The idea of endowing animals with human characteristics and personalities is not new – take, for example, numerous fairy tales or animated films featuring anthropomorphic animals. However, the furry fandom is a relatively recent phenomenon. The concept of furry is said to have originated at a science fiction convention in 1980. However, fans consider the origins of the subculture to be much earlier, with the manga series Kimba the White Lion (1950), Richard Adam’s classic adventure novel Watership Down (1972), and Disnay’s animated film Robin Hood (1973).
The first standalone furry conventions were held in the United States in the mid-1980s. They were modeled after science fiction and comic book conventions. Some conventions started out as more informal furmeets. The first semi-regular furmeets in Ukraine took place in the mid-2000s. These mostly were New Year parties organized by groups of local fans. The first full-fledged furry convention in Ukraine, UA Furence, took place from May 9–11, 2008 in Kyiv. It attracted over 50 furries from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
Early editions of UA Furence were open-air picnics in the forest near Kyiv rather than traditional hotel-based conventions. The convention was revamped and rebranded in 2012. It moved to a hotel to accommodate the growing number of attendees and was renamed WUFF.
The program of WUFF 2012 was more diverse than that of previous conventions. Along with the traditional open-air picnic and games, it included lounge parties, dances, masterclasses and workshops, fursuit walks, board games, photoshoots, quests, contests, exhibitions, and a plethora of other events and activities.
What began as a small meeting of Ukrainian furry fans has grown to become a prime meeting place for furries from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other countries. It’s a tight-knit community of openhearted and friendly costumers, artists, writers and cartoonists who admire anthropomorphic animal characters. WUFF is a great place to meet old friends and make new ones, enjoy the company of those who share similar interests, and have a good time.
WUFF takes place every spring in early May. It is held in a hotel near Kyiv. Although most attendees are from Ukraine and neighboring countries (Russia, Belarus, Poland), there have been visitors from the UK, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, and other countries.
Photo: wuff.ua
