Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2024
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
UKRAINIAN FOLK ART — ITS PLACE IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN Before we begin, I would like to make a few com ments concerning the folk arts and our assignment in this area. Ukrainian folk art is one of the most important components of Ukrainian culture. It is precisely this aspect which visually identifies us and right or wrong through this we declare our national adherence specific component of our culture. In our history, our national rebirth stemmed from this national creative force. Ukrai nians in diaspora also focus on folk art as a means of preserving their national characteristics from assimila tion. We take pride in our folk arts, display them before foreigners, discuss them among ourselves and apply them to our personal and community lives. We also use them as a tool of indoctrination of our younger genera tion. In other words, we take our folk art everywhere with us, whether necessary or not, and we do everything with it except study it in depth. We know it only very superficially. To be born Ukrainian does not mean one comes into this world with a knowledge of Ukrainian folk art, although many people subscribe to that kind of think ing. Believe me, a Ukrainian mother does not have a pump in her womb through which this knowledge can be transmitted to her child. Knowledge in this field can only be obtained through study. Our knowledge usually consists of technical ability and the mouthing of stereotype phrases, which basically says nothing. In addition, we usually learn a few negative things to say about the folk art of other nations, specifi cally our neighboring nations. We forget, however, a time honored truth which says that if we cannot respect that which belongs to someone else, he in turn will not respect that which belongs to us. For a long time now, we have been doing without an organized study system of folk art. Although this is a subject which should be included in the curriculum in schools of Ukrainian studies, only a few of them do so. In general, it is not considered necessary. For the most part women’s organizations assumed the responsibility of propagating the knowledge about folk art through various courses, lectures, etc. In the old days there was always one member of the family who could teach the practical side of the various aspects of folk art or pass on the information about traditions and customs. Unfortunately, this type of progressive learning was not always beneficial to the welfare of folk art, for not always the people who worked within its framework were capable and learned. Hence, great chaos resulted and much destruction was rendered in this creative field. We are at a point where we really do not know the difference between folk art and applied or popular art. For this reason there are many people who are embar rassed by this “mixture” in folk art and make fun of everything, the good and the bad, as well as of the peo ple who create this folk art. From time to time accusa tions are heard that because of our concentration on folk art no one knows about our elite art. People say that we are becoming an ethnographic mass, losing our identity as a nation. And in all this they fault the embroidered shirt! All these accusations are nonsense. Folk art does not stop anyone from anything. These are only the false ramblings of people who don’t contribute, only criticize. It hurts me that with our lack of knowledge and disre gard we polluted our folk art and brought it to a low point where it no longer is art. Yet we say that it demeans us. What exactily is folk art? Folk art is created by the people, and in our case by peasants, who though they were part of the developing society, were apart from the elite, apart from the sophis ticated upper echelon. These peasants lived somewhat Весіпьнии коровай. Korovay - wedding bread. 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.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
