We held an inspiring workshop for lovers and keepers of the Mena dialect.
Tetiana Khomych, an Associate Professor at the Taras Shevchenko National University "Chernihiv Colehium" and a PhD in Philology, enthusiastically accepted our invitation. Not only did she join us, but she also brought along a cohort of future philologists—her students and our fellow locals.
Tetiana Khomych spoke passionately about the uniqueness of our Polissian-Eastern dialect, its distinct features, and the scholars who have historically studied and continue to research the language of the Siverians. Her students also shared the fascinating results of their own philological field research and studies.
With bated breath, the local attendees listened to these dialectal discoveries, marveling at how they had never previously paid attention to such "everyday, lovely" local words. To kickstart our hands-on work, participants were given interviewer manuals, questionnaires, and consent forms for sharing photos and videos.
Afterward, we took everyone to Maksaky. And there, the magic happened just as it always does—the traditional hut, the weaving loom, a delicious lunch, hot tea, and our custom board game "Mena Dialects" completely enchanted our guests.
This gathering truly inspired the youth to continue their work in collecting and documenting the dialects of the settlements across the Mena community. In total, 28 people attended the workshop: 17 young locals from the Mena region, 4 educators, and 9 invited experts who are true professionals in their field (philologists).
