Józef Gara
Miner and author of Wymysorys language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Józef Gara (Wymysorys: Tołer-Jüza; 29 January 1929 – 10 July 2013) was a miner who spoke the endangered language of Wilamowice, Wymysorys, which had only 70 native speakers, and created the Wymysorys alphabet.[citation needed] He also wrote poetry in Wymysorys. In 2003 he published Zbiór wierszy oraz słownik języka wilamowskiego (transl. A collection of poems and the dictionary of Wymysorys language). In 2004 he collected old Wymysorys songs, corrected and extended the old ones with a view of releasing them. Between 2004 and 2006 he taught Wymysorys in a primary school in Wilamowice.
Józef Gara | |
|---|---|
Tołer-Jüza | |
Gara during an award ceremony in 2012 | |
| Born | 29 January 1929 |
| Died | 10 July 2013 (aged 84) |
Resting place | Wilamowice |
| Occupation | Miner |
| Writing career | |
| Language | Wymysorys |
| Period | Long twentieth century |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Subject | Folklore |
| Notable work | Zbiór wierszy o wilamowskich obrzędach i obyczajach oraz słownik języka wilamowskiego |
Movement | Revivalism |
| Signature | |
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In 2010 Gara featured in the film The Mill and the Cross voicing the part of a Flemish character.[1] He worked with Wikimedia Polska to produce a digital dictionary of Wymysorys, although the project was not completed due to his death.[2]
Works
- "Zbiór wierszy o wilamowskich obrzędach i obyczajach oraz słownik języka wilamowskiego" (A collection of poems and the dictionary of Vilamovian language), TIMEX printing house/Stowarzyszenie Na Rzecz Zachowania Dziedzictwa Kulturowego Miasta Wilamowice "Wilamowiane" (Association for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage of the City of Wilamowice "Wilamowiane"), Bielsko-Biała, 2004, ISBN 83-914917-8-1
- Kronika historyczna miasteczka Wilamowice (Historical chronicle of the town of Wilamowice), TIMEX printing house, Wilamowice, 2007
- "Wymysöjer śtytła": miasteczko Wilamowice oraz jego osobliwości zawarte w zbiorze piosenek wilamowskich Józefa Gary ("Wymysöjer śtytła: Wilamowice town and its sights set on a set of Vilamovian songs of Józef Gara), Wilamowice: Miejsko-Gminny Ośrodek Kultury (Municipal-Gmina Culture Center), 2007.
