A new Slovak-language website dedicated to “imaginary Svidník underground culture” hit the Internet recently. The site is called Zvoloč, which in the local Slovak dialect means “rabble.”

Svidník, in northeastern Slovakia, is home to a sizable Rusyn minority, and the site clearly reflects this. One of the site’s pages is dedicated to the Rusyns, “or Rusnaks, as the common locals of Svidník are called.” Aside from a brief history of the Rusyns, the local Skanzen (open-air museum) of Rusyn folk architecture is also featured prominently.

According to the site’s author, “the imaginary Svidník underground draws its strength from the influence of the unrepeatable word plays of that uncodified [Rusyn] language. One of them is also the name of the entire project." Though it is part of the local Slovak dialect, the origin of the term zvoloč is in fact Rusyn.

The local Andy Warhol Pop Art Club, run by Joe Keselica, also has a page on the site. The club organizes exhibits, concerts and other cultural activities. Keselica’s film 15 Minutes of Fame, a documentary about Warhol’s Rusyn roots, won a UNESCO award in 1993.

Also on the site are descriptions of the local bar scene, local bands, art and a performance space called Club Holičstvo. Zvoloč also features a travelogue of Transylvania.

This is the second "underground" Rusyn website. The first, Ruski Kerestur Underground, unfortunately ended its run on the Internet earlier this year. The site was similar, and featured local bands, graffiti and articles such as one on drugs in Kerestur.

Zvoloč: Svidník Underground Home can be found at http://www.zvoloc.wz.cz

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