The Disappearing Holiday

“ It is a melting pot. There is so much talent here and such a large variety that you never see same type of performer back to back “ said Larry Lang, professor of finance in California State University. The United States of America became a homeland for millions people who came from different parts of our Earth . The people who have came here and who is still coming have brought their culture, tradition and a lot of things which are connected with their nationality. One of that people is me with my Ukrainian culture. When I came here, I realized that some parts of my “ alien ”culture is disappearing. I tried to connect my Ukrainian culture with my American life, but the chance to survive is gone because the culture and environment is so different. The holiday of Ivana Kupala the celebration process, superstitions in that day and great festival which Ukrainians wait for every year have disappeared in my American life.


The celebrating of Ivana Kupala is the first impossible thing to practice in U.S. In Ukraine, the best known Ivana Kupala ceremony involves jumping over a fire. It was believed that jumping over a Kupala fire was cleansing, making people healthier and more powerful. In the night, people swim in the rivers because they believe that on this day the water has a special cleansing force. On the day following Kupala Eve, it was believe that some grasses and plants acquired supernatural qualities. In the morning, young people collected samples to be placed at the head of the bed to encourage prophetic dream. This part of holiday was the most interesting and mysterious, but now since I am living in a big city like Chicago, I can only remember how it looked like and the grasses I collected that day. My first celebration of Ivana Kupala in Chicago was in a back yard of my house, and I did not know all the rules. When my Ukrainian friends and I made a fire to jump over, the police come immediately and they gave me a fine. After that I decided do not play with the law.


The second part of my culture that I have lost is superstitions in days of celebrating Ivana Kupala . Ukrainian daily life has superstitions. For example if some black cat will cross street before you and if you do not want have a problem you need to hold a button, but in Ivana Kupala festival and day after become two days of life with tons of superstitions. One of this superstitions is never shake hands, give keys or anything else in the doorway. It may bring misfortune to your guests, also if you will borrow something after evening, it will bring you luck of the money. When I came here, I forgot these superstitions after my embarrassing situation with my American friend. He came to me in the evening to borrow a math book and I wanted to lend it to him, but I did not want to lose my luck for money so I lied that I lent to someone else, but he saw a math book on my table. He took offence and I tried to explain, but he did not even want to listen me. I cut this part of my life because Ukrainian environment and U.S environment cannot join together in one place and I do not want to lose my friend any more.


The last part of Ivana Kupala holiday which cannot be practiced in the United States is the folk festival. In Ukraine, people make a great big festival for the holiday of Ivana Kupala, which takes place in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. That festival is attended by a lot of people from all Ukraine. People from Europe come to listen the folk music bands and they come to play in old Ukrainian games. There everyone can taste delicious national meals and can buy amazing souvenirs which are made by hand and with love. When I came to Chicago, I was very disappointed because Ukrainian people have drowned in America’s routine life. They don’t make the festival for holiday of Ivana Kupala and they forgot how much happiness this festival brings to them. Unfortunately I cannot stop this disappearing.


Ukrainian people including my family and I who live in the United States of America know how important to remember our culture because without our traditions the planet call Earth will lose one color from its palette. Unfortunately I cannot celebrate Ivana Kupala here by jumping over a fire or swimming in the river at night, but I remember the festival which people in Ukraine make only for that day. I remember the ceremony and superstitions which make Ivana Kupala an unbelievable and amazing holiday.