August - 2014

Ukrainian knights

Ukrainian knights

There was a time when Kozaks ‘dictated the fashion’. Everyone, from peasants to nobility, wanted to be like the Kozaks - dress like Kozaks, talk like Kozaks party like Kozaks. And the Kozaks really knew how to have fun! Surely there were good reasons for it – they had quite a bit of free time at the Sich, and there was always a tavern nearby where one could find not only some good ‘horilka’ (vodka) but also the best musicians to set the right mood. These taverns, or ‘korchma’

The Holiday of Spas

The Holiday of Spas

In East Slavic tradition August 19 marks the holiday of Spas (in Christianity known as Transfiguration of Jesus), which dates back to the ancient times. In folk tradition this day marked the onset of autumn and the transformation of nature. The word Spas in Ukrainian stands for ‘Savior’. In the past, faithful people were not supposed to eat fruit before this day, because it was considered a great sin. If still someone failed to resist the temptation, to redeem this sin they w

Ribbons

Ribbons

Long thick hair has always been a sign of pristine beauty, and neatly braided hair - a symbol of chastity, purity and an integral part of the image of a Ukrainian girl. It was believed that if a girl knew how to take good care of her hair, she would then become a good hostess in the future – hard working and preppy. Therefore, from a very young age mothers would teach their daughters to pay great attention to their hair. Ribbons were the most important decoration and accessor

Khustka

Khustka

Ukrainian head scarves, better known as ‘khustka’, are an important ritual attribute whose value has partly been preserved till now. In fairy tales a scarf always served as a magic object, in songs - symbolized true love, in dreams – predicted betrothal. In Ukrainian tradition women were supposed to always cover their head. Particularly in cases where men, on the contrary, were to remove the hat. Usually this would apply in the most sacred places: the house (where the images

Oleksa Dovbush - Ukrainian Robin Hood

Oleksa Dovbush - Ukrainian Robin Hood

Carpathian mountains, 1960s 'Hutsul Theatre' performing the Arkan dance as part of the 'Dovbush' show. Oleksa Dovbush is known аs the Ukrainian Robin Hood, he also had a troop of helpers, called opryshky. Together with his brother Ivan he became an outlaw and led a band of 30–50 men. Local peasants admired him. What Dovbush took from the landlords, rentiers, usurers, merchants, nobles, and rich Jews, he gave to the poor. His band was active mostly in the Hutsul region and in