MŪSŲ PASTOGĖ
AUSTRALIAN LITHUANIAN WEEKLY


The first "Mūsų Pastogė" team.
From the left: Antanas Bauže (founder and publisher),
Juozas Žukauskas (editor), Anna Bauže (administrator),
Jonas Bastys (artist and illustrator)
In the backyard of Hurlstone Park, 1949.

Current MP workers: Nijolė Bartkienė, Vytas Patašius,
Vytas Doniela,Dalia Doniela
The first issue of "Mūsų Pastogė" ("Our Haven") appeared on January 26, 1949. "Mūsų Pastogė" was the first Lithuanian weekly in Australia, although not the first newspaper. The first newspaper, initially a bi-weekly, was "Australijos Lietuvis" ("The Australian Lithuanian"), which was published by Jurgis Glušauskas (Arminas) in South Australia from September 12, 1948. "Australijos Lietuvis" survived for almost eight years, until it ceased publication on May 1, 1956. The Melbourne "Tėviskės Aidai" ("Homeland echoes") continues to be published, having begun publication on February 1, 1956. An interesting fact is that "Mūsų Pastogė" is of the same age as the Melbourne daily "Sun Herald", in existence since January 26, 1949.
The editors of "Mūsų Pastogė" have been:
Juozas Zukauskas
(1949/1 - 1950/7)
Julius Veteikis
(1950/7 - 1951/10)
Aleksandras Mauragis
(1951/10 - 1952/1)
Bronius Zumeris
(1952/2 - 1952/8)
Juozas Zukauskas
(1952/8 - 1953/11)
Jurgis Kalakauskas- Kalakonis
(1953/11 - 1958/7)
Julius Veteikis
(1958/7 - 1961/10)
Vincas Kazokas
(1961/10 - 1970/12)
Aleksandras Mauragis
(1971/1 - 1974/12
Vincas Kazokas
(1975/1 - 1984/10)
Bronius Zalys
(1984/11 - 1984/12)
Dalia Doniela.
Jonas Masanauskas
(1984/12 - 1985/8)
Rita Baltusyte-Ormsby
(1985/8 - 1986/7)
Editorial Committee
(1986/8 - 1986/9)
( V.Augustinavicius, B.Zalys, V.Patasius)
Vincas Augustinavicius
(1986/9 - 1991/8)
Bronius Zalys
(1991/8 - 1999/12)
(with relief editors - Vincas Augustinavicius, initially, and Dalia Doniela, later)
Rita Baltusyte-Ormsby
(2000/1 - 2001/7)
Dita Svaldenyte
(2001/7 - 2001/8
Dalia Doniela
(2001/9 - present

Jadvyga Dambrauskienė, Zita Bartkevičienė,
Bronius Žalys (Editor),Vytas Patašius,
Dalia Doniela

“The “Mūsų Pastogė” team November, 2013 – (L-R) Petras Vegys
(Treasurer), Romas Cibas (President),Petras Viržintas (IT specialist),
Jadvyga Dambrauskienė (Vicepresident), Alis Migus (Secretary),
Dalia Doniela (Editor) and Aida Zastarskytė - Abromas (Dispatcher)”
The list of the publishers of "Mūsų Pastogė" is much shorter. The first publisher was Antanas Bauže, who personally covered the financial shortfalls. On September 12, 1952, he relinquished the role of publisher to the ALC Federal Executive, the president of which then was Justinas Vaicaitis. The Federal Executive was directly involved in publishing "Mūsų Pastogė" until the end of 1970. From January 1971 until the end of 1977, when the Federal Executive had moved to Adelaide (1971-74) and to Melbourne (1975-76), "Mūsų Pastogė" was published and administered by an Administrative Committee based in Sydney, under the delegation and direction of the Federal Executive.
In January 1977 the Federal Executive returned to Sydney for a two year term of office. The Federal Executive, under the presidency of Prof. Algimantas Kabaila and with the approval of the ALC Federal Council, incorporated the Lithuanian Community Publishing Society for the purpose of administering and publishing "Mūsų Pastogė" and handed over "Mūsų Pastogė" to it on December 1, 1977. This body is currently the publisher of "Mūsų Pastogė" and it continues to maintain close contacts with the ALC Federal Executive and reports to the ALC Federal Council. The appearance of "Mūsų Pastogė" changed during its 50 year history. Starting with a 4 page newspaper (a page of which the then obligatory page in English), it has now become an 8 page weekly. Gradually within existing financial constraints the publication technology was improved (thanks to helpers, in particular Prof. Algimantas Kabaila and the late Fr. Povilas Martuzas). The setting out "Mūsų Pastogė" for publication no longer employs pasting up. Computerised setting out was brought in by Rita Baltušytė-Ormsby and has been further improved by the current editor, Dalia Doniela. For many years the paper has been printed by Media Press (first in Marrickville, later in Alexandria). From the middle of April, 2003, the printer is Spotpress, Marrickville.

Address: "Mūsų Pastogė", P.O. Box 550, Bankstown, NSW 1885
Tel: (02) 9782 0080 Fax:(02) 9782 0081
Email:mpastoge@bigpond.com Website: www.slic.org.au/Pastoge


Original text prepared by Vytautas Doniela Translated by Ramutis Zakarevičius