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Biography in Brief Swanna Lewytska Ivanna Lewytska is ninety years old. She lives alone at St. Marks Place in New York's downtown "Ukrainian ghetto." Her modest present circumstancesa do not hint at her past, inextricably inter woven with Ukrainian history. Ivanna (usually known as Asya) is from the patriotic family of judge Lev Shechowycz. As a young girl she took part in the cultural and social life of both her native Peremyshl, and later, Lviv. In Peremyshl she attended the lectures of poet Ivan Franko, who was a personal friend of her parents and a frequent visitor to their home. His book "Young Ukraine" which was published in Lviv in 1910 was dedicated to her. In 1912 Asya married Dr. Dmytro Lewytskyj, a lawyer, after the First World War the young couple lived in Cop enhagen where, Dmytro was an envoy of the Ukrainian National Republic at the Ukrainian mission. Their home was a center of social activity for the intell ectual elite of Danish society because Asya, with her typical social adroitness, had managed to maske the acquain tance of George Brandes, a Danish philosopher and literature critic famous throughout Europe. His popularity in Denmark rivalled that of the Danish king, who himself was intrigued by Asya's wit and intelligence. During their stay in Denmark Asya and her husband gained many friends for the Ukrainian cause. After their return to Lviv, the fashion able Lewytsky home was a meeting place for both Ukrainian and foreign state smen. Dmytro was a leader of the Uikrainian Democratic party and a member of the Polish House of Re presentatives. In addition to helping her husband with her social talents, Asya cultivated her own interest in the arts. She donated lodging in her hoime to youngart students until they became established. She was active in the Society of Friends of the Arts, an organ ization which aided young artists. The Society was the special guardian of painter Oleska Novakiwsky; at his jubilee it bought him a house in the Carpathian Mountains at Dora. There also the Society planned to build a summer re sort for artists and actors, but the war intervervened. Dmytro Lewytskyj was arrested during the Second World War and died in Kazakhstan. Asya found herself in Berlin where her home was again a place of comfort and shelter for those in need. Later she moved to Ceylon with re latives, and from there came to the States. Now, at ninety, she retains the wit and vitality for which she had always been known. Editor Ulana Llubovych paints a vivid and striking picture of this unusual woman in her story about Ivanna Lewytska, her neighbor and a living player in Ukrainian history and benefac tress of Ukrainian artists. KOROWAJ June, the month of weddings, is upon us and many Ukrainian couples want to enhance their wedding receptions with old national customs. There are many Ukrainian wedding traditions that can be adapted to fit within the framework of the modern wedding. The traditional wedding pastry plays an important role in the Ukrainian wedding. In addition to or instead of the tiered, white wedding cake, the wedding table should hold a fragrant korowaj. A korowaj is a blessed bread (symbolizing the sun) which had great ritualistic meaning in ancient times. It was made all over Ukraine, differing from region to re gion in form and decoration. Ceremony surrounded the korowaj from its baking to its serving. It cou,d be baked only by happily married women who would come to the house of the bride several days before the wedding and bring all the ingredients: flour, eggs, and butter. Originally the korowaj was made of rye; the tradition to make it out of wheat came about later. The korowaj was composed of two parts: the lower round flat cake called the "sole"; and the upper round bread-shaped part which was edged with a "braid" of dough. Fur ther decoration varied from region to region; in Volyn' the parents tucked coins into the "sole" in Zytomyr, hen's eggs were baked into the korowaj. The top was decorated with dough sculptures in the shape of doves, pine cones and other symbols from nature. Besides the dough decorations, the korowaj was ornamented with per iwinkle, guelder-rose, grapes, sheaves of wheat, and colored paper ribbons. All these symbolized wealth, fertility, and fidelity. The korowaj was tied with an or namental towel and in some areas a branch of a coniferous tree was put into The korowaj was mandatory at one's first wedding. Widows and widowers did not have them. The cutting of the korowaj was done by the 'best man' at the reception. He served it first to the young couple, then to the parents and relatives, and finally to the guests. The bride personally served her bridesmaids. Korowaj was set aside for absent members of the family. The serving of the korowaj was considered the blessing of the clan on the passing of the bride from girlhood to womanhood. At our weddings, the korowaj is an integral part of the ancient Ukrainian wedding tradition which binds us to the roots of our ancestry. 24 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 1976 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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