UKELODEON: For The Next Generation (02/14/99)

UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

For the love of our children...

The month of February is synonymous with love. The Ukrainian Weekly has always shown its love for the Ukrainian heritage and our community by its very existence. Now we would like to extend that love by actively involving our children in our publication. Each month we will dedicate a section of the newspaper especially to them.

Those of us who read this paper share a spirit of togetherness thanks to our commitment to the Ukrainian heritage. Since many of us were born outside of Ukraine - whether in Winnipeg, Toronto, Detroit, Newark, London or Melbourne - this remarkable bond continues to exist.

We have our parents and grandparents to thank for this. Even though they fought incredible odds as new immigrants in foreign countries, they never forgot who they were. They taught us, their children and grandchildren, Ukrainian traditions, language, history, etc. They fostered a love for the Ukrainian culture in each of us. By their dedication to building strong Ukrainian communities, including youth groups, they realized that the children are the future.

Suddenly we are in the same position. We have the responsibility to instill that same love and commitment in our own children. Now they are the future. We can show them that same love by involving them now in our community. We have a rich and flourishing Ukrainian community in the diaspora from North America to Europe and Australia, and beyond.

Inaugurated as a gift of love on Valentine's Day, this monthly feature will be dedicated to our youth. We want to hear from you, our children - our next generation. We welcome all material, but preface this request with the caveat that, since the feature appears monthly, we will not always be able to publish all materials sent.

Please send your articles or letters to: The Ukrainian Weekly - Ukelodeon, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054.

UKELODEON: it rhymes with nickelodeon. Yes, that's a kids' network (spelled with a capital "N"), but the original word referred to an early movie theater that charged a nickel for admission. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the root of the word, "odeon," is from the Greek "oideion," a small building used for public performances of music and poetry. Our Ukelodeon is envisioned as a public space where our youth, from kindergartners to teens, can come to learn, to share information, to relate their experiences, and to keep in touch with each other. Its contents will be shaped by the young readers of the next generation.

This photo of one of our "readers" was sent in by one of our readers. Seen above, enjoying a recent issue of The Weekly (and obviously keeping up with the political scene in Ukraine) is Pookie Makarushka-Kolodiy of Maplewood, N.J. Pookie adopted St. John's Ukrainian Preschool, a Montessori program in Newark, and in turn was adopted by the director of that preschool, Olenka Makarushka Kolodiy, and her family. Besides reading and lounging, Pookie enjoys good "kovbasa" from the local Ukrainian butcher.

Letter: How about a students' section?

Dear Editor:

My name is Lev Horodyskyj. I am 16 years old and a senior at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, I have been reading The Ukrainian Weekly for the last two years because I have found it a good way to stay in touch with what Ukrainians are doing in various parts of the United States, I am always interested in what is going in the Ukrainian community outside my immediate area.

I am also a member of People to People Student Ambassadors, with whom I have traveled to all corners of the world. My Ukrainian heritage has helped me make many new friends wherever I go. I always enjoy watching people's expressions when they realize that I speak another language besides English. Very often they know some other Ukrainians, and then we have much to talk about.

You often publish articles about students written by various community activists. I find these articles very interesting. However, I have noticed there are very few articles, if any, written by students themselves. I think that The Ukrainian Weekly could be made more interesting to high school and college students if you could dedicate a column or two where students of Ukrainian heritage could develop their journalistic skills.

I am making this suggestion because The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper, published in Cleveland, has a whole section written by and for teenagers in northeastern Ohio. It appears every Wednesday during the school year and is very popular. If The Ukrainian Weekly had a similar section, people like me, who want to hear what Ukrainian students are doing outside their immediate Ukrainian communities, would be encouraged to subscribe to your newspaper.

Lev Horodyskyj
North Royalton, Ohio

Editor's note: Well, Mr. Horodyskyj, that section now exists. We encourage you and other Ukrainian youths, wherever they may reside, to become contributors to Ukelodeon.

Deb Daze

Buy the dress,
Fit the shoes,
Ask the escort.
Whom to choose?

Practice dancing,
Curtsies, too.
With all the flurry,
This night is for you!

Ukelodeon congratulates all debutantes and escorts of 1999!
Drop us a line, let us know how it went.
And, as we march into spring, send us a note about your preparations for "Zlet" or "Sviato Vesny."

Mishanyna

Solve our monthly "Mishanyna" (hodgepodge) by finding the following words: borsch, Dnipro, Dnister, holubtsi, Hopak, kutia, Kyiv, Lviv, malanka, pampushky, pyrohy, Soyuzivka, Svoboda, Ukraine, UNA, vushka, Weekly. (And, if you don't know what some of these words are, ask your parents ...)

St. John's pupils in concert

NEWARK, N.J. - The 1998 Christmas concert presented by the students of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School on Sunday, December 20, 1998, attracted guests from near and far who came to enjoy a program titled "Good News Comes Upon Us."

The annual concert began with a Ukrainian-language recitation, "Rizdviana Zirka" (Christmas Star), by third graders. The lower grades' choir (comprising kindergarten through Grade 3), assisted by "sopilka" (reed pipe) players, then performed a selection of Ukrainian carols.

