No access to the front door. I had this entire house clean at one point. I was secretly selling stuff on ebay putting it in boxes and throwing out trash behind their backs. Once it got fully clean they noticed and were angered. It caused them to mass hoard in which I replied with throwing all their new junk stuff like clothes that didn't fit them they bought in. Mass at garage sales in the trash. Which caused them to threaten to kill me. Fast forward 2 years of a fully clean house to threats to my life im at the point where I can't walk without banging into something. There is trash avalanches. There is moths feces and urine everywhere. The house is worth 700k. My parents didn't earn their way to this house they were boomers who had everything handed to them like all the boomer generation did. They have never given me a penny all my life. I live in destitute and squaller and I feel deep down in my heart this is a concentration camp and gulag. I feel like I have some kind of concentration camp or some kind of war like ptsd.
There is yelling and screaming from 9 am -1am the only time of peace is at night. The dogs bark all day and shit and piss all over the house. My parents scream to the point where I have busted my eardrums many times and they got infected to where I needed anti biotics. I learned to stay away from them while the dogs or barking or they are screaming because my ears explode. The food in the fridge has a mold odor to it. The two car garage is filled to the top with trash and isn't accessible. The living room isn't accessible. My room is the only clean room in the house and because of that my parents are verbally abusing me to put stuff in it because there is no space to hoard stuff anywhere else.
Health effects from the abuse
Ptsd Anemia Scurvy Asthma Trouble breathing when they turn the heat on Spikes of pain to my head like headaches Feeling like I'm about to have a stroke
High blood pressure 160/109 is my last reading
Unable to sleep properly. When I sleep i don't even wake up like I slept and that I got a good night's sleep. I wake up exhausted and have very poor sleep. There is always random screaming at night sometimes to.
The only time I was actually able to sleep was when they went on vacation for a week. There was no yelling screaming or terrorist attacks inflicted on me. Which caused me to actually feel like what it was to wake up refreshed. That was the only time I went to sleep and woke up like I actually slept normal when they were away on vacation.
Can't have a sleep schedule
I have developed some sort of MRSA infection on my foot. I went to the doctor thinking they would say I needed to have it chopped off. They said it was just "exzema" which i actually doubt because i never seen anything like that on my foot before. But the medicine cleared it up slightly.
Cop abuse = cops have shown up 100+ times to fist bump my parents and say good job on the abuse and leave once some neighbor or a delivery driver calls the police. Dealing with them is abuse in itself. Their plastic badges power trips its just a waste of fucking time they disgust me.
I am now 30 and could never escape the hoard or abuse. My parents would never allow it. Even though they were handed everything in life like a boomer pension and got a 30 dollar an hour job and pension and all the money they collect I am now 30 and they haven't given me a single penny all my life. Not a dime. Thats republican love for you right there bring kids into the world cover them in dog feces then abuse them and watch fox news all day. They raised me to be homeless when they die.
I live in misery and I'm constantly tired all day and night. I have 1000$ to my name and never had a job or drivers license. I will never escape this abuse and life my parents and family never wanted me to be independent. The only thing that could save me is some kind of hard ship grant I hear some people get but I would never get that.
This is what happens when you don't escape the hoard early. When the judge who presided over your case gave you back to your parents. Cps approved, judge approved, cop approved abuse.
Life of misery.
The pictures with the dog was when I was working on cleaning the house. Before they said they were going to harm me if I didn't allow them to hoard. Now you can see the after picture you can't even see that black couch anymore and where the dog was laying its now trash piles up to the ceiling. I am tired all day like I have some kind of undiagnosed health problem now the fatigue is severe.
My room is the only clean room in the house. So if I die soon of an undiagnosed health problem they can hoard this room to. I have gone to the doctor. All they have diagnosed me with was low iron and high blood pressure 160/120 130BPM. I honestly think these doctors don't want to diagnose someone with something that could give them social security. It probably goes against their handbook or something.
I also cannot leave the house. You need a car to leave the house. Its a sub division and gated community. There isn't even a store i can walk to because the sub division just leads to a highway with no sidewalks.

