« 2025. # 3 (183)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2025. № 3 (183), 707—715

UDK [39:001.891](82=161.2)(092)Сапеляк

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES BY OKSANA SAPELYAK ON THE UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY IN ARGENTINA

NYKORAK Оlena

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0887-8929
  • Doctor of Art Studies, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine,
  • Leading Researcher at the Ethnology Institute of the NAS of Ukraine,
  • Folk Art Department,
  • 15, Svoboda Avenue, 79000, Lviv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: olenanykorak@gmail.com

Abstract. The publication is dedicated to the important anniversary of the famous scientist, public and political figure Oksana Sapeliak. The scientific activity of the jubilee is multifaceted, covering a wide range of ethnological studies. Her works are devoted to ethnology history, the migration processes of Ukrainians outside Ukraine, folk religiosity, traditional crafts, etc. On the occasion of this important event, we will evaluate only one of these vectors, in particular, the significant scientific contribution of the scientist to the study of the Ukrainian community in Argentina. There is an urgent need to identify the basic features of Ukrainian emigrants’ adaptation to a new foreign-ethnic environment and to determine the possibilities of preserving and enriching their cultural traditions and spirituality, which are a significant component of the national Ukrainian identity.

The article`s purpose is to highlight the scientific achievements of Oksana Sapeliak, a well-known researcher of Ukrainian traditional culture, candidate of historical sciences in the field of ethnology, and senior research associate of the Contemporary Ethnology Department of the Ethnology Institute of the NAS of Ukraine. The article`s source base was the monograph by Oksana Sapeliak «The Ukrainian Community in Argentina: Historical and Ethnological Aspect». Lviv: Chervona Kalyna, 2008. 286 p.

The methodology of the investigation is based on general scientific methodological principles and basic requirements that apply to works of historical and ethnological direction.

The ethnic group of Ukrainian origin in Argentina is investigated in the book. The author carefully traced the stages and identified the forms of cultural adaptation of Ukrainian emigrants at the turn of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The conclusions present the most significant findings of the scholar’s scientific research on Ukrainian emigrants in Argentina. They provide an opportunity to clarify a number of complex problems of the ethnic group of Ukrainians functioning in the multi-ethnic environment of Argentina. The synthetic work by O. Sapeliak can serve as a source of valuable material for future in-depth studies of various spheres of life of the Ukrainian diaspora abroad.

Keywords: Oksana Sapeliak, ethnology, Ukrainian community, Argentina, transformation of authentic culture in a foreign-ethnic environment.

Received 31.05.2025

Our authors
On bessarabian and moldavian ukrainians in the studies of historical ethnography
The article has thrown some light upon a sum of scientific findings got during XIX to XXI cc. in historio-ethnographic studies of Bessarabia and Moldavian Ukrainians. In the pre­sent paper has been given author’s answer to the problem of lacking progress as for the numerous themes concerning Ukrainians. State and achievements of the research-works in Ukrainians’ material and spiritual culture by the scientists of Moldavia and Ukraine through the years of independence has been exposed.
Read »

Wax candle as ukrainian Christmas and epiphany ritualistic text
For the first time in native ethnology the article has brought some results of special study in sign functionality of a wax candle under the context of Ukrainian Christmas and Epiphany ritualistic text (ritualism of Christmas Eve, New Year, Epiphany Eve and Feast of Epiphany). The study has stated extremely high semiotic position of a wax candle as projection of Sun, mediator between the spheres of sacral and prophane elements, symbolic analogue of human existence, apotropy, cultural symbol re-establishing borders of acculturated space.
Read »

Daily bread baking of ukrainians in the south-western ethnographical region at the late XIX to early XXI cc.
The paper has dealt with analytic study in prescriptions, signs, customs, methods, ways of selection, procurement and some peculiarities in usage of subsidiary means — water, firewood and leaves in bread baking. The final aim of the mentioned actions had been (and still is) selection of the means and ingredients fit, by their characteristics, for the backing of bread. The paper has demonstrated dependence of bread backing subsi­diary means criteria from the folk nutritional standards and world outlook stereotypes as well as from regional social and economic, natural and geographical factors and peculiarities of material culture.
Read »

Maternity ritualism by volhynians in publications of the second half XIX to the early XXI cc.
In the article have been considered some basic landmarks for fixing and publication of ethnographic materials on the maternity rites of Volhynia with analytical study in ritual elements, their kinds and territories of origin. The article has also raised a problem of gaps in studies of maternity rites of Ukrainian historio-ethnographic Volhynia.
Read »