Almost no evidence remains about women-warriors. No record of their upbringing can be found anymore. From historic records we only know that they existed.
It is said that Ukrainian women were always most beautiful, merry, good-natured, talented, and generous, as well as courageous, selfless, faithful, and wise. Foreign historians were amazed at the span of knowledge of our women. They could read, write, they had equal rights with men, they were respected, and their advice was taken. At that time women in Europe did not have equal rights with the men in their own families. The right to read had only whore and intelligent women were burned on the stake.
In Ukraine a woman was always a guardian, protector, and priestess. She had the knowledge of medicine, treatment of illnesses, medicinal herbs, and laws of nature, universe, and religion. She was able to sing, dance, play musical instruments, and write poetry and songs. She knew astronomy and astrology. She was not only a hostess, not only a woman who does washing, embroidering, cooking, and looking after children, she was also a Goddess. Everything she did, she did with goodness and love. We know that embroidery symbolized protection, a weaving spool could tell the future, and correctly prepared food could give health and strength. This was whole cult, a world outlook.
Apart from ordinary household chores Ukrainian woman knew self-defence, martial skills, and different kinds of weapons. She passed this knowledge to her children. That is why, even if our men were brought up without their fathers, they were taught by knights and real warriors.
What is it Asgarda?
Asgarda – is a martial art of Ukrainian women.
Asgarda – is a complex system of harmonious development of women.
Asgarda – is a moral and ethical system for bringing up women.
Asgarda – proud and persistent women, good-natured wives, and good housekeepers.
Asgarda – complex system of harmonic development for women based on Cossack martial art Bojovyj Hopak and the elements of national Ukrainian dance.
Asgarda has four aspects:
Folk art – is based on the elements of Ukrainian national dance, choreography, and art theory. It is oriented toward creative people that aim to show off their skills to the maximum, and take part in Ukrainian festivals, presentations, and shows in Ukraine and abroad. The main purpose is to revive women’s martial art and spread the knowledge about Ukrainian culture through dance and acting. Girls trained in this aspect of martial art take part in zmah odnotan and tan dvobij.
Health – is derived from complex moving positions and from the exercises of Asgarda and dance motions (like shaping), which are directed toward making a body healthy. It is also oriented toward beginners as well as people with health problems. You can show your achievements in zmah odnotan, tandvobij and zabava, and also in shows and festivals.
Sport – is an aspect that active and persistent girls participate in. It aims at strengthening women’s martial art as it is being taught by Asgarda, preparing girls for Ukrainain and international competitions of different styles of martial art, and reviving the glory of the Amazons and martial culture of the Ukrainian women. This sport aspect is based on the main Asgarda exercises. It contains seven levels of difficulty “Zorjanycja”, “Skhidnycja”, “Litavycja”, “Zrivna”, “Kozachka”, “Vista”, and “Volkhvynja”. Higher levels of difficulty are achieved through five different kinds of competitions: “Odnotan”, “Tandvobij”, “Zabava”, “Bornja”, “Herc”. In parallel with the development of physical skills it is necessary to develop the skills of public speaking, playing the musical instruments, dance, study household, embroidery, knitting and other skills necessary for women. It is necessary to become acquianted with such science as anatomy, physiology, psychology, aesthetic, medical aid, etc. Martial aspect – trace the main way for woman-warrior. Is based on the main elements of Asgarda, handle various kinds of weapon and manual of self-defence. For amazons who went through stamp of body and spirit through martial aspect, foresee studing philosophy, psychology, world outlook, development of parapsycological skills and psychic powers, folk treatment and healment.
In spite of aspects girls-amazons study all sciences necessary in every day life. Laws and rules of life. Ability how to associate correctly and how to achieve your purpose. Skills of creating family, housekeeping or your business activity, growing up children. Woman-warrior – is a perfect woman.
Kateryna Vitaliyivna TARNOVSKA – Teacher and Asgarda Founder.
The most important fight in the life person conducts with itself. Working upon its body the person becomes not only healthier, achieves progress in its measures, but also becomes self-discipline, develops skills in controll of its spirit, mind and body, further develops its adroitness, personality, strength of beliefs, firmness, courage, bravery in deeds.
All these skills are as necessary for women as for men. Now women don’t occupy second-rate role in the society, so if they are improving themselves, they are improving society. That’s why they need martial systems as means of stamping body, spirit and mind.
From the remotest time living on the boundary of two worlds – Eastern and Western Ukraine-Rus gave the beginning for many phenomena , amazing humanity till now. One of these phenomena is a caste of women-warriors. Ancient Greek and Roman historical sources speak about ancient women-warriors tribe and name them amazons. Ancient chronics describe amazons’ strength and bravity and also boundaries of their state. It is found out that areas of Donetsk region, coastal areas of Azov sea are exactly the areas belonging to amazons’ state, known in the whole world. In the period of its prosperity the state went beyond Don and reached the shores of Dnipro river. From legends about Amazons it is known that they didn’t disappear or die, but had composed with skyts and fought together against foreign invadors.
It is naturally that women-warriors had their own martial culture and taking into account from Greek’s descriptions it was rather developed. After a while amazon’s martial culture united with Ukrainian martial art and saturated Ukrainian national dances. It is very important that in the Eastern regions of Ukraine a lot of women with warrior features: pride, braveness, firmness, strength of beliefs, strong-will, etc were saved. The soul of ancient Amazonia is flying inside our nation.
Supreme Teacher of Boyovyi HopakVolodymyr Pylat
If you are interested in revival of Amazon martial culture, please, apply to Central School of Boyovyi Hopak:
tel.: (0322) 98 40 48
e-mail: info@asgarda.org.ua
www.asgarda.org.ua