and used a large cup to cut out the circles. I was able to make 15 of them, which is good if I have three flavors. I let it rest for another half-hour (although the recipe called for an hour). Now comes the fun part: with my thumb, I made a well in the middle. I took store-bought honey-flavored cream cheese and spread it in the bottom of the well.  Then I put a nice sized dollop of preserves on top. I  made an egg wash and brushed the tops of each kolache. Then I made what’s called posipka, which is sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter that has been cut into it. The posipka is then sprinkled on top of each pastry.  It only bakes for about 12-14 minutes (or until golden).  My husband said it tastes like it came from a professional bakery. I tried one of the cherry ones, and it tasted like a mini cherry pie.  The cream cheese and fruit preserves combination somewhat remind me of how I like my scones. But what I like about these is that because the filling is sweet, the sweetness in the pastry itself is subdued.  If both are sweet, then it’s too much.  These were the perfect combination.  I absolutely love these!! And they must be good: my husband has had four already.

Kolaches, from left to right: cherry, apricot, pear

For the meal, I made what’s considered the national dish: Vepro-Knedlo-Zelo.  It’s roast pork, dumplings, and red cabbage sauerkraut. I started with the roast, because it takes the longest time.  I put the roast in my casserole dish and sprinkled diced onions on and around it as well as sprinkled some sea salt and caraway seeds on top. I had never had caraway seeds on anything other than bread, so I was really interested to see how it meshed with the pork.  Then I put water in the dish so that it covered about a quarter of the way up the roast. Then I put it in the oven and forgot about it for two hours. I liked the caraway taste on it. I thought it blended well and gave it a somewhat earthy overtone to the slow-cooked pork. 

Roast pork with salt, onions, and caraway seeds. The flavor was incredible!

Once it came out, I took a cup of the drippings and used it in lieu of water in making pork gravy.  I didn’t do anything fancy here; I just used a package of no-MSG pork gravy from Meijer.  But it was still tasty. 

The next part of this was to make the sauerkraut.  I normally associate this as being made with green cabbage, but this recipe calls for red cabbage.  I actually sautéed some diced onions in the pot first and then added my shredded cabbage in the pot along with a cup of water and some salt. I let it cook for about a half hour, then I drained what water was left, added 3 Tablespoons each of white wine vinegar and sugar and mixed well. The recipe called to throw just a tad of flour in the pot and stir, letting it cook down for about 10-15 more minutes. The flavor was phenomenal. I loved the mix of sweet and sour.  The kids weren’t so much fans of it, but my husband and I thought it was the best stuff on earth. (Besides the kolaches.)

My daughter asks, "Why do they call it red cabbage when it's purple?" 

Lastly, I made the dumplings. Now here was yet another lesson in how what I’m making is not how the recipe is making me think it SHOULD look.  I just couldn’t get my dough to set up for the dumplings. I mixed my water, milk, eggs, and salt together and added the flour, and then I added my croutons too.  (I actually made my own croutons by tearing up some cheap hamburger buns and toasting it in the oven while I was making the roast.) But it just wasn’t coming together and I already used the last of my flour. The recipe made me think that it should be almost elastic like bread dough, form it into an oblong loaf and cut it with a string before placing them in boiling water. (My husband even made me a device to cut it, using random pieces of metal from old projects and upholstery thread.  He’s so ingenious.) So, what I did was just take my sticky dough and drop it into the boiling water as is.  It still tasted very good along with the rest of the meal, and even better with the gravy on it.

One of the best comfort meals ever. AND one of the best birthday meals ever.

And I can’t forget the drink I’ve been enjoying all weekend: Pilsner Urquell.  The Czech city of Plzen is home to pilsner beers, and it’s their national drink.  I myself am a fan of pilsners; I’ve bought Pilsner Urquell several times. Pilsners tend to have a lighter flavor, but depending of the country, it can vary. I think where I live, we have more access to German, Dutch, and Belgian pilsners, with this one as the only Czech beer available. I suppose if I lived in an area with more Czech and Slavic populations, I might have more choices. 