President Henry Martin “Scoop” Jackson

41st President of the United States
Vice President
Nellie Stone Johnson
Secretary of State: Claude Pepper
Secretary of the Treasury: Maurine Neuberger
Secretary of Defense: William Winter
Attorney General: John Tower
Secretary of the Navy: Arleigh Burke
Secretary of the Interior: Edmund Muskie
Secretary of Agriculture: Hubert Humphrey
Secretary of Commerce: Asa Randolph
Secretary of Labor: Leonard Woodcock
Secretary of Education: Jane Jacobs
Secretary of Health & Welfare: John Gardner (Since March 1965)
Speaker of the House: Charles Halleck (Republican, 1965-1967)/Adam Powell Jr (Labor, 1967-)
Pro Tempore: Lyndon Johnson (Labor)

1964 Election Results

Presidential
Liberal candidate John Kennedy receives 115 electoral votes
Margaret Smith received 38.57% of the vote
John Kennedy received 20% of the vote
Henry Jackson received 41.43% of the vote
Jackson defied poll numbers
While polling has consistently showed the election as a close race, almost all polls had the incumbent President, Margaret Smith, winning by 1 or 2 points up until the election. The last poll conducted on October 28th had Smith leading by 1 point, and Kennedy far behind both major candidates. Some have already begun to blame the Liberal Party and Kennedy for stealing moderate voters from another Republican victory. Regardless, The ever-ambitious Senator Scoop Jackson will enter the White House come January 20th.
House Results
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House Results After Liberal Dissolution (1965)
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• The one Independent is Speedy O. Long of Louisiana

Senate Results
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Senate Results After Liberal Dissolution (1965)
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• The one Independent is Russell B. Long of Louisiana

First 100 Days

Revenue Act of 1965
The Revenue Act of 1965 would take a more progressive approach to taxation, increasing income taxes up to 7% in the highest tax bracket; all while lowering income taxes down by 4% for lower income households. The Act would also increase the Social Security Tax to 8%.
House voted 228-207
Senate voted 52-48
Mass Transit Tax Act of 1965
The second Mass Transit Tax Act would lower short range rail and air transport by an average of 5%, while increasing long range rail and air transport by an average of 2%. International flight tickets would be increased as well, by an average of 6%.
House voted 236-199
Senate voted 62-38
Minimum Wage Act of 1965
The long-standing federal Minimum Wage of $0.80/hour has been around since 1949, with no increase on the federal side of things. President Jackson and other Laborites were able to pull their weight and increase the federally-mandated minimum wage to $1.30/hour. Although the Labor Party advocated for a higher hourly wage, others in Congress feared a wage any higher would result in another economic panic following the near-collapse of the National Debt Ceiling a few years prior.
House voted 227-208
Senate voted 52-48
Department of Health Foundation Act of 1965
Founded the Department of Health and Welfare to help administer and regulate various healthcare practices and the distribution of Social Security, medical tax breaks, and more. Though indirectly, Congress soon changes the Executive budget to cut the Department of the Interior's funding by 40%; most of that money going into the new Department of Health and Welfare.
House voted 249-186
Senate voted 64-36
National Environmental and Water Policy Act of 1965 (NEWPA)
Championed heavily by the President and young members of the Labor Party in Congress like Edmund Muskie, NEWPA places greater regulations and laws into place regarding water safety and treatment, water pollution, trash allocation, dump sites, and recycling; unseen since the progressive era of the early 1900s. These regulations are expected to greatly improve the environmental state of decay for decades to come.
House voted 221-214
Senate voted 54-46

Death of former President, Theodore F. Green: May 19, 1966

This morning, former President Theodore Francis Green passed away in his Rhode Island home at the age of 98, marking the oldest President at the time of his death. Green was a member of the Democratic Party and briefly the Anti-Fascist Alliance, taking charge from his previous position as Secretary of State after the sudden assassinations of sitting President Earl Browder and Vice President Upton Sinclair. President Green helped uncover the “Business Plot” orchestrated in part by J.P. Morgan Jr. and Prescott Sheldon Bush Sr, the latter being the father of sitting Texas Congressman George Bush.
President Theodore F. Green led us through the horrors of the second world war after the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor, resigning his post and organizing a special election the year following the conclusion of the war itself. He was instrumental in the foundation of the United Nations and eventual foundation of both NATO and EATO two Presidents later. He was, and still remains a national hero in our hearts. President Henry Jackson, among former Presidents and dignitaries are expected to show up for his public funeral in Providence, Rhode Island. The public has been allowed to pay their respects at his grave site before his proper burial et to take place from May 19 at 9:00 AM to May 20 at 9:00 AM.

