Nov 25

Nov 25 90th Holodomor

Chicago, Demonstrations, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

Tonight, Chicago’s Ukrainian Community came together at Jane Byrne Plaza (the site of Chicago’s Old Water Tower) to commemorate Holodomor’s 90th anniversary. “Holodomor” is not a word that most Americans are familiar with. It is a Ukrainian portmanteau, joining the words ‘holod” and “moryty.” Holod meaning hunger, starvation, and famine, while “moryty” signifying “killing.”

In 1932, Joseph Stalin opted for genocide against the Ukrainian people, using grain quotas and isolation by armed units to starve an estimated seven to ten million Ukrainians to death—see Joint Statement by 65 UN Member States, as Adopted by the 58th UN General Assembly on November 7, 2003. Why would Stalin starve those who produce significant amounts of agricultural foodstuff that feed people outside of Ukraine? Simple, Stalin used Holodomor to force the Ukrainian nation into submission, so that the Ukrainian people could more readily be absorbed into the Soviet Union. Stalin hoped to destroy the Ukrainian national identity, just as Vladimir Putin hopes to so do today. Consequently, the annual Holodomor commemoration has taken on added significance since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Like last year, the Ukrainian Community headed to Jane Byrne Plaza for a 45-minute ceremony, and then marched to Holy Name Cathedral for a mass. During the ceremony, the Community’s leadership delivered several speeches from the steps of the Old Water Tower. Not surprisingly, they drew contrasts between the Stalin in the 1930s and Putin’s actions in Ukraine today.

Also on hand, was a choral group comprised of six girls in their tweens. Like the K-Pop group of tweens who performed during a Ukrainian Community celebration on August 26, these kids were talented, delivering an enjoyable performance, but without the choreographed dance moves that were the hallmark of the August event—no surprise; after all Holodomor demands solemnity and reflection.

Over the last 21 months, each Ukrainian demonstration has utilized both creative and highly impactful visuals to illustrate the perils that those fighting for their freedom in Ukraine face on minute-by-minute basis. Tonight, there were no new visuals, but rather a reprise of some of the better ones from prior demonstrations. The group unfurled the white scroll listing Putin’s war crimes written in red calligraphy. Three women stood in front of the speakers, one dressed in a black shroud holding staffs of wheat; another painted with blood and holding naked, mangled, and bloodied red dolls (just like the Beatles’ infamous Butcher Block album cover); and a third dressed in white and blindfolded. holding a sword in one hand and the scales of justice in her other. For the march, ten or so participants carried a large Ukrainian flag from Jane Byrne Plaza into the church.

I did not stay for the entirety of the mass. As was the case last year, I was impressed with the officiants’ garb, being the sucker that I am for ceremonial religious costuming. I once was kicked out the Vatican’s official haberdashery—at the time located behind the Pantheon in Rome—for archbishops, bishops, and priests. I wanted to buy a bishop’s mitre, but was told I needed a letter from a church official.

My favorite part of the service was the officiant who swung the thurible with the incensed-infused vapor pouring out of it. Advice to the officiant: you need to swing the thurible with more force, so that that the gold container rises above the alter top—it makes for a better image—I did manage to position myself to capture a few images of the thurible in motion.

Although the evening was inspiring, the Ukrainian Community clearly has the same problem that those fighting on the frontlines do. After nearly two-years, the Ukraine no longer dominates the headlines, except for CNN’s Erin Burnett’s OutFront nightly news show, where she continues to feature stories from the frontlines. For the last eight weeks, the Israeli-Hamas war has understandably dominated the headlines, but even months before the October 7th attack, other stories had overtaken the Ukrainian people’s struggle for survival.

I sensed the crowd was smaller than last year’s, and that it was more subdued. To verify whether that was true, I reviewed my images from the prior memorial. Unfortunately, I didn’t capture a wide-angle shot of either the gathering at Jane Byrne Plaza or inside Holy Name. From what I could ascertain by comparing images from the two gatherings, attendance was not drastically down from last year, but the gathering was noticeably smaller, raising the question of whether the community itself is suffering from the sort of understandable fatigue that sets in when a tragedy lingers on.

Like Chicago’s Ukrainian Community has done for much of the last 21 months, the Palestinian Community has exhibited incredible enthusiasm and energy during the first two months of the conflict between Israel and Hamas—on several occasions turning 8,000 to 10,000 people out for marches. But as the conflict drags on and the temperatures drop, will the organizers of the Palestinian demonstrations and marches be able to maintain such a high level of community engagement? I doubt it.

Unless there is a dramatic event in the Ukrainian War, the next major Ukrainian rally should coincide with February 24, the second anniversary of the Putin’s invasion of the Ukrainian homeland. Like last year, the rally will be marked by February’s bone-chilling temperatures, so the issue facing the organizers will be attendance levels and visibility. Tonight, WGN and I were the only independent media covering the Holodomor commemoration. Two other photographers were present, but I suspect that they were members of the Ukrainian community.

If I were overseeing the February 24th commemoration, the central theme would be the importance of continued-U.S. support for Ukraine. “Show Us the Money” might be a good slogan.

The organizers should bring out some high-profile speakers and entertainers to rekindle the early enthusiasm. Bringing someone like Angelina Jolie, Ben Stiller, or Bono and the Edge would energize the community and draw the press. Maybe Senator Durbin or Representative Quigley could convince Secretary of State Anthony Blinken or National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to make a speech. I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to hear Alexander Vindman speak at an Ukrainian awards-banquet earlier this year.

I would also recommend a march downtown rather than holding the rally in Ukrainian Village. One of the goals of this year’s event should be bringing the Ukrainian people’s struggle for survival back to the forefront. All-hands on deck.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It]