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New York’s Ukrainian Chorus Dumka hopes their recent “Saturday Night Live” performance will shed light on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The choir consists of non-professional singers performing classical, sacred and folk choral music, mainly by Ukrainian composers. Instead of the usual humorous sketch comedy opener, New York’s Ukrainian Dumka Choir performed a “Prayer for Ukraine” on February 26.
Candles on the stage spelled Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.
New York’s Dumka Ukrainian Choir performs “Prayer for Ukraine” during the Ukraine Cold Open on “Saturday Night Live.”
(Will Heath/NBC/Banque de photos NBCU)
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Two choir members explained the message the band hoped viewers would take representation at Fox News Digital.
“The main message that we hope viewers will take away from our performance is this: It’s time for all of us to launch our culturally informative counter-action against Russian propaganda,” Nataliya Yezersky said. “In times of war, if the opportunity arises to spread the truth about who is who and what is what, no one should remain indifferent but act immediately. That’s exactly what Dumka did last Saturday. »
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“Our message is that people learn the Ukrainian language, culture and strength of our people,” Solomiya Koziy added. “To share some of the feelings that we Ukrainians are feeling, even if it is only a small part of what people in the bomb shelters are feeling right now. It is our duty here abroad to spread information about what is happening and show the strength of our nation. The true colors of the situation. The authentic belief of our people. The pain of our people.
A member of the group explained that the performance was meant to be a “culturally informative counter-action against Russian propaganda”.
(Will Heath/NBC/Banque de photos NBCU)
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New York’s Ukrainian Dumka Choir’s decision to sing reflects Ukrainian history, according to Yezersky.
“In 1922, when the independence of Ukraine, threatened by the Russian Bolshevik army, was in danger, the Ukrainian government had a very interesting idea to make Ukraine known to the world not by military successes, but by promoting Ukrainian culture,” she explained. at Fox News Digital.
“The Ukrainian National Choir Dumka came to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall. It was the first time American audiences heard “Schedryk” written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Today, “Schedryk” is known as “Carol of the Bells”. and is considered a must-have Christmas song. »
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“In 2022, due to the same very unfortunate circumstances that pose a great danger to Ukraine’s independence, the Ukrainian Dumka Chorus of NY took the stage to raise awareness of the peril of World War III. »
The choir consists of non-professional singers performing classical, sacred and folk choral music, mainly by Ukrainian composers.
(Archives Dumka)
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The overall response to the choir’s performance has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Koziy told Fox News Digital.
“Many people retweeted, reposted and shared our prayer,” she said.
“A lot of people have discovered a new language. Many of my friends and family have texted me and said thank you for spreading the message about Ukraine and the need for prayer and the strength of the Ukrainian people. Many of my friends of various nationalities texted me to say thank you too. »
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Koziy also explained the dangers of misinformation in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“I speak with my friends and family from Ternopil, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and they say there is so much fake news. They explain the difficulty of living in a war. The difficulty of accessing bomb shelters. The difficulty of believing something so that it becomes false. »
Russian agents spread propaganda in order to scare people, according to Koziy. Disinformation allegedly being spread by Russia includes the Ukrainian government fleeing the country and Russian diversion groups posing as Ukrainians attempting to evacuate citizens for the sole purpose of capturing and harming them, Koziy said.
“Check your sources before posting anything. Check before you believe anything you see on the internet,” she warned. “Do not immediately support or judge in the comments. Check first. Share real information with others. Check with other Ukrainians. Get insight into the situation of people whose relatives and friends are there, people who are informed about the reality. Share only reliable and verified information resources only. It will save lives. »
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. More than 1.2 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, the UN refugee agency said on Friday.
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The invasion comes after Russia spent time in late 2021 gathering troops on a border it shares with Ukraine. At the start of the invasion, around 190,000 troops were stationed at the border, according to the BBC.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the dispatch of troops to Ukraine shortly after recognizing the Russian-backed rebel regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
The move follows Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
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