In 2022, there will be the anniversary of two writer sisters, that wrote under the common nick name of Owl of Hazel (Lazdynų Pelėda), Sofija Pšibiliauskienė will commemorate 155 years, and Marija Lastauskienė - 150 years. Sisters worked in the first half of the XX century, they were well-known writers whose works could be considered bestsellers from today’s perspective. Readers identified with the heroes of the books, living through the blows of fate together, comforting themselves that their lives were not as black as the protagonists. Personal life stories of both sisters are complicated. Time dictated its own rules, and back then it was really difficult for women to get a quality education, as the only tasks for them were to give birth and raise children. However, the aspirations and talents of the sisters dashed out of the frames established by society. They created ignoring the stereotypes of that time, fighting constant fatigue and deprivation. At daytime they gave birth to children, raised them, and devoted to creativity at night. The revolution in Russia, the First World War, the proclamation of Lithuania's independence and the subsequent struggle for freedom-none of the big events bypassed them. Elder Sofia, exhausted of difficult living conditions and illness, died in 1926. After her death, it became known that two sisters had written under the pseudonym Owl of Hazel. Marija Lastauskienė wrote in Polish, and her sister Sofija Pšibiliauskienė translated her works into Lithuanian or integrated them into her own work. According to Marija, does it matter who wrote, most importantly, that is written. After her sister's death, Marija Lastauskienė wrote intensively for 14 years and left an impressive number of her works, which accompanied many women of that time as a guiding star. In her works, protagonists speak through the lips of a metropolitan man, whose life twists and turns lead him from agrarian society to the labyrinths of industrialism. The works actualize the fate of women who fall into the traps of human traffickers, can no longer escape from them and end their lives tragically. Readers of her works could learn about the consequences for children, who were born to a man with syphilis. Many stories have lightened the lives of readers, educated and nurtured them, encouraged them to fight for their lives, to strive for a brighter future for themselves and their children. Marija Lastauskiene, as one of the first socialists, was dented of her pension from Lithuanian government around 1930. However, thanks to the intelligentsia, friends of hers, she managed to get her pension, at least some part of it. After the Second World War, Marija Lastauskienė became a recognized and respected writer and her life became somewhat easier. She created a world where compassion and justice, science and education were to prevail. She portrayed the world as she saw it and the one longed for. the work of both sisters suited for Soviet ideology, but women themselves could not foresee it while creating the books. Their work was universal, as it depicted life with all its colors.

The aim of the project: To actualize and preserve the memory of prominent historical personalities: the painter Nikodemas Ivanauskas and his daughters, writers Sofija Ivanauskaitė - Pšibiliauskienė and Marija Ivanauskaitė - Lastauskienė, who wrote under the common nickname Lazdyų Pelėda.

Tasks:

1. To organize the plein air of "Roads of Nikodem Ivanauskas" from 1922 to 23 July 2022.

2. To organize an exhibition of the works of the participants of the plein air, after which the works will enrich the funds of the museum.

3. To organize an academic conference in Paragiai “Relevance of Lazdynų Pelėda work in the 21st century contexts ’. To invite gymnasium students from the surrounding areas and their teachers, writers and anyone interested in the literature and culture of their country to the conference. To invite to give talks researchers from the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, creators of contemporary prose Giedra Radvilavičiūtė, Renatas Šerelytė, Linas Simutytė and others. To end the conference with a theatrical concert of the group "Graži ir ta galinga” as in the XX a. century topics illustrators.

4. To restore historical justice by creating and hanging a plaque on a house in Vilnius, Pylimo str. 5, where Marija Lastauskienė lived.

Today Lazdynų Pelėda Memorial Museum is open in the Paragiai manor, the birthplace of the father, and it is dedicated for the writer sisters of Lazdynų Pelėda and their father, painter Nikodemas Ivanauskas. This homestead is in the heritage protection list of Lithuanian cultural heritage. The father of the writers, Nicodemus Ivanauskas, was taking part in the uprising of 1863 against the rule of tsarist Russia. But as a pacifist, he could not endure cruelty and death, and his emotional helth suffered. The doctor of rebel troops had dismissed him from the insurgents and so he had to go into hiding to avoid common scenario of tsar dealing with the rebels: a exile in Siberia and the confiscation of property. His lifelong mission was to preserve the legacy of his ancestors and pass it on to his descendants. After surviving the rebel struggles, he left for St. Petersburg to study painting. However, the longing for the home was great and after receiving the news that the wave of dealing with the rebels had passed, Nikodemas Ivanauskas returned to Paragiai, the land of his ancestors. He soon married Karolina Pečkauskaitė, whose father was exiled to Siberia as a member of the uprising committee and whose two brothers died during the uprising. The family raised three children-two daughters and a son. The spouses shared tasks: the mother was responsible for raising the daughters and the father for raising the son. Despite their daughters ’talents and longing for education, they were denied the opportunity to attend gymnasium. The father decided to teach them himself by painting pictures. Elder Sofia was agile, receptive, and quick to absorb her father’s lessons, and Marija was slower. It was only thanks to Sofia that sister Marija learned to read and count because her father had decided she had no talent for studies. Mother taught them a variety of handicrafts, and those skills helped them survive financially and take care of their children and aging parents when paying royalties for their work was diminished or stopped altogether.

