Chicago celebrates with the schooner Batkivschyna (10/07/01)

Chicago celebrates with the schooner Batkivschyna

by Natalka Korsheniuk Pollock

CHICAGO - On Saturday, August 24, the streets of Chicago were beautified by Ukrainians in colorful, embroidered shirts and dresses. Homes and businesses in the Ukrainian Village, the official name of a neighborhood a heartbeat away from downtown, proudly displayed blue-and-yellow flags, and even the mayor of this great city celebrated the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence with several events.

The schooner Batkivschyna had arrived at Chicago's Navy Pier as scheduled, the previous Thursday, marking the beginning of the weekend's events. With Captain Dmitrii Birioukovitch at the helm, 89-foot, three-masted sailboat from Kyiv cut a romantic figure against the impressive architecture of the Chicago skyline as the tall ship motored past modern-day pleasure boats, cruise liners and a newly renovated harborfront bustling with visitors and natives. This was to be Batkivschyna's last stop on its 17-city tour, which had begun in Norwich, Conn., on May 30.

"The Bat," as it has been nicknamed by the American press, had successfully reached the culmination of the American Sail Training Association's Great Lakes Challenge in time to celebrate with the 50,000 Ukrainians of Chicago. The graceful vessel sailed into the waiting arms of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund - Chicago Chapter, and into the hearts of countless well-wishers.

As the captain and his crew disembarked on dry land, they were welcomed by costumed children offering the traditional Ukrainian greeting of bread and salt. Speeches and singing added to the festivities. Even a steadfast contingent from Connecticut, led by John Nesklada, was on hand to lend support and join in the celebrations.

The boat had wintered in Norwich making many lasting friends there and in Hartford last June, where it stopped to thank its adopted home for taking them in after last year's Op Sail 2000 in New London. The Bat had attracted worldwide attention for its heroic journey originating in Kyiv and striking land in New York City for the International Parade of Tall Ships.

It was at Op Sail that the captain was introduced to Alex Kuzma, executive director of CCRF, and the two formed a mutually beneficial partnership. The Bat was on a mission to raise awareness of Ukraine as an independent country, and CCRF wanted to emphasize the need for more humanitarian efforts and funds to fulfill its mission of helping Ukrainian children suffering the devastating effects of the nuclear disaster in Chornobyl.

Now, on the last stop of its summer 2001 itinerary, the ship was invited to play a very visible role in Chicago's celebration of Ukraine's 10th anniversary of independence, as Ukrainians all over the country and perhaps the world were observing this historical marker.

Shortly after his arrival at the Navy Pier, the captain stood on the dais with Ukraine's Vice-Consul Ludmilla Protasova; Mayor Richard M. Daley and members of his staff; local legislators and other dignitaries; joining in the congratulatory remarks and hopeful views of the future for his homeland.

Mayor Daley has honored the Ukrainian-American community before - at receptions at the Cultural Center and with awards for those Ukrainian Americans who have contributed in a special way to their community and the city as a whole. But this year the mayor's reception had a special tone as Ukrainians were celebrating a special milestone in their history. The mayor clearly understood the significance of this day.

"Chicago is a city built and maintained by immigrants" said Mayor Daley. "People from all over the world came here to make a better life for themselves and for their families. Over the years, these immigrants have woven a tapestry that makes Chicago one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. We're very fortunate to have a thriving Ukrainian community that maintains business, family and cultural ties to Ukraine. And it's a community that continues to grow with new arrivals from Ukraine." He continued:

"We learn from each other - not only through the active Ukrainian community here in Chicago but through our sister city relationship with Kyiv, the capital city in your homeland. I want to commend Chicago's entire Ukrainian community for your strong sense of family and your great commitment to our city."

If the success of a party can be judged by the fact that the partygoers are reluctant to leave, then the mayor's reception was a resounding success. Long after the music of the Ukrainian chamber orchestra had faded, the Hutsul dancers had left and the news media had dismantled their camera lights, excited conversations could be overheard.

On Friday, the day commemorating Ukraine's independence, another round of events was planned. Capt. Birioukovitch participated in the raising of the Ukrainian flag at noon on Daley Plaza at City Hall, and was given an opportunity to address the festive crowd of Ukrainian and American well-wishers.

