Young actors and intellectuals give impressions of U.S. tour, diaspora (04/28/96)

Young actors and intellectuals give impressions of U.S. tour, diaspora

NEW YORK - Smoloskyp Publishing House moved its operations from Ellicott City, Md.,to Kyiv over two years ago. During the Cold War, Smoloskyp, under the direction of Osyp Zinkewych, was known for its publication and distribution of "samvydav" ("samizdat" in Russian) dissident literature from behind the Iron Curtain and in particular from Soviet Ukraine.

Since moving to Kyiv, Smoloskyp has diversified its activities. No longer confining itself to the publication of politicallyoriented literature, it has branched out into popular and purely literary spheres of production. More significantly, Smoloskyp has become a figurative second home to many of today's best and brightest Ukrainian students, intellectuals and creative people.

Through a special scholarship fund, the publishing house currently provides monthly stipends to over 300 carefully vetted university students from all oblasts of Ukraine. It also organizes numerous regional and national conferences of the young intelligentsia.

Throughout March, Smoloskyp mounted a monthlong tour of Ukrainian communities in North America to raise additional funds for the scholarship program. Nine of Smoloskyp's most promising scholarship recipients traveled a grueling 13-city itinerary, which took them from New York to Chicago, to Florida and then up the East Coast back to New York. The group consisted of the Student Drama Group from Kharkiv, accompanied by a writer, poet, philosopher and young politician.

The Weekly Editorial Assistant Yarema A. Bachynsky spoke with the "Creative Youth of Ukraine." Below are their impressions.

Svitlana Oleshko, 22, student-playwright: Naturally, one can look at our tour from many different angles. New York impressed me most of all. Broadway was cool. The fact that the community set up an additional performance for us, of their own initiative, this struck me very deeply. All the best things associated with our work took place in New York. In terms of the Ukrainian diaspora, I would say that it was interesting to see for ourselves what this diaspora is really like. This visit has confirmed my previous view that we in Ukraine must do the work. The diaspora can help, and we welcome any and all cooperation.

Natalia Tsymbal, 22, student-actress: I'm pretty beat, but having come to the end of our tour, I'm sad it's time to go [home]. I liked New York because I am a big-city kind of person. I think this is not my last time in New York. Too bad that I only saw Ukraine in America, and not America proper, although this was very interesting in its own right. Also, it's unfortunate that we had too little contact with youth during our tour. I would have loved to have seen how young people live here, although I think our lifestyles are all similar. I'm a bit homesick, but I think I will be back pretty soon, whether as a tourist or with a show.

Mykhailo Ozerov, 20, student-actor: There were many positive and negative aspects to the tour. On the negative side, the fact that we had no time to see the country. On the positive side, our welcome by the Ukrainian community during the tour. From an actor's point of view, I would characterize the tour as somewhat successful. We committed a number of gaffes. I think the strenuous schedule of performances had much to do with this. But I think upon our return to Ukraine we will correct these errors. The tour has certainly provided experience, which will serve us in good stead in the future.

Andriy Kokotiukha, 25, journalist, author of "Wedding Games of Frogs": I have many different impressions of America and the diaspora. All in all, I'd say the people and way of life here in the diaspora met the expectations I had from the Ukrainian media's take on the communities here. I wish we had encountered more opportunities to see non-diaspora America. Likewise, more contact with Ukrainian youth here would have been desirable. In general, I think that the tour was a success, if for nothing but that everything went smoothly. I certainly would not mind returning in the future.

Vadym Korobka, 23, student-actor: On the positive side, we had the opportunity to see the diaspora with our own eyes. I think what we had seen and heard about the diaspora was an understatement. I am very happy to see that there are people, young people, who have retained their native language and ties to their homeland. On the negative side, we did not really have a chance to see America as such. The pace of the tour, the small amounts of personal time, prevented us from doing this. But this is probably the only thing I did not like. I would love to return and see all of America and Canada.

Maksym Rozumny, 26, philosopher, author of "A Matter of Honor": I think "thinking" youth in America and "creative" youth in Ukraine can definitely work together in building today's Ukraine. My time spent here has given me the opportunity to look at today's Ukraine from a different perspective. When one looks at events in Ukraine from further away, one realizes that there is no reason for Ukraine not to enter the global community as a full-fledged player. Ukrainian "thinking" youth in America are better acquainted with the world; we on the other hand, are better acquainted with Ukraine. Working together, we can definitely get the job done.

Serhiy Zhadan, 21, poet, author of "Tsytatnyk": I would say, on the whole, the tour was a success. Although I noticed that certain audiences did not understand us very well. In one major city, an elderly author from the diaspora commented that we, meaning Ukrainian youth, should be more respectful of the achievements of past generations. I sensed somewhat of a divide between older diaspora members and today's youth from Ukraine. But this is normal because the system under which we grew up was very different from their experiences. In general I noticed a bit of a generation gap. All in all, I think the diaspora has preserved and developed a strong identity, which has allowed it to support groups such as ours. I hope that diaspora Ukrainian youth forge closer contacts with their counterparts from the homeland.

Oles Doniy, 26, Kyiv City Council deputy, author of "The Student Revolution on Granite": I am very heartened that the Ukrainian diaspora is becoming more aware of the present-day situation in Ukraine. Whereas earlier I sensed that the diaspora had a rather idealized and unrealistic vision of Ukraine, I think the ongoing widening of contacts between Ukraine and the diaspora has encouraged people here to see Ukraine as it really is. Having observed the diaspora, its achievements and institutions, I have become convinced that Ukrainians [in America] work just as hard as any "regular" Americans. Regarding the development of contacts between Ukraine and the diaspora, I would say that now is the time for acceleration of this process, and its expansion into mainstream America, so that the autochtonous population gets to know Ukraine.

Dmytro Turkevych, 21, student-actor: I did not think the diaspora was anywhere nearly as well developed as it is. Coming here, I had heard of Ukrainians in the United States, but I thought it was only a matter of individuals helping each other locally. Only when I saw, during the tour, all those schools, churches and the like, and learned of the aid that is given to Ukraine, did I realize how well-developed the diaspora really is. I think they are really great people and aren't Americanized beyond recognition. Something meaningfully Ukrainian remains. From an artistic viewpoint, I would say the tour was a real success. Prior to our coming here, we had put on performances in Kharkiv and one in Kyiv; we were not well-known. But this tour has changed that substantially. I would hope to return here more than once.

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