Kinda sad there's only one more of these in my refrigerator. 

I loved everything about this meal, from the six hours it took to make the kolaches to the strange-looking dumplings I made.  For a country that I’ve been somewhat interested in for years, it certainly didn’t disappoint me, and in fact, I’m fascinated with it now. I think I can add Prague to my list of cities to retire to.  Yesterday I spent many hours catching up on Dvorak, and I just got notice from my library that “Letters to Olga” by Václav Havel is being held for me. And I also must note that this is the last country that starts with C. It’s like the ending of a good chapter.  I’ve had a lot of good food from C countries.  But I’m looking forward to the D countries (there are only five).  So, here’s to endings and beginnings and happy birthdays.

Up next: Democratic Republic of the Congo

CZECH REPUBLIC: MUSIC AND DANCE

When I was 15 years old, I bought a $3 CD of Antonín Dvorák. I was fascinated with the “From the New World” Symphony (Symphony No. 9 in E-minor), especially movements II and IV – the second movement may be far more famous, but the opening notes of the fourth movement sounds like the beginning of the Jaws theme.  I was completely enthralled with rich harmonies and coloration of the “Slavonic Dances” and his “Serenade for Strings in E-major.” Whenever I listen to the “Serenade for Strings in E-major,” I always wonder if Leonard Bernstein didn’t use parts of this as inspiration when he was writing Candide.  I spent many a moody teenage brooding sessions with this Dvorak CD.  Even now as I’m listening to the fourth movement of the “New World” on Spotify, I feel like I went back in time twenty years – like I should be lying on my bed with my Sony Discman, shaking my fist at the world, and escaping into the music.

 The lands that became the Czech Republic produced some very influential classical composers and music teachers. I’ve already mentioned my favorite Dvorak, but two other composers are Bedrich Smetana and Leos Janácek.  Bedrich Smetana is most famous for his opera The Bartered Bride and for his symphonic cycle Má vlast.  One of the most famous pieces out of Má vlast often goes by the German name of “Die Moldau” (which is the German name for the River Vltava – the longest river running through the Czech Republic). The kids' show The Little Einsteins have an episode where they used the main theme from this song (it comes in about 1:30 in). 

Leos Janácek is another famous composer who I’m afraid I’m not as familiar with, although some of his pieces are fairly familiar, such as his Sinfonietta.   There are times in listening to this that I wonder if Stephen Sondheim drew inspiration from this. A few motifs remind me of Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along. He’s also pretty famous for The Glaolitic Mass, Taras Bulba, and his first opera Jenufa.

And I’ll go ahead and give a mention to Carl Czerny: the guy who drove me nuts when I was in college. Czerny was born and raised in Bohemia but later moved to Austria when he was 10.  He was a composer and a pianist and was quite accomplished at a young age, but he generally didn’t think he was all that. He turned more to writing and pedagogy (a fancy word meaning he developed piano techniques and teaching methods). I have one of his etude study books, and I suppose if I were to have taken it more seriously, I would probably be a far better pianist than I am. (To reprieve myself, I did go back a few years ago and start again. I made it to etude #20 out of a hundred and something.)

Outside of classical music, polka is a very common style of traditional music. Even though most people associate polka with Poland, but it originated in Bohemia. And actually one traditional piece became known as the famous Beer Barrel Polka (interestingly enough, it’s played during the 7^th Inning Stretch of the Milwaukee Brewers games and during halftime of Milkwaukee Bucks games). Most of the large polka areas are in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Cleveland.  Its influences spread far outside of the borders of the Czech Republic, reaching and influencing the music of Mexico. There were many Czechs who immigrated to Texas and brought their music with them. Their style of polka is part of the basis of Mexican musical styles known as Norteño and Tejano. This video is of Canada's polka king Walter Ostanek. I'm pretty sure this wasn't recorded yesterday. 

