Who are the Lisovi Mavky?

 

The Lisovi Mavky sorority is based on the neoromantic work of one of Ukraine's greatest writers - Lesia Ukrainka, entitled "Lisova Pisnia" (Forest Song).  Born Larysa Kosach-Kvitka in February 1871 in the Volhynia region of Ukraine, Lesia Ukrainka battled tuberculosis and was bedridden for most of her life.  Despite her illness, she produced some of the greatest works in Ukrainian literature.  The Forest Song, like much of her writing, detailed nature and all its elements, which unfortunately she could only experience by looking out her bedroom window.  Aside from vivid descriptions of the outdoors, The Forest Song evoked pre-Christian themes of gods who lived in and guraded the forest.  The Mavka (in Ukrainian Forest Nymph) was the protectress of the woods.  She was revered by all the other gods, as well as the animals and plant life, which offered her protection and peace.  The Lisova Pisnia explores the dilemma between man and nature, the conflicts that arise when people lose the ability to respect their surroundings.
The Lisovi Mavky sorority concerns itself with responsibilities associated with belonging to the Plast Scouting Organization.  Their primary focus are the young scouts ("novatstvo"), but many are counselors for older scouts and hold various positions in the national leadership of Plast.  Often, we are called upon to organize various activities and camps.  We firmly believe in the mission of the Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization and continue to support it for the benefit of future generations.

 

 

 

LM Activities

In our quest to preserve Ukrainian culture and folklore, Lisovi Mavky, through their work in the Plast Scouting Organization, organize activities for various Ukrainian holidays.

In the past, we have hosted "Andriyivskyj Vechir" (feast of St. Andrew - Dec. 13) for various scouting troops.  The holiday, based on pre-Christian rituals, involves fortune telling and games, and was intended as an evening for youth only.

Another youth holiday, Ivana Kupala (the feast of St. John) is reenacted at almost every Plast Ukrainian Scouting camp.  The summer holiday also involves rituals and fortune telling, primarily on who would be lucky in love and who was doomed to be alone.  Most recently, the Lisovi mavky sorority organized this holiday at the Plast summer camp this past July, in East Chatham, N.Y. 
The sorority has a number of rituals they practice, which have never been revealed to non-Mavky.  One of them, involves the initiation process into the group.

Mavka Symbolism

The LM sorority colors are green and silver, symbolizing the Mavka's youth, faithfulness, free will and love of beauty and nature.

The green fern is displayed on the sorority's patch worn on the shoulder of the Plast scouting uniform. The fern's gentle appearance mirrors the Mavka soul - full of hope and good intention.

The sorority's flag, which is carried at various Plast scouting functions has the basic components of all Plast sorority and fraternity flags, namely the Plast scouting greeting - SKOB! It also bears the Plast "lelijka" symbol and Ukrainian trident. The Mavka flag is primarily green in color, with silver string and colored ribbons.

 

Mavka History

In September of 1997, the Lisovi Mavky scouting sorority celebrated their 50th anniversary, with a very special annual meeting, which included some of the original founding sisters. The weekend meeting, held at the Soyuzivka Ukrainian resort in the Catskills, was a perfect place for members of the Lisovi Mavky - both old and new - to reunite and reignite their activities within the Plast organization and Ukrainian community.

It all started in the German college town of Erlangen, in northern Bavaria. Here more than 250 Ukrainians were pursuing their studies in the peaceful, charming environment of this German city, virtually unscathed by the bombings of World War II. One of these Ukrainian students - Lesia Chraplyva, organized a group of young women (Lesya Kysilevska, Vera Babij, Stefa Zajfert, Liuba Shavala, Natalka Moskaliv, Olia Pyndiuk, Slava Slyz, Doncia Ferencevych, Irka Urban, Darka Horodynska and Aka Klym), to become catalysts for Ukrainian community activities in their college town. Naming the group was the easiest part, since all were great admirers of the writings of Ukraine's Lesya Ukrayinka, especially her romantic work "Lisova Pisnia" The Forest Song). The sorority became known as the Lisovi Mavky (Forest Nymphs) after the main character in Ukrayinka's work the Lisova Pisnia. The town of Erlangen became a designated area for displaced persons, and as more and more Ukrainians found refuge here and in the other German cities, Plast scouting life flourished, as did the work of the Lisovi Mavky sorority. They focused their attentions of the little ones, often taking the Plast youth (novatstvo) on expeditions, camping trips and nature walks. As a group, they made their first official Plast appearance at the 1947 Plast Scouting Jamboree in Mittenwald, and that same summer organized camps for Plast youth and continued making their mark in the Ukrainian displaced person communities. They staged plays (many by Lesya Ukrayinka) and hosted many other cultural events. Unfortunately, fate forced many Ukrainians to emigrate overseas. Many Mavky moved to canada and many, to the United States. Life's circumstances caused many Mavky to lose touch with one another, but in 1961, due to the efforts of some Mavky in Toronto, the sorority was reestablished. The first annual meeting took place in 1962 in Toronto, and in subsequent years in many other cities in the United States. Today, there are many groups within our sorority, based in cities were there are more than a few Mavky (NY/NJ, Philadelphia, Toronto, Chicago). So, throughout the years the sorority has undergone many wonderful experiences and continues to incorporate the characteristics of the lead character in Lesya Ukrayinka's play The Forest Song -- a love for everything dear and true, and a desire to promote the intricacies and beauty of our Ukrainian culture.

As the Mavka says in The Forest Song -- "Ya mayu v serci te, scho ne vmyraye!" (In my heart I carry that, which will never die!)

Click here to enter the Forest gallery

Go to the Mavka Events calendar