The Sower page 13, March 24, 2019

EXPLORING OUR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY Honoring in the Month of March By Lubow Wolynetz, Curator The greatness of the poetry sible means to teach the populace began to work on producing the Our Museum and Library has and Konstatnytn Malytska, after of Taras Shevchenko, the impact about Shevchenko – to instill a necessary material. They printed a unique collection of publica- coming to that city, immediately it has and continues to have on reverence for him, to imbue the readers and began the publica- tions, including the first edition organized a proper school for the each new generation of people with Shevchenko’s ideas, tion of a children’s magazine, of the of 1840, and many children of the Ukrainian set- is as powerful today, and to inspire them to continue Dzvinok (1890-1914). Noted writ- other pertinent works and stud- tlers. Most of the children, as it was for centuries, beginning Shevchenko’s testament. ers began writing stories, poems, ies on Shevchenko, his poetry, his although of Ukrainian parents, with the first publication of his In the late 19th century and and songs for children. They ideology, and the power it has were semi-russified and unable to poetry, the Kobzar in 1840. It is early years of the 20th century, printed postcards which depicted had on the Ukrainian nation. speak Ukrainian. She managed to his poetry that has awakened in Western experienced a certain aspects of Shevchenko’s Among our Shevchenkiana collec- have them speak Ukrainian, Ukrainian people their national massive movement of enlighten- life and works and which served tion we also have some interest- taught them Ukrainian history, awareness and national identity; ment and the rebirth of national as excellent illustrative material. ing ephemeral material on the revived their national conscious- it instilled in them patriotism consciousness. Members of the Ukrainian women were permit- subject of Shevchenko, e.g. post- ness, etc. In 1920, Malytska was toward their land, their people, educated and higher social classes ted by the government and in cards from the years 1904-1906. finally able to return home to their cultural and historical her- were especially concerned about some ways by society, to obtain a We likewise have the children’s , where she continued to be a itage. During the many trying educating the masses of illiterate higher education, many of whom magazine Dzvinok from the years social activist and an educator. years of political oppression and or semi-literate Ukrainian peas- finished teacher’s colleges. (In 1906 and 1911. Many well-known One of the postcards that we attempts at national annihilation, ant population in the villages. those years teaching was consid- writers, poets, and artists con- have is from the year 1905, and it it was Shevchenko’s poetic legacy They focused their attention on ered to be the only respectable tributed to this magazine. One of depicts a group of children from that sustained Ukrainian people the village children by organizing profession for women). This these contributors was an out- the village of Mylovanie in their fight for freedom, in the a 1st and 2nd grade school for development increased the num- standing teacher and writer, (Tovmach region, Ivano- preservation of their history, and starters. Since Ukrainian chil- ber of professional teachers and Konstantyna Malytska, 1872- Frankivsk oblast) performing a in their identity. Leaders of dren’s literature and schoolbooks made it possible for them to trav- 1947, who used the literary pen play written by Vira Lebedova Ukrainian communities, and were a scarcity in those years, el to the villages and staff the name of Vira Lebedova. She entitled A Wreath for Taras especially educators, used all pos- Ukrainian educators in the cities schools there. taught in schools in Halychyna Shevchenko’s Grave. The walls of and Bukovyna, was active in the the stage are decorated with long women’s movement, and various woven textiles, with the tradi- cultural organizations. She tional Tovmach linear designs, founded the aid society for used in village homes as bench Ukrainian Sich Riflemen in 1914, and bed covers. Another post- and, did much more. She wrote card from 1904, but mailed in many stage plays for children 1906, depicts Taras Shevchenko commemorating important with a lira (a folk musical instru- national events and personages ment) in front of him and sur- especially Taras Shevchenko. She rounded by laurel branches. was the author of many popular Below the portrait is a heraldic Sich Riflemen’s and children’s shield with a rampant lion which songs. is the traditional heraldic symbol In 1915, when the Russian of Halychyna. In Western tsarist army occupied Halychyna, Ukraine, the minstrels playing Konstantyna and many other the lira were more prevalent, social leaders, activists, educa- while in Eastern Ukraine min- tors, and writers were taken as strels played on the bandura or hostages and sent to various . Since this postcard was cities in Siberia. Even though published in Western Ukraine they lived there in semi-confine- Shevchenko is depicted with a ment, they still were able to cor- lira. respond and to move freely with- All of the above gives us in the city limits. Even there another example of the impor- Konstantyna continued to work tance of the preservation of every as a teacher, organizing school Ukrainian item, even the smallest rooms, giving lectures, etc. In the item. We really never know how city of Krasnoyarsk, to which much interesting and significant many political activists (Russian information can be gleaned from A Wreath for Taras Shevchenko’s Grave, Postcard, and non-Russian) were exiled— the item, and then preserved for Ukrainian Museum and Library of Stamford many Ukrainians began to settle future generations. ! in that area in the 19th century,

