Wymysorys revitalisation theatre: identity and community (re)building

Abstract

The small town of Wilamowice in southwestern Poland is home to the ethnic group of Vilamovians who speak their own endangered language: Wymysiöeryś. Amateur theatre created by the troupe Ufa fisa has been one of the most important and outwardly visible tools used in the process of revitalising this language. Its members, drawn from the town youth, perform various pieces, including adaptations of world literature such as The Little Prince or The Hobbit, their own creations based on local knowledge and historical memory (Ymertihła and Ojeruma) as well as an adaptation of the most important Vilamovian literary monument, Florian Biesik’s Uf jer wełt (the Vilamovian version of Dante’s Divine Comedy). This paper situates the Vilamovian revitalisation theatre in the broader context of similar endeavours in other endangered languages all around the globe. It then discusses in detail the creation of each play putting a special emphasis on the meaning of the piece for the community members and for the outside public. The impact of the long-term theatrical activity is later examined through the lens of philological approach as well as qualitative and quantitative research conducted in the community, showcasing the qualitative differences among the three generations of Vilamovians and the quantitative correlations between various kinds of engagement with Vilamovian culture. We argue that this performative art has been a vital instrument in language reclamation, in challenging the oppressive nation-state ideologies and the co-creation of a modern Vilamovian identity along with the process of (re)building of the community.