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Musician, musical instrument maker John Vishche has already acquired a Ukrainian identity in adulthood by studying the history of Holodomor in Ukraine. The knowledge of the tragedy of the unknown universe has been so shaken by him that John's goal is to tell his ancestors at home at any moment of life. Voice of America journalists recently met John in Portland, Oregon, in the northwestern part of the country.
Here is a typical dialogue with buyers of the musician and master John Vidah, who sells his own musical instruments at the Portland Craft Fair:
– Sorry, what is the flag?
– This is the national flag of Ukraine. I'm exposing it here to remind people that Ukraine is now fighting for its existence with Russia. The war has been going on since 2014. And more than 10,000 Ukrainians have already died in this war. We, in America, report very little about it. Have you heard of this before?
– No.
– Did you know the war in Ukraine?
– No, I did not know
– Did you know that our US government sent citizens to Ukraine to help Ukrainians fight the Russians?
– No, I did not know
– And that's right. And above all, if Ukraine is free, then Europe will be free. And if we lose Ukraine, we will lose all of Europe. That's what worries me.
With Japanese, Chinese and Indian flutes, John brings here Ukrainian slivers, tortillas, sometimes even trembita.
The instruments for John are not just a job or a hobby. He considers creation as the meaning of his life.
Her main clients are parents of children and young people. As the master says: "Those who wish to study".
John Vishose calls himself a Ukrainian patriot and "musical shaman". His online ancestors had emigrated from Ukraine to the United States more than a hundred years ago.
John invites us to his studio and promises to tell our own Ukrainian story.
I knew we had Ukrainian blood. But in general, no one spoke about it
"I grew up in an American family, my father and my grandfather were born here in the United States, they lived in Buffalo, New York. Ukrainian blood, but in general no one talked about it, everyone was busy being American, sometimes my father called me a "little fighter", but we did not know what it was only Ukrainian, "says John.
A man lives with two vovkopsa. He says: its inhabitants are also called "lone wolves".
"My male is made up of about 75% wolves and 85% women; the rest comes from a malamute dog. When the male was small, he started to sing when I played the flute, in my little voice, from that moment on, every time I play, he always sings ", – says the musician.
In true Ukrainian, John felt adulthood – when he heard about famine in Ukraine in 1932-1933.
When the professor started to describe all this, how many millions of people were killed because of what Stalin did, I began to tremble.Tears were flowing from my eyes
"I chose lectures on the history of Eastern Europe in colleges. It was a part of a political science class. The professor explained how the peasants rebelled against Stalin's policy in the 1930s. And in this context, he addressed the Holodomor. I have never heard of hunger in Ukraine before. And when he started to describe all this, how many millions were killed because of what Stalin did, I started shaking. Tears flowed from my eyes. It was frustrating for me to mistreat the people I belong to. Since then, I started to ask myself who are the Ukrainians, who we are, "he explains.
It turns out that John chose the path of the master of musical instruments in life. Studied with private teachers in Colorado and Oregon. He explains that studying a new culture inspires him to create new tools: "I started making Asian bamboo flutes: Indian bansuri, Japanese shakogachi, Chinese Xiao." I started playing Ukrainian instruments later, when I started to learn about Ukraine, about the Hutsul, about the Carpathians and about the music of this region.It attracts a lot. "[19659024] He works mainly with bamboo bought at a local Chinese store.
"Chinese bamboo is strong, stable, I can buy it a lot every week, if necessary, it is cheap.A bamboo trunk costs 4 dollars, with which I can make 8 flutes for 20 dollars" said John.
Among the easiest instruments to sell, says John, a Ukrainian trumpet.
"Sopilka – It's easy to play, people like it." Play well – this is another story, but start easily. "Americans love what you can easily start," said John .
John recorded several albums of his own improvised music. When he quotes the tragic stories of the Ukrainian people, the Japanese flute Shootogachi usually chooses.
"For me, Holodomor is a very bitter part of Ukrainian history and this instrument has a very deep, thoughtful and very weak sound.It's like a musical sword." Gandhi went to Japan and heard the shakogats, he declared that it was "the song of the dead," says John.
The Shakogachi for the musician is also a symbol of resistance, which he sees clearly among the Ukrainian people
"This instrument was created in feudal Japan instead of weapons that you can protect yourself. When the Japanese were banned from carrying weapons, they decided to turn their flutes into weapons. So, this thing is both a stick and a musical instrument, "says John.
John declares that as a Ukrainian, he associates with the wolves an essential element: a keen sense of 39, injustice and the desire to fight for the truth
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