SummerACUAACUAVITAE 2008 | Volume 15, Number 1 VITAEAlberta’s Ukrainian Arts and Culture Magazine Art,Art, Culture,Culture, andand aa NewNew GenerationGeneration The Bandura: A Brief History Bohdan Tarasenko Barvy Art Studio A PUBLICATION OF THE ALBERTA COUNCIL FOR THE UKRAINIAN ARTS clear, effective communication solutions for print and web t: 780.452.1767 www.jellyfishdesign.com [email protected] ACUAVITAE Summer 2008 FEATURES 5 The Bandura: A Brief History Dr. Andrij Hornjatkevyc shares an exerpt of his presentation on the historic Bandura 9 Old-country Folklore and New-fangled Magic on the Prairies Naomi Lewis explores Edmonton Playwright Bohdan Tarasenko 10 Exploring the Inner Artist Artists and school founders Iryna Karpenko and Valeriy Semenko talk with Andrea Kopylech about their visions for Barvy Studio PHOTO CREDIT: DR. A. HORNJATKEVYC DEPARTMENTS 2 Letter from the Editor 3 Arts News Community Donations Ukrainian Day 2008 7 Film Halya Wilson reviews “The Orange Revolution” 12 Books Elena Scharabun reviews Strawberry Fields Recommended Reading 13 Lystivky from Around the Globe Meaghan Goebel reflects on Cheremosh’s time in China Cover Image: Old Hutsul, acrylic, 9x12, 2008 ARTIST: VALERIY SEMENKO House of Sod by Bohdan Tarasenko ACUAVITAE SUMMER 2008 PHOTO CREDIT: B. TaRASENKO 1 FROM THE EDITOR ummer. on a daily basis. But it’s a good struggle Already because I’m forced to face my challenges ACUAVITAE I feel a and the reward is the sense of peace and Alberta’s Ukrainian Arts and Culture Magazine reprieve joy in all the little things that I accomplish. from the daily Working on ACUA Vitae is always a S Summer 2008 Volume 15, Number 1 hustle and bustle combination of fun, hard work, and of work and life. the struggle for balance. In this issue of Publisher: ACUA, The Alberta As I finish up the ACUA Vitae, Dr. Andriy Hornjatkevyc Council for the Ukrainian Arts preparation of shares with us an excerpt from one of this issue of ACUA Vitae, I begin to think his presentations on the bandura – an Editor: Andrea Kopylech about my summer days. I’m hopeless at instrument of great legacy to Ukrainian planning holidays. It’s not that I don’t want culture. Balancing out our cultural Associate Editors: to get away, but I’m not a planner. I prefer history lesson, Naomi Lewis connects Rena Hanchuk, Naomi Lewis the last minute getaway and when I’m off us with emerging playwright, Bohdan Contributors: Meaghan Goebel, Dr. A. I try to savour every chance moment I get. Tarasenko, and Ukrainian visual artists Hornjatkevyc, Iryna Karpenko, Khrystyna But my three small children have changed Valeriy Semenko and Iryna Karpenko Kohut, Andrea Kopylech, Naomi Lewis, things for me. Now I’m forced to find a new chat about how they got started with art, Olesia Markevych, Elena Scharabun, balance between impulsive and planner. and the inspiration for Barvy Studio. Valeriy Semenko, Halya Wilson The hammock calls, and I can’t wait for It takes dedication, hard work, and a sharing of ideas to make each issue happen. the lazy afternoon spent under the apple Art Direction: jellyfish design tree reading Marina Lewycka’s Strawberry Thank you to our contributors for your time, Fields. Check out Elena Scharabun’s list effort, and input. Our goal is to engage our ACUA Vitae is published annually. Views of recommended reading for more great readers with Ukrainian cultural arts and to expressed by the writers are not necessarily books available at the Ukrainian Bookstore. present fresh perspectives from our artistic those of ACUA. Copyright individual writers. But not all of my summer days will community. I hope you, our members, Permission required to reproduce contents. be lazy ones. The kids don’t allow for find this issue fresh and inspiring. If you’re Send inquiries, subscription requests, address that. We’ll also take in some of the great not a member, I hope you too enjoy this changes to: festivals around the province. If you get an issue and consider becoming a member of 207, 11803 - 125 St, Edmonton, AB T5L 0S1 opportunity, check out Ukrainian Days at ACUA. We need to support arts and culture Email: [email protected] the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village in in this province and we need to preserve August… ACUA will be there with drop our Ukrainian cultural heritage. Enjoy! Printed in Canada by in workshop opportunities for everyone, Andrea Kopylech, ACUA McCallum Printing Group Inc. and a wonderful artist exhibition to view. Balance is something I struggle with Sunflower, detail Barvy Studio student work 2 SUMMER 2008 ACUAVITAE ARTS NEWS Community Ukrainian Day Festival! Donations Sunday, August 10, 2008 Over the last year the Ukrainian Join us in a celebration of our Ukrainian market, art exhibits, and an exciting Canadian Archives and Museum of roots and heritage at Ukrainian Day 2008 cultural concert on the bandshell stage. Alberta (UCAMA) has received two