Despite war-time restrictions, Ukrainians marked midsummer with festivals that featured frenetic folk dancing, flower decorations and jumping over bonfires.
The festival of Ivana Kupala on Sunday was held as Ukrainians start their third summer at war, with Kyiv and other cities hit by regular blackouts and remaining under nightly curfew amid continuing attacks from Russia.
An hour’s drive south of the capital, several thousand people joined the summer festival, many wearing shirts and dresses embroidered with traditional patterns.
Twisting soft twigs around leaves and flowers, Kateryna Harnik made floral crowns for herself and her friends.
“People always like to get together. And in times like this, with this terrible war going on, we still need the opportunity to come together, to bond together,” she said, as a group of women in traditional costumes took the nearby stage to sing in harmony.
These celebrations, Harnik said, carried additional significance for Ukrainians amid the war, as their statehood and identity were challenged.
“One of key weapons used by Russia in this war is the destruction of our Ukrainian culture,” she said.
“So it’s important to remember our traditions, to make sure that we remember our heritage and that we won’t let anyone take it away from us,” she said.
Many Ukrainians keep an air raid app on their phones to monitor the danger from Russian missile and drone strikes. Yet, regular life goes on, as they fill cafes and attend live events, including concerts, stand-up comedy shows and circus performances for children. Generators rumble into action during power cuts.
The festival of Ivana Kupala is similar to celebrations for Saint John’s Eve or San Juan in many Western countries — a fusion of fire, water and nature that ties pagan traditions to the Christian calendar.
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Al Jazeera
