On November the 28, 2013 "Ethnology of Cherkassy region" modern folklore and ethnography research laboratory of Department of Ukrainian language and literature of Pavlo Tychyna State Pedagogical University held a regional contest in Ukrainian for pupils grades 8-11 of secondary schools in order to encourage the young students to learn and cherish the traditional Ukrainian culture.

Participants in this year's contest were nationally conscious, creative students of the secondary schools of Uman city and the surrounding areas. They duly presented the regional scientific research of calendar customs, family rituals, ritual calendar art, decorative arts and crafts, Chumak traditions, kobza as a unique phenomenon in the Cherkassy region.

The participants of the contest were congratulated by Valentina Koval, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Director of the Institute of Philology and Social Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Ukrainian Philology, Natalia Syvachuk, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Chair of Ukrainian language and literature, Head of "Ethnology of Cherkasy region" Research Laboratory, Inna Kolomyjets, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of Ukrainian language and methods of teaching Ukrainian language, Deputy Director of the Institute of Philology and Social Science.

The University students greeted the participants with folk songs and poetry.

Photo: "Sofia" folklore group of National amateur team (directed by Vasyl Semenchuk, the Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine)

Photo: Victoria Guseva, the participant of "Theater of the Word" creative studio (directed by I.M. Snigur, Senior Lecturer)

Photo: Katarina Zachepa, the participant of "Theater of the Word" creative studio (directed by I.M. Snigur, Senior Lecturer)

Prizes and awards received by the following participants:

The first place in the contest of Ukraine studies was shared among Anastasia Melnyk, the 11th grade pupil of Uman secondary art school # 7 who presented the theme "Family rituals of Cherkasy region", her supervisor being Svitlana Hlobchak, the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature, Alina Kolokolova, the 11th grade pupil of the secondary art school (theme: "People's Artists of Uman', her supervisor being Liubov Pustovit, the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature), Victoria Shumko, the pupil of 11th grade of Uman secondary art school # 3 (theme: "The symbols of midsummer songs of Uman' region, her supervisor being Larissa Seredyuk, the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature).

The second place in the contest was shared among: Kateryna Boguslavska, the 11th grade pupil of Uman secondary art school #3 (theme: "Chumaks as unique folk craft of Ukrainian ethnos (the Chumak craft traditions in the modern ethnographic heritage of Uman district", her supervisor being Anna Hanich, the teacher of history), Lilia Perepelyuk, the 11th grade pupil of Uman secondary art school # 4 (theme: "Poets and kobzars of the Cherkasy region", her supervisor being Tetiana Suvorova, the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature), Oleksandra Denysyuk, the 11th grade pupil of Uman pedagogical lyceum (theme: "Comparison of Uman historic wedding songs", supervised by Roman Ostrovsky, the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature).

The third place in the Ukraine studies contest was won by Yulia Gerasimenko, the 11th grade pupil of secondary school (theme: "Sacred meaning of belt in ritual traditions of the residents of eastern Ukraine", her supervisor was Vladislava Shvets, the teacher).

The contest proves that there is a spark of interest in the spiritual culture in the hearts of youth people. The laboratory staff is convinced that they will care about preserving the folk memory of the Cherkassy region in the near future as they become the students of Ukraine Studies Department of our University!