Seminar on “The History of Ukraine and Ukrainian Culture” at the Museum of the History of Ukrainian Cossacks

Visiting museums while studying is a common thing for young people. The second seminar for medical students in the course “History of Ukraine and Ukrainian Culture” is devoted to the birth, formation of the Ukrainian Cossacks. With the organizational assistance and support of the Head of the Department of Social Sciences, PhD Philology, Associate Professor, O.O. Sikorska, PhD History, associate professor T.L. Podkupko students of Group 3 of the first year visited the Museum of the History of Ukrainian Cossacks on February 10, 2020.

The museum has been in existence since March 2006. On October 15, 2011, Serhii Shpak, Candidate of Medical Sciences, talented pediatric dentist, graduate and professor of Odessa National Medical University, Colonel of the UK was elected the director of the museum.

The Museum is housed in a restored 19th century building at Chernomorske Cozatstvo Street, 9. Peresyp district has been known for Cossack settlements since the 18th century, and in earlier times it was known for lively trade routes.

The museum’s stock collection was completed by members of Cossack organizations, teachers of the Faculty of History of Odessa National University named after I. I. Mechnikov, research associates of the Regional Museum of Local History and ordinary Odessa citizens, as well as archeological and ethnographic expeditions.

To date, more than 1,000 museum objects have been collected in the museum. The area of ​​the museum is 120 square meters. The permanent exposition with dioramas is opened here, exhibitions on the history of the Cossacks are organized. There are three halls: “Heroics of Ukrainian Cossacks”, “Cossack Life and Artistic Works dedicated to Cossacks”, “Ukrainian front room of the 19th Century”.

The exposition of the first hall “Heroics of Ukrainian Cossacks” contains the following sections:

1. Prerequisites for the emergence of the Cossacks (Kievan Rus, Galicia-Volyn, Grand Duchy of Lithuania).
2. Creation of Zaporizhzhya Sich and Cossacks, Sich unit of the Cossack state.
3. Struggle for Liberation of the Ukrainian people in the 17-18 centuries.
4. Destruction of the Sich and creation of the Black Sea Cossacks.
5. Liberation of the south of Ukraine from Turkish-Tatar influence.
6. Cossacks in the First and Second World Wars.

Students were interested in small form dioramas: “Storming of the Turkish frigate by the Cossacks”, “Settlement on Peresyp”, “Storming of the Hajibey fortress”, “Frontier post on Skoda Mountain” by Cossack artist Anatoly Utyuzhnykov, as well as the large diorama of the Khatzibeyj Storm.

The students listened to the biography of the Cossack leaders, whose busts adorn the Museum: the Atamans of the Black Sea Cossacks Zachary Chepiga, Anton Golovaty and Hetman Ivan Mazepa. It was possible to literally touch the history, looking at the layouts of Cossack ships, cold- and firearms of the Cossack era (17-20 cc.), кeconstructed flags of different Cossack regiments, household items and paintings of Cossack subjects.

The decoration of the First Hall is a copy of the painting by I. Repin “Zaporozhians Are Writing a Letter to the Turkish Sultan”, 1923, by an unknown artist (according to some experts, the canvas belongs to the artist M. Kuznetsov’s brush). An interesting story of this painting, which got to the museum in a sorry state – the canvas was torn in two places. It was handed over to the museum by Colonel of the Ukrainian Cossacks Georgy Matskepladze. Once a friend of George promised to give it to the Cossacks after his death, saying that it was written by some famous Odessa artist. But after the friend’s death, relatives refused to give it and asked for a round sum of money. Just a few days later the picture fell from the wall and broke. After that the relatives gave it to the Cossack. Now restored by Cossack artist Anatoly Utyuzhnikov, it has taken its rightful place in the Cossack Museum.

The students were able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of antiquity in the second hall “Cossack Life and Art Works by Cossacks”. There is an exposition of the products of Cossack sculptor Peter Kravchenko, icons of the late 19th century, ceramic, glass, iron utensils of the 18th-19th centuries, clothing typical of Cossacks of the southern Ukraine coasts.

In the third hall of the Ukrainian Front Room of the 19th Century, the peasant’s house was reconstructed and everyday objects were presented. A special pride of this hall is the collection of embroidered and homespun towels and shirts (19th – early 20th century). There, students were able to make a wish by touching a special doll-motanka.

Serhiy Vasyliovych told that the most valuable collections of museum include: – Collection of cult objects: clothes of Orthodox priests, church utensils (candlesticks, crosses and icons – XIX century); – collection of old printed materials of XIX – XX centuries; – collection of clothing and consumables XIX – beginning. XX century .; – a collection of dishes from I to the twentieth century .; – collection of coins and paper money of the XVIII – XX centuries; – a collection of leaflets of XIX – beginning of the twentieth century .; – a collection of weapons of the XVII – XX centuries. (sabers, scimitar, rifles, pistols); – a collection of battle axes and machine guns, stone cannonballs and spear blades; – ship bombs, weapons and personal things of Cossacks and Russian soldiers; – a collection of paintings by Cossack artist Anatoly Utyuzhnikov; – a collection of sculptures and bas-reliefs by Cossack sculptor Peter Kravchenko.

On the way to the Museum, Associate Professor T.L. Podkupko made a tour of the central part of the city, where she briefly acquainted the students with the features of the history and architecture of the most prominent buildings on Olhiyivska, Pasteur, Chernomorske Cozatstvo, Atamans of Chepiga and Golovaty Streets.

A rich, emotional and vibrant seminar will be remembered by the future doctors, leaving pleasant memories of study and pride of their homeland, its rich heroic history!