Folk Trades, Customs and Traditions of the Ukrainian People

Folk Trades, Customs and Traditions of the Ukrainian People

Hutsulshchyna is rich in people's trades, customs, and tradition. The centres of the people's trades are Kosiv and Yavoriv. Famous engravers, ceramists, weavers, and embroiders live there. Their works are exhibited in museum all over the world. Embroidery of Hutsulshchyna is one of the most famous kinds of people's art. It is a general Slavic tradition to embroider the clothes. Hutsul embroidery is remarkable for its colour and technique. Hutsul embroidery as a rule uses geometrical ornament. When people meet quests they put bread and salt on the embroidered towel. Another popular tradition is ornamenting (decorating) eggs during Easter holidays. Such eggs were usually ornamented by women and giris and rarely by boys and men. Hutsul customs and ceremonies from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century are preserved nowadays. The family and calendar holidays are Christmas, Easter, Green Holidays, and Spas. Before Green Holidays the Ukrainian people usually decorate their houses and fences with green branches of time trees. There are many ceremonies connected with these holidays such as shchedrivka, carol singing and hayivky.

Family customs and ceremonies mark the most important events in the life of a man: the birth of a baby, marriage, death. For instance, a bride embroiders a towel and the young couple stands on it during the wedding church service.

Zhuravel Ann