First of all, it is important and fruitful to foster the memory of historical figures through the use of a unique memorial site - Paragiai manor environment - to promote cultural tourism through various forms of culture, plein air exhibition, and academic conference: The importance of work from Lazdynų pelėda in the creation of democratic state and educating society in the 21st century contexts’.

The commemoration phase will bring together members of different communities for a common goal and will involve them in joint activities aimed at honoring and perpetuating the memory of the prominent personalities of Paragiai manor. The task of this stage is to create and hang a memorial plaque on the house in Vilnius, Pylimo street 5, where one ofht the sisters, Marija Lastauskienė - Lazdynų Pelėda lived around 1910 - 1916, with her husband, the unifier of the Belarusian nation, politician Vaclov Lastauskas, especially since the memorial plaque to her husband is already there. It is also necessary to update the plaque on the house in Vilnius, Latvių st. 18, where another sister Sofija Pšibiliauskienė - Lazdynų Pelėda lived in 1911 - 1912.

The strength of the project is an experienced team of project implementers: Lionė Stupurienė, Director of the Akmenė Regional Museum, Elena Sakalė, Head of the Simonas Daukantas Museum of the Akmenė Regional Museum, and Sandra Sakalauskienė, Head of the Lazdynų Pelėda Memorial Museum of the Akmenė Regional Museum.

The desired result: after fulfilling the set of tasks, the name and historical memory of prominent personalities of Akmenė region: artist Nikodemas Ivanauskas and his daughters writers Sofija Pšibiliauskienė and Marija Lastauskienė, who wrote under the common nickname Lazdynų Pelėda, will be preserved. The visitors of the events will experience the joy of communication, broaden their horizons, get inspiration, remember the roots and history of their nation, and the prepared for users and adopted for visiting historical-memorial places will become a well-deserved respect for these Lithuanian enlighteners. A monument is a sign that invites you to stop, remember, get to know and understand not only another person, his destiny, but also yourself.

The project will promote inter-institutional cooperation by involving different communities in commemorative activities aimed at honoring historical figures, updating and appreciating their memory as a stimulus for individual personality growth through interest in the history of their country.

The history of this nobil family reflects the history of the whole of Europe. The family members spoke Polish to each other, but they considered themselves Lithuanians. The attitude of his father Nikodem Ivanauskas surpassed the attitudes of local nobility at that time. He was a humanist, a pacifist, and a great romantic who planned to build a small Venice in his mansion and commissioned the excavation of a pond with canals so that he could sail in a boat and read poems to his wife, Carolina.

At the urging of his friend Pruskovsky's Nicodemas Erasmas Ivanauskas went to study painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He did great. The family lived the golden age in Munich. However, a fatal lawsuit brought the family back to Paragiai before the young artist was able to graduate from the academy. The case was lost because the thieves stole the proof of ownership of the land.

In order to survive, the artist had to take all sorts of orders, for which he wasted his strength and talent. The affairs of the management of the manor and the calling of the artist often contradicted each other. Nicodemus suffered from not being able to devote himself solely to painting. However, his goal of preserving the Paragiai manor for descendants was achieved. Today the manor is vibrant and full of life. It houses a museum and hosts educational and cultural events. The special aura fascinates incoming tourists.

The daughter spoke Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, German and French in the family. Sofia wrote in a letter that she had read Hugos "les Miserables" in the original language. In their works, one can see images of the Lithuanian countryside and the fates of the people in it. We will find the descriptions of the movement for the preservation of Lithuanianness, the description of the activities of book smugglers, the love of the homeland, the labyrinths of big cities and the cruelty of the manufacturers. The stories of Lazdynų Pelėda are also full of descriptions of medical knowledge, human trafficking and the exploitation of women for prostitution. The prominent personalities of this family have surpassed their time, and their history serves the present as proof that talent, even in the most difficult circumstances, is invincible if it is accompanied by determination and dedication to the pursued goal.