Friday is the perfect time to slow down, breathe out, and remember your roots, your cultural code, and ponder on things that cannot be measured by money. The project "Kozhnaia piatnitsa – rodnae, svae" is not always about goods or material things that can be carried in your hands. It is about people, about the living continuity of generations, and about that invisible but deep folk wisdom that truly warms the soul. Folk culture is not a frozen history from textbooks. It is a living energy that has been passed down from hand to hand, from master to apprentice, for centuries. That is why, as part of the project "Kozhnaia piatnitsa – rodnae, svae", we decided to visit the Cherikov District House of Crafts.

Here, the traditions of our ancestors are not just preserved – they are lived, adapting centuries-old wisdom to the rhythm of modern life. In the House of Crafts, there is no soulless plastic or conveyor belts. Instead, for 16 years – since April 1, 2010 – the cultural code has been carefully preserved, revived, and passed on within these walls. Once, it all began with the first director, Svetlana Dergacheva. Today, this tradition is continued by talented craftsmen who turn straw, beads, wood, and paints into real handmade magic. Bankers, accountants, club workers, and artists have united to preserve the most valuable thing – our local identity and living connection with time.

Inspiration and new horizons

Anastasia Shesterniova, the head of the House of Crafts, has been leading the institution since August 2018. Her path is proof that folk roots can completely turn your life around. After graduating from the Belarusian-Russian University, Anastasia worked in the banking sector, but the call of creativity turned out to be stronger. Thanks to her interest in folk crafts and hard work, she quickly mastered the basics of craftsmanship. On her initiative, a children's circle for weaving from jute "Volshебная n'it'" was opened. Also, under her leadership, an amateur association of traditional folk culture "Paraskeva" and a children's circle for weaving "Uzorinka" are working. Now, the master has set a goal for herself – to master the wooden loom in order to revive the old technologies of manual weaving of the Cherikov region. By the way, the entire female team supports this idea and is actively mastering weaving. The collection of belts alone is already worth noting, and it consists of not just one dozen.

The guardian of the "sunny" heritage

Straw weaving is a hallmark of Belarus, recognized by UNESCO as a worldwide intangible cultural heritage. In Cherikov, this ancient art is represented by master Natalia Leshko, who has been working here since May 17, 2018. Incidentally, we recently told you about her on the pages of our newspaper. Natalia Vasilevna perfectly masters the techniques of direct, spiral, flat, and voluminous weaving. Under her hands, amazing boxes and baskets come out, but the master's special pride is elegant straw flowers and bouquets. She passes on her secrets to the younger generation in the "Golden Straw" circle, teaching children to see gold in the simple gifts of their native land.

From dry numbers to living fabric

Olesya Kazancheeva graduated from the Moscow Institute of Economics and Law and worked as an accountant for a long time. What do strict accounting balances and a warm textile doll have in common? At first glance, nothing. But in Olesya Kazancheeva's life, these two opposites came together in an amazing story. In August 2015, Olesya Nikolaevna made a decision that changed everything: she left her previous profession to make creativity the main thing in her life. Her childhood passion for graphics, drawing, and painting eventually grew into the main thing in her life.

Her classes were never boring lessons "from bell to bell." This was always a deep dive into the basics of drawing, intertwined with warm, soulful communication. The master taught children not just to hold a brush correctly, but to see beauty in details and trust their imagination. Art does not stand still, and today the master's creative path has made a new beautiful turn. Now Olesya Nikolaevna is fully immersed in the cozy and fairy-tale world of textile dolls.

Under her guidance, the "Fantasizers" circle works. Fabric, lace, threads, and buttons in the hands of young masters are now transformed into living characters with their own character and story. A textile doll requires special diligence, warmth, and jeweler's precision - qualities that Olesya Nikolaevna generously shares with each child.

Male character and the soul of wood

Woodcarving is a craft with a harsh character and an incredibly warm soul. This traditional thread in the House of Crafts has been held by Igor Komissarov since 2020. His entire life is connected with culture: for more than 25 years, he worked as an artist-decorator in the district House of Culture. However, his main element is artistic and decorative wood processing. In the hands of the master, the natural texture of wood turns into real works of art. Igor Egorovich's works are regularly exhibited on district, regional, republican, and international platforms, and he himself actively participates in seminars and conducts master classes, sharing his experience.

Our own. Native. Ours

If you want to feel this atmosphere, visit the district House of Crafts.

"Every day we enjoy what we do, because it's impossible to engage in a craft without love in your heart. We constantly improve our skills, look for new approaches and technologies to surprise and inspire," Anastasia Shesternyova shares. "Bring your children to our clubs, come yourself, because it's precisely in this way, from hand to hand, that what makes us who we are, what we are proud of, is passed on. And this is the most valuable heritage."

And this sincerity resonates everywhere. The works of our craftsmen have long gone beyond district exhibitions and amaze not only the people of Cherikov, but also art connoisseurs throughout the country and far beyond its borders. Who doesn't know our famous Cherikov houses today? The craftsmen themselves have lost count of how many they've made over the years – the charming talismans have long been scattered to homes and apartments, bringing people comfort. The creativity of the Cherikov team regularly gathers ovations and diplomas at the most iconic festivals and celebrations.

And they have conquered the jury again

It's impossible to list all the victories of the Cherikov craftsmen. Moreover, just the other day, a new achievement was added to the collection of our craftsmen's accomplishments: a first-degree diploma at the regional competition of sheaf bundles "In Honor of the Harvest". For our ancestors, the sheaf bundle was always something sacred. It symbolized the boundary between hard work in the field and the time of well-deserved rest, when the grain was already in the granaries.

Natalya Leshko in her competitive work was able to convey the feeling of generosity of the Belarusian land. Her sheaf is a real ode to bread and respect for traditions. Of course, the sheaves from all over the region were striking in their beauty. However, the warm, sunny, as if glowing from the inside, dozhinny sheaf from our master Natalya Leshko unequivocally captivated both the audience and the strict jury.

For those who are familiar with Natalya Leshko's work, this triumph was not a surprise. The master has repeatedly become a prize-winner of prestigious competitions. Her collection already includes awards for traditional sheaves, and it was she who was entrusted with creating a symbolic millionth sheaf for the leadership of the Mogilev region. Such victories once again prove that the Cherikov land is rich in talents that carefully preserve what is most important - our own, native, and dear.

The photos show the award and the sheaf created by Natalya Leshko, which demonstrate her skill and craftsmanship in this traditional Belarusian art form.