« 2020. № 3 (153)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2020. № 3 (153), 512—518

UDK 398″194/196″:393.15

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2020.03.512

NON-ETHNIC CHARACTERS IN FOLKLORE NARRATIVES OF VOLYN POLISSYA REGIONABOUT EVENTS OF 40—60 AD. XX CENTURY

DEMEDYUK Мaryna

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4415-002X

Candidate of philology sciences (Ph.D. in philology),

Researcher at the Institute of Ethnology

of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,

Dement of Folkloristic,

15, Svobody Avenue, 79000, Lviv, Ukraine,

Contacts: e-mail: mdemedyuk@gmail.com

Abstract. In the article finding out the basic factors for preserving and strengthening the traditional folk culture, ethnic and national identity of Ukrainians in the context of globalization through careful disclosure of foreigners’ images in the folklore narratives of the events of the Second World War in Volyn Polissya. The purpose of the proposed intelligence is to research the specifics of a non-ethnic hero during the Second World War, which is actualized in the images of a Pole, Jew, German, and Hungarian. The object of the study is the folklore narrative of Volyn Polissya, and the subject is the reflection in the texts of the specific image of a stranger in wartime. The methodological basis of the work is the principles of objectivity and historicism of folklore, and the basic methods — structural and typological method of conceptual analysis. The methodology of Ukrainian and foreign historians and researchers of folk prose (V. Sergiychuk, I. Pashuk, O. Britsyna, etc.) was used. To form the source base, folklore expeditions were conducted, during which material was fixed by means of oral questioning of the respondents according to a pre-prepared questionnaire. Reproduction of ethnic conflicts and participation in the narratives of Volyn Polissya is insufficiently covered in special scientific studies. This aspect is covered quite briefly by the authors without proper analysis, so the basis of the work is the author’s field materials.

In the article, for the first time, we trace the images of non-ethnic characters in folklore prose about the events of the 40—60s of the twentieth century. The role of historical circumstances and interethnic contacts, their differentiation depending on changes of historical realities are emphasized. It has been proven that ethnically alien characters can acquire positive or negative markings depending on the situation. German SS soldiers are depicted as hostile and criminal. The positive role of justice inherent in German soldiers of the regular army, who do not punish those who maintain order, is emphasized. Hungarians are treated negatively as servants of the Nazis. Images of Poles acquire mostly a negative color. The readiness of Poles to cooperate with both the Germans and the Soviet partisans to achieve their goal and repel the singers is clearly emphasized and condemned. The change of accents is characteristic of the image of the Jews. The image of suffering, mass executions of members of this community comes to the fore. The leading role of the universal values of goodness, charity, and self-sacrifice, which play an important role in the portrayal of a positively labeled non-ethnic character, has been proved.

 Keywords: non-ethnic character, political situation, folklore prose, image of a foreigner, interethnic conflict.

Received 19.05.2020

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