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30 WWW. UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, БЕРЕЗЕНЬ 2013 Oksana was lovingly nicknamed “Mushka” in chil dhood because of her demure stature and quiet demeanor. However, this name turned out not to be indicative of her true nature. Throug h- out her productive life , she was full of vitality, r e- lentless energy, and genuine creative power . She truly loved the beau ty of nature and found insp i- ration in her travels, which took her as far awa y as Brazil, Argentina , and Mexico. Oksana never really retired. For many decades, she managed the schol arship program sponsored by Branch 38 in Brazil and Ukraine (from 1991 on) , not only by corresponding with the recipients, but also by Christmas caroling to raise funds. She worked quietly and diligently, but with fierce commitment to counsel and encourage each student. Oksana also volunteered at the Denver Museum of Nature and S cience, aiding in repairing and analyzing Navajo rugs. This i n- spired her to design and weave a gorgeous, huge Ukrainian kilim . Her brother Yurij had custom - built the loom for it . Oksana had written two po p- ular best selling books in the 1990 s that featured a uthentic Ukrainian embroidery designs, which most Ukrainian women who love “vyshyvky” have in their pri vate libraries . She also designed period costumes and authentic choir vestments for the Denver Millennium Choir , which toured in many cities — all gratis . For the past 25 years, from mid - June to the end of July, Oksana played the bandura at the annual Renaissance Festival in Larkspur, Color a- do. Inspired by her bandura musicality, her nep h- ew J uri j Fedynsky j is now a kobzar in Kyiv, Ukraine. Oksana attracted followers of all natio n- alities and made friends with many women of Ukrainian heritage , whom she introduced to the UNWLA. One of her musician friends, acco m- plished fiddler Michi Regier, writes: There is so much to say about Oksana I don’t know where to start. She is my angel. I came across Oksana at the Colorado Renaissance Fair, in June 2002. She came twice a day to my favorite part of the festival — the musicians’ jam, pulling behind her an instrument that looked like the inside of a piano, on a luggage cart! When I asked her about her i n- strument, she said “It’s a Bandura” — in a voice full of love and an accent that I learned was from Ukraine. I was charmed immediately... We played tunes together, many of the arrangements by Ju l- ian Kytasty, from the bandura camp attended by Oksana and her nephew Jurij Fedynskyj. I had studied a bit about the bardic tradition of Ireland, and I recognized that Oksana was a bard too. Eventually we recorded a CD together with Ky Hote. Over time I was inspired to learn more about this wonderful country of Ukraine and even to go there to collect songs with the Lysenko Conservat o- ry in 2003. I can thank Oksana and George (Yurij) for that inspiration. How many people do you meet who inspire you to go around the world? Not many. A po em was born out of the void after Oksana ’s funeral , written by artist friend and co l- league, Dr. Ala Mosijczuk Salter. When I asked her, “Who will play the bandura here in Denver? Who will pass on our beautiful Ukrainian culture in song , and to a huge audie nce?” Ala responded to me with the poem, “Don’t Cry , Bandura — Live in Songs .” Here is a stanza from the Ukrainian version of the poem : Не плач , бандуро – живи в піснях Живи у приспіві, жіночих голосах. Золоті твої струни не припорошить сивина, І голос все буде дзвінкий, Навіки будеш молода! Бо твій співучий рідний край (Хоч плаче болісно «Прощай») Співатиме усе пісні Чарівні, радісні й сумні. A scholarship fund has be en established in Oksana Moshinsky’s name in the amount of $1,530.00, o f wh ich $1,000.00 was donated by Oksana's beloved brother Yurij Moshinsky. May we keep the memory of Xenia forever in our hearts! Nadja Myronenko Branch 38 (Denver, CO) « Our Life » has a new e - mail address ! Please send your submissions, questions, or suggestions in either English or Ukrainian to : unwlaourlife @ gmail . com Thank you ! « Our Life » Editors
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