Orest Tsap Told a Legend About Ivan Mazepa

May 15, 2008

Orest Tsap, professor of  University of Manitoba (Canada), visited Ostroh Academy National University. He took part in the 2nd International Scientific and Practical Conference Cross-cultural Communication: Language, Culture, and Personality and delivered a series of lectures on the usage of  mobile technologies in teaching process. Besides, on 15 May Mr. Tsap gave the scientific presentation A Legend about Mazepa, which the students had an opportunity to listen to in the assembly hall of the university.

During the presentation he analyzed the evolution of  Mazepa’s image in world culture: from the romantic hero by Voltaire, who portrayed the future hetman as king’s page seized by Tartars and bound naked to a hourse, to feminized characters of modern stagings where Mazepa is perceived as an exotic woman. Orest Tsap also offered the audience a set of examples illustrating the usage of the mane Mazepa in the world and in North America, in particular. It turned out that there are cities in the USA and Canada named so, and even Mazepian Bay can be found on the geographical map of Africa.

“Mazepa has become a European phenomenon,” told Orest Tsap while reporting, “To my mind, a legend about Mazepa can be regarded as one of the most important Ukrainian contributions to world culture.”