at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village! This year’s performers will include Shumka significant donations. The Koziak Every summer, thousands of people gather & new Edmonton bands Euphoria and Family Foundation have chosen to for the annual festival. Families from all Zorepad! New events this year include honour their parents, John H. and across east-central Alberta along with tourists interactive craft displays, face painting Marie Koziak, by sponsoring the and the general public gather for a day to for children, old-fashioned games, and a Founders’ Room with a $200,000 celebrate all things Ukrainian. Hosted by the chance to kick up your heels and dance! donation. The Founders’ Room will Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Alberta, ACUA will also be featuring a special permanently carry the Koziak name Ukrainian Day is a perfect event for the whole area of activity by members who will in lasting tribute to their parents’ family, with events for both young and old. provide hands-on opportunities for love of Ukrainian culture and their The festival draws an audience of over young and old to try your hand at contribution to the development 5000 spectators and feature many annual various forms of art and creativity. of Edmonton and Alberta. attractions including Centenary Pioneers For more information and updates on The family of retired engineer Ed recognition, church services, tours of the Ukrainian Day, please visit our website at Chwyl of Victoria has purchased the historic site, a Taste of Ukraine food festival, www.uccab.ca or please call 780-414-1624. naming opportunity for UCAMA’s new library, to be named the Chwyl Family Library, with a donation of $750,000. A modest man with strong Christian values, Chwyl describes himself as a spiritual traditionalist. “Yes, always strive to do your best, but also acknowledge that your success depends more on elements out of your control than it does on you. Timing, luck, and divine intervention trump personal achievements every time.” He is grateful for the years of support and encouragement he received from the entire Chwyl family and for this reason, he says that “calling it the Chwyl Family Library is most apropos.” UCAMA is also pleased that Promin Sport, a part of the League of Ukrainian Canadians, allocated the door proceeds of the Klitschko/ Ibragimov boxing match for our new museum project. UCAMA collected over $1,000 toward the capital campaign and is grateful for this show of community support. Groups or individuals who wish to contribute to the building of the new museum should contact UCAMA at (780) 424-7580. ACUAVITAE SUMMER 2008 3 Pavlo Suprun, bandurist, on the square in front of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev. Suprun was blinded in his childhood by a grenade during WW2. He earns part of his living by performing in this square on Sunday afternoons. PHOTO CREDIT: DR. A. HORNJATKEVYC 4 SUMMER 2008 ACUAVITAE The Bandura: A Brief History From a presentation by Dr. Andrij Hornjatkevyc n the Ukraine, and in the Canadian often used interchangeably, and through everyone went his separate way. Ukrainian community, the the might of Taras Shevchenko’s first Under Pavlo Skoropadsky’s monarchical asymmetrical bandura is a cultural collection of poems, “Kobzar,” Ukrainians Hetmanate, Vasyl Yemetz organized the icon – a veritable emblem of a became enamoured with both instru- first bandurist chorus, or Cappella. The Ination and its culture. But the bandura’s ments. Historians now agree the kobza Kobzar Choir, as they were known, gave history is long and treacherous; in fact, in was a simper version of the bandura. their first performance in November, the late nineteenth century, the instrument Over the next two hundred years, 1918 in Kyiv. The ensemble dispersed was on the verge of extinction. Bandurists bandura performance evolved in two when its patron abdicated in December, struggled through political oppression, distinct schools. Chernihiv musicians held but was eventually reconstituted imprisonment, and even attempts the bandura between their thighs, playing under the Soviet regime, and, in 1935, on their lives to bring their beloved melody with the right hand and accom- amalgamated with the Poltava Chorus, instrument through the centuries, to the panying with the left. Kharkiv musicians a group working under Volodymyr new world, and back to the Ukraine. reversed the hand positions, holding Kabachok, with Khotkevych’s guidance. The familiar asymmetrical instrument their banduras flat against the chest. The The old-style wandering bandurists were is a modern invention, which evolved from instrument took its place, in the nine- seen as a threat to the regime because of a series of simpler instruments. None of teenth century, as an instrument of blind their unruly repertoire; for example, Yehor these predecessors remain intact, but they wandering minstrels in Eastern Ukraine.