Podlaska wielokulturowość i związane z nią problemy językowe mniejszości narodowych

The region of Podlasie is amongst the most diverse and multicultural parts of Poland and since the early Middle Ages it has been under the influence of Polish, Ruthenian and Lithuanian cultures. Waves of East Slavic settlers came from south – Volyn and Polesia as well as from north east – Volkovysk and Grodno area. The biggest population of East Slavic minority in Podlasie lives in the eastern part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, namely Hajnówka, Bielsk and Siemiatycze Counties and is predominantly of Orthodox faith. The language situation in this area is of great complexity and there are considerable differences of ideas and opinions amongst scholars. The language spoken in the communities in the northern part of the region (to the north of the Narew river) is considered to be the East Slavic dialect based on Belarusian and the one spoken to the south of the Narew river is of Ukrainian origin or at least has Ukrainian features. Language and the sense of national identity are closely linked, and both problems has been widely discussed in Podlasie for decades. Nowadays, the most important and urgent question is how to preserve and promote the dialects.