A new publication has appeared:

Lietuvių dainos JAV, įrašytos Elenos Bradūnaitės (1972) / Lithuanian Folksongs in the USA Recorded by Elena Bradūnas (1972), edited by Austė Nakienė and Rūta Žarskienė; records restored by Yiorgis Sakellariou, translator Vaiva Aglinskas. Vilnius: Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, 2022. - 154 p.: illustr., notes + 1 CD. - ISBN 978-609-425-328-7

The idea to document the culture of Lithuanian coal miners living in Pennsylvania was first proposed by the émigré poet, Kazys Bradūnas. In 1972, Algimantas Kezys, Vladas Būtėnas, and Elena Bradūnas traveled to “miniature Lithuania” in the mountains of Pennsylvania. The folk songs that E. Bradūnas recorded there present a small yet unique collection that captures the entire repertoire of Lithuanian immigrants: songs brought from their homeland, as well as songs learned in the new country that reflect the peculiarities of American life. Only one singer, Petras Zataveckas, was a representative of the first generation of immigrants who had worked as a coal miner. Two widows of coal miners, Pranė Pikūnienė and Anelė Ramylienė, sang the greatest number of songs. They had both grown up in the Suvalikija region and spoke only Lithuanian. Eugenijus Kalėda, a member of the younger generation, was an excellent singer. This man, who had worked as a tailor, deeply felt the poetic world of folk songs and sang poignant songs about homesickness, love, and separation. Observing the lives of Lithuanian immigrants, E. Bradūnas became convinced that identity is not passed on through genes, but is only preserved if it is consciously nurtured. Communication in the mother tongue creates an aura of warmth and a strong emotional bond among family members, which encourages understanding and perpetuation of the ethnic culture fostered by parents.
This publication contains recollections of E. Bradūnas and an introductory article by A. Nakienė (in Lithuanian and English). It also includes transcriptions of song lyrics and melodies and photographs by A. Kezys. We hope that it will encourage immigrants of different generations to feel a connection to Lithuania. You are welcome to purchase.