Book Review by Museum Director Msgr. John Terlecky

a real popular subject, I, nevertheless, The modern Ukrainian kitchen: 70 con- crops.” Wow! – I never thought of was surprised to find out how popular temporary recipes by Anna Melher; Ukrainians being in the forefront of Ukrainian cooking books in the English The best recipes of traditional Ukrainian organic foods. I was disappointed that language exist. There was a total of nine cuisine for your health by Oleg Scribe; the author did not use colored appear- such books published in 2018 alone and Dishes of Ukrainian Carpathians (Hutsul ances for each dish—they appear only in two already in 2019. I guess that makes cuisine by Attila Barat; black and white. Yet, that may be a rea- Ukrainian cuisine a profitable venue in Meat dishes of Western Ukraine by Attila son for the inexpensive paperback edi- the marketplace. Barat; tion and free for kindle users. One such book states that “dishes of Real Ukrainian borsch by Mari I purchased ten copies of this book to Ukrainian cuisine are considered to be among Novikovska. give to my friends and siblings who want the most satisfying, elegant, and unique in the Of recent books on this topic, I to prepare their remembrance of “Mom’s recipe world”. I provide a list of nine chose Ukraine At Your Doorstep by April dishes”. They understand English to be books that were published in 2018 and I Blomgren. The author is an experienced their primary language, even if their roots consider to be among “a dime a dozen”; writer who has composed over twenty are Ukrainian. inexpensive in paperback and usually free books on world cuisine. In this book of Looking for a really good Ukrainian in a Kindle edition: thirty recipes, you will see a lot of differ- cookbook that has just been published in Popular Ukrainian cuisine recipes: 40 ent and unique Ukrainian meals that are the . I recommend step-by-step recipes for preparing traditional simple and easy to make. She even men- Spadshchyna Chotyr’okh Hospodyn” (The Ukraine At Your Doorstep by April Ukrainian dishes and drinks plus cooking tips tions a recipe for kysilytsia. She provides Heritage of Four Housewives) by Blomgren. (April Blomgren, 2018, $12.95) by MaryAnn Marfield; Ukrainian names for each dish. A number Yaroslava Zelyns’ka-Johnson and recently Cooking is one of the main subjects My favorite Ukrainian: my stash of best of dishes are devoted to Christmas and published by “Staryi Lev” printing house that you can find in bookstores and recipes from the Ukraine from Yum Treats Easter specialties. Her purpose in writing in Ukrainian. It comes in a cloth edition online book services. So many cooking Press; this particular book was to heap praise on and sells for $39.95. I was able to pur- episodes can be found on cable networks Real Ukrainian cookbook: 50 national the fact that “Ukrainians strive to eat a lot of chase it from a third-seller on Amazon’s and public television. Even though this is dishes collected in the villages by Anna organic foods due to fertile lands and growing list – BeeUkrainian.! Melher;

For more information about The Ukrainian Museum and Library of Stamford, please, visit www.ukrainianmuseumlibrary.org, call 203-324-0499 or 203-323-8866. The Museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by appointment, and is located at: 161 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06902.