Foreign Policy Ventures prior to the 1966 Midterms

Embargo Act of 1965
Supported already by the majority of the country, Scoop Jackson directed Congress to pass a full embargo of all raw and manufactured Cuban goods on entering the United States through any port or checkpoint.
House voted 313-122
Senate voted 76-24
With the law being signed by the President in August that year, he would make a speech in Miami celebrating the passage of the act, glorifying its protections of American, anti-communist goods. Scoop would face some backlash over his anti-communist posturing, as the Labor Party has a small (but noticeable) sect of Communists in their ranks.
The Saigon Summit
In July of 1965, after riots against the French government in Saigon, and the breakout of a guerrilla war in French Cambodia, a summit was called in Saigon to determine the future of the city. President Jackson, President Ho Chi Minh, and President Charles de Gaulle met within the French administrative building to discuss the recent riots in the city and future between Saigon and Vietnam. Although much of Vietnam was granted total independence from French rule in 1950, French Saigon remained a thorn in Vietnam's side. France wished to keep as much of its dying empire as possible, and no one would fight harder at that than Charles de Gaulle himself. President Jackson wished to keep the peace and eventually coerce Vietnam into rejoining EATO.
Talks were messy at times, as yelling could be heard from the chambers the talks were being held in, but the three would come to an agreement. Saigon would be administered by a joint Vietnamese-French government, and policing and law would gradually transition to local and Vietnamese systems. In return, Vietnam would promise to not get itself involved in the Cambodian guerilla war.

1966 Midterms

House Results
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7 Third Party/Independents

• Speedy Long (Louisiana Independent)
• Edward "Ted" Kennedy (Massachusetts Independent)
• deLeppes "Chep" Morrison (Louisiana Independent)
• Spiro Agnew (Maryland Independent)
• Gus Hall (Minnesota Communist League)
• Jarvis Tyner (New York Communist League)
• Charlene Mitchell (California Communist League)

Senate Results
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2 Independents

• Russell Long (Louisiana Independent)
• Edward Brooke (Massachusetts Independent)

Invasion of Saigon

In December 1966, a clash between Vietnamese and French police during a riot led the Vietnamese side of the Saigon Transitional Government to call on Vietnamese military aid. Within hours, the Republic of Vietnam marched into the jointly occupied city. Rumors immediately began amassing that the Saigon police force worked with the Vietnamese government in order to cease Saigon before the transitional period was up. Although these rumors were just that, President Jackson was surely worried when the news hit him the next morning; alongside the French Ambassador asking for an audience with the President.
French Ambassador Hervé Alphand would share with Scoop three things:

1. France intends to treat the invasion of Saigon as an act of war.
2. France is already mobilizing troops to southern Cambodia for a naval invasion of Vietnam.
3. France intends to call on the force of NATO and EATO to defend “France in her hour of need.”

No matter how Jackson tried to argue, Alphand was keen on these points. Jackson would argue that the incident be investigated by the United Nations to determine whether it was an act of war; while Alphand threatened that American delay on the issue could lead to French withdrawal from both NATO and EATO. Jackson, reportedly furious, refused to be threatened by a “dying empire”. He denied meeting with any French foreign dignitary for the time being until they promised to allow the UN for an investigation.
The French response was quick, with France officially leaving both NATO and EATO on December 18, 1966. The French declaration of war and further campaign into Vietnam began on the 20th. With naval and air landings concentrated around Rach Gia, Can Tho, My Tho, Saigon, and Vung Tau, the Second Indochina War began. Although Australia would provide weapon assistance, the other nations within both NATO and EATO held their breath on what to do. France had left the two most powerful military and economic alliances in the world, and President Jackson could not be more angry.

Glasgow Conference of 1967

With the war having gone on for nearly three months, and French military forces having begun to get bogged down by the Vietnamese harsh tactics; Can Tho remained the only major French-held territory in the young Republic. And although Vietnamese war tactics were questionable at best; much of the world was united in believing the French declaration of war was not entirely justifiable; with President Scoop Jackson and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev at the forefront of organizing peace efforts within and without the UN. Although the United Nations have begun investigations into both the Vietnamese invasion of Saigon and the French declaration of war, they both had gotten bogged down by the surrounding war effort.
It was agreed upon by several major powers to meet in Glasgow with French and Vietnamese delegates to discuss an armistice. The United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and the People’s Republic of China agreed to enforce the following terms:

