Celebrating the Country of Ukraine

 “And if you want to suppress a culture, take their stories. If you take their stories, you take their power.” - Kristin Pedemonti

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by
Oleksandr Murashko, 1906

I always love sharing folktales on themes and different countries. Today I am celebrating the beautiful country of Ukraine. As we all know the country and its courageous people are under attack. Let’s keep them in our hearts and continue to share their stories and traditions.

Around the world countries are offering support in a variety of ways, food, shelter, medical care, and more. If you would like to donate to these efforts, Charity Navigator offers a number of essential, reliable, and financially responsible organizations here:
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=9366 

FACTS ABOUT UKRAINE

• Ukrainian civilizations date back to 4800 B.C. The country is located in an area where Trypillian and Scythian civilizations thrived.
• Ukraine is home to seven sites protected by the UNESCO World Heritage L
• The world’s first constitution was drafted and introduced in 1710 by Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk.
• Ukraine is the world's largest producer of sunflower seeds. It is estimated that the total size of Ukraine’s sunflower farmlands could cover the entire territory of Slovenia.
• The vast tracts of arable land in Ukraine with fertile black soil made it an ideal place for growing wheat and other food crops. As such, it was nicknamed the "Breadbasket of Europe.” Today, Ukraine continues to be one of the largest producers of wheat in the world.
• The gas lamp was invented by two Lviv-based pharmacists - Jan Zeh and Ignacy Łukasiewicz in 1853.
• The deepest metro station in the world is Arsenalna station on the Sviatoshynsko – Brovarska line located in Kyiv – the capital city of Ukraine.
• Vyshyvanka is the name of the National Costume of Ukraine. This is differentiated from others because of its embroidery work which features Ukrainian embroidery.

The above information found at the following links:
https://thefactfile.org/ukraine-facts/
https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/ukraine-facts-you-didnt-know-562918.html

STORIES

The Cat and the Rooster
http://tinyurl.com/zdscqm4

The Fox and the Crane
https://www.tccweb.org/folklore.htm#The_Fox_and_the_Crane

The God and the Devil
https://www.tccweb.org/folklore.htm#God_and_the_Devil

The Heron, the Fish, and the Crayfish 
https://en.derevo-kazok.org/folk-tales/ukrainian-folk-tales/the-heron-the-fish-and-the-crayfish-ukrainian-folk-tale.html

How A Fish Swam in the Air and a Hare in Water
https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type1381.html#ukraine

The Magic Egg
https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Ukrainian_folktale_24.html#gsc.tab=0 

The Magic Pumpkins
https://tinyurl.com/ybqo2lr4

Sister Fox
https://en.derevo-kazok.org/folk-tales/ukrainian-folk-tales/sister-fox-ukrainian-folk-tale.html

The Tsar and the Angel
https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Ukrainian_folktale_16.html

STORY COLLECTIONS

Cossack Fairy Tales and Folktales – “Originally translated by British historian and linguist Robert Nisbet Bain in 1894, this collection of stories hail from an area known to us today as western Ukraine.”
https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/cossack-fairy-tales-1916/    

Ukrainian Folk Tales translated by Marie Halun Bloch – Meet The Poor Wolf, The Spiteful Nanny Goat, The Foolish Dog, and a host of other animals between these pages.
https://diasporiana.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/books/26495/file.pdf   

BOOKS

Children’s Books Set In Ukraine
https://kidstravelbooks.com/product-category/europe/ukraine/

CRAFTS

Printable craft based on the children’s book, The Mitten.
https://www.littlepim.com/blog/explore-winter-ukraine-craft-based-clever-story

Ukraine Coloring Pages for Kids
https://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/countries-cultures/ukraine

CURRICULUM

Ukraine Facts for Kids
https://kids.kiddle.co/Ukraine

U is for Ukraine - Ukraine for Kids Virtual Tour
https://www.localpassportfamily.com/2020/07/u-is-for-ukraine-ukraine-for-kids-virtual-tour.html

TRADITIONS

A History of The History Pysanka Symbolism – ”A great variety of decorative motifs are found on pysanky. Because of the egg’s fragility, no ancient examples of pysanky have survived. However, similar ornamental patterns occur in pottery, weaving, wood carving, embroidery and other traditional crafts, examples of which have survived through the ages.”
https://www.pysanky.info/Symbols_NEW/History.html

How to Decorate Pysanky Ukrainian Easter Eggs
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-to-decorate-pysanky-ukrainian-easter-eggs/

“Once Upon a Time:” How Ukrainian Folklore Reflects Ukrainian Cultural Values  
https://www.volunteeringukraine.com/en/post/once-upon-a-time-how-ukrainian-folklore-reflects-ukrainian-values

Pysanky Ukrainian Easter Eggs and How to Make Your Own - The start of spring means that Easter is on the horizon, which for many people means one thing—it's time to start decorating eggs.”
https://mymodernmet.com/pysanky-ukrainian-easter-egg/