In addition, Grades 2 and 3 presented recitations on Christmas themes, respectively, "Yalynka" (Christmas Tree) and "Yalynka v Tserkvi" (A Christmas Tree in Church), while the youngest singers, kindergartners and first graders, performed "Pryletily Anheliata" (The Little Angels Came).

The upper grades (4-8) sang both Ukrainian- and English-language Christmas carols and presented a traditional "vertep" (a Christmas play) interwoven with musical selections, and Grade 4 chimed in with a class recitation titled "Novorichna Snizhynka" (New Year Snowflake).

The program was filled out with performances by the school's bandurist group, augmented by the voices of first graders, and by a group of singers and musicians of the parish's young adults group.

At the conclusion of the program the school's 100-plus voices, with the participation of the audience, sang "Boh Predvichnyi."

A roller hockey pioneer 'down under'

Back in July of 1997, at the age of 12, Andrew Kowalczuk of Australia, wrote a letter to our hockey columnist, Ihor Stelmach. Andrew, a member of the Sharks and Wizards roller hockey teams, became the first Ukrainian in Australian in-line roller hockey history to play at a national tournament. He was selected for the inaugural South Australian under-12 state team and played in the 1997 Australian National Titles in Melbourne, Victoria.

In a letter to The Weekly, Andrew wrote: "I feel that I am a pioneer in this new and rapidly popular sport." He also noted that he loves ice hockey - he described himself as "a keen reader of ice hockey magazines" and said he watches segments of games that are shown on the local ethnic TV station (SBS-TV) - and that his favorite player is Wayne Gretzky.

Now, a year and a half later, we caught up with Andrew, son of Jaroslav and Marijka Kowalczuk of Tranmere, South Australia. Andrew now plays on the under-14 team of the Adelaide Wizards, who won the regional title for the states of Victoria and South Australia on January 26. The team is now headed to the nationals, which take place at Eastertime.

Andrew says he would like to pursue a career in both ice hockey and inline hockey - the fastest growing sport in Australia. Besides sports, Andrew enjoys activity in the Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization and participating in Ukrainian folk dancing.

(PS to Andrew: Good luck at the nationals! We'll all be rooting for you.)

Palatine kids learn about customs

by Nadia Doerrler

PALATINE, Ill. - What is Sviat Vechir? When is it celebrated? What traditions do we observe and what foods do we eat on Sviat Vechir? The local School of Ukrainian Studies, which is sponsored by the Dmytro Vitovsky branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM), decided to teach its students about the customs of Sviat Vechir.

On Saturday, December 12, 1998, all the students and teachers came to school dressed in Ukrainian shirts and blouses. The first grade teacher, Ola Kusyk, began telling the children about the Ukrainian customs associated with Sviat Vechir. She was assisted by two of the eighth grade students who portrayed the lady of the house, or the "hospodynia," and the head of the household, or the "hospodar." Under the guidance of Ms. Kusyk, the hospodar and the hospodynia put on a demonstration to show the students how a Ukrainian family celebrates Sviat Vechir.

The table was prepared by placing hay under it and also some on the table (symbolizing Christ's birth in the manger). A beautiful embroidered tablecloth was placed on the table over the hay. Then, garlic and coins were placed at the four corners of the table. The garlic was there to protect the home from evil, and the coins were to bring the house prosperity. In the center of the table was a "kolach," or braided loaf of bread, with a candle placed in its center. Two wood-carved Ukrainian candleholders also were placed on the table.

With the table set, the hospodar brought in the "didukh" (a sheaf of wheat), and placed it under the holy icon. The didukh is symbolic of the family's forefathers who look over their family's fields. Tradition has it that the ancestors come into the home with the wheat.

The children are then usually sent outside to watch for the first star of the evening, when the meal will start. In our case, we used an electric star.

The hospodynia brought a 12-course meal to the table. The meal was meatless, and the first course was "kutia," a mixture of wheat, poppy seeds and honey. The hospodar took a spoonful of the kutia and threw it at the ceiling. According to custom, the more the kutia sticks to the ceiling, the more luck will come to the house throughout the next year. (Lots of kutia stuck to our ceiling.)

Before the meal the Rev. M. Kuzma explained the religious significance of the meal to the children. He then led the children in a chorus of "Boh Predvichnyi," and blessed the food. The parents and teachers then served the children a 12-course meal that had kutia, meatless borsch, various types of fish, various types of varenyky, and sweets and nuts for desert.

Teachers at the Palatine School of Ukrainian Studies hope that the students now are familiar with the customs of Sviat Vechir, and that they will ask their parents to celebrate this holiday in their own homes. It is also hoped that when these children grow up and have their own families they will continue to follow the traditional Ukrainian customs - not just for Sviat Vechir, but also for other Ukrainian holidays.

Myshka's mystery

My name is Mykola Myshka.

Each month I am going to give you kids a historical riddle. If you don't know the answer, ask Dido, Baba, Mama or Tato for help. Send in your answer with a photo, and your picture could appear in Ukelodeon.

Ready, my wise little friends?

OK. Here goes:

I am wise and have these important numbers: 945 and 1054. Who am I?

UKELODEON is prepared by the editorial staff of The Ukrainian Weekly working in conjuction with Lydia Smyk, an elementary school teacher at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School in Newark, N.J., and mother of three (9-year-old twin girls and a 17-year-old son). Ms. Smyk, who is originally from Ottawa, resides with her family in Orange, N.J.

| Home Page |