1. Saigon and surrounding territories that formerly made up the French Vietnam Territory following the 1950 Treaty of Manila shall be ceded to the Republic of Vietnam. Saigon and the surrounding territories shall become a United Nations sponsored demilitarized zone until an official peace treaty between the 5th Republic of France and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
2. French military and bureaucratic personnel shall be allowed free and safe passage out of the cities of Can Tho and Saigon; sanctioned by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. The French and Vietnamese governments must release all prisoners of war; sanctioned by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.
3. Saigon officials implicated in the initial invasion of the city on December 16, 1966 must release all official, personal, and private documents to the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs for investigation.
4. Vietnam must retain its promise from the 1964 Saigon Summit to not aid or abet Cambodian guerilla forces or rebels.
5. All combat between the 5th Republic of France and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam shall cease and abide by the above rules, the United Nations, and Geneva Conventions.

Although both nations had much to say and change in their favor, the above is the final version of the armistice agreed upon by all parties. The armistice paper was signed by:

• President Henry Martin Jackson of the United States
• General Secretary Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev of the Soviet Union
• Prime Minister James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx of the United Kingdom
• Chairman Mao Zedong of the People's Republic of China
• Foreign Minister Ernest Charles Lucet of the 5th French Republic
• Foreign Minister Nguyên Duy Trinh of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Military Aftermath of the Second Indochina War:

• 57,000 KIA (66% Vietnamese)
• 12,000 MIA (81% French)
• 72,000 WIA (52% French)
• 134,000 Civilians KIA/MIA (89% Vietnamese)

Although the Glasgow Conference was seen as a great triumph of diplomacy between the major powers, Taiwan (the Republic of China) was greatly hindered in its geopolitical influence for the time being. President Jackson had recognized the People’s Republic of China the week prior to the Conference; Communist China would replace Taiwan's spot as a permanent member of the UN Security Council within the month.

The Better Society Plan

Plans drawn up between Pro Tempore Lyndon Johnson, Representative Claude Pepper, and Speaker Adam Powell Jr. would be taken to the President's desk following the first relatively calm year in the administration's history. Although much of the work on marketing the plan would be placed on Scoop himself; Johnson, Pepper, and Powell would act as the main sponsors of each piece in Congress. What would become the beginnings of the “Better Society Plan” would officially pass both houses of Congress throughout mid 1968.
Cheap Food and Housing Act of 1968
A large bill authored primarily by Speaker Adam Powell Jr. and Secretary Hubert Humphrey; the Cheap Food and Housing Act would cover extensive social programs. Although, with weak support in Congress, many Republicans were able to push to soften these programs and add their own agendas on top of them. The final contents of this massive bill were as follows:

1. A federal Food Stamps program would begin and be administered and funded by the Department of Health and Welfare. Certain imported foodstuffs would receive a 15% higher tariff. All American citizens that either fall below or are less than 6% above the poverty line would be eligible for the Food Stamps program.
2. Store-bought meat products will receive price controls to fit the monthly income of the average family. The Federal Government will cut 60% funds toward GMO Agriculture, Meat, Fish, and Poultry research.
3. Houses that take up less than a certain area size will be price capped based county-by-county income. This job is in the hands of State Governments. (Apartments are not covered in this)
4. Housing discrimination shall be made illegal based on identity.

House voted 241-194
Senate voted 53-47
Medical Bill Reduction Act of 1968
This bill was authored by Representative Claude Pepper and Secretary John Gardner in order to fundamentally reduce medical expenses for the youth, elderly, and medically unable. The bill however was weakened significantly by the Republicans in Congress, only allowing for those receiving Social Security benefits to have reduced medical expenses paid for partially by the Department of Health and Welfare; no matter if the recipient is signed on with private insurance or the Public Option.
House voted 220-215
Senate voted 53-47

Apollo 8: Americans on the Moon in November 1968!

