A. Yarokh Subject of Cossack-Kharakternyk in the Ukrainian Information Space
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UDC 007:304:070 A . Yarok h Karazin Kharkiv National University Subject of cossack-kharakternyk in the Ukrainian information space Yarokh A. Subject cossacks-kharakternyks in the Ukrainian information space. The display of the theme of cossack-kharakternyk in the Ukrainian information space is considered. It is shown of perceptions, interpretations of this content in some discourses. It is made the characteristic of the modern communication grounds, which dis- cusses the topic of cossack-kharakternyk. Keywords: information space, the cossacks-kharakternyks (magician), content, discourse, Internet com- munication. Ярох А. І. Тема козаків-характерників в українському інформаційному просторі. Розглянуто відобра- ження теми козаків-характерників в українському інформаційному просторі. Показані особливості уявлень, інтерпретацій, формування цього контенту у різних дискурсах. Дана характеристика сучасним комунікацій- ним майданчикам, на яких обговорюється тема козаків-характерників. Ключові слова: інформаційний простір, козаки-характерники, контент, дискурс, інтернет- комунікації. Ярох А. И. Тема казаков-характерников в украинском информационном пространстве. Рассмотрено отображение темы казаков-характерников в украинском информационном пространстве. Показаны особен- ности представлений, интерпретаций этого контента в различных дискурсах. Дана характеристика совре- менным коммуникационным площадкам, на которых обсуждается тема казаков-характерников. Ключевые слова: информационное пространство, казаки-характерники, контент, дискурс, ин- тернет-коммуникации. The interest of Ukrainians to the past of our The article deals with the following types of country, its history and culture is growing now. discourses1 related with kharakternyk topic: con- Cossacks-kharakternyks is a well-known phe- ventionally «traditional» and «ethno historical» nomenon in Ukrainian culture. People’s mytholo- discourses. gized consciousness endowed them with super- 1. The traditional discourse — is the one in natural powers. Theme of cossacks-kharakternyks which subjects of communication play within the was reflected in folk art, in literature, sculpture, conventional, well-established systems of con- visual arts, music, and exploration of scientists. It cepts, ideas and interpretations of the events re- is presented in the Ukrainian media space since lated to Kharacternyk, perception of them as part the XV-the century and up to the present time. It of the glorious history of the Zaporiz’ky cossacks involves a lot of mysterious, but is poorly under- and Zaporiz’ka Sich. stood. The image of the cossack-kharakternyk 2. Ethno historical discourse — is the one in differently emerges, is interpreted and used in which subjects of communication acts with faith different discourses: mythological, esoteric, sci- in the ancient pre-Christian roots of kharakternyk entific, historical, ideological, and others. (its link with Aryan heritage, with the Magi — Therefore, the following objectives are rele- vant to the article: to consider the characteristics of the formation and interpretation of cossack- 1 kharakternyks in Ukrainian information space in Given the vagueness of the term «discourse» to specify the value in which it is used in this article. Discourse is a complex a variety of discourses, to characterize modern expression of the subject (s) of real events in the communica- communication platforms, which discusses the tion process. It is both the process and outcome of communi- issue of cossacks-kharakternyks. cation. Within a particular kind of discourse they manifest certain pragmatic or ideological inclination of subjects of communication, their beliefs, faith, interests. This affects the system of concepts and their interpretation in this discourse. At a theoretical level typology of discourses discussed in the article by A. Bakun [2]. kharakternyks, with Runvira2. It is obvious that in Severin Nalyvayko, Petro Sahaidachny, Maxim addition to these discourses, there are other inter- Kryvonis, Dmytro Nechay and the most famous esting discourses of cossack-kharakternyk issues kharakternyk — Ivan Sirko. that is worth investigating. Most of the stories and legends about kharak- Consider the image of cossack-kharakternyk ternyks were recorded in Ukraine only in the in traditional discourse in which kharakternyk is nineteenth century although the phenomenon is assigned the role to be part of the cultural heritage ancient, and the first mention of them is found in associated with the glorious history of Cossacks the chronicles relating to the second half of the and Zaporiz’ka Sich. This discourse is presented XVI century. To creating the image of harak- in the Ukrainian media space in various