A View through the Centuries: Ethnographic Studies in the Village of Oskil in Kharkiv Region

Author

Ivanchyshen Vitaliy – a Ph.D. in History, ethnologist, researcher of local history

A View through the Centuries: Ethnographic Studies in the Village of Oskil in Kharkiv Region

Abstract

Archival ethnographic materials concerning to the ethnic culture of the inhabitants of the village of Oskil, Izium district, Kharkiv region, recorded in the late 1920s and 2017, are introduced into the scientific circulation. It pertains to the archive unit of preservation under the number of 365 The Artel from Chervonyi Oskil in Izium Region from the first fund Ethnographic Commission. The unit of preservation contains unique ethnographic facts from the area of ethnic culture of the Ukrainians from Slobozhanshchyna.

An expedition has been realized in October, 2017 by the scientists of M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology on the territory of Slobozhanshchyna, mainly in Kharkiv region. Taking into consideration the archival materials of the 1920s, it seems to be expedient to choose the village of Oskil in Izium region for modern research and comparative analysis of the results. Besides, the settlement mentioned is one of the most populated ones in this district. It has strengthened the relevance of the study, as it enables the number of respondents of different age groups. According to the task of the expedition, the necessity for the repeated (based on the 1920s questionnaires) modern survey of the inhabitants of the village of Oskil has appeared. It is aimed at the detection of the tendencies of the brokenness/continuance of the historical memory of the settlement residents, the preservation of ethnic and cultural phenomena and the identification of the features of ethnographic realities, which have been transformed or appeared during the XX – early XXIst centuries.

Historical succession of the main markers of the traditional culture is shown by way of example of its various areas. In particular, it concerns to the sections of the economic-industrial culture, trades and crafts, folk architecture, ethnic medicine, funeral ceremonial, etc.

Thus, both of the ethnographic materials are vivid reflections of the Ukrainians ethnic and cultural heritage of the village of Oskil in Izium region. Though they are recorded with the interval of almost a hundred years, one can state historical continuance of the preservation of folk memory as for the events of the last century, the markers of material and spiritual culture of Slobozhanshchyna representatives.

Keywords

the village of Oskil (Chervonyi Oskil), archival ethnographic materials.

References

1. Archival Scientific Funds of Manuscripts and Audio-Recordings of the NASU M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology (henceforth – ASFMAR of NASU IASFE), Fund 1-Suppl. Ethnographic Committee, unit of issue 365. Izium Regional Museum. «The Chervonyi Oskil Artil on Iziumshchyna». Answers to Programmes on Vegetable Growing, Survivals of Tillage Old Forms, Market Gardening, Floriculture, Omens and Beliefs, Sowing, and Enchantment. 1927, 1930. A Manuscript. 15 sheets.
2. ASFMAR of NASU IASFE, Fund14. NASU M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology. Expeditions, unit of issue 884, 106 sheets.
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