Thanks to streamlined efforts by Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Margaret Smith the past 11 years, NASA and furthermore America were able to place the first men on the moon on November 12, 1967. In a speech made on national television that night in the hour following the conclusion of the live coverage of the moon landing, Scoop Jackson would put much of his thanks on the “Greatest mind our nation has ever had,” referring to Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer, since 1961, has been placed in a secondary charge of the Apollo missions and a potential moon landing until his resignation in January 1967 and death the following month. Dr. Oppenheimer's expertise in theory and former President Smith's dedication for space exploration are likely candidates as to the victory America achieved that night.
State of Asia in 1968
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The United Nations has concluded their investigation into the potential legality and coercion in the events leading up to the invasion of Saigon.
“While France has made compelling arguments for the contrary, regarding available documents and other pieces of evidence, the Vietnamese military occupation of Saigon was not a result of coercion, manipulation, embezzlement, bribery, or corruption within the Republic of Vietnam. The invitation of Vietnamese armed forces into the territory limits was done by the legal Vietnamese co-government of said territory, and therefore, is deemed a semi-legal occupation of the city. The United Nations upholds the results of the Glasgow Conference.”

Gearing up for Reelection: A look at Potential Challengers

Notable Republicans that have declared candidacy
Former Vice President, Richard Nixon
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Richard Nixon is back at it with his 4th attempt at a Presidential run, and if he wins the nomination or is selected as a running mate, 3rd attempt on a Presidential ticket. He is generally a moderate, but is definitely the wildcard. Despite his past of losing elections, he is somehow the safest, and perhaps most dangerous, to the Jackson administration.
Governor Ronald Reagan
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The Governor of California has perhaps one of the most charismatic voices in the nation, and is definitely a threat should he receive the Republican nomination. While he is charismatic, he is also the most Conservative of the major players for the Republican nomination. Reagan has instituted a mix of conservative and liberal policy as Governor of California, but has spouted rhetoric like all the former dixiecrats; just without blatant racism. Scoop believes Reagan is not only a credible threat to his Presidency, but also a threat to minority groups nationwide.
“Draft Jack Kennedy” and “Draft Bobby Kennedy”
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Despite neither Kennedy having decided to throw their hat in the ring this year, 1960 and 1964 Presidential candidate John Kennedy has received some support among anti-nixon moderates for the head of the ticket later this year. He has an air of charisma around him, much like his fellow Republican Ronald Reagan, but Kennedy has only commented on the matter stating he is “far too tired” for 3 Presidential runs in a row. The Senator's health is seemingly beginning to fail, as well. Despite the unlikeliness of the matter, Jackson is prepared to deal with Jack Kennedy again if he wins a draft.
Opposed to his older brother, Governor Robert Kennedy has remained Non-Partisan since the fall of the Liberal Party 3 years prior. Bobby has had moderate support from both parties since the beginning of his governorship in 1963. Despite this, and probably with wishes to go against one of his brothers, Bobby Kennedy has denied to run or entertain a draft movement in his name. Scoop has declared Bobby to be of little threat.
Other potential challengers
Senator Russel Long
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The long-serving Senator and son of former President Huey Long has walked the line of conservative, liberal, and progressive support throughout his career. In recent years, he has become more supportive of progressive social policies, and definitely leans economically toward Labor; but his reach across rural southerners matches a more populist approach. Long has already declared his independent candidacy for President. If Nixon isn't one, Long is certainly the most dangerous wildcard if he plays his hand right. Scoop will closely watch him.
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We are Ukraïner, a non-profit media aimed at advocating for the authentic Ukraine - and unexpected geographical discoveries and multiculturalism.
This is an article that was published on May 11th, 2024. It has been condensed for Reddit.
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Provody, Provodna Nedilia, Hrobky, Mohylky... let us tell you about these holidays and why people celebrate them.

Photo: Taras Kovalchuk.
In Ukraine you might see small groups of people who gather at cemeteries every Spring, bringing food and strong drinks, setting tables right among the graves, and conversing and praying for a long time. This might seem strange or even uncouth to some, however, this is a longstanding Ukrainian tradition of honoring ancestors. Unfortunately, many perceive it with prejudice or hostility nowadays because there is often a lack of understanding of how this ritual actually took place before various ideologies influenced its interpretation (and the ritual itself). Primarily, this concerns the detrimental impact of the Soviet era, during which this Ukrainian tradition either withered away or degenerated completely.
Provody, Provodna Nedilia, Hrobky, Mohylky, also known as Radunytsia (Radonytsia), Didy, Babskyi Velykden—all these are names common in various regions of Ukraine but denote the same thing: the days of honoring departed souls and remembering their lives during a symbolic meal.
Ancestor worship has been known since the times of ancient societies: both in matriarchal communities (in Melanesia, Micronesia) and in later patriarchal societies. Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Slavs also had such traditions.

