Dear folk camp family & friends,

We are on the cusp of the wrap-up of the winter holiday cycle,
which extends from Advent through Christmas
all the way to Candlemas or "Ground hog Day" (in Ukrainian: “Stritennya”).

On this feast day, we turn from all our koliada festivities and think of the coming spring, which though far away, is gestating beneath all the snow, regardless of the cold.

It is so sad that we couldn't all be together during the holidays, when we traditionally shared in the ritual of Koliada caroling and the Generous Evening feasting and merrymaking at our annual Melanka. We so much miss the uplifting music of our musicians & singers, the sumptuous dishes prepared by all our cooks, and the joyful sharing by all you beautiful souls! 

 Let us send you belated holiday greetings & wish for better times:

May the joyful spirit of koliada resound in your home for months to come,
and may the seeds you sow this new year be fruitful,
and bring forth abundance and prosperity for you and your kin!
May you be blessed with health, happiness and good fortune.

З Новим Роком!

Thank you to you, who have 'kept the faith', and kept the spirit of Folk Camp alive in your hearts. Thank you to those who reached out with your friendship and support.

It’s been quiet here, on the Folk Camp organizers’ front, a hibernation and necessary absence from activity, as we’ve needed time to discern how to move forward…
with some clarity (which isn't easy to attain these days!). 

Please stay tuned for more details.
An email will be sent out to all registered members (from 2021)
with the link & more information.

It is a time to bless candles and set aside special ones to have ready for emergencies, when we need to call on protection of our homes, homesteads, our communities. In olden days, people whose livelihoods were fully entwined with agricultural life, would be especially at the mercy of fierce storms and weather and would use these candles in times of thunder and lightning and grave danger. Let us not forget that vulnerability. That which is so dear to us can be taken away in an instance. In our time we may be feel somewhat immune to hunger or physical demise due to the weather, but we are nevertheless vulnerable to the powerful forces of nature, and we have our own storms brewed up by all our human forces and impulses as well.  We must go on, without fear, but with candles and hope.

So in keeping with the wisdom of old, let us gather our candles at this time, which are instruments of hope in hard times, and light a candle now. For it has been a hard winter in so many ways, and we are in the depth of it now, but we are also at the turning point where old man winter meets the maiden summer, or the ‘groundhog meets his shadow’. We must remain steadfast and ignite within our homes that inner light and keep its tender flame going. Amidst the storms brewing about, remember the flame that needs tending and feeding to continue.

In this time of gestation and germination of the fruits that will come in the summer, please turn your thoughts and prayers towards what you wish to nurture, and if Folk Camp is part of that vision, please reach out so that we can join forces.

~ Bozena Hrycyna

& the Folk Camp team
(Oksana Hawrylak & Steph Turenko)