Little Russians

[Turbin]

The name Little Russians (Malorusy) has no negative or deminitive connatations. It is incorrect translation deriving from - Malaya Rus (Little Russia) which historically meant Old or Original Russia. This was a name applied to historic cradle of the Russian civilization - lands around Kiev, Chernigov and Pereslavl.

Other parts of Rus were known as White Russia (Belarus), Red Russia (Chervonaya Rus - present day Western Ukraine), Big Russia (Velikaya Rus - present day European Russia) etc.

Simularly the people were known as Belorusy, Velikorusy, Malorusy etc. (translated in the West as White Russians, Great Russians and Little Russians.)

All of the Eastern Orthodox Slavs ancestors of modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians since 10th century A.D. refer to their homeland as Rus and to themselves as Ruskie.

As late as 17th century inhabitants of the Ukraine refered to themselves as Russkie ludi (Russian people) and to modern Russians as Moskali (Moscovites).

People of Moscovite Russia (Moskovskaya Rus) in turn also called themselves Ruskie (Russians) and refer to the people of Ukraine as Malorusy.

Only later Peter I introduced the name Rossiya - simply Latin version of the name Rus.

The name Rus and Ruskie remained however a popular name used by East Slavs to describe their land and themselves.

The Ukraine (Ukraina) simply meant the Borderland - a name applied in the past to the lands between Moscovite Russia and its neighbours to the west and south : Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Crimean Khanaate.

Another "Ukraine" was to the south and to the east of Ryazan region on Russia's border with the nomadic tribes of the East.
All of these "Ukraines" were traditionally settled by Cossacks made up of run-away peasants and soldiers given land and freedom in exchange for the obligation to defend Russia' borders.


A little history lesson for our angry Western Ukrainian diaspora friends who want to know more about the history of their native land.

My fellow proud Little Russians


"I myself do not know whether my soul is Ukrainian or Russian. I know only that on no account would I give priority to the Little Russian before the Russian, or to the Russian before the Little Russian. Both natures are too richly endowed by God, and, as if by design, each of them seperately contains within itself what the other lacks - a sure sign that they complment one another."
--Nikolai Gogol






[Edited by Turbin on 18th December 2004 at 03:57]

[dobko]

How long did it take you to write this tale?

One of a thousand versions of history.

[hating_nation]

turbi u are lieing again.....there is white russia=eastern belarus......black russia=western belarus.....red russia=east galicia...these are names used in history maps to describe regions not political or ethnic people...

and about wielko and malo it is russia who invented this....
in poland there is wielkopolska and malopolska regions....wielkopolska was where the polanes who founded polish state is where my family is from....and malopolska in southeastern poland wich was integrated to poland later....if we take this too russia we would call russia=malorus and ukraine would be wielkorus...since the founders off kievanrus where seated in kiev and regions moscow and novgorod was in northern kieavanrus...

[yakym]

All the histories you describe are metahistories: certain versions of histories are selected by a cultural group which substantiates their political claim.

[Turbin]

<<<<...since the founders off kievanrus where seated in kiev and regions moscow and novgorod was in northern kieavanrus...>>>>>


The founders of Kievan Rus (Rurikovichi) actually first seated in Novgorod and only later Kiev if you want to be historically correct.

Personally I would be happy to see Kiev as a capital and political center of Russian-Belorussian-Ukrainian alliance, which would certainly be justified by our cultural and historic links.


>>>>>>>>>and about wielko and malo it is russia who invented this....
in poland there is wielkopolska and malopolska regions....wielkopolska was where the polanes who founded polish state is where my family is from....and malopolska in southeastern poland wich was integrated to poland later...<<<<<<<<<

In Russia the names have a reverse meaning compared to Polish one. It is taken from Byzantine Empire that used the same idea.

[yakym]

There'll never be another Ukraine-Russian "federation."

What's Russia's legacy in Ukraine?

Bolshevik intervention in 1917, famine, ww2 destruction of Ukraine, Chernobyl...

Doesn't sound like much of a brotherhood does it?

This eternal relationship you talk about, exists only in your imagination.

[Turbin]

All the events you stated are not "Russia's legacy in the Ukraine" but rather a common tragic events in the history of both peoples.


PS I thought WW2 destruction of the Ukraine has something to do with Germany...