forms, as ternyk joined many famous Ukrainian writers. works of art, publications in mass media, aca- Dmytro Yavornytsky, a writer, historian, archae- demic texts, visual arts, folk elegies, songs, and ologist, ethnographer in 1892 wrote a history of even in modern computer games. Subjects of the zaporiz’ky cossacks [14]. In it he described communications in this discourse give kharak- kharakternyks as such «whom neither water, nor ternyk both real and mythological features, create a sword, nor an ordinary bullet but silver couldn’t image-legend. taken by. These «kharacternyks» could unlock By kharakternyks were called those cossacks locks without keys, cross the river on a rug or a of the Sich, who were engaged in guessing, treat- mat, take with bare hands red-hot cannonballs, to ing the wounded cossacks, provided psycho- see in several layers around using special «vert- therapeutic and physical education. Modern lan- sadel», live at the bottom of the river, climb up guage these were people with supernatural abili- and get out of the tightly tied or even sewn ties. Official Church accused kharakternyks in bags...». Born in an old family of cossacks, a black magic. But thanks to a democratic social Ukrainian writer Eugen Grebinka wrote the novel order at the Zaporiz’ka Sich kharakternytstvo was «Tchaikovsky» in 1843 which is based on family not only persecuted but rather gained distribution. remittances [4]. In it he sees kharakternytstvo as All cossacks respected the kharakternyks and the the possession of an old chivalric tradition. In people sang of them in their songs (duma) and 1846, Panteleimon Kulish’s novel «Black Coun- legends, drew them on the pictures. cil» [10] describes the cossacks-kharakternyks. Mythological image of cossack-kharakternyk Taras Shevchenko, giving a portrait of Colonel is based on literature, historical eyewitness, folk from the poem «Kerchief», succinctly calls legends and tales. People give him many mystical him — «kharakternyk from Sich». and sometimes even fantastic features. It has We should mention Adrian Feofanovych Ka- magic, can see future, events hundreds of miles in shchenko (1858–1921) — Ukrainian writer, au- other countries, can influence people’s minds, thor of numerous prose works of memorable he- heal mortal wounds (even revive the dead), find roics of Zaporiz’ka Sich. He wrote stories: treasures, get away with it. The texts about «Zaporiz’ka glory», «At the Sich ruins», «Jour- kharakternyks mention their ability to stop the ney to the Dnipro rapids», «On Hetman Saga- blood, to ease the pain, catch bullets with his bare jdachny», «Great Meadow Zaporiz’kyj». In the hands, walking on water and fire, to be under stories «From the Dnieper to the Danube», «Ru- water for hours, become invisible, appear in sev- ined Nest» he showed the tragic fate of the Cos- eral places at once and cause panic in the enemy sacks after the destruction of the Zaporiz’ka Sich. [11]. Kharacternyks could control the weather — In the Soviet Ukraine works by Adrian Ka- to disperse the cloud or, alternatively, invoke shchenko were openly red until 1933, and then — rain. Also believed that kharakternyk could be undeserved oblivion of beige a «bourgeois na- killed only by a silver bullet into the heart. There- tionalist». Today websites «Ukrainian Center» fore kharacternyks often were the first to go into [16] and «Ukrainian Union» [13] are returning his battle. According to a legend some cossack’s works to readers. Author’s books in electronic hetmans, koshovyj atamans and famous colonels format are presented on these sites. were kharakternyks. Among them Dmytro Baida- The current author Taras Kalyandruk in his Vishnevetsky, Ivan Pidkova, Samiylo Kishka, studies [8–9] introduces the history and develop- ment of spirituality and culture of cossacks- kharakternyks. The researcher believes that 2 Runvira — Native Ukrainian National Faith. This is the faith in the One God Dazhbog. It was established by Spiritual «kharakternyks’ mission was to save the soul of Teacher and Prophet Lion Sylenko by reforming the ancient the Ukrainian people». The author describes (pre-Christian) faith. The first Runvira community was regis- Ukrainian martial arts, which had cossack- tered in 1966 in Chicago. Runvira seeks to preserve native kharacternyks, history, philosophy and psychol- culture, language, customs and rituals Ukrainian-Ruthenian ogy of the Ukrainian knight fighting spirit. lands (Wikipedia). Information on kharakternyks is also in the Ethno historical discourse has acquired a sig- works on the history of zaporiz’ky cossacks by nificant spread in the modern Ukrainian informa- Myhajlo Hrushevsky [5], Vitaly Shcherbakov tion space. He attended many educational web [15], and Vladimir Golobutsky [3]. To scientific portals which promote Ukrainian history and sources on the