Ten Customs That Only Ukrainians Will Understand
“The roots of Ukrainian customs date back centuries, but at the same time, they remain no less popular nowadays…Ukrainians pay great attention to the observation of customs, as they are unique and extremely peculiar – even absurd sometimes.”
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ukraine/articles/10-customs-that-only-ukrainians-will-understand/

Traditional Crafts – Learn about pottery, weaving, painting, and more.
https://authenticukraine.com.ua/en/traditions-crafts

Ukrainian Customs and Traditions – Learn about wedding traditions, national costumes, and food.
https://greentourua.com/ukrainian-customs-and-traditions/ 

Ukrainian Folklore –History, cuisine, folklore and more.
https://computerscience.johncabot.edu/kduong/S2020CS130-1/mavramova/about/project/index.html

Ukrainian Women Bring Back Traditional Floral Crowns To Show National Pride|
“According to the tradition, these headdresses were worn by young, unmarried women to show their “purity” and marital eligibility. Now though, the artists are using them as a reminder of Ukrainian identity in rough times the country is going through. With continuing political and actual physical pressure from Russia, the country faces serious threats to its integrity and unity is needed more than ever.”|
https://www.demilked.com/traditional-ukrainian-flower-crowns-treti-pivni/ 

SOMETHING EXTRA

Authentic Ukraine – An amazing project on the cultural Heritage of Ukraine, including performing arts, traditional rituals, food, music, oral traditions, tours of cultural heritage, and “authentic audio and visual examples of Ukrainian identity.” Learn more about this beautiful country and its fascinating history.
https://authenticukraine.com.ua/en

Chuhaister: Spirit of the Ukrainian Forest
“Chuhaister is the spirit of the Carpathian mountain forest. Chuhaister is both protector of the woods and the spirit of the forest.” Learn all about this spirit at the link below.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/babayagascottage/2020/11/chuhaister-spirit-of-the-ukrainian-forest/

ADDITIONAL CULTURAL RESOURCES

Celebrating the Continent of Africa
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2021/01/celebrating-continent-of-africa.html

Celebrating the Country of China
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2022/02/celebrating-country-of-china.html 

Celebrating the Country of Germany
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2021/02/celebrating-country-of-germany.html

Celebrating the Country of India
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2021/01/celebrate-country-of-india.html

Celebrating the Country of Russia
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2021/03/celebrating-country-of-russia.html

Celebrating the Country of Scotland
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2021/04/celebrating-country-of-scotland.html

Celebrating the Country of Turkey

https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/11/celebrating-country-of-turkey.html

 

 

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links. At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

 

Karen Chace 2022 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission, please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Stor e Telling Summer 2018: Storytelling Traditions Around the World

The Moroccan Storyteller
by Alfred Dehodencq, 1877

Summer is just around the corner so it is time to share my Stor e Telling column in Storytelling Magazine from summer of 2018.  The magazine is a membership benefit of the National Storytelling Network.  If you are interested in getting fabulous articles from around the world, featuring renowned storytellers and educators, along with my most recent column, join us at www.storynet.org.  I will not be sharing anything from any 2019 publications until 2020 rolls around.

Many of us are familiar with The Moth and StoryCorp but what about some of the other ancient forms of storytelling? Below are a few of the fascinating and different traditions from around the world to complement this issue's theme.

Chinese Shadow Puppetry – In the world of shadow puppetry there are various styles of performance, Luanxian, a rare branch of performers who work from a written script, Traditional performance, and the classic Shaanxi. This site is full of information, history, aesthetic, performance clips, and more.

https://www.chineseshadowpuppetry.com/

Al Zajal: Intangible Cultural Heritage – This ancient art can be traced back to the 12^th century.  “Al-Zajal is a form of Lebanese folk poetry sung at social and family celebrations and in daily life… The poets declaim verses, often in the form of challenges, which are then repeated by the singers and audience.”
https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/al-zajal-recited-or-sung-poetry-01000

Cunto: Sicily’s Storytelling Tradition - Cuntu is the art of spoken word street storytelling. “For locals its true cultural meaning, however, goes much deeper, conjuring up thoughts of fables, fairy tales and fantastic anecdotes of chivalrous adventure.”

http://www.italoamericano.org/story/2018-1-3/sicily-story-telling

Hula: Dance That Tells a Story -In ancient Hawaii hula played an important role in keeping history, genealogy, mythology, and culture alive.  With each movement a story unfolds.
https://www.gohawaii.com/hawaiian-culture/hula and learn more about the History of the Hula here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXtQNVXNu-A

Kamishibai - Kamishibai (kah-mee-shee-bye) is a form of Japanese street storytelling dating back to the 1920’s. “Most Kamishibai stories consist of 12 or 16 large, sturdy, beautifully illustrated cards. On the back is the English translation of the text, with the original Japanese beside it.”

http://www.kamishibai.com/

Something Old and Something New: Rakugo and Japanese Culture – Rakugo, literally ‘fallen words’ traces its origins to Buddhist sermons. “The story is made up of three parts: the makura, or prelude; the hondai, or main story; and the ochi, the closing/punch line.”http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/news/japanese_standup.htm
You can listen to Master Storyteller Motoko sharing a story in Rakugo style here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOwDpmBYJj8

We move now from the ancient to the modern.

