Of Water and Stone
by Maryna Shtanko
portfolio special mention call 'URBANAUTICA INSTITUTE AWARDS 2022', 2022
Category: Memories and Traditions
Last winter I read a book about molfars — people in the Carpathians who possess supernatural powers. The author of the book wrote a lot about the connections between different cultures. Years ago people used to believe in the same things even though Ukrainians had no communication, for example, with people in South America or Scandinavian countries. I felt the same connection with Ukraine while staying in Verzasca valley, Switzerland.
On February 24, Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine and I had to move abroad. Being far from my home I still saw something that connected me to Ukraine. Fern plants in the valley reminded me of the Slavic myth, according to which the fern flower blooms for a very short time on the eve of the summer solstice. It brings fortune to the person who finds it. Then there are mountains that reminded me of the Carpathians. And there is the red thread that reminded me of Ukrainian embroidery and sewed these places together.