The central image—the —is a vital national symbol:
Represents Ukraine's soul and the blood of fallen heroes. oi_u_luzi_cervona_kalina_kapela_banduristiv_ukr...
The song's origins date back to at least the 17th-century Cossack era, though its modern form was arranged in by composer Stepan Charnetsky. It became the official anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen , the first ethnic Ukrainian military unit of the 20th century. The central image—the —is a vital national symbol:
The song begins with the viburnum "bent low" in sadness (symbolizing a struggling Ukraine) but ends with a vow to "raise it up" and "cheer up" the nation. The Role of the Kapela Banduristiv oi_u_luzi_cervona_kalina_kapela_banduristiv_ukr...