The History and Culture of Ukraine

As many people are aware, Eastern Europe is embroiled in a war. Russia invaded the sovereign country of Ukraine on the pretext of preventing its joining NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This is a scary and uncertain time, as we have not seen a European conflict this serious the Second World War and it can be horrifying to see a whole country suffer. Many may feel uninformed about exactly what is going on or why they should care, but the independence of Ukraine as well as its unique culture and history is something that must be preserved and, for a world superpower to simply invade a sovereign nation, is just wrong. The people of Ukraine need our support in this troubling time. Below is a compiled history of Ukraine, their culture, historical relationship with Russia, as well as how you can best support the Ukrainian people in this time of crisis.

Where exactly is Ukraine located? Ukraine is located in the heart of the European plains and is bordered by Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, as well as having access to the Black Sea on its southern coast. Ukraine is also the second largest country in Europe by sheer landmass.

The real start of the history of Ukraine begins with the formation of the Kievan Rus, a medieval political federation, which not only spawned Ukraine but many of its neighboring countries including Russia, Poland and Belarus. During the 10th and 11th centuries the Kievan Rus was one of the most powerful states in eastern Europe and spread eastern identity across Europe. Thanks to rulers like Prince Oleg the Prophet, the Kyivan Rus became powerful by establishing ties with the powerful Byzantine empire through trade and and eventual adoption of Christianity. Thanks to Oleg's decendants the Rus gained much influence from Byzantine greek culture. In fact they were so powerful they managed to marry into one of the primer royal families in Europe. Anna of Kyiv became Queen of France in 1051, and was a major contributor in bringing eastern culture west. The city of Kyiv (also spelt Kiev) is one the most important cities in Ukraine and not only is it the most populous city in the country it has also served as its capital since the country gained independence from Russia in 1991.

Over the next few centuries, the area that we now call Ukraine passed through many different hands. Initially, the country was ruled by the descendants of Genghis Khan and then by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then by both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Kirill Razumovsky and Bohdan Khmelnytsky were credited with developing a national identity for Ukrainians during the Cossack era where under Russian control Ukrainians' had semi autonomy with the creation the office of Hetman of Zaporizhian Host which ruled the area for the Tsar or Tsarina. It was this brief moment of autonomy during the 1700's which helped their eventual independence movement in the early 1990's. Additionally during the Cossack era Ukraine briefly had a constitution being the first of its kind in the world written by Pylyp Orlyk. It sets out quite enlightened ideas about fighting off autocracy which is an important value amount Ukrainians as anyone can clearly see.

From the time when the the country declared independence from the Soviet Union, they have had democratic elections with six presidents, and adopted a constitution in 1996. The current president of the country is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was born to Jewish parents and previous to becoming president, he was a popular comedian and he holds a law degree from the Kyiv National Economic University.

Ukraine was held for a very long time by the former Russian Empire, as well as the Soviet Union. As a result Russia and Ukraine not only share history, but culture as well, including language. Many people still speak Russian in Ukraine, although the vast majority of people in Ukraine speak Ukrainian. However, when the Soviet Union fell in the late eighties and early nineties, Ukraine became an independent country. When Vladimir Putin gained control of Russia he has wanted to regain control of former Soviet states such as Ukraine. Putin attempted something similar in 2014, when he annexed Crimea and Russian-backed separatists claimed the Donbas and Luhansk regions. Internecene warfare in the region has since claimed more than 14,000 lives.

This war is impacting many across the world and the Ukrainian people are in need of help. Below are some ways that you can make a difference.

Donate to charities helping Ukraine (Be cautious when looking at crowdfunding campaigns to make sure they are legitimate) here is a list of a few you can donate too.

Canadian Red Cross: the local wing of an international emergency-relief organization. The federal government says it will match individual donations by Canadians

Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders): a humanitarian group that’s been supporting Ukraine’s COVID-19 response.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation: a Toronto-based group that co-ordinates Canadian charitable aid to Ukraine.

Save the Children: an international NGO delivering emergency aid to Ukrainian families.

Voices of Children: offers psychological support to children affected by the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

Come Back Alive Foundation: a Ukrainian NGO that supports veterans and co-organizes the Invictus Games in Ukraine.

Phoenix Wings: a charitable foundation that supplies the Ukrainian army with medical treatment and defensive equipment such as vests and helmets.

Revived Soldiers Ukraine: a non-profit that funds medical rehabilitation for Ukrainian soldiers.

Razom for Ukraine: a pro-democracy group that’s fundraising for medical supplies in Ukraine.

Kyiv Independent: a Ukraine-based, English-language, independent news media outlet.

If you are unable to donate, stay up to date with all the latest information from news sources that are trustworthy. Learning more about the Ukrainian culture is a great step to understanding a country you might not know about who is going through a tough time. Finally, it is important to not make insensitive jokes about this conflict, and to support the Ukrainian people as best as you can.

Ukraine has a rich and diverse culture, separate from Russia, that they are very proud of. So, here are a few fun facts about Ukrainian culture.

1. According to Ukrainian folk tales, Kiev boasts up to three official witch gathering places. They share the name Lysa Hora (Bold Mountain).

2. Weaving with handmade looms is still used in some parts of the country, including Krupove, located in Rivne Oblast.

3. Unlike many cultures around the world, Ukrainians wear wedding rings on the right hand, rather than the left.

4. “O Sole Mio” the world-famous song was composed in the country.

5. Ukrainian romanticism started developing in the 1830s. Romanticist poet-painter, Taras Shevchenko played a central role in this regard. He is widely regarded as the Father of National Revival.

6. Commemorated on June, the 23rd, Ivana Kupala Day is one of Ukraine’s most fun traditional celebrations. Boys and girls join hands in pairs and jump over a fire in a purification ritual. Locals believe that when a couple skip the fire without losing grip of each other, their love is destined to last a lifetime.

7. Vyshyvanka is the Ukrainian national costume. It is decorated with ornamental hand woven embroidery featuring floral detail. Both women and men wear the costume on various occasions.

8. Kiev is widely regarded as the country’s spiritual capital. Pilgrims regularly travel long distances to visit the Sofia Kyivska church and St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

9. The popular Easter egg tradition originated in Ukraine. Originally, the eggs were patterned using wax and dye.

10. The world’s first constitution was drafted and introduced in 1710 by Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk. The document was aimed at introducing the separation of powers. It outlined the responsibilities and rights of both citizens and government.

11. Borscht and varenyky are some of the most popular traditional Ukrainian dishes.

12. Ukrainians love drinking horilka, which is a local variant of the famed vodka. Locals often flavor this national drink with chili pepper add addition heat and flavor.

13. Locals also enjoy drinking stewed fruit (Kompot), which is a non-alcoholic sweet beverage. It is prepared by cooking different types of fruits, such as gooseberries, rhubarb, strawberries, apples and sour berries among others. The drink is often flavored using spices, particularly in winter months when it is served hot.

14. Native Ukrainians consist of roughly 77.8 percent of the population.

15. Although Ukrainians are hospitable, they hardly smile in public.

16. The national flower of Ukraine is the Sunflower.

17. Due to the amount of bread Ukraine provides it has been nicknamed the "breadbasket of Europe"