Culture of Ukraine

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Zaporozhian Cossack playing a bandura, a traditional Ukrainian instrument

Ukrainian folk dance

group in traditional clothing

Although the country has often struggled to preserve its independence^[2] its people have managed to retain their cultural possessions and are proud of the considerable cultural legacy they have created. Numerous writers have contributed to the country's literary history such as Ivan Kotliarevsky, Taras Shevchenko^[3] and Ivan Franko.^[4] The Ukrainian culture has experienced a significant resurgence^{[5][failed verification]} since the establishment of independence in 1991.^{[citation needed]}

The earliest evidence of cultural artefacts in the Ukrainian lands can be traced to decorated mammoth tusks in the Neanderthal era.^[6] Later, the nomadic tribes of the southern lands of the 4th century BCE, like the Scythians, produced finely worked gold ornaments such as the pectoral found in the Tovsta Mohyla mound.^[7]

The modern Ukrainian culture is believed to be formed as a descendant of the ancient state of Kievan Rus' centered in Kyiv as well the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, both of which Ukrainians claim as their historical ancestors.^{[8][9][original research?]} Ukrainian historian, academic and politician of the Ukrainian People's Republic, Mykhailo Hrushevsky referred to Ukraine as Ukraine-Rus, emphasising Ukraine's historical claim to the ancient state of Kievan Rus.^{[10][relevant?]}

Traditional peasant folk art, embroidery and vernacular architecture are critical to Ukrainian culture, and its elements have often been determined by the resources available at the time. The country's strong tradition of folk art and embroidery continues to this day, with Ukrainian embroidery often considered an art form in itself.^{[citation needed]}

Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by the

Ukrainian culture has had to overcome numerous obstacles in order to survive and retain its originality, since foreign powers and empires who dominated the country and its people in the past often implemented policies aimed at assimilating the Ukrainian population into their own population, as well as trying to eradicate and purge elements of the culture. For example, the policy of Russification posed significant obstacles to the development of the culture.^[13]

Whilst progressing into modernity, Ukraine remains a highly traditional country, where the observance of certain customs and practices play a central role in its culture. Many significant Ukrainian holidays and events are based on the old Julian Calendar and so differ from their Gregorian counterparts.^[14] These include Christmas and New Year's Eve, both of which are highly important in Ukrainian culture.^[15]

During the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, damage was caused to 1,945 cultural infrastructure objects, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. Cultural institutions that were damaged or destroyed by Russians include cultural clubs, libraries, museums, galleries, theatres, zoos, and art education institutions. It is estimated that rebuilding the damaged sites may take about 10 years.^[16]

Customs

Holidays and celebrations

Social gatherings like Vechornytsi have a long history in Ukrainian culture, and so do traditional holidays like Ivan Kupala Night, Masliana (Masnytsia), Koliaduvannia, and Malanka, where people gather in large groups.^[17]

Education

Religion

Architecture

Ukrainian architecture reflects distinct features of that particular location and time period. Design and architecture are influenced by the existing political and economic climate.^{[citation needed]}

Vernacular architecture

Different regions in Ukraine have their own distinctive style of

On special occasions, every aspect of ordinary life is transformed into ornamental art form of artistic expression. Ornamentation and design motifs are steeped in symbolism, religious

Painting

Traditional costume

The iconic embroidered shirt or blouse, the vyshyvanka,^[29] is the most recognizable part of Ukrainian national costume, and even has its own public celebration in May.^[30] For men, traditional dress also includes kozhukh, kontusz, żupan and sharovary. For women, traditional dress includes kozhushanka, ochipok for married women, and Ukrainian wreath for unmarried girls. Garments are made using elaborate structural design, complicated weaving techniques, extensive embroidery, and cutwork needlework.^{[citation needed]}

Music

Theatre

Museums and libraries

There are nearly 5,000 different

Ukrainian literature had a difficult development because, due to constant foreign domination over Ukrainian territories, there was often a significant difference between the spoken and written language. At times the use of the Ukrainian language was even partly prohibited to be printed. However, foreign rule by Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Turkey, left behind new words thereby enriching Ukrainian.^[34] Despite tsarist and Soviet repression, Ukrainian authors were able to produce a rich literary heritage.^[35]

Many Ukrainians also contributed to the closely related literature in Russian language.^[36]

Popular culture

Animation

Cinema

Mass media

Sports

Ukraine greatly benefitted from the Soviet emphasis on physical education, which left Ukraine with hundreds of stadiums, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and many other athletic facilities.^[37]

Ukrainian brothers Vitaliy Klychko and Volodymyr Klychko have held world heavyweight champion titles in boxing.^[41]

Ukraine made its debut at the

Ukraine attracts more than 20 million visitors a year from around the world.^[44] Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine^[45] and Seven Wonders of Ukraine^[46] are popular destinations as well as modern urban cities,^[47] festivals,^[48] ecotourism,^[49] and medical tourism.^[50]

Crimean Tatars

Crimean Tatars are the indigenous people of the Crimea.

On the Nowruz holiday, Crimean Tatars usually cook eggs, chicken soup, puff meat pie (kobete), halva, and sweet biscuits. Children put on masks and sing special songs under the windows of their neighbours, receiving sweets in return.

The songs (makam) of the nomadic steppe Crimean Tatars are characterized by diatonic, melodic simplicity and brevity. The songs of mountainous and southern coastal Crimean Tatars, called Türkü, are sung with richly ornamented melodies. Household

Today in use there are two types of alphabet: Cyrillic and Latin. Initially Crimean Tatars used Arabic script. In 1928 it was replaced with the Latin alphabet. Cyrillic was introduced in 1938 based on the Russian alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet was the only official one between 1938 and 1997. All its letters coincide with those of the Russian alphabet. The 1990s saw the start of the gradual transition of the language to the new Latin alphabet based on the Turkish one.[52]

Music

Modern Crimean Tatar and Armenian origins signer, Jamala, won the Eurovision contest in 2016. She sings jazz, soul, funk, folk, pop and electro, and is also the author of most of her songs.^[53]

See also

• List of museums in Ukraine
• List of places named after people (Ukraine)
• List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ukraine
• Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine
• Russification of Ukraine
• The Seven Wonders of Ukraine are the seven historical and cultural monuments of Ukraine
• Ukrainian historical regions
• Arts of Ukraine

References

Print sources

• Dubrovskiy Visnyk. November 2007. "...I ne pereshkoda letu lita"
• OCLC 1327835684
  .