Galician paratroopers in rehabilitation unveil the largest didukh Trident

16 january 2025,

On December 23, paratroopers of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade, currently undergoing rehabilitation after injuries, unveiled Ukraine’s largest Trident made from didukhs in Lviv. The project was supported by the MHP Poruch, a reintegration program for military and veterans. The symbol of Ukrainian sovereignty and Christmas traditions was installed in the square near the monument to Taras Shevchenko.

91-year-old Pelahiia Zhyvko from the Lviv region taught the military the art of didukh weaving.

The event’s objective is to support military personnel and veterans on their path to rehabilitation. Pelahiia Zhyvko helped the military to make more didukhs. The woman survived five wars, persecution by the Soviet authorities, deportation, and imprisonment of her relatives in Siberia. Yet every year Pelahiia would create didukhs and bring them to her home for Christmas. She has been passing on her knowledge and skills to the next generations for two years in a row. Culture is an important factor in our fight since it helps us create and share the values ​​and meanings we deem important.

Olena Zhyvko, a veteran, head of the Union of Volunteers NGO

The didukhs for the trident were made of wheat and rye. 30 sheaves of wheat were gathered in the fields of the Zakhid-Agro MHP in the Lviv region, and 7 sheaves of rye were brought from Volyn, where MHP-Baffalo, another Western Hub enterprise, operates.

As part of the MHP Poruch program, this event is focused on our primary mission: providing support to military personnel and veterans on their path to rehabilitation. It’s not just about physical recovery but also mental well-being, fostering motivation for life, and striving for new achievements. One of the efficient rehabilitation methods is involving military personnel in art therapy, namely, weaving didukhs. This process has a therapeutic effect as it calms, and relieves stress and anxiety. Most importantly, it sets a connection with Ukrainian traditions, allowing soldiers who cannot be on the battlefield to continue their fight for our identity in a meaningful and beautiful way through the weaving didukhs. I invite all Ukrainians to come and see this Trident created by our Defenders.

Viktor Koriahin, director of the Western Hub of the MHP

Apart from its important cultural component, the event initiated by the Union of Volunteers NGO holds additional value by providing support to the military personnel during their rehabilitation. Therefore, the MHP–Gromadi Charitable Foundation and the Lviv Regional State Administration ensured comprehensive support for the event.

This Trident crafted from didukhs is not only a symbol of our sovereignty and Christmas traditions but also a testament to how art can serve as a powerful rehabilitation tool for our soldiers. Participating in the creation of this unique symbol, using wheat and rye harvested in the fields of MHP, our strategic partner, is represents a vital step in their mental recovery and fight for a new life after injury. I invite all Ukrainians to see this Trident crafted by the hands of our Defenders, and to feel proud of their resilience and talent. This is not just art but a symbol of our invincibility.

Oleksandr Pakholiuk, Director of MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation

It should be recalled that last year, there was a record set at the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life – a 7.41-meter high Trident made of didukhs, which was included in the National Register of Records of Ukraine. This year’s project has been updated, improved, and made even more impressive.

During the Christmas and New Year period, there are many activities for residents and guests of the city held in Lviv. Their objective is to find out the authentic traditions of Ukrainians, dive into the atmosphere of learning one’s roots, and realize our unity maintained through the centuries.