Rituals in the Ukrainian Diaspora: Problematizing
Description: Rituals in the Ukrainian Diaspora: Problematizing Adaptation and Authenticity Natalie Kononenko University of Alberta The problem what happens to ritual? Ritual taken very seriously in Ukraine necessity of ritual Cements a marriage;
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slide1. Rituals in the Ukrainian Diaspora: Problematizing Adaptation and Authenticity Natalie Kononenko
University of Alberta<br>
slide2. The problem – what happens to ritual? Ritual taken very seriously in Ukraine – necessity of ritual
Cements a marriage; insures that all goes well
Dispatches the soul of the deceased to the other world
Insures crop fertility and the health of people and animals<br>
slide3. More beliefs Predictions – korovai, candles, wreath
Practicing magic at liminal times
Leaving change in Ukraine aside (Soviet influence) – what happens when rituals are transferred to another country?<br>
slide4. Sanctuary project in Canada Work with John-Paul Himka, Frances Swyripa, U of A students, colleagues from Ukraine
Documenting sacred heritage
Photographs, measurements, historical documents
I do the oral interviews: historical and ritual information<br>
slide5. Kazakhstan Meet Alevtina Tsvetkova at the “all-Russia” Folklore Conference, Moscow, 2010
Why Kazakhstan?
Settled by Ukrainians about same time as Canadian Prairies
Prairie-like steppe
Chance to look at ritual change and compare to Canada<br>
slide6. Two Diasporas Canada Kazakhstan<br>
slide7. Comparing Canada and Kazakhstan Both places suffer from lack of clergy to conduct the rituals
Reasons are the same and different
Both places – remoteness and no priests available
Kazakhstan was Soviet and experienced Soviet anti-religious campaign; return of religion now<br>
slide8. Questions of authenticity Both places feel that they have preserved the essence of Ukrainian ritual despite the difficult circumstances; they have kept that which makes the rite Ukrainian, authentic, and effective
Is this essence the same? Answer is no
Each place develops its own region-specific rituals
Each place understands the essence of ritual in its own way<br>
slide9. Ritual is magical Ritual transforms –
Wedding - because living together is not enough
Funeral – can’t simply bury the deceased
Calendar rites mark the passage of time and afford a break in the system, a chance to access other worlds<br>
slide10. Rituals such as weddings have adapted In Canada – Western elements
Ukraine – also white dress, veil, though return of ukrains’ke in recent times
Kazakhstan – Russian and Kazakh elements added; but groups such as Germans adopt Ukrainian elements<br>
slide11. Retention of magic Usual view In Ukraine – yes
In Kazakhstan – yes
In Canada – no
Korovai example<br>
slide12. Problematizing this concept Does other people’s magic look like magic whereas our own does not?
Old idea that folklore retains that which is old
But – folklore is dynamic – adapts and creates new
My argument – magical beliefs exist in all places – but they are different and place-appropriate, adapted to the place<br>
slide13. The path to discovery Thunder, hail, and water
In Kazakhstan, a great deal of talk about water – water from Iordan
This summer in Canada – interviews about hail
Own experience of a nasty storm
Ukraine – magic for thunder and lightening
Each concern is appropriate to its own place, its ecology<br>
slide14. Beliefs similar to Ukraine Stopping hail
Chicken prediction during Malanka
Weather prediction on Pokrova, Stritennia (also known as Ground Hog Day)
Prayers for water in Bukovyna (Old Wostok )
These are all things that matter to farmers on the Prairies, whether Ukrainian or not
Other beliefs are not necessarily Ukrainian, though no less strong<br>
slide15. Other evidence of blending Ukrainian Ballads collected by Robert Klymasz
Ballad choice – what is retained is appropriate to life in Canada
The “oops” ballad, result of unfamiliar plants
Generation to Generation Ukrainian Cookbook from Smoky Lake Ukrainian Women’s Organization
Has nachynka, nalysnyky and pyrhohy dough
Also: 4-star Texas chilli, West Indies spaghetti sauce, Mousakka, fish and chips, lime Jello salad, etc.
