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Audio Recording Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3

Interview with Mr. an d Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3

About this Item

Title

  • Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3

Names

  • Bradunas, Elena (Collector)
  • Variakojis, Vilius (Interviewee)
  • Variakojis, Bronislava (Interviewee)

Created / Published

  • Chicago, Illinois, July 12, 1977

Headings

  • -  Lithuanian Americans
  • -  Ethnography
  • -  Interviews
  • -  Illinois -- Chicago

Genre

  • Ethnography
  • Interviews

Notes

  • -  Mr. & Mrs. Variakojis, part 1
  • -  Part 3 of a 4-part interview in Lithuanian with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius and Bronislava Variakojis, recorded at their home at 6919 South California, adjacent to Marquette Park; he is a woodcarver and model maker, including the creation of miniature models of Lithuanian farmsteads; she is a fabric artist, whose work includes embroidering textiles with Lithuanian folk motifs; the basement of their home is a personal museum in which they display their work; topics include discussion of Vilius and Variakojis’s models of Lithuanian building and farmsteads, says “I make them for young people, to show them what the Lithuanian countryside looked like”; scouts in Lithuania are different from those in the U.S., there, they rough camped, hiked, unlike the pampered scouts in the U.S.; U.S. scouts do woodcraft and textiles, not done in Lithuania; carving wooden chain links came from his grandfather; when Vilius Variakojis got to Germany as a DP (Displaced Person) there was no time to carve, he has taken this up in his retirement, there is nothing else to do, he does not drink and does not got to taverns, his wife wants him to stay out of the kitchen; discusses trees, the Paradise Tree, the Golden Apple tree, had thought this a folktale but recently learned it is known in Greek mythology; then discussion of carved wooden objects; towel racks, in the museum, made in Lithuania by others, may hang near doorways with water, may be used for decoration; black trees, priest’s hell, motif related to tar kettles in hell; world tree with stars; about other items, something with form of a cube, spoons, utensils, he is looking for horns the convert into drinking horns; Vilius Variakojis discusses why he does this craftwork, “I want to leave something behind”; he has written a will, to bring things back to Lithuania, he hopes “free” Lithuania, no longer oppressed; about the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture in Chicago but Vilius Variakojis demurs, it is too possessive, wants to donate in a way that gives to all Lithuanians; discussion of exhibiting his work, one attempt had not worked, hence the museum in his home; some of his farmstead models were made from memory, some from photographs; grandchildren do not show any special appreciation; additional comments on Balzekas museum, includes some inauthentic items; about windmills, very prominent in Lithuania’a Birzai region; Vilius Variakojis plans to do some writing later, after his hands can no longer work wood; about Lithuanian coins, books; about assembling his museum, what might its future be; comment about real estate taxes, their house has higher tax because across the street from Marquette Park.

Medium

  • audiocassette, C-60

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Call number: AFC 1981/004: AFS 20838a
  • MBRS Shelflist: RYA 0826
  • Field Project Identifier: CH77-T310-C

Source Collection

  • Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004)

Repository

  • American Folklife Center

Digital Id

Online Format

  • audio

Rights & Access

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Credit line: Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bradunas, Elena, Vilius Variakojis, and Bronislava Variakojis. Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3. Chicago, Illinois, 1977. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20838a/.

APA citation style:

Bradunas, E., Variakojis, V. & Variakojis, B. (1977) Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3. Chicago, Illinois. [Audio] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20838a/.

MLA citation style:

Bradunas, Elena, Vilius Variakojis, and Bronislava Variakojis. Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Vilius Variakojis, Lithuanian American woodcarver and textile artist, Chicago, Illinois, part 3. Chicago, Illinois, 1977. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20838a/>.