After Prince Volodymyr, and later Yaroslav, destroyed the volkhvy, the ancient art of "Spas" was passed down secretly from grandfather to father, from father to son. "Spas" was the main means of survival for the kharakternyky in battle. About such Zaporozhian Cossacks it was said that neither a shashka nor a bullet could take them. \n In the mid-nineties of the last century, the Zaporozhian Oleksandr Prytula managed to revive this type of martial art in Zaporizhzhia. And so, since 1997, a festival of Cossack martial arts has traditionally been held on Khortytsia. The organizing committee of the II All-Ukrainian Festival (1998) was headed by People's Deputy of Ukraine Anatoliy Yermak. Since 2003, the annual Festival of Cossack Combat and Traditional Arts has borne the name of Anatoliy Yermak. Unfortunately, his life was cut short by a truck on the highway, but during his lifetime Mr. Anatoliy managed to leave behind many good deeds. He was forever elected Honorary President of the Zaporizhzhia city association "Let's Protect Khortytsia," which he headed from its founding. \n \n \nThe Tenth International Festival of Cossack Combat and Traditional Arts "Spas on Khortytsia" named after Anatoliy Yermak has come to an end on the glorious Zaporizhzhian land. To all corners of Ukraine, together with the bearers of the Cossack rite, spread the news of the Cossack contest, which symbolically, for not the first year now, takes place on the Day of Ukrainian Valor on the island of Khortytsia. \n \n It was here, over the course of several July days, that representatives of the Ukrainian Cossacks and the Kuban Cossack Host, bearers of the northwestern tradition of warrior clans – Buzi (Russian Federation) and keepers of warrior Cossack traditions from the Republic of Belarus – demonstrated the traditional art of hand-to-hand combat. Among the honored guests were present the hereditary bearers of the Cossack combat Custom of Spas – Leonid Bezkhlubyi (Odesa) and Anatoliy Bondarenko. \n \nOver the course of two days, bouts of the open championship of Ukraine in Ukrainian hand-to-hand combat "Spas" – the "Yermak Cup" – took place. This time, more than 300 participants in various age categories competed in Zaporizhzhia from Rivne, Kyiv, Huliaipole, Dnipropetrovsk, Oleksandriia, Zaporizhzhia, from the martial arts school "Dzhur" from Krasnodar in Kharkiv Oblast and "Spas-Vovky" from Vilniansk, the Russian Federation, Kuban and Belarus. \n \nThe second day of the Festival concluded on the "Festivalnyi" square in Zaporizhzhia, where during demonstration performances the participating teams of the tournament in Ukrainian hand-to-hand combat "Spas" demonstrated their skill and dexterity, and songs were performed by the famous Ukrainian kobzar Vasyl Lytvyn, Zaporizhzhian artists and dance ensembles. \n \nThe Celebration of Ukrainian Valor began on the island of Khortytsia in Hromushyna Balka on Sunday. Here again, fighters of various national schools demonstrated their skill, kobzars sang, and awards were presented to the winners – agree, it is pleasant to receive an award for mastery of the most ancient traditional Cossack martial art, which has been passed down from generation to generation for so many years (!). \n \nAnd so the kobzar's song, as in those distant times, sounds before the battle. Two ranks, approximately 100 men each, in anticipation of battle shout battle cries, and the growing "Hey! Hey! Hey!" cuts through the calm of Khortytsia. Another moment and the cannon will announce the start of an unprecedented event – the traditional battle for Cossack kharakternyky – "lava against lava." In honest combat more than two hundred Cossacks converge, revealing the essence of the ritual of the age-old struggle of good and evil, and once again prove – our strength is in our Faith and Truth. When for the third time the ranks moved against each other, the spectators held their breath... "Who will win? – The rank of the Zaporozhians or the guests?" – Cossack brotherhood won! The Cossacks moved toward each other with arms spread for embraces, because only community and unity of spirit can bring victory. \n \nAccording to the president of the All-Ukrainian Federation "Spas," member of the Council of the Ukrainian Cossacks under the President of Ukraine Oleksandr Prytula, "On Khortytsia there are no other rules, here only the Cossack Custom reigns, and those who do not honor it have no place on the land of Cossack glory." \n \nIt is probably not for nothing that all who wish to enter the island are met by a stone block on which are carved the words of a prayer for Khortytsia: "Khortytsia! Majestic, tender, sun-faced... In the boundless sea of being the Lord singled you out as an indestructible continent...ceaselessly and unrestrainedly you nourish the surroundings, knowing and recognizing neither time nor distance – for thousands of years, for thousands of versts..." These words compel one, stepping onto this land, to reflect, for here, over the years, the spirit of the Ukrainian people, the elite of the nation, was nurtured. Cossack kharakternyky were a model of warriors for all generations, and not only of Ukrainians. \n \nToday, in the third millennium, the bearers of the Cossack custom address us: "Whoever has not yet forgotten whose paths He walks on Khortytsia, whose blood pulses in his veins, whose descendant he is, we invite to the Cossack Circle, which every year gathers 'SPAS' on Khortytsia. To true Ukrainians the road to Spas is always open." \n \nSo, exactly a year from now we have the opportunity to visit again the glorious Cossack land – the island of Khortytsia. I will definitely be there. \n \nIn the photo: Spasivtsi before the battle "lava against lava" \n A new generation of Cossacks is growing \n \n \nOksana Prokopchuk \nLutsk-Zaporizhzhia-Lutsk