A line of older people wearing military hats and medals on their shirts was walking slowly towards the festival site. They were led by a man walking far ahead of them.
“I’m the youngest among them,
that’s why I walk faster,” laughed the 76-year-old head of the Ukrainian
Insurgent Army veterans of Volyn Vasyl Kushnir. The insurgent army, known as
UPA, fought for Ukrainian national independence during World War II. The
veterans have taken part in Bandershtat every year, where they share stories and
sing rebel songs.
Bandershtat is an artistic discussion platform and
the main cultural event in Volyn Oblast, gathering active Ukrainians from
all over the state. This year’s event was held from Aug. 1-3.
This year’s festival
Bandershtat-Reload was dedicated to the Heavenly Hundred, the EuroMaidan
Revolution protesters killed this year before the overthrow of President Viktor
Yanukovych. These heroes “changed the face of Ukraine,” says the official
website.
Around 3,000 people visited Bandershtat,
apart from 34 writers and novelists, 46 music bands and 16 civic activists,
public figures, journalists and politicians. It is also the only alcohol-free
festival in Ukraine.
“Our aim is to talk about
reloading of the country. We want to create a new type of patriot, but not
through traditional memorial way, but through open discussions with public
figures. People can listen to Zurab Alasania (head of state-run television channel First National), Oleh Sobolev
(head of political party Batkivshchyna), Yuriy Lutsenko (adviser
to President Petro Poroshenko) and others,” says Ihor Guz, head of Bandershatat organising
committee.
For the last six months, there
have been six mourning days in Volyn Oblast, so the event was highly
anticipated and gave the opportunity for people to share their feelings and
opinions.
When asked about the military confrontation in eastern Ukraine, Vasul Kushnir said: “If I were younger, I would go there to fight.” He was greeted
by young boys who saluted “Glory to Ukraine!” and Kushnir always responded
“Glory to Heroes!”
A popular speaker was traveler
and writer Maria Morozova. She spoke Russian but said “no one abuses me the way
I was abused when I was in Russia. I think there should be more festivals like
this.”
She added that it’s ok that
while there is war in the east, people sing and dance here. “There always
should be a place for culture. Then we will be more developed intellectually,
will we be able to respect opinions of others.”
Kyiv Post staff
writer Iryna Yeroshko can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter at @rennes_i.
