Like my peers, I was naturally interested in “more important” issues, such as testing a new fishing rod on a nearby lake and trying out my new bicycle.
Yet, even I noticed that the scale of changes taking place in Ukraine in 1989-1991 was grand. It was difficult for me to assess the real historical importance of those events, but I had no doubt that I was witnessing history in the making.
The first breakthrough in those new times for me was “Chervona Ruta,” the first Ukrainian music festival, which took off with numerous great Ukrainian singers who then were much more popular than many current Ukrainian pop stars.
My school also survived some great changes. Before starting my first grade, I saw a lot of pupils wearing school uniforms with badges of young Vladimir Lenin and red pioneer ties. My class was the first to be deprived of this Soviet paraphernalia. Although for some reason I was looking forward to be among those wearing red Soviet school ties, the absence of such a future did not disappoint me. Later on, I was even proud of going to a non-Soviet school.
The most striking change for me then was the sharp increase in the use of the Ukrainian language on national television. At some point, almost everyone who would their open mouth on TV spoke Ukrainian, including popular characters in popular foreign TV show series. I was even more surprised that characters in those TV shows talked in funny and odd Ukrainian, which wasn’t common to hear in everyday speech I was used to. “They are foreigners. Perhaps, they haven’t yet learned Ukrainian well enough,” my parents jokingly explained to me, regarding those first efforts of dubbing foreign movies in Ukrainian. Then such a “plausible” explanation for me was more than enough.
Even though I cannot recall Aug. 24, 1991, I clearly remember another landmark day for Ukrainian history – Dec. 1, 1991. This was the day when Ukraine held a referendum in which people were able to say whether they support or do not support Ukraine’s state sovereignty.
On that day our entire family went to take part in the nationwide plebiscite. At the polling station I stepped into the voting booth with my dad and begged him for a bulletin to put a tick in a box. He gave me the bulletin and pointed to the right box, but I already knew which was the “right” box. After hearing many stories from my parents about how long Ukrainians have been fighting for the country’s independence, I had no doubts which box to check during that referendum.
This is how I personally voted for the state sovereignty of our country – the decision I have never regretted since. I didn’t regret this independence, even during the early 1990s when the nation had a lack of basic products, families had to stand in long queues for butter and everyone had to help out in growing food to eat, because of the lack of fruits and vegetables.
Only in high school did I learn that 90.32 percent of citizens who took part in the referendum also supported Ukrainian sovereignty. Since then, I have always been proud to recall that, as a third grader, I personally voted for Ukrainian sovereignty, thus having my own input into the independence of my country.
But simply checking the right box in a bulletin does not really make a country independent. Ukraine is certainly no exception. I believe the country has been acquiring its independence little by little during the last two decades. Over these years, the country has adopted a lot of new legislation, has been trying to find its place in the international community – both economically and politically.
This is not over yet. I would disagree that Ukraine has become a truly independent country. Yet I believe it’s on its way. This is not only due to the interdependent nature of the modern world. My country has not yet deprived itself of the many of the Soviet-style dependencies, such as energy inefficiency and high-level corruption that is eroding the basis of a strong nation.
Average Ukrainians should personally contribute to enhancing the country’s independence by paying their taxes and not encouraging corruption, by refusing to give or accept bribes and by taking part in elections by making thoughtful choices. This should force the government to be more accountable to its citizens and, therefore, make the country stronger.
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Kyiv Post staff writer Yuriy Onyshkiv can be reached at [email protected]
