At first Ukraine banned Russian language songs. Then Russian-speaking performers, especially those who used to tour in Russia (except Vakarchuk and Skripka, of course), were banned. Now in Ukraine they are calling to ban the folklore of Left-Bank Ukraine, because it was under the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, so the mentality of this folklore is wrong – it’s not Ukrainian.
The frontman of the group “Antitela” Taras Topoliya explained his controversial post, in which he strongly criticised the song “Solovey” of the group “Go_A” – winners of the national selection for the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest.
“I did not blame anyone, but made my point. What I saw: it is really folklore of southern, eastern Ukraine; Folklore of Left-Bank Ukraine, which has been under the Russian Empire for a very long time,” said Topoliya on the air of “ObozTV”. He also compared the singer of “Go_A” Ekaterina Pavlenko to the evil fairy Maleficent.
The musician said that he is concerned about the fact that Ukraine performs this song in the European and world information field.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is not only musical, but also geopolitical. And it was always like that. That’s why I was alarmed… I think this number is such a ‘chimera’. They made this type of authentic Ukrainian folklore with the aesthetics of Maleficent. The main character, Ekaterina, is similar to Maleficent. Plus all this necromantic-mortal story… it’s not for me. I find it to be unpleasant. I do not want this to be associated with Ukraine today,” he said.
In his opinion, Ukrainian energy is “more bright”.
“Rather, it’s bright and clean. And powerful. It is not mournful. But such images – they for me and for a large part of Ukraine are not organic,” noted the frontman of the group “Antitela”. “I say again. Let’s see when this song was written, in what part of Ukraine, under whom this part of Ukraine was. And now this narrative is published in modern brainwashing for the whole world. Does that suit me ideologically? No. On the other hand, it is a very professional performance and a very professional approach. I admit it. And I know that this group has many other cool songs, which they, apparently, decided not to submit for selection,” said Topoliya.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, a special course of lectures on Russian aggression will be introduced in higher education institutions and schools.
This was announced in an interview with “censor.net” Anton Drobovich, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINM).
According to him, the UINM is developing two cycles of lectures.
Drobovich noted that “one cycle is being developed together with the Hero of Ukraine Vladimir Zhemchugov, which is devoted to the topic of war as a whole – why Ukraine is fighting now, why Russia attacked us, and why we are defending ourselves.”
The second cycle will speak bout “what human rights are, de-communisation, and why it is important for Ukraine to talk about the legacy that has been overwritten for years.”
The Institute of National Memory, along with the Ministry of Education, will decide whether or not to give lectures outside of school hours or within special class hours.
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