Culture and Customs of Ukraine Ukraine. Courtesy of Bookcomp, Inc. Culture and Customs of Ukraine ADRIANA HELBIG, OKSANA BURANBAEVA, AND VANJA MLADINEO Culture and Customs of Europe GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Helbig, Adriana. Culture and customs of Ukraine / Adriana Helbig, Oksana Buranbaeva and Vanja Mladineo. p. cm. — (Culture and customs of Europe) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–313–34363–6 (alk. paper) 1. Ukraine—Civilization. 2. Ukraine—Social life and customs. I. Buranbaeva, Oksana. II. Mladineo, Vanja. III. Title. IV. Series. DK508.4.H45 2009 947.7—dc22 2008027463 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 2009 by Adriana Helbig, Oksana Buranbaeva, and Vanja Mladineo All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2008027463 ISBN: 978–0–313–34363–6 First published in 2009 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors dedicate this book to Marijka Stadnycka Helbig and to the memory of Omelan Helbig; to Rimma Buranbaeva, Christoph Merdes, and Ural Buranbaev; to Marko Pećarević. This page intentionally left blank Contents Series Foreword ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Chronology xv 1 Context 1 2 Religion 30 3 Language 48 4 Gender 59 5 Education 71 6 Customs, Holidays, and Cuisine 90 7 Media 114 8 Literature 127 viii CONTENTS 9 Music 147 10 Theater and Cinema in the Twentieth Century 162 Glossary 173 Selected Bibliography 177 Index 187 Series Foreword The old world and the New World have maintained a fluid exchange of people, ideas, innovations, and styles. Even though the United States became the de facto world leader and economic superpower in the wake of a devas- tated Europe in World War II, Europe has remained for many the standard bearer of Western culture. Millions of Americans can trace their ancestors to Europe. The United States as we know it was built on waves of European immigration, starting with the English who braved the seas to found the Jamestown Colony in 1607. Bosnian and Albanian immigrants are some of the latest new Ameri- cans. In the Gilded Age of one of our great expatriates, the novelist Henry James, the Grand Tour of Europe was de rigueur for young American men of means, to prepare them for a life of refinement and taste. In a more recent demo- cratic age, scores of American college students have Eurailed their way across Great Britain and the Continent, sampling the fabled capitals and bergs in a mad, great adventure, or have benefited from a semester abroad. For other American vacationers and culture vultures, Europe is the prime destination. What is the New Europe post–Cold War, post Berlin Wall in a new mil- lennium? Even with the different languages, rhythms, and rituals, Europe- ans have much in common: they are largely well educated, prosperous, and worldly. They also have similar goals and face common threats and form alliances. With the advent of the European Union, the open borders, and x SERIES FOREWORD the Euro and considering globalization and the prospect of a homogenized Europe, an updated survey of the region is warranted. Culture and Customs of Europe features individual volumes on the coun- tries most studied and for which fresh information is in demand from stu- dents and other readers. The Series casts a wide net, inclusive of not only the expected countries, such as Spain, France, England, and Germany, but also countries such as Poland and Greece that lie outside Western Europe proper. Each volume is written by a country specialist, with intimate knowledge of the contemporary dynamics of a people and culture. Sustained narrative chapters cover the land, people, and brief history; religion; social customs; gender roles, family, and marriage; literature and media; performing arts and cinema; and art and architecture. The national character and ongoing popular traditions of each country are framed in an historical context and celebrated along with the latest trends and major cultural figures. A country map, chronology, glossary, and evocative photos enhance the text. The historied and enlightened Europeans will continue to fascinate Americans. Our futures are strongly linked politically, economically, and culturally. Preface When Oksana Baiul won the gold medal in ice skating at the 1994 Win- ter Olympics, the medal ceremony was delayed as skating officials searched frantically for a tape of the Ukrainian anthem. More than a decade and a half has passed since that international event, when the world first watched the Ukrainian flag rise to honor an athlete who embodied the Ukrainian spirit of struggle and perseverance. Having shed the cloak of imperial domination and the yoke of communism, Ukraine has become a society in which citizens grapple with the fast-paced changes introduced by democratic and market reforms. A nation-state defined by a