Haydamaky (Ukrainian variant - Гайдамаки) is a Ukrainian ska-folk-punk-rock band. "Haydamaky are the present day disciples of the Ukrainian cult of tradition. Through their spiritual and musical integrity, they are committed to the cause of taking back their culture from out of the hands of corrupt, immoral mentality." Haydamaky began their career in 1991, shortly after Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union. Then the band was known as Aktus, and played mostly local gigs in the underground Kiev music scene. Without a fertile, popular local music scene, Aktus turned to the sounds of reggae, ska, and punk music for a fresh alternative. Members of the band were also attracted to the political impact that these genres had on their society. The idea was that through music significant social change could be possible. This gave a greater purpose to the performance of such musical styles. The discovery of these musical genres later became the key to their own realization of a specifically Ukrainian musical style. Haydamaky's hope is to forge an inherently Ukrainian popular music style, which looks back to its own heritage and traditions as a source for inspiration. Official Haydamaky Website Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.