December 7, 2018

Miami community holds series of events to mark Holodomor’s 85th anniversary

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Oksana Piaseckyj

The Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America with the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami.

MIAMI – The Holodomor Committee in Miami has been commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Great Famine with various events to bring this tragedy to the awareness of the general public. 

On November 1, a lecture by Michael Sawkiw Jr. to students at Miami Dade College and Skype connections with Profs. Myroslava Antonovych in Kyiv and Myroslav Marynovych in Lviv started the month of activities. 

On November 18, the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America, led by Oksana Rodak and Oksana Zelinska, performed a beautiful concert at the Koubek Center, under the auspices of Miami Dade College, Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch 17 and the South Florida Chapter of U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness. The women’s angelic voices blending with the magical bandura strings captivated the audience, which responded with rousing applause. For many, this was their first exposure to the national Ukrainian instrument.

Karyn Wilk

Ukrainians and friends in Bayfront Park against the backdrop of the Miami Tower, which was lit up in blue and yellow.

The ensemble was joined at the concert by a special appearance of the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami, under the direction of Donna Maksymowich-Waskiewicz who made a special appearance with the haunting dance “Holodomor – A Mother’s Lament.” This tragic enactment of two mothers losing their children to starvation was exceptionally moving. 

On November 24, the official day of commemoration of the Holodomor throughout the world was marked with the special lighting of the Miami Tower in blue and yellow lights. Ukrainians and friends gathered at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami with candles and Ukrainian flags, singing appropriate songs and informing spectators that, although millions of Ukrainians perished in the Great Famine, Ukraine is very much alive.

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