Many Ukrainians – and not only Ukrainians – will agree with me that the Hutsul region of the Carpathian Mountains is a special place. In that sense I am not the first non-Hutsul to fall in love with the place, the people and their unique culture.
I would like to think, however, that in my love for the Hutsuly I go a bit deeper and further than most other people. This site should help you decide whether my claim is true.
You may have guessed that I grew up in Ukraine, not far from the Carpathian Mountains, in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. A very long time ago my family immigrated to the United States. Since then I traveled around – I lived in New York, Chicago, Edmonton, and, since 1991, in Munich (Germany). During this time there were also shorter stints - in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, Prague and London.
Most of this, of course, would not be possible without the support from my wife, Halyna Boitchouk, a native of the village of Prokurava. She helped me with advice regarding the extremely complicated Hutsul code of behavior, so I would not make fool out of myself; she accompanied me on trips to places far removed from civilization although that was not her idea of fun; she put up with all the long hours I spent with my recordings of Hutsul music, tapes and photographs. Finally, she acted as a judge and a critic, helping me decide what is acceptable for publishing.
Please use the feedback page if you want to contact me or need any information about the music of the Danyshchuk brothers or anything else mentioned on this site. I will do my best to answer. Best regards -
Valentyn Moroz
Below: Traditional Hutsul musicians from Prokurava.