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CULTURAL WORKER LIDIJA ČUŠIN
Lidija told us:
“I joined the Slovenian community in Geelong immediately on my arrival in 1970, as cultural animator and supervised the tour of the band Slak. I organised the children and youth for the band’s admission. They welcomed the band members and their accompanists with words and flowers.
Initially, I began the Slovenian school at my home. There were ten students of varying ages and levels of language knowledge.
Students began with reading the verses for the Slovenian Mass. When the shed was erected on the grounds of the club in 1974, we moved in as a Slovenian class. The students had varying levels of language knowledge from a few words to common dialectic sayings. There were two groupings: older and younger. The older ones were quite well versed in common domestic language, the young ones liked to learn songs.
Our first performance was for Fathers Day.
The first performance in the new hall was in 1976 for the centenary celebration of the birth of Slovenian writer, Ivan Cankar. The students collaborated in the dramatising and reading of the works of Cankar. The men’s choir, under the direction of Mr Furlan, also sang the song, The blackbird sings nicely to me. Students were dressed in national costumes of the Gorenjska region.
It happened that a few times when I praised adults on their correct use of Slovenian, they replied “You taught us to do so.” They still remember all the passages and parts that they played on stage as children at various cultural performances.”
Lidija also coordinated and directed many cultural programs and is also responsible for the archive of the Slovenian Association Ivan Cankar in Geelong.
The best of the programs were: (coming soon)
Lidija was as well a director of the drama group for many years. They performed in Geelong, Melbourne and Adelaide.
The plays Lidija directed:
(coming soon)
Draga
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