FREE ESSAY ON UNKRAINIAN-AMERICAN FOLKLORE

UNKRAINIAN-AMERICAN FOLKLORE

Purposes of Ukrainian-American Folklore
The relatively large Ukrainian community in the United States has many traditions and
customs, most of which stem from a feeling of Ukrainian nationalism. As Ukraine was being
overtaken by Russia, Ukrainians were immigrating by the thousands to the US. Ukrainians
moving to the new world were leaving behind a disappearing culture and moving to a
completely different land. Immigrants were proud of their heritage, and many of the
traditions that were started in America exist to preserve this heritage and to pass it on
to future generations. 
The Ukrainian Boy Scouting program is one such tradition. Ukrainians in America started
this program in the early 1900's to train their young to return to Ukraine and drive the
Russians out. This began as resistance to Russian rule over Ukraine. All boys and girls
participate in this intermittently throughout the year, starting at age seven and
continuing for life. Ukrainian Boy Scouts is very different from the typical American
view of Boy Scouts, in that it involves a more rigorous wilderness-training program. This
is because the program was essentially started as a military training program, and
although it exists now only for fun and tradition, many of the subjects and ideas taught
to the youths remain the same. People who are involved in the program put their children
through it, as an attempt to preserve Ukrainian culture. When Ukrainians turn eighteen
they become counselors, and at age thirty-five they become seniors and run the program. 
This program, along with a handful of similar programs, was started for various reasons.
To begin with, Ukrainian youths had trouble adjusting to American society. "They
(Ukrainian youth programs) are helping to solve some of the social problems of the
'second generation' that does not seem to be able to find its way into American society
or does not feel at home there." Ukrainian youths were out of place in America with no
sense of identity, and these programs made the adjustment less difficult. These programs
also serve to maintain youth interest in Ukrainian heritage. "The adults are perplexed at
the indifference of the American-born youth to such worthy institutions
(Ukrainian-American organizations)." The youth programs involve American-born Ukrainians
at a young age, insuring that they will grow up to preserve Ukrainian heritage and
culture. A third reason for these programs is that, at the time of their creation, the
Ukrainian community in America was divided into two groups. "One of them represented
independent Ukrainian nationalism and the other, being stimulated by funds from Russia,
was pro-Russian." The nationalist group was responsible for these programs. In addition
to the other functions, they started these programs to compete with the pro-Russian
faction and ensure the survival of Ukrainian culture. These programs exist today to
ensure the future of Ukrainian culture, essentially serving the same function it always
has.
The Red Flower is a traditional Ukrainian song. It also comes from Ukraine's history with
Russia, and although it is sung in Ukrainian, The chorus goes as follows in English:
Down in the valley
A flower wilted
And our sacred country
Went to ruins
The flower in the song is a metaphor for Ukraine, and when Russia took control of
Ukraine, the "flower wilted". This is a somber song, which is sung at serious gatherings
such as funerals or church. It is also sung often during the Boy Scouts training, to
teach the young to sing it.
Clearly this song serves as a source of nationalism, because the words remind those who
hear it of Ukraine's sad past. The song also reminds Ukrainians of why it is important to
preserve their culture, to restore Ukraine to glory.
The Hopak is a traditional Ukrainian dance, which is performed frequently by Ukrainians
in America. Outsiders often refer it to as the "Russian Dance", but it is actually a
Ukrainian dance. The dancer is a man wearing leather boots, loose fitting red silk pants,
and a white shirt with colored embroidering down the middle. His hair is shaved to the
scalp except for a small circle on the top of his head, where the hair is about half a
foot long. He squats down low, and kicks his feet out with his body upright and his arms
folded. The dance has a historic meaning behind it, dating back to when Russia took over
Ukraine. A group of organized rebels known as the Cossacks, who hoped to end Russian
Rule, isolated themselves in a fort in the Carpathian Mountains. The dancer symbolizes a
triumphant Cossack warrior. During festivals and other celebrations, the Hopak was a
common dance. This dance is still taught to Ukrainian Americans today, starting at age
seven. At Ukrainian debutante balls, the men who know the dance do it during a specific
song, which is played at every ball. There are also professional dance groups who perform
the Hopak around the United States and Canada. The dancers today still wear the
traditional clothing, but the hairstyle has become much less common. Many Ukrainians
forget the dance with time, but those who remember it take great pride in their ability
and perform the dance at nearly every ball and celebration they attend. 
This dance exists as a representation of Ukraine's history, in particular the conflict
with Russia. However, in the past, it served an entirely different function. The Hopak
originates from the Kozac, which is an older Ukrainian dance. The Kozac is named after
the Cossacks, who performed it, and it's essentially the workout they performed to "warm
up" for battle. "The movements were part of a regime of calisthenics to keep the Cossacks
fit for battles." The refined Hopak is similar, but with more difficult dance maneuvers,
such as leaping and twirling. To Ukrainians, the Hopak represents the Cossacks, who gave
their lives to protect Ukrainian culture as Russia outlawed the Ukrainian language and
Ukrainian books. The Hopak exists today to remind Ukrainians of their heritage and to
serve as a source of nationalism.
