Author Volha Mikhailawna Ipatava
(Olga Ipatova -- contemporary, born: January 1, 1945)(Іпатава Вольга Міхайлаўна)(Olga Ipatava) Poet, Author, & Chairperson of the Belarusian Writers' Union |
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Born in 1945 in Hrodna (Grodno) Province, Volha Ipatava has published several collections of poetry in addition to several books, including:
"In the course of the presentation of the book The Golden Priestess of Ashvinov by Volha (Olga) Ipatava, held on 15 September [2000], Director of the Mastatskaya Literature Publishing House, Georgyi Martynov, called the writer a Belarusian "Sigrid Winset". (Note: The Norwegian writer, Sidrid Winset, received the Nobel Prize for her historical novels in 1928.) Volha Ipatava has not been awarded this prize, but her contribution to the development of Belarusian historical prose cannot be underestimated. "
"The new novel by Volha Ipatava The Golden Priestess of Ashvinov is another one in the series of books about the ancient and medieval periods in the history of Belarus. It tells about the times when the Belarusian-Lithuanian state was being formed in the region of the Upper Neman, when paganism and Orthodoxy religion clashed. By the by, the remains of the pagan cult of the Ashvinov twin brothers can be found in present Belarusian culture -- a decoration in the form of a double horse head that crowns the roofs of village houses."
"In her book the writer also reasons about the place of a person in the world and his responsibility for every move he makes, about the unpredictable course of life, when an emperor of Byzantine can turn into a miserable exile. "
Source: BelTA, Sept. 15, 2000; article 12083
"Some 400 members of the Union of Belarusian Writers held a congress in Minsk on 29 May [2001], Belapan reported. The congress elected Volha Ipatava as the union's new head. Ipatava will replace Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu, who in June 1999 decided to remain abroad after having gone to Warsaw, arguing that the authorities were fabricating a case against him on charges of financial misdeeds. Nyaklyayeu, who subsequently lived in Poland and Finland, has recently returned to Belarus. Nyaklyayeu urged the congress to adopt a resolution supporting the democratic opposition in Belarus and condemning Alyaksandr Lukashenka as an illegitimate president, but delegates refused to discuss the issue."