Homeland

Somewhere on the other side of the planet, at the peak of the struggle for its existence, lies my homeland. Throughout its history, this is one of the largest waves of emigration from Ukrainian territory. And now, I am a part of this history.

Ukraine, first and foremost, is an agrarian country. A moderate and favorable climate, along with fertile soils, secured a future for my ancestors. However, with such resources, neighboring countries have tried for centuries to turn Ukrainians from farmers into warriors. And they succeeded.

Now, the world is witnessing a people with a remarkable ability to adapt and survive, to blend in while preserving their national identity. They learn new languages yet sing lullabies to their children in Ukrainian, admire new cuisines but always cook borscht, varenyky, and deruny at home.

Every time I want to tell someone about Ukraine, I remember Christmas holidays and the day of the summer solstice. Nothing evokes memories quite like Christmas songs, which we call kolyadky and shchedrivky.

The most famous Christmas song in the world, Carol of the Bells, has Ukrainian roots and was composed at the beginning of the 20th century by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Children and adults sing this and other songs, going door-to-door with wishes of happiness and health for the homeowners in the New Year. In return, they are treated with candies and money.

The day of the summer solstice in Ukraine is called Ivan Kupala Day. It is always one of the hottest days of summer. People splash water on each other, and many rituals are performed, touching on the pagan roots of my people. In the evening, they jump over bonfires, symbolically freeing themselves from the burdens of the past.

To sum up, Ukraine is not a resource, Ukraine is not just a territory—Ukraine is its people.