Culture Trip

Ukranian Ethnicity

Features of the development of the Ukrainian ethnic group

Features of the development of the Ukrainian ethnic group Each of the existing cultures of countries, peoples, nations in the world is unique and it is an integral part of the treasury of world culture. The full-blooded development of ethnic culture is influenced by a wide range of factors, such as: the historical path of the people, isolation or interaction with other peoples; social, economic, environmental conditions; cultural policy of the state, etc. At the same time, national culture should be considered as a holistic system, including folklore and ethnographic strata, and the contribution of various segments of the population over a long historical path, and the influence of other peoples, culture and achievements of people living abroad. It should be noted that each nation in the cultural sphere creates a unique, unique image. People (Greek - "ethnic group") - a multifaceted concept. Most often, this term has the following meaning: ethnic group is a historical community of people that has developed in a certain area and has stable features of language, culture and mental composition, as well as awareness of their unity and difference from others. The latter is usually recorded in the ethnonym (self-name) of the people. The formed ethnic group acts as a social organism that reproduces itself through predominantly ethnically homogeneous marriages and the transmission of language, traditions, etc. to new generations. For a more sustainable existence, the ethnic group seeks to create its own socio-territorial organization (state), and ethnic groups, especially in modern conditions - their autonomous associations, enshrined in law their rights. For the internal unity of the ethnic group, the most important thing is culture, which gives people an awareness of their community. Culture, both as a necessary component and as one of the inherent features of the ethnos, ensures its full functioning. But there is a reverse process - the convergence (convergence) of ethnic cultures due to historical development and interaction of peoples. Therefore, today the culture of each ethnic group is characterized by a set of, on the one hand, national-specific, and on the other - universal components.

The formation of ethnic culture is inextricably linked with the formation of the people themselves (ethnogenesis). Therefore, considering the Ukrainian culture, it is impossible not to dwell on the problems of ethnogenesis of Ukrainians. Recall the main points of view: Today it is emphasized that Kievan Rus was a polyethnic, ie multinational state. In modern literature, the beginning of the nation-genesis of Ukrainians is considered to be the period of Kievan Rus, although it did not reach its end then. Subsequently, due to unfavorable historical circumstances, this process was interrupted and resumed in full force in the XV-XVII centuries. This is probably the specificity of the ethnogenesis of Ukrainians. The Ukrainian ethnic group was finally formed at the turn of the XVI-XVII centuries, and the catalysts of this process were the threat of physical destruction by the Steppe (formation of the Crimean Khanate - vassal of the Ottoman Empire), national oppression of the Polish nobility and internal betrayal . In the wake of the national struggle, national self-consciousness grew. The latter manifested itself at the everyday level in the realization of its belonging to the "Russian people", and at the highest, ideological level - in the struggle for national rights, for Orthodoxy, for the creation of national state institutions and attributes. The complexity of the ethnic history of Ukrainians was reflected in the variety of self-names (ethnonyms), names from other nations, as well as the names of countries and states. Since the birth of the Ukrainian ethnic group, the concept of Russia has been key. Moreover, in different periods dominated by the following variants: VI-XI centuries. - Russia; since 1395 - Little Russia; in the XVII-XVIII centuries. - Little Russia; XIX century - the beginning of the twentieth century. - Ukraine-Russia. The recognition of the name "Ukraine" (first mentioned in 1187) took place in the XVII century, but then it coexisted with another - "Little Russia", which became widespread after Ukraine's accession to the Moscow state. Only since the beginning of the twentieth century. the ethnonym "Ukraine" became dominant. It is necessary to highlight the following feature: first Russia, and then Ukraine called the central region, ie Kiev land, and then the name "Russia" spread to all Eastern Slavs, and "Ukraine" later to all Ukrainians. That is, the name "Russia" was formed as a common Slavic term, and that is why the Moscow state took it in its name to establish the concept of "Third Rome". As for the name "Ukraine", there are several explanations of its origin: either from the "land" - the border with the Steppe, or from the word "country" another version - "land" as a homeland, homeland, etc.

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Coded by Valeriia Bilyk