Ethno-Cultural Heritage of Foreign Ukrainians

Author

Rendiuk Teofil

а Doctor of History, senior research fellow at the NASU M. Rylskyi IASFE Ukrainian Ethnological Centre Department

Ethno-Cultural Heritage of Foreign Ukrainians

Abstract

The process of formation, preservation and development of ethno-cultural heritage by foreign Ukrainians at different times and in different countries, where they live at present, is analyzed in the article as an important factor of Ukrainian ethnos consolidation in the world.

The peculiarities of ethno-cultural heritage formation by Ukrainians in Canada and Australia are emphasized. There, unlike the other countries of compact residence of ethnic Ukrainians, a constructive national policy aimed at the full support of the newly arrived ethnic groups, including the Ukrainians, and not at their accelerated assimilation, is followed.

It is mentioned that Ukrainians abroad have established numerous museums of folk art, where the most valuable objects of national cultural heritage are stored. The museums of Ukrainian culture in different countries of the world are of particular value. Thus, in October, 2017, a new Ukrainian Museum has been opened in Manor College in Philadelphia (the USA). It is also worthy to note the reconstruction of Ukrainian women’s clothing from the times of Kyivan Rus (the IX century) to the times of Hetmanate (ХVІІІ century), made by the Union of Ukrainians of America, as well as the elements of uniforms of Ukrainian youth organizations of America Plast and the Union of Ukrainian Youth.

Unique information about the archival funds and centers is also proposed. There collective and individual documents related to the existence and the various activities of the representatives of foreign Ukrainians at different times and in different countries of the world are concentrated.

Keywords

Ukrainian community abroad, ethno-cultural heritage, national identity, forms of folk art, objects of material culture of foreign Ukrainians (national clothes, cuisine, traditional instruments of work, musical instruments, etc.), objects of non-material culture (language, faith, rituals, customs), archival funds and centers of Ukrainian diaspora, territories of cultural heritage of foreign Ukrainianhood, consolidation of Ukrainian ethnos, Ukrainian Museum in Philadelphia, Plast Youth Organizations of America, Union of Ukrainian Youth of the USA, Museum of Ukrainian Diaspora in Kyiv, reconstruction of Ukrainian clothing, uniforms of Ukrainian Plast organizations.

References

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