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Theculture of Ukraine is composed of the material and spiritual values of theUkrainian people that has formed throughout thehistory of Ukraine. Strongfamily values and religion, alongside the traditions ofUkrainian embroidery andfolk music are integral aspects of the country's culture. It is closely intertwined withethnic studies about ethnic Ukrainians and Ukrainianhistoriography which is focused on thehistory of Kyiv and the region around it.[1]
Although the country has often struggled to preserve its independence[2] its people have managed to retain their cultural possessions and are proud of the considerable cultural legacy they have created. Numerous writers have contributed to the country's literary history such asIvan Kotliarevsky,Taras Shevchenko[3] andIvan Franko.[4] The Ukrainian culture has experienced a significant resurgence[5][failed verification] since the establishment of independence in 1991.
The earliest evidence ofcultural artefacts in the Ukrainian lands can be traced to decoratedmammoth tusks in the Neanderthal era.[6] Later, thenomadic tribes of the southern lands of the 4th century BCE, like theScythians, produced finely worked gold ornaments such as the pectoral found in theTovsta Mohyla mound.[7]
The modern Ukrainian culture is believed to be formed as a descendant of the ancient state ofKievan Rus' centered inKyiv as well theKingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, both of which Ukrainians claim as their historical ancestors.[8][9][original research?] Ukrainian historian, academic and politician of theUkrainian People's Republic,Mykhailo Hrushevsky referred to Ukraine asUkraine-Rus, emphasising Ukraine's historical claim to the ancient state of Kievan Rus.[10][relevant?]
Traditional peasant folk art, embroidery and vernacular architecture are critical to Ukrainian culture, and its elements have often been determined by the resources available at the time. The country's strong tradition of folk art and embroidery continues to this day, withUkrainian embroidery often considered an art form in itself.[11]
Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by theUkrainian Greek Catholicism,Ruthenian Greek Catholicism andEastern Orthodox Church[12] and traditions fromSlavic mythology.[13]Prior to theSoviet Union, the Ukrainian culture has had heavy influence from other East Slavic cultures such asRussian andBelarusian culture.[14]
Ukrainian culture has had to overcome numerous obstacles in order to survive and retain its originality, since foreign powers and empires who dominated the country and its people in the past often implemented policies aimed at assimilating the Ukrainian population into their own population, as well as trying to eradicate and purge elements of the culture. For example, the policy ofRussification posed significant obstacles to the development of the culture.[14]
Whilst progressing into modernity, Ukraine remains a highly traditional country, where the observance of certain customs and practices play a central role in its culture. Many significant Ukrainian holidays and events are based on the old Julian Calendar and so differ from their Gregorian counterparts.[15] These include Christmas and New Year's Eve, both of which are highly important in Ukrainian culture.[16]
During theinvasion of Ukraine by Russia, damage was caused to 1,945 cultural infrastructure objects, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. Cultural institutions that were damaged or destroyed by Russians include cultural clubs, libraries, museums, galleries, theatres, zoos, and art education institutions. It is estimated that rebuilding the damaged sites may take about 10 years.[17]
Social gatherings likeVechornytsi have a long history in Ukrainian culture, and so do traditionalholidays likeIvan Kupala Night,Masliana (Masnytsia),Koliaduvannia, andMalanka, where people gather in large groups.[18]
Religion is practiced throughout the country.Eastern Orthodox Christianity andEastern Catholicism andRoman Catholicism are the three most widely practiced religions. TheUkrainian Orthodox Church[19] is the largest in the country.[20] Faithful of theUkrainian Greek Catholic Church, the second largest, practiceByzantine rites, but are in communion with theRoman Catholic Church which means that they are also fully Catholic.[21]
Different regions in Ukraine have their own distinctive style ofvernacular architecture, based on local traditions and the knowledge handed down through generations.[22] The Museum of Folk Architecture and Way of Life of CentralNaddnipryanshchyna is located inPereiaslav. The open-air museum contains 13 theme museums, 122 examples of national architecture, and over 30,000 historical cultural objects.[23] The Museum of Decorative Finishes is one of the featured museums that preserves the handiwork of decorative architectural applications inUkrainian architecture. Decorative finishes use ancient traditional design patterns.[24]
On special occasions, every aspect of ordinary life is transformed into ornamental art form of artistic expression. Ornamentation and design motifs are steeped in symbolism, religiousritual and meaning.[25] From theilluminated manuscripts of thePeresopnytsia Gospel[26] to the famouspysanky andvytynanky, intricate details have ancient meaning. Much of the oral history was lost during the past 300 years ofRussification of Ukraine when Ukrainian culture and language were forbidden.[27] Organizations like theIvan Honchar Museum,Pysanka Museum and theUkrainian Museum are dedicated to historic preservation. Different regions of Ukraine have their own traditional ornamentation with their own variation of style and meaning. Examples can be seen in Ukrainian painting (Petrykivka,Kosiv, Opishnia, Bubnivka), ornamental architecture,Ukrainian embroidery, and textile motifs from variousUkrainian historical regions. Some of these works are inscribed inUNESCO[28] and National[29][30] lists ofIntangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine.