TED Talks – "In these Ted Talks masters of storytelling share their creative secrets and explore new approaches to their age-old craft.

https://www.ted.com/topics/storytelling

August 22 is Be An Angel Day so get ready to fly with these new tales.

The Angel – Hans Christian Andersen
http://hca.gilead.org.il/angel.html

Angel Dance - Indonesia

https://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2008/9/7/angel-dance-an-indonesian-folktale

The Best Wish – The Stories of Three Brothers and an Angel – Slavic
https://fairytalez.com/the-best-wish-the-story-of-three-brothers-and-an-angel/

Dream Bread – Here are seven variants of the same story from around the world.
https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1626.html

Mary’s Child - Grimm

https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm003.html

The Pink – Grimm
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-32.html

The Wonderful Hair – The Story of a Poor Man Who Dreamed of an Angel - Slavic
https://fairytalez.com/the-wonderful-hair-the-story-of-a-poor-man-who-dreamed-of-an-angel/

A Woodsman and an Angel – Korea
http://leverettfolktales.blogspot.com/2012/06/woodsman-and-angel.html

Angel Dance - Indonesia
https://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2008/9/7/angel-dance-an-indonesian-folktale

The Tsar and the Angel – Ukraine
https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Ukrainian_folktale_16.html

Below are links to all of the Stor e Telling columns from 2007- to spring of 2018, each with a short synopsis to help you efficiently find what you are seeking. 

SOMETHING EXTRA

Stor e Telling Spring 2018: Storytelling World
In this blog post you will find seven public domain books filled with folktales from Holland, South Africa, Scotland, the Magyars and more. There are also additional stories to help celebrate the national holiday, A Drop of Water Is A Grain of Gold, celebrated in Turkmenistan on April 1. For some extra fun there are tales to get your toes tapping for Dance Like a National Chicken Day on May 14.
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2019/01/stor-e-telling-spring-2018-storytelling.html

1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources V: Stor e Telling 2017
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/09/1001-nights-to-2001-story-resources-iv.html

1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources IV: Stor e Telling 2016
https://karenchace.blogspot.com/2018/12/1001-nights-to-2001-story-resources-v.html

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources III: Stor e Telling 2015
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/01/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources II: Stor e Telling 2014

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2016/01/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources: Stor e Telling 2013
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/06/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html

Stor e Telling Columns: 2007 to 2012 with Synopses

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/12/stor-e-telling-columns-2007-to-2012.html

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and web lnks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2019 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Chinese New Year 2019: Year of the Pig

Girl with Pigs
by
Thomas Gainsborough
1781-1782

This year the Chinese New Year begins on February 5, 2019, the Year of the Pig. Read the legend behind the animals of the Chinese Zodiac here: https://wehavekids.com/education/Chinese-Zodiac-Story  

"The Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. Another story says that a wolf destroyed his house. He had to rebuild his home before he could set off. When he arrived, he was the last one and could only take twelfth place.

The Pig is also associated with the Earthly Branch and the hours 9–11 in the night. In terms of yin and yang, the Pig is yin. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces and big ears are signs of fortune as well." To read more about those born in the Year of Pig go to https://chinesenewyear.net/zodiac/pig/.

STORIES

The Dog and the Pig – India
https://www.pitara.com/fiction-for-kids/folktales/the-dog-and-the-pig/ 

The Old Woman and Her Pig - England
http://tinyurl.com/8yagce3

The Pig That Went to Church - United States

http://tinyurl.com/oo9bznc

The Three Green Men of Glen Nevis - Scotland

http://tinyurl.com/osz569v

The Sheep and the Pig Who Set Up House - Norway
http://tinyurl.com/j5xjj2r

The Story of the Three Little Pigs - England
http://tinyurl.com/b979cte

The Enchanted Pig – Andrew Lang
http://tinyurl.com/z9owtnk 

BOOKS

Children’s Books About Pigs: Funny Bedtime Stories

http://hubpages.com/family/The-10-Best-Childrens-Books-About-Pigs-Funny-Bedtime-Stories

CRAFTS

Dltk- kids – Lots of fun pig crafts here that will have you squealing in no time at all.

http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/pigs.htm

CURRICULUM

Asia Education Foundation – Learning activities, teacher’s note and additional references on the Chinese New Year.

http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/curriculum/the-arts/details/chinese-new-year

                                                           

SOMETHING EXTRA

Traditions: Chinese New Year Clothes
https://chinesenewyear.net/clothes/

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2019 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.