Our numbers are low but we tend to be fairly mighty. We are always looking for new recruits. Remember that we are not a re-enactment group but a cultural/restoration society. Out goal is to explore and revive where appropriate the Carpathian axe/brigand culture. Please contact us at one of the following addresses if you are interested in joining.
In Ohio Harnas Andrij harnasandrij@gmail.com
In Arizona Harnas Dragoslav harnasdragoslav@yahoo.com
We have three levels in our organization
Legen – apprentice, just starting out. After 3 to 6 months the proggression to the next level is made
Oprishok – full member
Harnas – leader of a chapter or study group. Largely symbolic.
So what’s with the silly names? To give the group more of an authentic cultural flavor we have decided to use cultural terms to describe levels of membership. Legen simply is a Carpathian wide term (with several variations) that means boy (plural: legeny), Oprishok is a Rusyn term for bandits, it’s name shares a root with the English oppression (plural: Oprishki). Harnas means chief and was used in the brigand era and is also used now for a leader in a dance troupe in some traditions. The term Zbojnici also means bandits and you will see it used frequently as this site grows.
Some of us have also chosen to use a cultural specific version of our name as well…this is not mandatory and slightly makes us look like we are re-enactors but Harnas Ken sounds so much less cool than Harnas Andrij. (Andrij the Rusyn form of my middle name Andrew…since there is no equiv for Ken in the language.)
In all likelyhood, if we were to meet in public and you called me Harnas Andrij I probably wouldn’t even answer…not out of disrespect but just fromt he fact that no one calls me that. So while we may be having fun with the names don’t feel obligated to do the same.
