Detroit area Ukrainians treated to encounter with Soroka family (01/25/04)

Detroit area Ukrainians treated to encounter with Soroka family

by Assya Humesky

DETROIT - Two months ago, on November 15, 2003, the Ukrainian community of Detroit and vicinity was treated to two memorable happenings: an art exhibit by Bohdan Soroka, a graphic artist from Lviv, and an encounter with the entire Soroka family - the artist himself, his daughter Solomia who now resides in Michigan, and indirectly, with his parents, Mykhaijlo Soroka and Kateryna Zarytska, in whose honor the event was organized.

It took place at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren, Mich., and was sponsored jointly by two chapters of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America: Branch 45, which bears the name of Katrusia Zarytska, and Branch 50, named after Princess Olha, which initiated the event.

Oksana Stelmach, head of Branch 50, opened the program by welcoming the numerous guests, including Bohdan Fedorak, the center's director and the honorary consul of Ukraine for the state of Michigan. She also introduced the main participants of the program - the artist Bohdan Soroka, who is a professor at the Lviv Academy of Art and whose work was being shown in Michigan for the first time, and his daughter Solomia, a concert violinist.

The next speaker was Stefa Korol, head of Branch 45, who told the story of Katrusia Zarytska, who as a young girl scout joined the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and became the head of its underground Red Cross. She served time in a Polish prison, was later arrested by the Soviets and was exiled to Siberia together with her husband, Mykhailo. He died in a Mordovian camp in 1981, and 10 years later his family succeeded in bringing his remains back home. Today his body rests together with his wife's in the Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv.

The poet Yar Slavutych wrote a poem about Mykhailo Soroka, which was masterfully recited by Vera Rryva. The following is the translation of the poem:

He fell into eternal sleep beneath the rose bush
which he had planted with his own hands.
He watched it grow to his heart's content
while throwing glances to the barracks
beyond barbed wire where his wife
was languishing in sorrow for ten years.

O, that husband's longing! What a feeling of pain!
She had been torn away from her infant son
and thrown into the prison camps for life.

As his enfeebled heart was slowing down its beating, like a beat-up dog,
in that same instant clouds began to part
and let the sun shine brightly in the sky.

How avidly he gazed then at the rose,
its crown of petals opened up in bloom
adorning the grey-colored fencing
delighting the imprisoned women's gaze.

The rose bush blossomed like an insurrection
which blazed its flames into the distant lands.
Mykhailo knew this earthly instant was his last
which his imagination would preserve forever.

There is also a literary testament to Mykhailo Soroka's wife, Kateryna: a book titled "Kateryna Zarytska: Prayer for Her Son." It was written by Lesia Onyshko and published in 2002 in Lviv by the Svit publishing house as part of the series "Heroes of the National Idea."

In it we read: "All through the 25 years of her imprisonment, Kateryna Zarytska attempted to continue her self realization ... Optimism, spiritual strength, and belief in a better future helped her to survive ... Courage, tactfulness and a sincere desire to help, to lend her shoulder to anyone who needed it - those were the outstanding features of her personality ... Here is someone we can emulate."

In the words of Mrs. Korol, the best characterization of the Soroka couple was given by Mykhajlo himself when he said: "We have always stuck it out together, we had no fear of mass arrests, pacification, tortures, Bereza Kartuzka, the snow-covered stretches of Siberian roads. We would fall and rise up again, together we looked through the prison gates. An unstoppable thirst for freedom and love for Ukraine pushed us forward."

After Mrs. Korol's presentation, the audience viewed a documentary video about Zarytska's life filmed in Ukraine in vivid detail. Everyone was deeply moved so that for a while there was not a sound in the hall as people wiped their tears.

The next scheduled speaker was Lydia Kazevych, head of the UNWLA Detroit Regional Council. However, she was so affected by what she saw that she could not speak. Bohdan Soroka saved the situation by going to the microphone to answer questions and offer his reminiscences about his childhood years without a mother and the difficult life the family had after his mother finally returned from exile.

At the end of the program everyone relaxed while viewing Mr. Soroka's wonderful graphic designs and color drawings. One group of etchings was devoted to traditional Ukrainian wooden churches, another depicted Carpathian landscapes, while the third surprised and delighted the viewers with its childlike humor - a series of gnomes in odd costumes and postures - the works were meant for children.

The meeting ended in a friendly atmosphere with everyone enjoying refreshments.

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