Ukrainian debutante balls have many similarities to American debutante balls, but the
differences are important. The Ukrainian version comes from Ukraine, but is still
performed by Ukrainians in America. It originates from the days of arranged marriage in
Ukraine, when girls at the age of sixteen would participate in these balls, and the young
men who attended would speak with the father of any woman they found suitable hoping to
arrange marriage. Today, sixteen-year-old Ukrainian women still perform the tradition,
but to keep with modern values no marriages are arranged. The population of Ukrainians in
the US is very close-knit, so the same group of people attends many of the same balls.
These Ukrainian debutante balls are also different from American ones because while
American balls are restricted mainly to wealthy families, Ukrainian debutante balls are a
tradition performed by Ukrainians of all statuses, in Ukraine and the US. 
This is another example of a tradition that was started in America to give new Ukrainian
immigrants a sense of identity in American society. The original purpose of this
tradition, in ancient Ukraine, was to arrange marriage. In America, marriages aren't
arranged, so the tradition assumed this new function. Families of all economic
backgrounds are invited because Ukrainians needed to bond together in the new world, a
necessary part of forming a sense of identity as a people. 
The Bandura is a Ukrainian instrument, which is somewhere between a guitar and the Indian
sitar in sound. It is a string instrument, and Ukrainians use it for most traditional
songs. It is played at weddings, some church services, and also during the aforementioned
song, "The Red Flower". This instrument serves as a, "symbol of Ukrainian music which
evokes pride from most Ukrainians." Therefore, the Bandura serves as a source of
nationalism for Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian art of decorating Easter Eggs, or Pysanky, is an ancient Ukrainian
tradition. Pysanky are a religious art form that all Ukrainian families create before
Easter, both in Ukraine and the US. They dye an egg one color, put beeswax over the
portion of the color they want to stay, and then wash away the leftover color. This
process is repeated with different colors until the whole egg is covered in different
colors and wax. Then the yolk is drained, and the egg can be displayed forever. Not every
Ukrainian can do this particularly well, but those who can consider it a high art form.
Professionally done Pysanky can be sold for as much as 1000 dollars, so clearly outsiders
to Ukrainian life feel this way as well. 
While these eggs are worth a large amount of money when done well, the cultural meaning
of these eggs is far more important. "In many countries around the world, spring is a
celebration of new life, and Ukrainians believe there is a great power in the new life
embodied in an egg. Ancient legends tell of a giant egg from which the Universe emerged.
Eggs were believed to have the power to heal, protect, and to bring good luck and
wealth." Many Ukrainian households in America keep Pysanky around the house to "ward off
evil." Of course, today it is doubtful that many families strongly believe that the
universe hatched from a giant egg or that a decorated egg can protect them from evil, so
the continued existence of this tradition suggests that it serves another function. When
these eggs are done well by an experienced artist, they can be beautiful. "Ukrainians are
very proud of this artistic tradition, to the point that it becomes an issue of national
pride." This art form has become a source of nationalism for Ukrainians today. 
Ukrainians celebrate Easter in a very specific way, both in Ukraine and the US. The day
before Easter Sunday, each family weaves a basket. In the basket they put kielbasa, babka
(special bread), hard-boiled eggs, one peeled hard-boiled egg, butter, and cream cheese.
The family takes the basket to church on the night before Easter to have it blessed, and
the priest puts holy water on the peeled egg. Easter day, no one eats until after church,
and when they come home, the family divides up the peeled egg and eats it. Then there is
a feast consisting only of the items that were in the basket, in larger quantities of
course. After the meal, everyone takes one of the other hard-boiled eggs, and tries to
break everyone else's. The last person with an egg has good luck until the next year.
This originates from the "old country", when crops were the primary source of income, and
the good luck was meant in relation to the growing season. 
The Easter tradition is again based on the valuable "life force" which is in an egg,
which explains why families get the egg blessed. The egg game at the end of the meal
reminds Ukrainians of agricultural life in the old world, and every Ukrainian child
learns this when they are old enough to understand the tradition. Parents teach the story
behind this game to their children so that they know something of the old world. Passing
on Ukrainian history from generation to generation is a large part of the national pride
Ukrainians feel.
Many of the traditions practiced by Ukrainians in America can be traced back to some form
of nationalism or pride in Ukraine's history. Many other immigrant groups in the US
practice their respective traditions for the same reason. Many Cajun traditions, for
example, are a result of the Spanish and French people who lived in Louisiana early on.
National pride inspired them to incorporate pieces of their old cultures in the new land,
and as a result Cajun culture, or at least a portion of it, can be traced back to Spain
and France. Most immigrant groups feel a natural need to preserve various parts of their
old traditions in their new world, resulting from a sense of national pride.