Bujnicki Ihnat (also spelled Buinitski; Буйніцкі Ігнат), artist, producer, civic. Ihnat Bujnicki was born in the village of Palevačy, township of Hłybokaje, on August 10(22), 1861. He studied in Hłybokaje, at a land-surveying technical school in Riga, and in a private drama school in Vilna. He began to work as a land surveyor in Belarus but soon gave up his profession and became involved totally in organizing Belarusian theater. His theater was at first of the amateur type; and later on it became a professional enterprise. Bujnicki named his theater The First Belarusian Theatrical Group of Ihnat Bujnicki. In a short period of time Ihnat Bujnicki accomplished a wonder: he became known all over Belarus. Belarusians as well as non-Belarusians knew him in Moscow, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, and other cities, larger and smaller, in both Poland and Russia. The influence of Bujnicki's activities on the development of Belarusian national self-awareness is remarkable.
He not only raised the consciousness of the masses concerning their Belarusian national identity but also became involved in the process of the national revival. After Bujnicki's performances in numerous localities, Belarusian national ortganizations sprang up and became active. The activities of Ihnat Bujnicki, together with the newspaper Naša Niva, the poetry of Alojza Paškievič and of Aleś Harun - these were the catalysis which formed Belarusian political thinking, leading to Belarusian statehood. Ihnat Bujnicki died in the town of Maładečna on September 22, 1917.
References: Niafiod, U. Historyja Biełaruskaha Teatra, Minsk, vol. 1, 1983, p. 447; Enc. Lit. i Mast. Biełarusi, vol. 1, 1984, pp. 510-511.
