Functions of Kashubian literature, its educational potential and the use of electronic media for its promotion

Abstract

For over 170 years now, that is from its early beginnings, the primary function of the literature written in the Kashubian language has been preserving the own voice of the Kashubs who thanks to ties derived from the cultural heritage, constitute a distinct eth­nic community. The themes, figures or images characteristic of the Kashubian literature as a source of its strength and creative power, form a rich structure of meanings responsible for the myth-making factor in its literary output. As in a mirror, the contemporary Kashubian literature reflects the changing cultural self-consciousness of the youngest generation of writers and readers. Literature is trying to “tame” the global phenomena, which force their way vehemently into the Kashubian cultural space.

Kashubian language and literature were included on a permanent basis in the educa­tional system in the early 1990s. However, there was a lack of new literary texts of Kashubian authors, and especially ones written in prose. The reaction of the Kashubian circles was organizing a Jan Drzeżdżon National Prose Competition in 1995. It was not earlier than in 2001 that the first textbook with exercises was published. Kaszëbë. Zemia and lëdze. Podręcznik do języka kaszubskiego z ćwiczeniami was written by the teacher Danuta Pioch for the children from classes I–III of the primary school. Since then there has been a real boom for the next school textbooks and extracts from literature – of course one reflecting the scale of Kashubi­an circles and their potential. A separate phenomenon can be observed, namely Kashubian literature created for the needs of school curricula or rather for “the school audience”.

Because of the limited number of Kashubian literature readers, which results from the quite recent introduction of Kashubian to the educational system and fairly common illiteracy among adults, the most important for the Kashubian literature are modern channels of its dis­tribution: electronic media, audio books and e-books. A Kashubian protagonist has also become a character from a computer game Stark Remus. Modern technology, including electronic media, are also helpful in educational processes. Their proper use can enhance the effectiveness of the message of a literary text, and thus the power of the identity consideration of the Kashubs.

English translation: Anna Moroz-Darska

Modernisation of the journal's operations and translation into the English language of articles published in Ars Educandi in 2012-2017 were financed with funds from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as a part of the task Science Promotion Activity (pl. DUN).

The task ‘The implementation of the editorial module on the platform of Uniwersyteckie Czasopisma Naukowe – a system facilitating the editing and management of the academic journal Ars Educandi‘ was financed as a part of contract 661/P-DUN/2018 of 12.06.2018 from funds of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education designated for the promotion of science.

The task ‘The creation of a modern online version of the academic journal Ars Educandi through the implementation of the publication module on the platform of Uniwersyteckie Czasopisma Naukowe and the handling of international indexing databases’ was financed as a part of contract 661/P-DUN/2018 of 12.06.2018 from funds of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education designated for the promotion of science.

The task ‘Preparation of the English language version of the last 6 annual issues (2012-2017) of the academic journal Ars Educandi and their publication online’ was financed as a part of contract 661/P-DUN/2018 of 12.06.2018 from funds of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education designated for the promotion of science.