The closing event of the exhibition “Bagpipes: Instrument, History, Symbol” took place in true bagpiping spirit – warm, lively, and full of sound.
During the curator’s tour, researcher and bagpiper Yauhen Baryshnikau spoke about the history of the Belarusian bagpipes: how this instrument arrived in our lands, where it is mentioned in historical sources, and how its image is used today – from folk culture to state narratives.
After the tour, visitors had the opportunity to try playing the bagpipes during a workshop and to take part in an open discussion about the current state of the Belarusian bagpiping tradition.
One of the key topics of the meeting was whether efforts should be made today to include the Belarusian bagpipe tradition on UNESCO’s lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Throughout the exhibition, voting boxes were available in the museum, and the result was very clear: an overwhelming majority of participants believe that it should be included, despite all challenges and circumstances.
We would like to thank all visitors for their interest in the project, the bagpipers who entrusted us with their unique instruments, and especially Yauhen Baryshnikau.
The project is funded by the City of Warsaw.
