National music instrument may tell a lot about the nation itself. About its soul expressed in melody of its songs for example.
And it is very symbolic when you look at Russian three-stringed balalaika and Ukrainian bandura which has up to 68 strings! (wikipedia)
And that is how Ukraine is truly different from Russia – much more sophisticated, much more melodic. More subtle and sensitive? More discerning and creative? (it’s harder to create bandura than balalaika, isn’t it?)
For centuries Muscovites tried to forbid or eliminate this Ukrainian folk art. Because of envy? Because of trying to destroy the identity of the nation? Read what they did to 300 bandurists they invited for the “conference” in Kharkiv in 1933 (in the same Wikipedia article above, paragraph “Persecution“.
Luckily, the art survived and one still can enjoy listening to Bandura live!
Here is how unique White Bandura sounds