Origins of the Ukrainian Tradition

During the early times of Rus, tradition of Radonytsia was known to already exist and it was closely linked with ancestor worship. Its roots trace back to the era of paganism and the word literally means "solemn days." Ancient Slavs referred to Radonytsia or "spring joy" as a whole cycle of spring holidays dedicated to commemorating the dead. When Christianity was adopted, the celebration condensed into a single day—the second Sunday after Easter. According to ancient folk beliefs, the dead rejoice when their living relatives remember them fondly and tend to their graves.
According to Ukrainian folk beliefs, the annual commemorations of relatives during the spring awakening of nature symbolized the infinity of the life cycle and the inclusion of people who had passed away into this cycle. After the adoption of Christianity, Orthodox clergy initially condemned all such holidays, including Provody (the common name given by the church), considering them pagan rituals, and called for the eradication of this custom. However, such powerful archetypal traditions are impossible to erradicate, so they remained, albeit transformed into various forms and manifestations. For example, in addition to Provody, honoring the dead found expression in the following holidays:
Winter

• Christmas: weaving a didukh (a symbol of the ancestor), in some regions, people leave a spoon in kutia after the Holy Supper, leaving the dish overnight, supposedly for the souls of deceased relatives.

Spring & Summer

• Green Holidays, including Green Sunday (Trinity Sunday): commemorating the dead at home, in church, and/or at the cemetery, adorning graves with greenery. On the Saturday before the Green Holidays, even those who died by their own hand are commemorated.

Autumn

• Dmytro's Saturday, Grandfathers’ Saturday, Grandfathers’ Days, Grandfathers’ Laments, or Grandfathers (Didy): honoring departed family members at home with a memorial dinner, including kolyva, visiting their graves, and tidying them up.

Over time, memorial days became an organic part of church commemorations: requiem services were held not only in church but also at the cemetery. At the same time, the observance of Provody was regulated, essentially reduced to commemorating known relatives, and any pre-Christian era expressions of joyful behavior were condemned. However, in Polissia, unlike, say, central Ukraine, the tradition still retains more archaic features. For example, it is considered a sin to mourn during these days because the deceased should rejoice that their relatives remember them, so it is very important not to "spoil the mood" for the dead.
Photo. Luchka Village, Poltava region, 1960s. Photo from the family archive of Oleksandr Liutyi.
The first known written mention of commemorating relatives in the second week after Easter is recorded in the Chronicles of Rus from 1372.
Throughout the ages, addressing ancestors and/or honoring them was fundamental for Ukrainians, shaping their identity and influencing various aspects of life, including spirituality. Thematic holidays and rituals existed in all Ukrainian regions, so the stereotype that this is a Soviet relic or lacks cultural taste is fallacious, as the connection with ancestors provides an answer to the question "who are we?"
Before Provody, on the Thursday of Holy Week, it is customary to visit the cemetery to tidy up the graves of relatives—pull out weeds, tidy or update plaques, plant new flowers. Therefore, this day is sometimes called the “Mavka’s Easter” or "Easter for the Dead" because it was believed that on this day the news of Easter reached the afterlife, and the dead joined the celebration with the living.
Photo: Taras Kovalchuk.

