Yesterday I hosted an amazing interview with Nadia Tarnawsky, a Ukrainian folk singer who shared her vast talents and knowledge of the power of song in our culture. She also was generous enough to share recordings of some of her songs to be included in an interview. These are not songs like you would hear in traditional upbeat polka music (we’ll get into the politics of that whole practice in the interview), rather it is guttural and soul touching. I plan on having that ready to share with you on this newsletter’s podcast by the summer solstice so stay tuned!
I’m also working on some more writings and resources about our Slavic roots since so few exist to us English-speakers, and even those who know the native tongues. I’ve been mulling over the best ways to bring this knowledge into the world, and I keep coming back a collection of illustrated zines/publications that can be physically held and interacted with over and over again. (And maybe a comprehensive course in the long run). I want this information to be accessible, but also exist somewhere in the real world and not just floating around on the internet.
I recently discovered the beautiful work of Klimaty Podlasia, a collection of photos from the Podlasie region of Poland, right on the border with Ukraine. In the photographer’s work, she captures the everyday life of the Polish countryside. There is something about the simplistic authenticity of her photos that breaks the heart open.
A good portion of Slavic folks were farmers. They tended the land, baked bread daily, cared for chickens and donkeys and cows. While it was a simple life, this doesn’t mean it was easy, but the life depicted in these photos captures the essence of what once was.
Podlasie is not just a rural region of Poland, it is also home to the remaining whisperers, the babka szeptucha. These folk healers are representative of the magical healing traditions found throughout Poland as well as all of the Slavic nations. I believe the land on which they live contributes just as much to their healing prowess as their own abilities.
This is because Podlasie is a place forgotten in time. It didn’t evolve in the same way the rest of the country did in terms of industrialization or technology. It is a place that is slow and ancient, yet surprisingly colorful and rich in diversity. It is a melting pot for Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Tartars (Muslims) and Jewish communities. Belarusian is also often spoken in the countryside. It is a place of cultural peace where people from different religions will intermarry and celebrate together.
There is perhaps a magic here that has been destroyed or forgotten in many other Slavic lands. Holding this special place as a beacon for our discovery and exploration gives us hints into the wisdom we have lost. Even if we can’t travel there in person, through these pictures we can see the linden flowers with the sunlight shimmering through its white petals, the rowan berries hanging heavily over the fence, the corn poppies protruding proudly like balls of flame from the field and begin to understand the power of place.
I wanted to pop into your inbox to share these photos and this work with you to hopefully inspire you to find some deeper hint of connection through them on this Friday.
Seeing these photos reminds me of why I am so passionate about ancestral plant medicine and traditions. Even if they are grown thousands of miles away from our homeland, they embody the spirit of a place and people. They are channels, mediums, teachers to connect us to those forgotten spaces.
I think it’s common to feel homesick for a place you’ve never been. But the plants offer us opportunities to create that home wherever we are. Simply sitting with, sketching, and tending cornflower or rose or yarrow is powerful medicine. The plants, wisdom and traditions of these places is our legacy.
"Homesick for a place you've never been" yes, exactly that! Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures!