By Leonie Fuge
As bombs hit Ukraine on 7 January in a failed cease fire, a Southern Downs backyard was filled with women in flower crowns and men in embroidered shirts to celebrate their family’s Ukrainian Christmas traditions, and stand in solidarity with their extended family living in Ukraine.
Each year the Cholawinskyj family celebrates a Ukrainian Christmas on the Southern Downs according to the Orthodox calendar on 7 January and this year was the biggest Christmas the family has held yet with 40 in attendance.
“Photos and videos of the night were shared with family members living in Ukraine,” said Lorna Cholawinskyj, who as matriarch of the Australian Cholawinskyj family has kept the Ukrainian Christmas celebration going and growing.
Even though the Ukrainian gathering was filled with vibrant colours of the traditional dress and sunflowers on headbands, there was deep concern for family members living in the warzone.
“We haven’t lost any lives with our family in Ukraine thankfully,” said Lorna. “They have been without power at times and it is anywhere between -15 -18 degrees. Some of them live in places that have been impacted by bombs,” said Lorna.
Though Lorna is not Ukrainian she was immersed into the culture through her late husband Theo, who had arrived as a young adult in Australia for resettlement after WWII had devastated his Ukrainian village and taken his parents and siblings. After Theo passed away in 1981, Lorna continued celebrating Christmas in the Ukrainian custom with a strong desire honour the Ukrainian heritage of her children.
Lorna, now a grandmother of seven and great grandmother of four, still oversees the preparation of the traditional Ukrainian meals each year.
“This was my 47th Ukrainian Christmas dinner,” she said. “We started preparing food days beforehand.”
With four Cholawinskyj generations present along with their partners and friends, Lorna was pleased to see her children and grandchildren embracing the traditions.
“When I am gone I hope they continue on,” she said.
Much of the Ukrainian Christmas customs centre around a 12 course meal of delicious Ukrainian home cooked dishes. Each dish is preceded by a speech, a toast and in true Ukrainian style a shot of vodka for the brave, or sparkling mineral water for the wise.
After everyone was seated at a long table under marquees, the matriarch of the Cholawinskyj family offered a prayer of thanks finishing with “Christ is born.“ In unison, the guests responded with ’let us glorify him’ followed by a shot.
Roman Cholawinskyj was the MC for Saturday night’s dinner and explained to guests, “The early speeches of the night cover various traditional topics and as the night progresses (and shots increase) the speeches become more varied.”
Lorna was very pleased with the night and how much the Ukrainian Christmas had grown since she had arrived to the Southern Downs 20 years ago.
“We used to have around 16 of us on my verandah. But with 40 people this year, my verandah couldn’t hold it so we moved it to my daughter’s backyard,” she said.
A great description of the night was given by Lorna’s son-in-law, Peter Walsh who acknowledged the sense of family that had united the Cholawinskyj family members, their friends and even the ring-ins that had joined the dinner.
“It’s a night of good food and good drinks amongst a lot of family heritage and tradition,” said Peter. “Without Theo and Lorna, we wouldn’t be here and though we might not all come from the Cholawinskyj bloodline, we are all labelled Cholawinskyj.”
Roman also acknowledged the role his mother had played as family matriarch keeping the Ukrainian identity of the family strong.
”Mum has been a consort of support and advice that continues to this day. She has led Ukrainian Christmas for the many years since dad died.”
In appreciation, Roman surprised Lorna with a certificate officially and fittingly declaring her Lady Lorna Cholawinskyj. Roman had purchased a ‘brick sized” slice of Scottish Land in his mother’s name that comes with the title of Lady.
Lorna was speechless.
Roman thanked the guests for sharing in the family’s largest attendance since his father passed away and for continuing the Ukrainian customs.
