Lviv: Ukrainian voices curate Ukrainian culture. This series is produced in collaboration with the Folkowisko Association/Rozstaje.art, thanks to co-financing by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through a grant by the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe. It has been translated from Ukrainian by Iryna Tiper and Filip Noubel.

According to Global Voices, the travelogues of Sofia Yablonska, Daria Vikonska, and Olena Kysilevska have not only shaped women’s emancipation but also left an indelible mark on literature in Western Ukraine, then part of Poland. These women, through their journeys and writings, explored the world at a time when travel was a rare privilege, and their experiences became a testament to the power of exploration and storytelling.

Sofia Yablonska, known for her desire to explore distant lands, eventually left her homeland for China in 1939. Her marriage to French businessman Jean Houdin marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Tragically, her life ended in a car accident in 1971 while she was on her way to deliver a new manuscript. Her legacy lives on, buried on the French island of Noirmoutier.

Daria Vikonska, born Joanna Karolina Mayer-Fedorovych, hailed from a princely lineage. Her journey into literature and travel began against the wishes of her family, as she married a man of lower social standing, losing much of her inheritance in the process. Her writings captured the essence of various places, particularly Venice, where she delved into the city’s beauty and its touristic evolution. Her life took a tragic turn during World War II, as she died trying to escape Soviet repressions.

Olena Kysilevska, born in 1869, was a formidable force in the women’s movement and a senator in the Polish parliament. Her travels took her to various coastal landscapes, and her unique exploration of Polesia offered insights into a mysterious land, untouched by modernity. Her life journey eventually led her to the US, where she continued to influence the global Ukrainian community until her death in Canada in 1965.

These three women, through their creativity and adventurous spirits, transformed literature into a home of boundless exploration. Though lesser-known today, their legacy as pioneering travelers and writers continues to inspire new generations.