In this episode of the Wanderings Podcast we’ll wander through forgotten traditions of Ukraine, and how one man is working to bring them back to life.
My guest is Jurij Fedynskyj, a musician, researcher and instrument maker, who for decades has been reviving the lost music and spiritual tradition of the Kobzar. The kobzar were traveling musicians, storytellers and spiritual leaders, who for centuries went all around Ukraine spreading their art and wisdom.
With the rise of Stalin and the Soviet Union control over Ukraine, the kobzar were killed, their instruments destroyed, and their traditions almost forgotten. Almost. Jurij and his colleagues work to recreate lost traditional instruments, including the kobza, the bandura and the torban. We had a fascinating talk about his life in a small village in Ukraine and how Jurij is, in a very real way, bringing the kobzar tradition to the modern era.
A special thanks to Kosa Kolektiv in Toronto, Matti Palonen and Olenka Kleban for arranging this interview.
Jurij Fedynskyj, photographed by Pedro Bonatto.
SHOW NOTES
Information on Jurij’s 2019 North American Tour:
Jurij website : jurijfedynskyj.wixsite.com
Kobzarskiy Tabir Website: http://kobzarskiytabir.bravesites.com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kobzarskiytabir/
The Wanderings Podcast is a project by fine art and advertising photographer Pedro Bonatto, featuring interviews with artists, designers, scientists, filmmakers, authors and entrepreneurs who are creating inspiring work in a variety of fields. In informal conversations, Pedro explores topics that inspire his personal photography work, including history, mythology, science, music, fashion and world cultures.