Of course with polka comes polka dancing. Of course they also had their folk songs and folk dances, mostly about the coming of spring or the harvest season. There were also dances for the conscription of young boys (sending them off to war).  Some of the instruments used in this type of traditional music and dance were the violin and double bass, the bagpipes, the dulcimer, and the trumpet. Ballet has also long had an important status in the dance world of the Czech Republic since the early 1700s.  Several different dance schools popped up around Prague and other cities across the lands. Because of their location in Europe, they were closely attentive to the arts movements in both Germany and France.

The Czech Republic is a hodge-podge of various styles of modern music. Some of the ones I came across that I like include punk, rock, and hip-hop.  I found this band called Pipes and Pints, a Celtic punk band singing in English.  Irish and Celtic music has a moderately large following for some reason. I love Irish punk, so naturally I enjoyed their music. A few other punk and ska bands I found include Visaci Zamek and Prague Ska Company. 

There was even a reggae group I found called Svihadlo. I thought the sound was more reminiscent to African reggae as opposed to Caribbean reggae, but I really don’t have much to support it other than a “feeling.”  But I did like what I heard.

One hip-hop group I found that I really liked was Prago Union. At first, I was 50/50 on my feelings toward them, but the more I listened to it, it grew on me. The styles vary a bit, some songs almost have a 1990s hip-hop feel, and some almost have a jazz-hip-hop feel to it (which I’m a huge fan of). However, just as soon as I formed the opinion that I do like it, I realized that it’s not available from my library or on iTunes. Lovely.  I wanted the album just for this one song. At least there’s Spotify. 

Up next: the food

CZECH REPUBLIC: ART AND LITERATURE

Czechs are renowned for their glass-making art and their crystal.  I’ve been a huge fan of art glass ever since I saw a Dale Chihuly exhibit when I was in college (although he studied more of an Italian and French style art glass, I think.).  Art glass, made in the original way, is heated and then mouth-blown using a special tool and then decorated by hand. While the earliest glass-blowing techniques were developed in Egypt and spread throughout the Mediterranean, the Syrians invented the glass-blowing tube that helped to revolutionize this art.  Part of the reason why art glass is so popular in central Europe is because of the natural raw materials, especially in the form of quartz veins along the Lusatian Mountains. Small pieces of this type of glass have been found in ruins dating back to medieval days. During the 17^th century, glass artists began developing a type of extremely clear, high-quality glass called crystal, which is shaped and cut by using special rotating copper wheels. With the creation and production of crystal chandeliers during the 18^th century, business boomed, but then lagged behind when glassmakers didn’t quite adhere to growing trends elsewhere. Through different trends and styles of engraving, inlays, and painting, Czech art glass is still loved and a popular exhibit in art museums all over the worlds.

One of the most well-known painters is Alphonse Mucha. His artistic styles gained international notability at the 1900 Exposition Universelle, and his style soon became known as Art Nouveau. A lot of his art can be seen in postage stamps, banknotes, and ad posters for various shops and theatres and such.  One of his legacies is a set of large paintings that depict Czech and Slavic history known as The Slav Epic. It was a series of 20 paintings that he bestowed upon the city of Prague as a gift to the city he loved.  When the Germans entered into Czechoslovakia, he was among the first to be rounded up and interrogated. During this long interrogation, he contracted pneumonia, and although he was released, it took a toll on his lungs.  He eventually died of an infection in his lung during the summer of 1939.    

For the most part, Czech literature is written in Czech. For this reason, Prague native Franz Kafka (who is fluent in Czech) is not included in the Czech canon of literature since he wrote in the German language.  The earliest pieces of Czech literature were mostly liturgical in nature, and mostly written in Old Church Slavonic using the Glagolitic alphabet (that Saints Cyril and Methodius developed).  Of course Latin was also widely used in religious matters as well, later changing over to Czech or German after the Middle Ages. During the Baroque period, Catholic poetry and prose were pretty much the best-sellers out there. Hagiographies were very popular during these times as well. (I had to look up hagiography: it’s a biography written about a saint and the miracles they did.)

