Francishak
Bahushevich
(1840-1900)
Francishak-Benedikt Bahushevich was born on March 21, 1840 in Svirany (close to Vilna) - the property of his father-shyahtich (small rank aristocrat) Kazimir. He grew up in their another village - Kushlyany near the town of Ashmyany. In 1961(the year of serfdom abolishment in Russian Empire) he graduates from Vil'na Gymnazium among four best students. He enters the St. Petersburg University the same year, but after the bloody dismissal of students protest march there he drops the University. The rector of the St. Petersburg University decides to leave his post himself in one month, and two weeks later tsar closes University itself to prevent student protests and disorders.
Back in Belarus there was a growing understanding of the chance for change. The beginner of New Belarusian Literature Vincent Dunin-Marcinkievich was calling for people education. Young Francishak has joined a school for peasants opened by Alyaksandar Zvyarovich in Docishki, close to Lida. There he met the uprising against Russian tsar of 1863. Francishak participated in uprising until he was wounded in leg. After the suppression of uprising Francishak Bahushevich went into hiding from tsarist gendarmes. He left for Ukrainian town of Nezhyn and was forced to stay away from homeland for 20 years. In 1968 Bagushevich graduates from Nezhyn Law Liceum and later he works at different positions in Ukrainian cities of Chernihyv, Kanatop and others.
Only in 1883 during the coronation of tsar Alexander III there was amnesty of political prisoners - participants of the 1863 uprising lead by Kastus' Kalinouski. Francishak Bahushevich goes back home and opens private law practice. He was very excited by the observations of the national Ukrainian revival while his stay in Ukraine. Bahushevich starts thinking about Belarusian revival
First literary works of Bahushevich were done during his students years. He wrote the poems under the influence of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Ukrainian. The first known poems of Bahushevich - "New 1886 year", "The view of hope"- were written in Polish and found in L'viv. These works were sent and published with the help of Yan Karlovich a good friend and mecenat of Bagushevich. Bahushevich starts to publish articles in the polish magazine "Kraj" in St. Petersburg. During 1885-1891 he publishes more than 50 articles reporting conditions in Belarus, sometimes critical and always full of compassion. When his language matured he has raised a problem of Belarusian language: "Bratcy milyya, dzeci Zyamli-matki mayoj! Vam afyaruyuc^y pracu svayu, mus^u z vami pagavaryc' trohi ab nas^aj doli-nyadoli, ab nas^aj bac'kavaj spradvec^naj movie, katoruyu my sami, dy i ne adny my, a use lyudzi cyomnyya "muz^yckaj" zavuc', a zaviecca yana "belaruskaj".
In 1891 Francishak Bahushevich
publishes in Krakow (Austria at the time) his book of poetry "Dudka belaruskaya"
(Belarusian Fiddle). He uses a pseudonym "Macej Burachok".
Maya dudka
| Eh, skruc^u ya
dudku! Takoe zajhrayu, S^to usim budzie c^utka Ad krayu da krayu! Oj! to budzie hrannie, Yak na pavitannie I yak na vaselie Nyadouha tykelie: Prendtka skonc^u pesni... Poki dudka tresnie, Ci pahlohnuc' lyudzi, Ci vysahnuc' hrudzi, Sily nadarvucca Na radasnaj dudca, I vycyakuc' slyozy Nasuhiya lozy... Vyjdzie dus^a paraj, Padymecca z hmaraj, Tumanom pa rec^ca, Rasoj razliecca, Kalasoc^ki zrosya, Kab z^yta udalosya. A hleb z'yaduc' lyudzie, I znou slyaza budzie. Nu, dyk graj z^a, dudka, Kab z^a byla c^utka, Kab az^ vus^y drala; Kab ty tak igrala, Kab zyamlya skakala! Zahraj tak vasola, Kab use u kola, Uzyaus^ysya u boki, Dy pajshli u skoki, Yak vihor u polyu - Az^ vyyuc^y z bolyu, Kab az^ rahatali, A usyo skakali... Kab skakali gory, Yak falya na mory, Kab vot yak skakali! Kab az^ pyl kuryusya, Kab svet zavaliusya Dy usyo kruciusya, Yak u nas^aha brata U p'yanaha hata... Ha! C^amu z^ nie hraes^'? Hiba ty nie znaes^", Nie vedaes^' hiba, S^to, yak taya ryba, Dy na lyodzie b'ecca Tak vot ya zdaecca, |
