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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, СІЧЕНЬ 2009 29 UNWLA Day —Den’ Soyuzianky by Bozhena Olshaniwska Wedding Table On Sunday, November 16, 2008, UNWLA members of New Jersey Regional Council and guests from the Ukrainian American community gathered at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Whippany, New Jersey, to celebrate UNWLA Day. An annual event, UNWLA Day celebrates the accomplishments of UNWLA members, features Ukrainian arts and traditions, informs the com- munity about the work of the UNWLA, and serves as a venue for recruiting new members to our organization. The theme of the 2008 UNWLA Day was Ukrainian Wedding Traditions, and the program included an artistic display of articles pertaining to and illustrative of wedding traditions in Ukraine. Guests enjoyed a buffet and background music provided by Olha Stashchyshyn on the bandura and Suzanna Hywel on the flute. Hosting the annual event was the UNWLA’s New Jersey Regional Council, which comprises eight branches and numbers 200 members. The program was officially opened by Regional Council President Olha Lukiw, who explained the theme and purpose of the event and spoke about the UNWLA’s goal of cultivating and preserving Ukrainian history, culture, and traditions for future generations. Mistress of Ceremonis Ksenia Rakowsky introduced the featured speakers. Rev. Roman Mirchuk, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Whippany, compared old and new wedding and marriage traditions in Ukraine, noting that religious aspects of these traditions had been destroyed under communism, creating an environment of moral bankruptcy. The next speaker, Slava Stoyko, presented a short history of icons from the days of the Byzantine Greeks to the present and discussed popular village traditions related to displaying icons or giving them as gifts. She also spoke about schools of icon painting in Ukraine, explaining the detailed techniques and specific artistic standards involved. Ms. Stoyko’s presentation on icons was complemented by icons she herself had created and by icons painted by Halyna Tytla and Lidia Piascky. Natalia Hryniuk discussed korovais, the traditional Ukrainian wedding breads. Displaying some of her own creations, she explained the tech- niques used to create the korovai and the decorative flowers, birds, and ribbons sculpted from baked dough. Other korovais on display were created by Mrs. Kovbasniuk, Mr. H. Hywel, Kateryna Wolo- wodiuk, Oksana Korduba, and Olha Lukiw. The betrothal and the weeding ceremony were also explained. When a girl accepted a marriage proposal from a young man, she indicated her agreement by tying embroidered rushnyky around the hands of the “starosty” or elders who formally presented the young man’s proposal on his behalf. The prospective bride then went from house to house in the village, personally inviting guests to her wed- ding, which lasted several days. The entire com-
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