The 18^th and 19^th centuries were changing times in Czech literature. Classicism became the most noted genre, especially in the German and Austrian style, and the sciences also began to be explored. Historical accounts were being documented, and grammars were being nailed down and standardized. Several writers were also making efforts in another field: drama (which generally mimicked what the Germans were already doing).  While they were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, emerging authors were exploring new paths, incorporating philosophical themes and the current hot genres for that time. Among these authors were Božena Němcová, Karel Mácha, and Jan Neruda (the namesake of where Chilean poet Pablo Neruda chose his pen name). 

Jan Neruda

The 20^th century brought about an array of avant-garde writing with topics delving into women’s rights, anarchy, expressionism, social commentary, and other literary movements and liberal topics.  Drama, poetry, and prose all fell into these various movements.  During the Communist years, much of this literature turned to ideals such as freedom and democracy and actually still circulated somewhat freely.  However, as censorship began to take its ugly hold, most of these authors fled abroad. Their works began to be read less and less in Czechoslovakia, but gained a different readership as it was translated into other languages. One of these poets and playwrights is none other than Václav Havel. I first heard of him on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell a few years ago when Havel had passed away. He was the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic. The author of over 20 plays and numerous non-fiction works, he was ranked fourth in a 2005 poll by Prospect magazine of the world’s top 100 intellectuals.  Because he was a dissident during the Communist years, he was imprisoned, and during those years, he wrote many letters to his wife Olga. Years later, these letters were compiled in a book called Letters to Olga,” which I’ve requested from the library. It’s said that this book is one that author Salmon Rushdie always carries with him, so I can’t wait until my book comes in. 

Up next: music and dance

CZECH REPUBLIC: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

New Year’s Day / Restoration Day of the Independence Czech State (January 1):  Most Czechs like to close their year or bring in the new year – depending on how you look at it – with the usual ways that other countries do it.  Elaborate parties held in bars, clubs, and restaurants are very popular, and many of these places have special New Year’s specials on prices and dishes on their menu.  Some people who prefer not to spend their evening in the hustle and bustle of the bar crowd may opt for saner activities such as theatre performances or the opera. There is also a lot of live music and concerts taking place but many of these sell out quickly, so people have to buy tickets well in advance.  But regardless, most adults adhere to the tradition of toasting champagne at the stroke of midnight, followed by fireworks and other pyrotechnic reverie. It also happens to be Restoration Day, the day that Czechoslovakia separated into Czech Republic and Slovakia (also sometimes referred to as the Velvet Divorce).

Easter Monday (varies): Easter is always celebrated for two days in the Czech Republic: both Sunday and Monday. During the Communist years of Czechoslovakia, the holiday was relegated to being a holiday about spring. And even in the post-Communist era, and in respect to the fact that most Czechs aren’t that religious, it took a while for the Christian-based traditions to slowly return.  One tradition you’ll find is highly-decorated, hand-painted Easter eggs.  Another tradition is to take pussywillow and braid them together to form a whip. The boys would go caroling on Easter Monday and symbolically whip the girls on their legs (and possibly may also throw a little water on them as well – another tradition in certain areas). Yeah, I’m sure the girls just really looked forward to this. It used to be that farmer’s wives would use the whip to whip not only the livestock but also everyone else in the house. (Something tells me, this tradition actually lasted for far more days than just these two.)

Labor Day (May 1):  The Czech Republic celebrates Labor Day on the customary day for many of the world’s countries. Of course, most people have this day off of work, and government offices and schools are closed for the day.  Many cities will hold parades, and politicians always feel compelled to give speeches regarding the state of labor at that time. Just yesterday in The Prague Post (“The Czech Republic’s English-language Newspaper”), there was an article about how the Czech Republic is the third-worst European country when it comes to slavery (just after Albania and Montenegro).  It not only mentioned foreign workers who have had their papers taken away and only working for food and accommodation, but also the number of Czechs who are taken to other countries and forced to work under similar conditions. 

