ASHEVILLE’S MARDI GRAS AND MALANKA.
Malanka is the Ukrainian equivalent of Mardi Gras celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Christian eastern part of Ukraine. It was celebrated a month ago on January 12-13. Kharkiv hosted the largest Malanka event in eastern Ukraine again this year. Organisers expected more than 10,000 people to attend the third annual Vertep Fest on 12-13 January. (https://whatson-kyiv.com/malanka-the-ukrainian-mardi-gras/)
Now Kharkiv is experiencing a brutal Russian attack on residential neighborhoods which have killed hundreds of residents, probably some whom we see celebrating here.
In Asheville on Sunday, February 27, the people of Asheville lined the streets of the South Slope to watch the annual Mardi Gras parade celebrated by people of all faiths. It was a time of letting go of the pandemic, of general silliness and foolishness and having a great time. Bands in outlandish outfits played, the masked participants, dancing and waving, threw Mardi Gras beads and candy to the crowd. We dropped our political differences and had a great time together as the bombs continued to fall on Kharkiv.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 