An honor guard of Ukrainian war veterans hoisted the flag on the center flagpole between the flags of the United States and the City of Chicago, while spectators sang the national anthems of both freedom-loving nations. Young dancers again entertained, and short speeches were delivered. At the end of the program, the captain was barraged by autograph-seekers.

Later that same day, alongside the Batkivschyna at the Navy Pier, a formal welcoming ceremony, with the blessing of the schooner by Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Innocent Lotocky and Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Vsevolod, was conducted before a capacity crowd, despite intermittent rainshowers and threatening thunder.

Dr. Christina Petrykiw, president of the Chicago chapter of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, hosted the event, and the master of ceremonies, Tamara Kuzyk Storrie, set the event into context: "Freedom is not merely a document with an official seal, ... it is a feeling in the hearts and minds of a people. Today we stand here on the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and we welcome the new century proudly as a free and independent nation."

"We are honored to welcome Capt. Birioukovitch and his crew. After an amazing and arduous journey, we are privileged to welcome them to our windy but very hospitable city, and we wish them a memorable stay in Chicago," she stated.

The captain responded with warm and heartfelt thanks, reflecting on the significance of this day for Ukraine and its people, as well as for himself and his crew. He was presented with a wooden replica of a "chaika," a traditional sailing vessel in Ukraine, by Bohdan Kardashchuk, who made it by hand. Mr. Kardashchuk represents the Tovarystvo Novoprybulykh, an organization of the latest arrivals from Ukraine.

Vice-Consul Protasova added greetings on behalf of the Ukrainian government and praised the captain and his crew for their endeavors to promote international awareness of Ukraine. Dr. Danylo Hryhorczuk of the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Marta Farion, president of the Chicago-Kyiv Sister Cities Program, extended greetings in solidarity with Ukraine.

As the rain increased in intensity and umbrellas sprung up through the crowd, Mr. Kuzma of CCRF, summed up the significance of this event: "Today we welcome the tall ship Batkivschyna as a living symbol of Ukraine's newfound freedom. We give thanks for the vision and the fierce determination of Capt. Birioukovitch and his crew. Their legendary voyage across the Atlantic and the Great Lakes Expedition have won the hearts of literally hundreds of thousands of American and Canadian citizens who have visited the ship and marveled at its exploits."

"Over the past 14 months, the Batkivschyna has arguably done more to publicize Ukrainian independence and to raise more awareness about the heroic spirit of Ukraine than countless "akademiyi" or traditional community functions," Mr. Kuzma observed.

"In crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Batkivschyna has reminded us that we Ukrainians are still capable of bold and daring ventures. We are capable of setting ambitious goals, of thinking big. We are capable of pursuing dreams that defy the odds, dreams that are not for the faint of heart."

The following day the festivities continued throughout the Ukrainian community. There was a concert at the Lake Shore Performing Arts Center in Skokie, followed by a dance party at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. Later that evening, the captain and his crew were seen celebrating with friends aboard the Bat, and watching the fireworks over the harbor, courtesy of the Navy Pier.

Sunday was the final day of the observance, and for the captain an opportunity to address his newfound friends in Chicago one more time, and to regale them with stories of the adventures that brought him to their city. His talk was accompanied by a video of the odyssey, beginning with the building of the schooner and its departure from Kyiv two years ago.

Dr. Petrykiw described the work of CCRF-Chicago over the past years, which resulted in the raising of $12,000 from the Chicago community toward the purchase of a neonatal incubator for the new neonatal intensive care unit at the Rivne Oblast Pediatric Hospital.

According to Dr. Petrykiw, "Similar neonatal units have been established in Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Lviv, Poltava, Odesa, Lutsk and Vinnytsia. They have documented a reduction in infant mortality by as much as 50 to 80 percent."

On behalf of the Ukrainian women of Chicago, Mrs. Jarosewych presented the captain's wife, Nina, with a bouquet of sunflowers in recognition of her perseverance in sailing with her husband across the Atlantic.

By the end of the evening, almost $3,000 in donations was collected in support of the joint Batkivschyna-CCRF effort.

After its departure from Chicago, the Batkivschyna will travel from Lake Michigan down the Calumet River on its way to the Mississippi River, of which the captain has dreamed ever since reading the works of Mark Twain. After stops in St. Louis and New Orleans, the crew expects to reach Tampa, Fla., in mid-October.

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