Liberation Day (May 8):  This holiday marks the end of the European involvement in WWII in 1945 (also known as VE Day).  Most of the traditions on this day are memorial services, headed by various government leaders. The president heads one of the largest memorial services in Prague.

Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (July 5): Saints Cyril and Methodius were two monks who were often attributed as creating the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets (the same alphabet used by Russian and other languages).  In many of the Slavic countries, these two are commemorated as national saints.  The holiday was originally on March 9, but Pope Pius IX moved the date to July 5.

Jan Hus Day (July 6): Jan Hus was a religious reformer living before Calvin or Luther. He had a lot of problems with the Catholic Church at the time, aligning his ideas against the Church’s regarding ecclesiology (a theological term meaning the origin of Christianity in relationship to Jesus, salvation, its leadership, etc.), the Eucharist (also known as Holy Communion), and other topics. Obviously the church doesn’t like dissidents, and after a trial, he was burned at the stake in 1415. Jan Hus wasn’t just a theologian and martyr: he also introduced some important additions to the written Czech language in the form of diacritic marks. The hacek and accent marks over certain letters reformed the language into what we are familiar with today.

St. Wenceslas Day (September 28): Wenceslas I (also spelled Wenceslaus) was the Duke of Bohemia; and yes, it’s the same Wenceslas as in the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas.” His younger brother assassinated him in 935, stemming from an argument between the two and later took the role as Duke himself. Many towns and cities will hold street festivals in honor of St. Wenceslas, which include food, drink, games for kids, cultural displays, and many restaurants will have a special St. Wenceslas Day menu.  Museums and galleries may also open their doors to allow people to come visit for free. 

Independent Czechoslovak State Day (October 28):  This is the day that the state of Czechoslovakia was created in 1918.  (61 years later, I was born on this day.) The creation of the country of Czechoslovakia was created out of the end of WWI, with the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  It would also find solidarity at the end of WWII when they banded together to oppose the German occupancy. However, this day isn’t really celebrated with the vigor of other independence days. Czechs mostly spend this day relaxing in their own ways with no parades or large festivities. A few politicians may make a speech here and there, mostly about the importance of looking back and remembering their history and their future together. 

Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (November 17):  There are two major events that took place which poses as the basis for this holiday.  The first is the student demonstration against the Nazi occupation in 1939, and the second are the 1989 demonstrations that acted as the beginning of the Velvet Revolution.  Because both of these demonstrations were student-led, this day is sometimes referred to as World Students Day, which stresses the importance of non-violent political change. 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (December 24-25):  Gifts are often placed under the Christmas tree that is brought in and set up during the afternoon of Christmas Eve.  They’re opened later that evening – which really cuts down on the amount of time to be poked and prodded and peeked at.  At the end of Christmas dinner, usually consisting of roasted carp and fish soup (which is odd that the food of choice is seafood, given this is a landlocked country), a bell is rung, signifying that it’s time to open presents. And of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without its array of sweet treats. Another tradition is that they like to make predictions for the coming year using different traditions based in superstition, such as a girl throwing her shoes over her shoulder and if it points towards the door, it means she’ll get married soon.  Since most Czech people are non-religious, its original Christian meanings are often generally substituted for generosity and good will. 

St. Stephen’s Day (December 26): Often referred to as the Second Day of Christmas. It’s a Christian feast day in honor of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.  In the carol “Good King Wenceslas,” the lyrics speak of how he trudged through the rough winter weather to give alms to peasants on this day. (The familiar melody for this carol incidentally is from a 13^th-century Finnish songbook and the lyrics are about spring. Some of these songs/poems are also found in the poetry used in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, one of my all-time favorite works.)

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