This is Ukrainian cooking – as it is done in Smoky Lake
Please note that in Ukraine you can now buy or make Pizza, spaghetti, and various other international dishes<br>
slide16. Magic types Positive – to accomplish something
Negative = taboos, avoidance
Prediction – to know the future<br>
slide17. Negative magic is the same in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Canada Negative magic – punishment for bad behaviour
Canadian stories
Grotto in Skaro
Church fire
Kazakhstan stories
Working on holidays
Accusations of malifice
Evil eye in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, other forms in Canada<br>
slide18. Prediction magic – semi-serious Stepping on rushnyk during a wedding – Ukraine and Canada
Kazakhstan - biting the korovai
Breaking korovai – Ukraine
Shablia – Ukraine
Weather omens<br>
slide19. Positive magic is different Ukraine – extensive and folk
Kazakhstan – extensive and folk
Water at Epiphany/Iordan
Herbalism
Charms
Removal of evil eye with matches
Stories of miracles
Canada – comes from advertising<br>
slide20. Canadian magic is not (only) Ukrainian in origin Taboos at a wedding – not connected to korovai but to dress
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
Spending money at a wedding
The car and the wedding procession
The Social (at least in Manitoba)<br>
slide21. More cakes<br>
slide22. More magic<br>
slide23. Bridal boot camp – why?<br>
slide24. Ritual magic If you look awesome on your wedding day
If you are happy
If you spend lots of money (and have lots of money to spend)
On that special magic day ... Then you will have ... and will be ...
This is much like the attitude in Ukraine and Kazakhstan<br>
slide25. Blending Korovai and wedding cake in Canada
Korovai becomes a symbol of Ukrainian identity – not eaten, but shellacked
Wedding cake is the magic item
Cost of the cake
Use during the banquet
Saving top tier for 1st anniversary Pysanka – ritual object connected Easter; also souvenir of the Prairies sold at the Legislature gift shop
Used for outreach<br>
slide26. Ukrainians participate in Halloween, Thanksgiving, Heritage Days, blend pyrohy with turkey<br>
slide27. More Canadian blending Post-independence immigration to Canada
Adapting Ivana Kupala to
Canada Day
The stage
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village<br>
slide28. Blending in Kazakhstan These are considered Ukrainian outfits<br>
slide29. Embroidery in Kazakhstan<br>
slide30. Retention Songs stay in the mind (earworm)
Klymasz’s work
Our work with crowd sourcing Ukrainian folklore
Kazakhstan
Khokhliats’kyi<br>
slide31. Current project – material for all Alberta schools Early work – Shkola for the Ukrainian bilingual program
Folklore old and new
Current project – translation into English
Along with trendy new stuff: videos, digital modeling, 3-D images, games
And we hope to show living culture in all its complexity – Ukraine Alive<br>
slide32. The future of authenticity Authenticity was extremely important to the Ukrainian community in Canada
Preserving Ukrainian “essence” as it was being altered in the creation of homo Sovieticus
But Ukrainian culture has grown and evolved: in Ukraine, in Canada, in other places with a Ukrainian Diaspora – like Kazakhstan
Let us study it in all its complexity – including its blending with other environments, other cultures and evolving new living forms<br>
University of Alberta<br>
slide2. The problem – what happens to ritual? Ritual taken very seriously in Ukraine – necessity of ritual
Cements a marriage; insures that all goes well
Dispatches the soul of the deceased to the other world
Insures crop fertility and the health of people and animals<br>
slide3. More beliefs Predictions – korovai, candles, wreath
Practicing magic at liminal times
Leaving change in Ukraine aside (Soviet influence) – what happens when rituals are transferred to another country?<br>
slide4. Sanctuary project in Canada Work with John-Paul Himka, Frances Swyripa, U of A students, colleagues from Ukraine
Documenting sacred heritage
Photographs, measurements, historical documents
I do the oral interviews: historical and ritual information<br>
slide5. Kazakhstan Meet Alevtina Tsvetkova at the “all-Russia” Folklore Conference, Moscow, 2010
Why Kazakhstan?
Settled by Ukrainians about same time as Canadian Prairies
Prairie-like steppe
Chance to look at ritual change and compare to Canada<br>
slide6. Two Diasporas Canada Kazakhstan<br>
slide7. Comparing Canada and Kazakhstan Both places suffer from lack of clergy to conduct the rituals
Reasons are the same and different
Both places – remoteness and no priests available
Kazakhstan was Soviet and experienced Soviet anti-religious campaign; return of religion now<br>
slide8. Questions of authenticity Both places feel that they have preserved the essence of Ukrainian ritual despite the difficult circumstances; they have kept that which makes the rite Ukrainian, authentic, and effective
Is this essence the same? Answer is no
Each place develops its own region-specific rituals
Each place understands the essence of ritual in its own way<br>
slide9. Ritual is magical Ritual transforms –
Wedding - because living together is not enough
Funeral – can’t simply bury the deceased
Calendar rites mark the passage of time and afford a break in the system, a chance to access other worlds<br>
slide10. Rituals such as weddings have adapted In Canada – Western elements
Ukraine – also white dress, veil, though return of ukrains’ke in recent times
Kazakhstan – Russian and Kazakh elements added; but groups such as Germans adopt Ukrainian elements<br>
slide11. Retention of magic Usual view In Ukraine – yes
In Kazakhstan – yes
In Canada – no
Korovai example<br>
slide12. Problematizing this concept Does other people’s magic look like magic whereas our own does not?
