When I was a child, I used to spend weekends with my grandmother in the countryside and roller-skate in Shcherbakov Park. Every spring, my parents would take me with my godbrother and godsister to Slovianohirsk to relax in the pine forest.
In summer, we would sit by the Kalmius River. Every year we travelled with our grandmothers from Donetsk to Crimea, to the Izumrud recreation centre. For a child, there was nothing more exciting than the train journey and the landscapes of Crimea, which were so different from the industrial city. I remember my grandma telling me, ‘These flowers are called magnolias; they only bloom in a warm climate.’ They’re still my favourites. I remember going to the church on the mountain with Grandma Olia,who taught me how to pray, where to place the candles, and whom to approach. And what a breathtaking view of the sea opened up from above.
I was taught to sing folk songs at Donetsk Art School No. 8, and later I performed in ourback-to-school concert, wearing a vyshyvanka. I still remember the song I sangback then — ‘The Language of Unity’.
Я не могла зрозуміти, при чому тут Донецьк і як це могло зробити з мене менш українку.
I remember my music teacher, Mr Oleh, who taught me to sing Ukrainian folk songs. And how my mum used to sigh, ‘Why teach her that outdated stuff? Let her sing pop instead!’😄
But the truth is, I have always loved Ukrainian folk songs more.
Later, after moving to Kyiv, I performed the same song at a singing competition at Lyceum No. 157 in Obolon. I took first place, and the school principal went on and on, ‘This girl is from Donetsk, but such a true Ukrainian, singing such songs.’ And I just couldn’t get what Donetsk had to do with it, or how that was supposed to make me any less Ukrainian. At twelve, I didn’t yet grasp what was happening politically, but the principal’s words angered me nonetheless.
Although I was still a child when we moved, even now, when I travel, I sometimes catch myself saying, ‘When we go back to Donetsk...’ Even though I’ve long been living in Kyiv.
