Recently the Ukrainian House hosted a reading evening of Shevchenko’s works. Shevchenko’s spirit united people of different occupations, who took part in the artistic event: architects, scientists, engineers. For more than two hours the people were reading Shevchenko’s poetry and prose, presented their own art, sang Ukrainian songs a capella, played the bandura and kobza, enacted scenes from Shevchenko’s poems.
The idea of Shevchenko evenings presented itself as far as in Euromaidan days. “On December 16 and 17 I had been reciting Shevchenko’s Kholodny Yar on Maidan,” Oleksandr Lishchenko, the organizer, explains to The Day. “And it was then I proposed to have him elected as Maidan’s spiritual hetman, and everyone voted in favor of the proposition. After that we have been gathering to recite Shevchenko’s works – the tradition still stands. It is the people’s scene, a continuous action, it is our lifestyle. And today I continue fulfilling Shevchenko’s idea.” Lishchenko and his associates have developed a spiritual program for transformation of Ukrainian society during their numerous meetings. It is also based on Kobzar. The team names itself “Shevchenko’s Family.”
According to the organizer, some people of the Family got sick because the previous three-hour meeting took place in cold premises. Nevertheless, there were many guests. In particular, everyone enjoyed the performance of Danylo Melnyk, a soldier who survived Ilovaisk. A talented person, he has been playing the bandura for more than 12 years, and now is a sophomore of music art. Due to psychological trauma he was unable to play after his return from the east. Only recently he started playing and singing again. “The purpose of this event is to change the perception of Shevchenko’s art and personality,” says Melnyk. “The meetings are very important, because they strengthen Shevchenko’s heritage. His life can serve as a handbook for ours, as there are many moments relevant to Ukrainian society specifically on these days.”
Though the initiative found the interest of patriotic public, the state expressed no support for “Shevchenko’s Family” so far. “We have been reciting Shevchenko for more than 200 days,” Lishchenko says. “We have been allowed to gather in the Ukrainian House, but there is no electricity or heating here. Despite these troubles the people come, because they are interested – and because such meetings are the thing our nation needs today. Recently, we have hosted another Shevchenko’s evening at the Writer’s Union. It lasted for four hours and was attended by academicians, people’s artists of Ukraine, and common people, who read and value Shevchenko’s word. The next meeting will take place on March 6.”
Tetiana Nykytiuk, one of the participants, in everyday life is a researcher of the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences. At the evenings she plays the old kobza, despite the fact that the performance on this instrument is considered extremely difficult for women. She says that Shevchenko needs to be discovered without the exaltation – among the people of diverse social backgrounds and ages. “Surely, I’d like to have more youth here, because it would be especially useful for them,” she says. “The understanding of Kobzar’s works must be imprinted in all of us on the genetic level. It is necessary to expand and advertise such events.”
The participants of the evening gathered under the Taras Shevchenko poster, labeled “Maidan’s spiritual hetman.” “This poster is a historical artifact,” asserts Lishchenko. “A year ago I attached it to the shields, which the protesters took with themselves into battle.” Den/The Day’s photographer Mykola Tymchenko has made a photo of this remarkable moment, which the newspaper has published several times.
At the end of the evening, the participants and guests honored the fallen heroes with the minute of silence and concluded it with the Ukrainian anthem.