Ryšys su tėvyne Jono Balio užrašytose JAV lietuvių emigrantų dainose

LT1944-aisiais žymus tautosakininkas, Lietuvių tautosakos archyvo vadovas fonas Balys buvo priverstas su šeima emigruoti į Vakarus. 1948 m. jis apsigyveno JAV ir jau 1949-1951 m. lankė XIX a. pabaigoje-XX a. pradžioje atvykusius lietuvius išeivius, iš kurių užrašė apie 1200 tautosakos kūrinių, biografinių pasakojimų. Su pirmąja emigracijos banga atkeliavę tautiečiai daugiausia kūrėsi Pensilvanijos valstijos anglių kasyklų miesteliuose, Čikagoje, Niujorke. Čia lietuviai steigė savo parapijas, draugijas, lietuviškas mokyklas, kūrė lietuviškas šeimas. Straipsnyje pirmą kartą apžvelgiamos emigrantų dainos. Šiam žanrui skiriamos dainos yra artimos literatūrinėms ir vėlyvosioms karinėms-istorinėms dainoms, jose daug nostalgijos gimtinei, toli pasilikusiems artimiesiems, Lietuvos gamtai. Kai kurios dainos primena to laikotarpio autobiografinius pasakojimus arba folklorinius laiškus. Yra ir humoristinių dainų, atspindinčių gyvenimo Amerikoje aktualijas bei bandymą prie jų prisitaikyti. Jos skirtinos to meto populiariajai kultūrai. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Biografiniai pasakojimai; Emigrantai (Diaspora); Emigrantų dainos; JAV lietuviai; Jonas Balys; Laiškai; Lietuvių emigrantai JAV; Tautosaka; Biographical stories; Emigrants songs; Imigrants' songs; Immigrants; Jonas Balys; Letters; Lithuanian emigrants in the United States; Lithuanian folklore; USA Lithuanians.

ENLithuanians have travelled to the United States since the 17th c., but massive emigration started in the 1860s. Most of the Lithuanian immigrants were peasants who left in search of a better life in Pennsylvania’s coalmines or Chicago’s stockyards. The largest colony was the town of Shenandoah in Pennsylvania. Here Lithuanians built two churches, published newspapers, established schools, brass bands, and choirs. They socialised and married mostly among their own and tried to create an environment that was dear to their hearts. This article presents the folklore of Lithuanian immigrants recorded by Lithuanian folklorist fonas Balys (his magnetic tapes are stored in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.). In 1944, as the Soviet army was approaching Lithuania, J. Balys and his family left for Germany, and in 1948 he came to the USA. Lacking the original collections left behind in his native country, he decided to visit Lithuanian immigrants and record their folklore. From the expedition (1949-1951) materials, J. Balys prepared a two-volume publication of songs, Lietuvių dainos Amerikoje / Lithuanian Folksongs in America (1 vol.: "Narrative Songs and Ballads" (1958), 2 vol: "Lyric Songs o f Love, Customs, Work, Feasts and Entertainments" (1977)). The books contained 1174 folk songs representing the traditional rural way of life, there were also some immigrant songs relating to reminiscences of their homeland. Immigrant songs described the pain of parting from loved ones, and the impressions of the strange new land. The first immigrants, the children of farmers who grew up in the countryside, had difficulty adapting to the urban environment, they missed nature, greenery. Of those who missed their country, many would decide to return, but the majority remained, returning to Lithuania only in their thoughts.Immigrant songs most often are melancholic and sentimental; however, there were also humorous songs, which reflect the process of industrialization, and the noticeable changes in the lifestyle of miners and other workers. [From the publication]