Ukraine culture

is a reflection of its turbulent history.

Modern Ukraine culture has a lot in common with Russian and Belarusian cultures. It is quite understandable as all three nations have their historical roots and origins from Kievan Rus, but during the 13th century they began developing as the individual nations they are now.

History demonstrates that every nation tends to create legends and stories about its historical past. Historical events are often interpreted in a way people desire to see them, but that does not mean that this is the way the real events took place.

Ukraine Culture. Musical instrument bandura.

Ukraine Culture. Bandura - musical instrument.
Source: http://www.vor.ru

It is difficult enough to read the historical past, it becomes even more difficult to read when that past covers the long and interesting story that has become the modern history of Ukraine.

To be objective and honest while talking about Ukraine culture, we always have to remember that modern Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians all originated from the common home of Kievan Rus. Many times events in history have separated them and also brought them together again. Today each nation has its own state and its own home, but all of them have the same historical and cultural roots. All of them are Slavs.

How was it possible
not to loose national cultural past under unstable and severe conditions?

Ukraine is presently experiencing a difficult period of transition to a democratic style of life following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many times in its history Ukraine has gone through extremely turbulent periods. Rather impressively Ukraine culture has managed to survive those historical whirls, even when nobody seemed to care about the condition of its existence.

Ukraine Culture. Pisanka - decorated Easter eggs.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

Sometimes when you are looking for information about Ukraine culture, search engines bring you quite a standard set of its "major attributes", they are,"pysanky " (a painted Easter egg), Cossacks , bandura (a musical instrument), hopak (a Ukrainian dance ), borscht (national soup), Chicken Kiev the famous cooked chicken, and salo (pig fat).

Certainly, each of these items is a small symbol of Ukrainian culture. Though perhaps there are some elements of culture which are much more viable and powerful. They went through centuries of change from one generation to the next, creating and preserving national culture that lasted through these many centuries.

I hid a piece of salo here yesterday! I know it!!!
Source: http:/oops.com.ua

What are these elements of culture? They are just our routine events in our lives: customs , language, literature, music, behaviors, superstitions , moral and spiritual values, beliefs, food, holidays , and more. People don't think about these things every day, they just live the way many generations of their ancestors lived and that is how Ukraine culture can be uniquely identified.

Some Facts about Ukrainian Culture.

According to the All-Ukrainian Population Census which took place on the 5th of December 2001, the population of Ukraine accounted for 48,457,000people. 32.5 million people or 67.2% of Ukraine population live in city environments. While the remaining population of 15.8 million or 32.8% of people lived in rural settings.

77.8% of the population are Ukrainians, 17.3%-Russians and 0.6%-Belarusians'.

85.7% of Ukrainians, 3.9% of Russians and 17.5% of Belarusians' consider the Ukrainian language as their native. 95.9% of Russians, 62.5% of Belarusians' and 14.8% of Ukrainians consider Russian language as their native.

Ukrainian language is considered the official language of the state, but the majority of Ukraine's people are bilingual and they don't need any interpreters to understand each other either.

Ukrainian language is considered the official language of the state, but the majority of Ukraine's people are bilingual and they don't need any interpreters to understand each other either.

Ukrainian culture includes the rich and diverse heritage of more than 110 ethnic groups which live in the country. There are 14 administrative regions (oblast) and an autonomous Crimean Republic in Ukraine.

Numerous faiths are practiced in Ukraine. Over 97% of the religious communities registered in Ukraine are Christian. About half of these communities are of the Orthodox tradition, the other half is divided among Catholics and Protestants.