The iconic embroidered shirt or blouse, thevyshyvanka,[31] is the most recognizable part of Ukrainian national costume, and even has its own public celebration in May.[32] For men, traditional dress also includeskozhukh,kontusz,żupan andsharovary. For women, traditional dress includeskozhushanka,ochipok for married women, andUkrainian wreath for unmarried girls. Garments are made using elaborate structural design, complicated weaving techniques, extensive embroidery, andcutwork needlework.[citation needed][33]
There are nearly 5,000 differentmuseums in Ukraine,[34] includingNational Art Museum of Ukraine,National Historical Museum of Ukraine,Museum of Western and Oriental Art,Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum in Kyiv,Lviv National Art Gallery,Poltava Art Museum,Simferopol Art Museum, and many others of art, history, traditions or dedicated to different issues. Many of these museums are at risk due to the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[35]
There are 14 libraries of state significance (Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine,National Parliamentary Library of Ukraine, National historical library of Ukraine in Kyiv,Korolenko State Scientific Library in Kharkiv, and others), and 45,000 public libraries all over Ukraine. All these institutions own 700 million books.[36]
Ukrainian literature had a difficult development because, due to constant foreign domination overUkrainian territories, there was often a significant difference between the spoken and written language. At times the use of the Ukrainian language was even partly prohibited to beprinted. However, foreign rule byLithuania,Poland,Romania,Russia,Austria-Hungary, and theOttoman Turkey, left behind new words thereby enriching Ukrainian.[37] Despite tsarist and Soviet repression, Ukrainian authors were able to produce a rich literary heritage.[38]
Many Ukrainians also contributed to the closely relatedliterature in Russian language.[39]
Ukraine greatly benefitted from the Soviet emphasis onphysical education, which left Ukraine with hundreds of stadiums, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and many other athletic facilities.[40]
Football is the most popular sport in Ukraine. The top professional league is theVyscha Liha, also known as theUkrainian Premier League.[41] The two most successful teams in the Vyscha Liha are rivalsFC Dynamo Kyiv andFC Shakhtar Donetsk. Although Shakhtar is the reigning champion of the Vyscha Liha, Dynamo Kyiv has been much more successful historically, winning theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup two times, theUEFA Super Cup once, theUSSR Championship a record 13 times, and theUkrainian Championship a record 12 times; while Shakhtar only won four Ukrainian Championships and one and lastUEFA Cup.[citation needed]
Many Ukrainians also played for theUSSR national football team, most notablyIgor Belanov andOleg Blokhin, winners of the prestigiousGolden Ball Award for the best footballers of the year. This award was only presented to one Ukrainian after the collapse of the Soviet Union,Andriy Shevchenko,[42] the former captain of theUkraine national football team.[43] The national team made its debut in the2006 FIFA World Cup, and reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual champions,Italy.[citation needed]
Ukrainian brothersVitaliy Klychko andVolodymyr Klychko have held world heavyweight champion titles inboxing.[44]
Ukraine made its debut at the1994 Winter Olympics.[45] So far, Ukraine has been much more successful in theSummer Olympics (96 medals in four appearances) than in theWinter Olympics (Five medals in four appearances). Ukraine is currently ranked 35th by the number of gold medals won in the All-time Olympic Games medal count, with every country above it, except forRussia, having more appearances.[46]
Other popular sports in Ukraine includehandball,tennis,rugby union,basketball,gymnastics, andice hockey.[40]
Ukraine attracts more than 20 million visitors a year from around the world.[47]Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine[48] andSeven Wonders of Ukraine[49] are popular destinations as well as modern urban cities,[50] festivals,[51]ecotourism,[52] andmedical tourism.[53]
Crimean Tatars are theindigenous people of theCrimea.
Yurts or nomadic tents have traditionally played an important role in the cultural history of Crimean Tatars. There are different types of yurts; some are large and collapsible, called "terme", while others are small and non-collapsible (otav).
On theNowruz holiday, Crimean Tatars usually cook eggs, chicken soup, puff meat pie (kobete),halva, and sweet biscuits. Children put on masks and sing special songs under the windows of their neighbours, receiving sweets in return.
The songs (makam) of the nomadic steppe Crimean Tatars are characterized by diatonic, melodic simplicity and brevity. The songs of mountainous and southern coastal Crimean Tatars, calledTürkü, are sung with richly ornamented melodies. Householdlyricism is also widespread. Occasionally, song competitions take place between young men and women during Crimean holidays and weddings. Ritualfolklore includes winter greetings, wedding songs, lamentations and circular dance songs (khoran). Epic stories or destans are very popular among the Crimean Tatars, particularly the destans of "Chora batyr", "Edige", "Koroglu" and others.[54]
Today in use there are two types of alphabet: Cyrillic and Latin. Initially Crimean Tatars used Arabic script. In 1928 it was replaced with the Latin alphabet. Cyrillic was introduced in 1938 based on the Russian alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet was the only official one between 1938 and 1997. All its letters coincide with those of the Russian alphabet. The 1990s saw the start of the gradual transition of the language to the new Latin alphabet based on the Turkish one.[55]
Singer-songwriterJamala, who won theEurovision contest in 2016. She singsjazz, soul, funk, folk, pop and electro, and is also the author of most of her songs.[56]
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