海角大神

Jurij Fedynskyj understands what it means to be displaced. Generations of his family were driven from Ukraine amid Russian oppression that threatened to erase his homeland鈥檚 culture.

Born in the United States, Mr.聽Fedynskyj moved to Ukraine two decades ago and took up a mission: to help聽revive a Ukrainian tradition of minstrels called kobzars. His predecessors roamed eastern Ukraine between 1700 and the 1930s,聽using lutelike instruments to share folklore and help preserve it.

Regarded as cultural elites, the kobzars were mostly wiped out during Josef Stalin鈥檚 purges.聽Mr.聽Fedynskyj鈥檚聽mission is one of cultural revival.聽

鈥淚 am a resource of Ukraine,鈥� he聽says.聽He sings songs about Ukrainian history and national identity, as well as religious hymns, evoking national tradition and pride.聽After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, he and some of his students spent three months performing around the country 鈥� in bomb shelters, refugee centers, even near the front line 鈥� with gunshots snapping in the near distance.

This summer, he toured parts of the U.S., performing for members of the Ukrainian diaspora and anyone else who would listen.聽

After two months in America, he says he felt it was time to go back and prepare to tour on Ukraine鈥檚 eastern front. 鈥淪o I need to do what I have to do,鈥� Mr. Fedynskyj聽says.聽鈥淢usic isn鈥檛 just notes,鈥� he says. 鈥淢usic is spirit. This is how we defend our country, through spirit.鈥