- At traditional Belorussian weddings guests chant “Gozko” after the groom drinks from his glass. “Gozko” means bitter. The chanting urges the groom to kiss the bride, an act which should make his drink sweeter.
- If you catch a cold in Belarus, they might offer you any of these remedies:
– vodka with salt and pepper
– milk blended with raw egg yolk and honey
– raspberry jelly
– raspberry tea
- Much of Belarus cannot be farmed because of falloff from Chernobyl (70% of the contaminants landed in Belarus, even though the explosion was in Ukraine). Still, Belarus is a major producer of potatoes, buckwheat, rye, beets, flax, and dairy products. Many families grow their own produce and have their own livestock (mainly chickens, pigs, and cows).
- Belarus is the 3rd largest producer of tractors in the world.
- Easter eggs are dyed with red onions (they are boiled together) and then taken to church to be blessed.
- To celebrate Kaliady, winter solstice, children wear masks and dress up as animals. They parade through the town, stopping at homes for food and drink.
- Marc Chagall, the famous modernist painter, was born in Belarus (although later moved to the United States).
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