I had the joy and privilege of staying in Lviv, Ukraine for 5 weeks in 2018. We met wonderful people working to overcome the destructive legacy of the Soviet Union, all whilst living with the ongoing difficulties of Putin's political and economic meddling, his brazen land grabs, and the constant threat of further aggression. To watch him invade like this and spread his lies is heartbreaking. To watch Ukrainians stand up to him is inspiring but not at all surprising.

The story of Ukrainian resilience and resistance has inspired me ever since my sojourn in their land, their experiences and efforts akin to those of Native and Black Americans in the U.S. fighting to preserve their culture, even their very existence. As is always the case with humans, Ukrainian contemporary culture has been shaped as much by their suffering as by their response to it. As is also always the case with humans, part of that response finds expression in the arts. When I returned from my trip, one of my daughters introduced me to a Ukrainian ethno chaos band she loves called DakhaBrakha. They wear traditional dress and use traditional instruments and vocalizations but have created a new and powerful distinctively Ukrainian sound, which we got to hear live a year later in Chicago. Check out “Buvayte Zdorovi” below. A poignant track with pertinent lyrics from their 2010 album Light:

“Be there, Be there,

Do not forget us

Everyday, every evening

Do Remember us all!”

DakhaBrakha https://lyricstranslate.com

When the few stand against the many, when the weak stand against the strong, the act of resistance awakens in us the ennobling possibilities of our own existence. David and Goliath. The Patriots and the Redcoats. The Battle of Thermopylae. Someone recently suggested to me that rooting for the underdog is a somewhat American thing, and, while I’m sure there are exceptions and nuances across individuals, cultures, and epochs, I believe it is, fundamentally, a human thing.

Some Notes from a Sojourn in Ukraine

Soviets relegated Ukrainian culture to museum status, even outlawing the creation of folk art. Ukrainians have worked hard to preserve their traditions.

The Soviets took Ukrainians from their villages, families, and traditional way of life, and moved them into massive apartment complexes built around factories where they were assigned to work.

But Ukrainians NEVER stopped resisting.

Members of the resistance were sent to camps.

Or to prison.

Were tortured in cells like this.

Were executed without a trial.

Disinformation campaigns were used to shape perception of what was happening in Ukraine.

But Ukrainians survived the Soviet era and have been working for decades to build a brighter future for their country.

We hope they will make it through this war.

That their children will have a beautiful future, free from war and Putin’s aggression.

That we will do what we can to help.

Don’t worry. We won’t forget you.