145 years since Lesya Ukrainka birth. What we did not know about the poetess?
From the little up Lesya loved music. Her aunt Alexandra taught her playing on the piano. Lesia had extraordinary capabilities, but because of the many diseases she could not develop them. By the way, aunt Alex, as her affectionately called poetess, decided to teach a little Lesya music when she lied on the bed and knocked stuffed rhythmic melody with her foot on the wall.
Also Lesya had very good tone of voice and sang constantly.
On the way I came
In the early spring
And peaceful song
Sang bashfully…
There are about 220 sound records of folk songs performed by Lesya Ukrainka.
In the family she had many names! Lesya, Larysa, Zeya and Misholosiya. By the way, the name Zeya or Zeichok is derived from the maize “Zeya japonica” (as thin as the stem). Her mother called her Zeya. But the strange name Misholosiya – a fusion of Lesya names and Mykhaylo. This name poetess shared with his brother, with who was incredibly close in childhood.
On the photos — Lesya with her brother Mykhaylo and Lesya at the age of 7
Nowadays there are none of the direct descendants of Lesya Ukrainka in Ukraine. And indirect descendants there are only two: Roberto Gaab (grandnephew, Lesya’s sister Oksana Kosach-Szymanowska grandson), who lives in Switzerland and Olga Petrova-Luton US (grandniece, Lesya’s sister Isidora Kosach-Borisova granddaughter).
Lesya Ukrainka with her sisters
Lesya’s ash – tree is situated in Lutsk near the entrance tower of Lubart castle. Some time ago little Lesya sat under this tree and wrote her first poem.
Lesya’s ash – tree is the biggest tree in Lutsk, and now it is in catastrophic condition – at any moment it can fall.
Family’s homestead was located on the village outskirts. In that time that was the best place for home. Possessions’ area took about 500 hectares. They included: forests, fields, four hectares of garden, Lesya’s kadub – source and well. While near the source willow was growing, which Lesya described in her poems. It is said that the territory that once belonged to Kosachev, kosachevskoe hidden treasure. There are gossips around the Kosachi’s homestead. People talk that on the territory of the homestead there are hidden treasures.