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The people of Puhoi will come together for the 162nd anniversary of the town and celebrate in true Bohemian fashion with traditional music, dances and singing over the weekend of June 28 and 29.
The Saturday festivities starts at 10.30am with the launch of the Puhoi dialect songbook ‘After winter comes the summer’, which will be accompanied by a special performance of its songs by Folkworks.
Puhoi Heritage Museum coordinator Jenny Schollum says this is the only way they have to keep the Puhoi Egerländer or Bohemian dialect alive.
“So you can see the tune in the book, the words in the old dialect that the people spoke when they first came here, with a phonetic part so people know how to pronounce it in English. And then there’s also a German version as well,” she says.
“It’s also got stories about the people of Puhoi.”
Following the book launch, lunch will be served from midday to 1.30pm for $15 per person – booking and prepayment essential, RSVP by June 10.
A community singalong of the dialect songs led by Heather Gladstone goes from 1.30pm to 2.30pm and then Schollum will be running a dance workshop from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
On the Sunday, there’s a traditional mass at Puhoi Church at 8.30am for The Feast of the Saints Peter and Paul, followed by morning tea and entertainment in Puhoi Hall from 9.30am.
Lunch will again be served from midday to 1.30pm for $15 per person – booking and prepayment essential, RSVP by June 10.
It will then be an afternoon filled with more music and dancing, this time with the Te Rore Bohemian Band, not to mention raffles, a silent auction and celebration cake.
The Puhoi Heritage Museum will be open on both days from 11am to 3pm.
“We always try and get the community to come along to the anniversary celebrations,” Schollum says.
“We leave the doors open and you’d be surprised how many people who are passing by hear us and come stand at the hall entrance. We just say come in.
“We’ve had them up dancing and they’ve gone away like, wow. The dancing and singing are something that’s totally unique and we love to share it. All are welcome.”
To book for the lunch email: puhoibohemianmuseum@gmail.com
Payment can be made to: 12-3046-0193163-52. As reference include your name, number of people coming and the day or days you’ll be attending.
