Yesterday, Mykola Tomenko, the Vice-Chairman of he Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took part in the Celebration of "First Sheaf" in Cherkasy Region.
The celebration of the "First Sheaf" was held in Zolotniskiy district in Cherkasy Region. Its initiator for the second year is Mykola Tomenko.Greeting the participant of the celebration, M. Tomenko stressed that "everybody who was born in Ukraine understand that harvest and bread are the basic principles of the conception of the world, basic philosophy, genetic principle of Ukrainian People". He marked that renewing harvest traditions we once more remind that "bread in Ukraine it is symbol of happiness, joy and wealth". In celebration the leaders of the local-Self-governing bodies, amateurs and artists of Zolotniskiy district House of Culture took part 9n the celebration.
Mykola Tomenko mentioned that unfortunately in Soviet period this tradition was lost and the main stress was made upon the result of harvest. He deems this tradition worth renewing.
He informed that for several years already, one week before the holiday of Saint Petro and Pavlo and in "women´s" days: Wednesday and Friday or Saturday, as it was common in central Ukraine, inhabitants of Cherkasy region and visitors in holiday clothes with traditional songs, sickles and scythes go to field in order to start harvest.
Delivering speech before the celebration starts, M. Tomenko expressed conviction that harvest would be successful this year but the traditional problem remains organization of the grain selling. "Agrarians should be able not only to collect crops but to sell it for sufficient market prices. For today the price policy needs immediate solution", - he emphasized.
As a tradition goes after the harvest start consecration by bishop of Cherkasy and Chygyryn of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate, archbishop Ioan, Mykola Tomenko wished inspiration and wealth and men with scythes and women with sickles went on field.