Memorial event after Easter

In simplified terms, Hrobky, Provody, Mohylky, etc., are a way to commemorate the dead loved ones, sharing a meal with them, so to speak. Therefore, in addition to the usual food for daily consumption, special food with ritual significance is prepared. This includes consecrated bread and kolyva. Kolyva among Slavic peoples, including Ukrainians, refers to a memorial kutia made from grains with a sweet syrup. The name of this dish originates from the ancient custom of offering grain and fruits during memorial ceremonies, which in Ancient Greek was called "kolluba" (in Byzantine pronunciation — "kollyva").
The recipe for memorial kutia may overlap with the recipe for Christmas kutia, but the former is usually less sweet. Traditionally, kolyva is made from boiled wheat, but nowadays it can be made from rice, with the addition of raisins, nuts and sometimes candy-coated seeds or nuts. The porridge is poured over with water mixed with honey or sugar. The use of grain in kolyva symbolizes the continuation of the family line, while honey was believed to cleanse from sins.
Of course, the recipe may vary slightly depending on the region. For example, in the Dnipro region, instead of grains, people traditionally use slices of white bread soaked in syrup.
Kolyva is usually eaten with a single shared spoon, just as a symbolic amount of alcohol is drank from a single glass. The leftover memorial kutia is intended as food for the dead, as if they were visiting the living during the meal. Ethnographer Dmytro Zelenin noted that according to the beliefs of Eastern Slavs, "the dead has all the same needs as a living person, especially the need for food."
Photo: Taras Kovalchuk.
Our ancestors believed that sharing a meal with the souls of the dead granted them eternal peace. And for the living, it served as a reminder not only of the cycle, transience, and cyclical nature of life but also strengthened the family through this connection with their ancestors. During the meal, proverbs were recited: "They lie down to rest—holding up the land, while we walk—waking up the land," "Let us be healthy, and let them rest easy."
The script of the event in various regions of Ukraine was and sometimes remains more or less constant: first, the priest performs the solemn liturgical service, then the families gathered at the cemetery sit down to commemorate the dead with the food and drinks. The memorial meal begins with a collective prayer. In the Polissia region, for example, there is a tradition of sprinkling the graves with blessed eggs, and in some regions, it was customary to sing spiritual songs.
During the pre-Soviet period, significantly more food was traditionally consumed during these memorial days than nowadays. Dishes like kulish, cabbage soup, peas with smoked meat, pork liver, bread, creppes with various fillings, dumplings, pies, knyshi (a type of bread), stuffed cabbage rolls, fried fish, and more were prepared specifically for the event. Special bread called paska and kutia were also made.
Interestingly, the meals were either eaten at tables set in advance or on blankets spread out on the grass. In the 1970s, tables and benches began to be universally installed, one for each family. This allowed living relatives to share the memorial meal in close proximity to the dead.
In addition to food, drinks, including alcoholic beverages, were also brought to the graves. However, this should not be equated with a regular feast, as everything had a ritual significance. For example, a symbolic shot of horilka was passed around in a circle among those present so that everyone could take a sip "for the Kingdom of Heaven" and for the repose of the dead. It is noteworthy that the glasses were only raised, not clinked, as this was strictly forbidden at memorial gatherings.
If the table was large and many people gathered around it, there were two such shots, but no more. The reason for this restrained feast near the graves was simple— it was believed that a loud celebration could scare the souls of the dead, who, according to folk beliefs, were present there. People didn't sing, they spoke quietly and solemnly. Toasts were not proposed; instead, they said phrases like "[Name] eat, drink, rest, and wait for us!"; "Eat, drink, and remember us, sinners!"; "May you await the Kingdom of Heaven, and may we not hurry to join you!"; "May the earth be soft!"; "Let's drink to the Kingdom of Heaven for our (Ivan, Olha, etc.)!"
Photo. Luchka village, Poltava Region, 1960s. Photo from the family archive of Oleksandr Liutyi.
In addition to dishes for the common table, people would always prepare dishes for the dead that they particularly enjoyed in life. After the meal, a portion of these dishes, some kutia, and sometimes even horilka were left at the grave, and the earth was sprinkled with this strong drink.
Such memorial gatherings often invited passersby and the poor. Leftover food was distributed to those who couldn't attend, with a request to eat or drink "in memory of the souls."
Photo. Engraving from 1877 based on a drawing by Kostiantyn Trutovskyi. Source: \"Vsesvitnia Ilustratsiia\" magazine, volume 17.
In the church dictionary of 1773, there is mention of such a custom:

— On Radonytsia, it was a common practice among the common folk to remember their deceased relatives with pagan rituals, and whoever remembered them brought sweetened wine, pies, crepes to the grave. After performing prayers the priest would take a cup of wine or a glass of beer, and poured out most of it onto the grave and drank the rest themselves; at the same time, women would lament the good deeds of the deceased with tearful voices...

Photo: Yuriy Stefanyak.
All this once again prompts us to think that cemeteries are not only about personal stories but also about the life of a whole nation. That is why it is important to take care of preserving cemeteries and rediscovering authentic traditions. During the full-scale war, this is more relevant than ever, as russia is making daily efforts to destroy not only the Ukrainian nation but also any memory of it.
Unfortunately, many Ukrainians currently cannot even visit the graves of their relatives because they are buried in occupied territories; many villages, towns, and even cities are destroyed, so there is nowhere to come to remember. Every piece of native land becomes more precious, the value of each life becomes sharper, and the importance of memory becomes more significant.
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The 784th day of a nine year invasion that has been going on for centuries.
One day closer to victory.

🇺🇦 HEROYAM SLAVA! 🇺🇦