Preserving Ukraine’s Cultural Soul: The Story of Bogdan Shutka

Preserving Ukraine’s Cultural Soul: The Story of Bogdan Shutka

Throughout history, music has been more than just an art form — it has been a form of resistance, resilience, and survival. For Bogdan Shutka, one of the few remaining masters of traditional Ukrainian instruments, preserving his homeland’s musical heritage is not just a passion — it’s a mission.

Born in Ukraine, Bogdan immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of eight after his father won the green card lottery. While his journey took him far from home, his connection to Ukrainian culture never wavered. Instead, it deepened. Growing up, he witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian-American diaspora, a community that preserved traditions, stories, and songs despite generations of displacement.

But the significance of this preservation became even clearer as he uncovered his own family’s history. Bogdan’s grandparents were born in Soviet gulags, enduring unspeakable hardships. Under Soviet rule, practicing Ukrainian cultural traditions — particularly music — was often a death sentence. Musicians, composers, and artists were systematically silenced, their work destroyed in an attempt to erase an entire people’s identity.

Yet, the music survived.

Bogdan had the rare opportunity to study with some of the last remaining Ukrainian musicians in North America — artists who had fled persecution and carried their craft with them into exile. Through them, he inherited a musical lineage that had almost been lost to history. Today, Bogdan is not just a performer but a guardian of these traditions, ensuring that the melodies of his ancestors are passed down to future generations.

The Power of Music as Resistance

“People can lose everything — homes, family heirlooms, entire cities — but music is in your head. It cannot be taken away,” Bogdan reflects. “It is like an eternal flame. As long as we continue singing, we exist.”

This belief fuels his work as he performs and teaches traditional Ukrainian music across the world. In a country where so much of its material history has been erased — whether by Soviet oppression or the current war of aggression — music remains one of the strongest ties to Ukraine’s soul.

Even now, as Ukraine faces ongoing threats, preserving cultural heritage is more important than ever. For Bogdan, every note he plays is an act of defiance against those who have tried to erase his people’s identity.

Challenges of Preservation

Despite the beauty and historical significance of Ukrainian music, keeping these traditions alive is no easy feat. Bogdan has had to self-fund much of his work — creating his own flyers, organizing his own concerts, and even repairing his own instruments since the war has made it impossible to travel home for maintenance.

“There’s no market for this,” he explains. “You have to create the market, so I’ve had to take it on as my personal mission.”

Even in the face of these challenges, Bogdan continues to perform, traveling to more than 30 countries to share Ukraine’s musical heritage.

How You Can Support

Bogdan’s work is about more than just preserving music — it’s about ensuring Ukraine’s cultural survival. With awareness and support, he hopes to expand his outreach, bring these traditions to wider audiences, and ensure that future generations can continue to experience the music of Ukraine.

This April, Bogdan is hosting a special exhibition in Vienna, showcasing Ukrainian artifacts, traditional instruments, and textiles he has collected over 20 years. The event will serve as a testament to the resilience of Ukrainian culture, blending visual and musical storytelling to remind the world that despite immense hardship, Ukraine’s identity endures.

For those looking to support Bogdan’s work, raising awareness is key. Whether by attending performances, amplifying his story, or helping fund his exhibitions, every effort contributes to keeping Ukraine’s cultural heritage alive.

Because, as Bogdan so powerfully puts it:

“You can kill a person, but you cannot kill a song.”