(source: Hej, Ty!)
Welcome back Slovak Roots fans!
This is the first edition of our Slovak Roots newsletter in the new year, dedicated to the community of people with ties to Slovakia.
In this newest instalment, you'll learn how a Slovak emigrant's invention was instrumental to amplifying the sound of guitars, and became a staple in Americana music.
You can also look forward to meeting Christopher Sanders, an American whose Slovak-born grandmother asked him to do something good for her home country, a promise he intends to keep.
And finally, for those who feel like exploring, our colleague visited Orava, a region that is striving to boost tourism opportunities.
Surrounded by instruments
Have you seen that strange looking guitar with a huge circular perforated metal cover plate on its body? Since its invention in 1920s, the so-called Dobro guitar has become a staple in many genres of music.
It was created by John Dopyera, one of the tens of thousands of Slovaks who emigrated to the US in the early 20th century. Interestingly, the Slovak public learned of his origins only after he died. Learn about his story here.
The Dobro resonator guitars. (source: TASR)
Don't forget to bring a bike when going to Orava
When travelling to Orava, a region in northern Slovakia, prepare for a journey that may take longer than your navigation app suggests. The drive along the D1 highway through the Váh valley to the city of Žilina is smooth, but delays begin to mount after reaching the city.
Once you make it there, however, you'll find many things well worth the trouble. Inspired by Poland, the locals are investing in cycling infrastructure that they hope will attract more people. Already, one 40-kilometre long route has become a magnet for cycling afficionados. Learn more here.
If cycling is not up your alley, you may appreciate an experience that is more inner oriented. The region has plenty of religious monuments. For example, a Marian pilgrimage site has recently been established on Bubeník Hill, just outside the town of Trstená. You'll find plenty of other tips on what to see here.
Visitors in the Museum of Orava village in Zuberec (source: Erika Ďurčová)
A promise to his grandmother
As a child, you are allowed some leeway when it comes to difficult things. Although Christopher Sanders heard stories about what was happening in Central Europe under communism, and even saw his emgigrated grandmother in tears after hanging up the phone, he didn't think about it too much.
It was only later when he saw first hand some aspects of those stories that he started to understand what the people went through.
Close to the end of her life, Sanders' grandmother told him to go and do something good for Slovakia. And so he went, and tries to keep that promise.
A selection of feature stories published by The Slovak Spectator that we recommend reading:
The story of Slovak-American identity is written in recipes. While many cultural ties between Slovakia and its American diaspora have faded across generations, one powerful connection remains vibrant: food.
Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Not many can claim that their road eventually led them in that direction. However, for this Slovak developer the dream came true. Learn about her journey from playing on PlayStation to restoring beloved games.
English-language theatre continues to thrive in Bratislava, exemplified by an ambitious adaptation of a Slovak literary classic. "The Bloody Sonnets" transforms the iconic poems of Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav into a compelling stage production also slated for a performance in New York City.
Immigrants in the US have faced various difficulties across the ages. Even in the early 1900s, previously settled residents made it clear that they did not like these "different" people with their "different" religion and subjected the newcomers to petty attacks, heckling, and harassment.
A Slovak astronomer was part of an international team that studied a dying star, one that destroyed its own planetary system and left behind just clouds of dust. The research might offer hints as to what will happen to our very own Solar System in the distant future.
The Slovak Spectator's James Thomson spent the last Christmas and New Year in his wife's village in the east of Slovakia. Life in such rural communities can be rewarding, but is also hard work. He even dodged a wolf.
Would you like to share your story with us? Did you enjoy the newsletter? I would love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: matus.beno@spectator.sk or spectator@spectator.sk.
