What We Need To Know About Ukraine

By Sofiia Andrushchak

Discovering Ukrainian history, literature, and culture.... more

· History

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FAQs about What We Need To Know About Ukraine:

How many episodes does What We Need To Know About Ukraine have?

The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.

What We Need To Know About Ukraine episodes:

February 06, 2024 Taras Shevchenko: Poetry, Art, and Revolution
Today's episode is about Taras Shevchenko - a poet, writer, artist, and prominent public figure. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and to some degree the modern Ukrainian language. Today, he is the bard of Ukraine and sometimes is referred to as a prophet. All this, yet he was born a serf. He and his poetry is more than relevant - always.
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"Taras Shevchenko! One person was enough to save an entire nation." - Ostap Vyshnya
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Full Version of Taras Shevchenko's "The Caucasus" is available here: https://taras-shevchenko.storinka.org/the-%D1%81aucasus-poem-of-taras-shevchenko-ukrainian-to-english-translation-by-vera-rich.html
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I highly recommend reading all of Taras Shvchenko's poetry in his collection "Kobzar"!
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The music in the episode is "Elegy in Memory of Shevchenko" by the wonderful Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko and "Medley of Shevchenko's Works" by Yaroslav Dzhus.
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40min
January 23, 2024 Serfdom In Ukraine
Today's episode is about serfdom in Ukraine throughout history. Peasants and serfs are often the unheard part of history, yet serfdom - a type of unpaid forced labour left a significant mark on Ukraine, as well as most of Europe.
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To read the collection stories by Ukrainian author Marko Vovchok (in English) you can visit the link below. The stories I referenced and quoted from today were "Horpyna," "The Kozak Girl," and "Odarka".
https://diasporiana.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/books/21918/file.pdf
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The music in today's episode is "Melody" by Myroslav Skoryk (a Ukrainian composer).
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28min
January 11, 2024 Hetman Ivan Mazepa: Cossack and Patron of Ukrainian Culture
Today's episode is about Ivan Mazepa - one of Ukraine's most famous hetmans - a genius diplomat and a patron of Kyiv's architecture.
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The music at the end of the episode is "Transcendental Etudes, S. 139: No. 4, Mazeppa" by Franz Liszt, which is a symphonic poem about Mazepa. The background music in the episode is "Elegy in Memory of Shevchenko" by the wonderful Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko and "Suite in D Minor, HWV 447: Allemande" by George Frideric Handel.

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30min
December 31, 2023 New Year's Eve in Ukraine: Eve of Generosity or Malanka
Today's episode is about New Year celebrations and traditions in Ukraine. New Year's Eve in Ukraine is called the Eve of Generosity, and the traditions on this day are a mix of Christian, Pagan, and simply Ukrainian traditions. Have a mystical, musical, and fun Ukrainian New Year's Eve.
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The music in today's episode are various Ukrainian shchedrivky performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine as part of the "Christmas Symphonies" project. The shchedrivky sung at the end are "Oh, is there or is there not?" (a folk song) and "Shchedryk" by Mykola Leontovych (sung by Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir).
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З Новим Роком! Happy New Year!
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26min
December 25, 2023 Christmas in Ukraine: Traditions and History
Today's episode is about Christmas in Ukraine. It is its very own unique celebration that combines traditions from Christian and pagan celebrations dating back all the way to the Kyivan Rus'. Welcome to the mystical, musical and exciting Ukrainian Christmas.
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The music in todays episode are various Ukrainian kolyadky performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine as part of the "Christmas Symphonies" project. The kolyadka sung at the end is "A New Joy Had Arisen" performed by the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.
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З Різдвом Христовим! Merry Christmas!
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Correction: Ukrainians celebrate St. Nicholas Day in early December - not January. :)
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21min
December 22, 2023 Mykola Gogol: Ukrainian Writer and Explorer of the Soul
Today's episode is about Mykola Gogol - a Ukrainian who turned out to be one of the greatest and most influential writers of all time. He had a huge influence worldwide inspiring many authors, and musicians. He created entire genres of literature. But how did Gogol come to dominate the literary scene? Why is he considered a genius? And who was he really?
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"Do you know a Ukrainian night? No, you do not know a night in Ukraine. Take a closer look at her: The moon shines in the midst of the sky; the immeasurable vault of heaven seems to have expanded to infinity; the earth is bathed in silver light; the air is warm, voluptuous, and redolent of innumerable sweet scents. Divine night! Magical night!" - Mykola Gogol.
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The music in today's episode are the overtures taken from Mykola Lysenkos operas "May Night, or the Drowned Maiden" and "Christmas Night" both based on Gogol's stories.
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48min
December 12, 2023 Hryhorii Skovoroda: Ukrainian Philosopher, Poet and Musician
Today's episode is about Hryhorii Skovoroda who was the first Ukrainian philosopher and who was part of the Ukrainian Baroque thinkers and writers.
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"The world was catching me but didn't capture me." - Hryhorii Skovoroda
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The music in today's episode is composed and written by Hryhorii Skovoroda. The song is called "Oh you, yellow bird" ("Ой ти, птичко жолтобоко").
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20min
November 28, 2023 Magdeburg Law in Ukraine or Democracy in the Middle Ages
Today's episode is about the Magdeburg law that came to Ukraine during the Middle Ages and brought democracy and self-government to most Ukrainian cities and towns.
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The music in the episode is "Suite in D Minor, HWV 447: Allemande" by George Frideric Handel
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15min
November 22, 2023 Roksolana: Ukrainian Queen of the Ottoman Empire
Today's episode is about Roksolana - the most powerful woman in the Ottoman Empire who was also Ukrainian. This marvelous woman was born in a regular family in Ukraine, then enslaved as a girl, and after became the Ottoman Emperor's wife. She does this all while significantly changing the many rules traditions and even the future of the Ottoman Empire in the late Middle Ages.
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The music used in this episode is "Symphony No. 63 in C Major, Hob.I:63 - 'La Roxelane': I.Allegro" by Joseph Haydn.
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20min
November 15, 2023 Stepan Bandera: Ukraine's Misunderstood Hero
Today's episode is about Stepan Bandera - a Ukrainian nationalist, politician, activist, and thinker who strove towards Ukrainian independence during both the world wars, in between and after them. Loved in Ukraine and hated in the Soviet Union, he is still misunderstood today. So who was he really?
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"When people choosing between bread and freedom choose bread, they ultimately lose everything, including bread. If people choose freedom, they will have bread they made themselves, bread not taken away by anyone." - Stepan Bandera
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The music used in this episode is "Elegy in Memory of Shevchenko" by the wonderful Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko.
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26min

FAQs about What We Need To Know About Ukraine:

How many episodes does What We Need To Know About Ukraine have?

The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.