multitude of ethnic groups, religions, languages, and worldviews, Ukraine is a kaleidoscope of old and new ideas and practices. This book examines Ukraine’s cultural framework through the lenses of history, politics, family, social networks, artistic expression, religion, custom, and tradition. From the dark experiences of war to the warmth of the kitchen table, this volume charts a journey through a country that has built fast trains in the post-Soviet era but whose people are constantly reminded that they still travel on Soviet-era tracks. This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments We are deeply grateful to Mark Andryczyk, Gennadi Poberezny, and Maria Rewak for their expert reading of this manuscript and to Maxim Tarnawsky for his expert advice on certain topics. We wish to thank Rafis Abazov, who helped make this project happen. This project would not have been possible without the guidance of Kaitlin Ciarmiello of Greenwood Publishing Group. We also wish to thank the following colleagues and friends for their sup- port throughout the project and for their feedback on individual chapters: Rimma Buranbaeva, Marijka Stadnycka Helbig, Damir Huremović, Olya Kolomyyets, Samantha Lach, Ingrid Lee, Erica Marcus, Christoph Merdes, Petro Mishchenko, Anna Nadezhina, Natalia Nakhapetian, Maxim Novi- chenko, Natalia Palidwor Sonevytska, Kudrat Virk, and Catherine Wanner. Special thanks to Natasha Kipp for her editorial assistance. This page intentionally left blank Chronology PREHISTORY ca. 4000–2000 B.C. Trypillian culture flourishes. ca. 1150–950 B.C. The Cimmerians dominate Ukrainian lands. ca. 750 B.C. The Scythians chase the Cimmerians out of Ukrainian territory. 513 B.C. The Scythians defend their territory by defeating Persian king Darius I. 339 B.C. The Macedonians defeat the Scythians. ca. 100 B.C.–A.D. 100 The Sarmatians populate Ukrainian lands. ca. A.D. 500 Slavs begin arriving in Ukrainian lands. KYIVAN RUS’ 878–912 Prince Oleh reigns. 882 The state of Kyivan Rus’ is established. 911 Prince Oleh invades Constantinople. 945–962 Princess Olha reigns. xvi CHRONOLOGY 957 Princess Olha embarks on a diplomatic mission to Constan- tinople. 962–972 Prince Sviatoslav reigns. 965–969 Prince Sviatoslav defeats the Khazars and the Volga Bulgarians. 980–1015 Prince Volodymyr the Great reigns. 988 The Kyivan Rus’ realm is Christianized. 1036–1054 Prince Yaroslav the Wise reigns. cc. 1113 Monk Nestor compiles The Primary Chronicle (Chronicle of the Bygone Years). 1113–1125 Grand Prince Volodymyr Monomakh reigns. 1240 Invading Mongol armies overrun Kyiv. GALICIA-VOLHYNIA 1253 A papal representative crowns Danylo king of Galicia- Volhynia. 1264 King Danylo dies. POLISH AND LITHUANIAN RULE 1340 King Casimir of Poland conquers Galicia. 1366 A war between Poland and Lithuania ends with the Poles occupying Galicia and a part of Volhynia. 1368 Lithuanian Prince Algirdas occupies Kyiv and controls approximately half of Kyivan Rus’ territory. 1385 The Union of Krevo between Lithuania and Poland trans- fers Lithuanian and Ukrainian lands to the Polish crown. 1508 Ukrainian nobles rise up against Grand Prince Sigismund, led by Mykhailo Hlynsky. 1568 The Union of Lublin is formed. COSSACK UPRISING 1648 Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky leads the Great Cossack Revolt. 1649 Triumphant Khmelnytsky enters Kyiv. CHRONOLOGY xvii 1651 Khmelnytsky is defeated and signs the Treaty of Bila Tserkva. 1654 Cossacks accept a Muscovy protectorate in the Pereiaslav Agreement. RUSSIAN IMPERIAL AND POLISH RULE 1656 The Muscovy tsar concludes peace with Poland in defiance of the Pereiaslav Agreement. 1657 Hetman Khmelnytsky dies. 1708 Hetman Ivan Mazepa allies the Cossacks with Sweden. 1709 The forces of Catherine the Great destroy the Cossack Zaporozhian Sich. 1765 Sloboda Ukraine becomes part of the Russian Empire. 1775 Zaporozhzhian lands become part of the Russian Empire. 1783 Peasants are officially deprived of the right to leave their landlords, formalizing serfdom. The Ukrainian nobility are granted privileges equal to those of the Russians. 1785 Hetmanate becomes part of the Russian Empire. 1795 Polish rule over the Right Bank ends. 1848 The Supreme Ruthenian Council is established in L’viv. Serfdom is abolished in Galicia. 1861 Serfdom is abolished in eastern Ukrainian lands. WORLD WAR I AND IMMEDIATE POSTWAR YEARS 1917 March The Ukrainian Central Rada is formed. November The Central Rada proclaims an autonomous Ukraine. December The Bolsheviks invade Ukraine. 1918 January The Central Rada proclaims an independent Ukrainian Na- tional Republic. xviii CHRONOLOGY February The Brest-Litovsk Treaty is concluded between Ukraine and the Central Powers. March German forces enter Ukraine. April The Central Rada is disbanded. Hetmanate is established. November German forces withdraw from Ukraine.