Sorak hadou b'yusya, Niyak nie zvyarnusya, Niyak nie natraplyu, Vadzicy hoc' kaplyu, Dy takoj vadzicy, Dy z takoj krynicy, S^to yak hto nap'ecca Dyk vol'nym staecca, Hraj, vasola z^ hraj Al'bo dolyu daj!.. ............ ............. Enc^ys^' bez umolku! Nie, ne budzie tolku! Kinu z^ dudku tuyu, A zrablyu druhuyu. Cyaper zrablyu dudku Ad z^alyu, ad smutku. Ha! zrablyu z^ druhuyu, Z^alejku smutnuyu,- Dy kab tak zahrala, Kab zyamlya stahnala, Ot kab yak zahrala: Kab slyaz'mi prabrala, Kab az^ bylo z^udka, Ot to maya dudka! Vot zrabiu takuyu! Daj z^a pasprabuyu... Nu, dyk hraj z^a, hraj z^a, Usyo spaminaj z^a,,, S^todzien' i s^tonoc^y Plac^, yak mae voc^y, Nad narodu dolyaj, I plac^ s^toraz bolej. Plac^ tak da astatka, Halasi yak matka, Havayuc^y dzieci, Dzien', druhi i treci. Ihraj slyoznym tonam Nad narodu skonam! Kab ty tak ihrala, Kab niemarasc' brala, Yak slyazy nie stanie, Zacihnie ihrannie,- Kin' naukola vokam, Dyk kryvavym sokam - Nie slyazoj - zaplac^ys^', Yak usyo abac^ys*', Yak kryvi nie stanie, Tahdy konc^u hrannie! |
The first poem "Maya dudka " is a passionate appeal to Belarusians to realize their position, to unite against foreign national domination. The words of the poem sound tragically actual today when Belarus independence is in mortal danger.
After publishing the book Bahushevich starts to write prose. His first story "Trylyalyonachka" was also published in Krakow. There he analyses the processes of disintegration in "postreform" (after 1861 serfdom abolishment) Belarusan village. His next story was so offensive to tsarist regime that Bahushevich published it without title page. Following Dunin-Marcinkievich and "Macej Burachok" young Belarusian intellectuals arisen, writing about the oppression and injustice done to their people.
In his 60 years Bahushevich felt himself to be lucky to live so long. The life of many of his compatriots - Belarusan poets and writers - was short and tragic. A 24-year old Adam Gurynovich died in a prison of Petropavlovskaya Fortress; all tortured with diseases and half-paralyzed died Yanka Luchyna from Miensk: Al'herd Abuhovich died in Slucak shelter. Francishak Bahushevich has died on April 28(15), 1900 in his village of Kushlyany in poverty and without recognition. A month before his death he financed installation of the barelief of Adam Mickievich to commemorate 100-year anniversary of his famous fellow countryman. Such was the path of Belarusian poet, writer and journalist - Francishak Bahushevich, a man who seeked truth and enlightenment for his people at the times of despair and hopelessness.
...O, ya uz^o
bac^u dalyoki c^as hety,
Yak adradz^aecca rod c^alavec^y,
Yak lyud yadnaecca z celaha svetu,
Prauda - yahonayu uladaj vec^naj....
Bahushevich F. "Tvory: Vershy, paema, apavyadanni, artykuly, listy", Minsk,
printing house of "Mastackaya Litaratura", 1991.
The facts of biography were extracted from the foreword to the book by Yazep
Yanushkievich.
UC Berkeley Library PG 2835.B25 A6 1991 Main
This file is a part of
the Virtual Guide to Belarus - a collaborative project
of Belarusian scientists and professionals
abroad. VG brings you the most extensive compilation of the information about Belarus on
the Web.
Please send your comments to the authors of VG to
Belarus 
History | Statehood | Culture | Law and
Politics | Cities | Nature and Geography |
©1994-04 VG to Belarus
Disclaimer