Old idea that folklore retains that which is old
But – folklore is dynamic – adapts and creates new
My argument – magical beliefs exist in all places – but they are different and place-appropriate, adapted to the place<br>
slide13. The path to discovery Thunder, hail, and water
In Kazakhstan, a great deal of talk about water – water from Iordan
This summer in Canada – interviews about hail
Own experience of a nasty storm
Ukraine – magic for thunder and lightening
Each concern is appropriate to its own place, its ecology<br>
slide14. Beliefs similar to Ukraine Stopping hail
Chicken prediction during Malanka
Weather prediction on Pokrova, Stritennia (also known as Ground Hog Day)
Prayers for water in Bukovyna (Old Wostok )
These are all things that matter to farmers on the Prairies, whether Ukrainian or not
Other beliefs are not necessarily Ukrainian, though no less strong<br>
slide15. Other evidence of blending Ukrainian Ballads collected by Robert Klymasz
Ballad choice – what is retained is appropriate to life in Canada
The “oops” ballad, result of unfamiliar plants
Generation to Generation Ukrainian Cookbook from Smoky Lake Ukrainian Women’s Organization
Has nachynka, nalysnyky and pyrhohy dough
Also: 4-star Texas chilli, West Indies spaghetti sauce, Mousakka, fish and chips, lime Jello salad, etc.
This is Ukrainian cooking – as it is done in Smoky Lake
Please note that in Ukraine you can now buy or make Pizza, spaghetti, and various other international dishes<br>
slide16. Magic types Positive – to accomplish something
Negative = taboos, avoidance
Prediction – to know the future<br>
slide17. Negative magic is the same in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Canada Negative magic – punishment for bad behaviour
Canadian stories
Grotto in Skaro
Church fire
Kazakhstan stories
Working on holidays
Accusations of malifice
Evil eye in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, other forms in Canada<br>
slide18. Prediction magic – semi-serious Stepping on rushnyk during a wedding – Ukraine and Canada
Kazakhstan - biting the korovai
Breaking korovai – Ukraine
Shablia – Ukraine
Weather omens<br>
slide19. Positive magic is different Ukraine – extensive and folk
Kazakhstan – extensive and folk
Water at Epiphany/Iordan
Herbalism
Charms
Removal of evil eye with matches
Stories of miracles
Canada – comes from advertising<br>
slide20. Canadian magic is not (only) Ukrainian in origin Taboos at a wedding – not connected to korovai but to dress
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
Spending money at a wedding
The car and the wedding procession
The Social (at least in Manitoba)<br>
slide21. More cakes<br>
slide22. More magic<br>
slide23. Bridal boot camp – why?<br>
slide24. Ritual magic If you look awesome on your wedding day
If you are happy
If you spend lots of money (and have lots of money to spend)
On that special magic day ... Then you will have ... and will be ...
This is much like the attitude in Ukraine and Kazakhstan<br>
slide25. Blending Korovai and wedding cake in Canada
Korovai becomes a symbol of Ukrainian identity – not eaten, but shellacked
Wedding cake is the magic item
Cost of the cake
Use during the banquet
Saving top tier for 1st anniversary Pysanka – ritual object connected Easter; also souvenir of the Prairies sold at the Legislature gift shop
Used for outreach<br>
slide26. Ukrainians participate in Halloween, Thanksgiving, Heritage Days, blend pyrohy with turkey<br>
slide27. More Canadian blending Post-independence immigration to Canada
Adapting Ivana Kupala to
Canada Day
The stage
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village<br>
slide28. Blending in Kazakhstan These are considered Ukrainian outfits<br>
slide29. Embroidery in Kazakhstan<br>
slide30. Retention Songs stay in the mind (earworm)
Klymasz’s work
Our work with crowd sourcing Ukrainian folklore
Kazakhstan
Khokhliats’kyi<br>
slide31. Current project – material for all Alberta schools Early work – Shkola for the Ukrainian bilingual program
Folklore old and new
Current project – translation into English
Along with trendy new stuff: videos, digital modeling, 3-D images, games
And we hope to show living culture in all its complexity – Ukraine Alive<br>
slide32. The future of authenticity Authenticity was extremely important to the Ukrainian community in Canada
Preserving Ukrainian “essence” as it was being altered in the creation of homo Sovieticus
But Ukrainian culture has grown and evolved: in Ukraine, in Canada, in other places with a Ukrainian Diaspora – like Kazakhstan
Let us study it in all its complexity – including its blending with other environments, other cultures and evolving new living forms<br>