Lesya Ukrainka

Hello! My name is Larysa Petrovna Kosach-Kvitka, but the world knows me by my pen name, Lesya Ukrainka. I was born on February 25th, 1871, in a town called Novohrad-Volynskyi in my beloved Ukraine. My mother, Olena Pchilka, was a famous writer, and my father was a kind lawyer. Our home was always filled with books, music, and stories. My mother taught my siblings and me to be proud of our Ukrainian language and traditions, at a time when others tried to make us forget them. I learned to read and speak many languages, but Ukrainian always held a special place in my heart.

When I was a little girl, my biggest dream was to become a musician. I adored playing the piano, and my fingers would dance across the keys for hours. But when I was about twelve years old, in 1883, I became very ill with a sickness in my bones called tuberculosis. The doctors told me I could no longer play the piano seriously. I was heartbroken. It felt like my music had been taken away. But even in that sadness, a new door opened for me. I had always loved writing, and now, I poured all my feelings onto paper. The very next year, in 1884, when I was just thirteen, my first poem, 'Hope,' was published. I had found a new way to make my voice heard.

I chose the name 'Lesya Ukrainka' because it means 'Lesya the Ukrainian woman.' I wanted everyone to know how much I loved my country. Because of my illness, I often had to travel to warmer climates in places like Egypt, Italy, and Georgia to help my health. On these journeys, I saw different worlds and met new people, which gave me many ideas for my poems and plays. One of my most famous works is a play I wrote in 1911 called 'The Forest Song.' It’s a magical story based on Ukrainian folklore about a forest spirit named Mavka who falls in love with a human boy. Through my stories, I shared the myths and legends of my homeland with the world.

During my lifetime, Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, which made laws that forbade people from printing books or teaching in the Ukrainian language. This was very unfair, and it made me want to fight back with the most powerful tool I had: my words. I wrote proudly in Ukrainian to show that our language was beautiful and strong. My poems and plays often spoke about freedom, courage, and the importance of holding on to who you are. I wanted to inspire my people to never give up on our culture and our dream of an independent Ukraine.

I continued writing for my entire life, even when my health made it very difficult. I lived to be 42 years old and passed away on August 1st, 1913, while in the country of Georgia. Today, I am remembered as one of Ukraine’s greatest writers. My face is on our 200-hryvnia banknote, and my words are read by children and adults all across my homeland and beyond. I hope my story reminds you that even when faced with challenges, you can find a new way to share your gifts with the world, and that using your voice to stand up for what you believe in can make a lasting difference.