Marina Kirichenko
Tradicija proslave Noći vještica i Svih svetih nikada nije bila nešto uobičajeno za moju obitelj i prijatelje u Ukrajini. Iako su ove strašne, zabavne, šarene i slatke svečanosti postale vrlo popularne u posljednje vrijeme. A obavezan ukras – nasmijana bundeva – sada je neizostavna za moju djecu.
U ukrajinskoj tradiciji, bundeve se koriste u ritualu prošnje ili zaruka. Skupina prijatelja budućeg zaručnika dolazi u kuću djevojke koja mu se sviđa. Oni razgovaraju s njezinim roditeljima u pokušaju da ih uvjere da bi ovaj brak mogao biti sretan i dug. I iako se ne očekuje da djevojka aktivno sudjeluje u ritualu, odluka je njezina. U slučaju da su ona i njezina obitelj protiv ove zajednice, ona “daje bundevu” mladiću. To je doslovno zrela bundeva na tradicionalnoj vezenoj tkanini, što znači odbijanje ponude. U takvom slučaju, zaručnička skupina zatim napušta kuću s plodom.
Nitko ne zna zašto je ova žalosna “dužnost” dodijeljena bundevama. Međutim, ima ih mnogo u jesen kada se obično dogovaraju zaruke i vjenčanja. I to je prilično učinkovit način da se riješite viška bundeva, pretpostavljam. Šalim se. Ali izraz “dati bundevu” postao je frazem i uobičajeno se koristi u ukrajinskom jeziku.
A pumpkin of rejection
The tradition of Halloween and All Saints’ Day celebration was never something common for my family and friends in Ukraine. Though these scary, fun, bright and sweet festivities have become very popular recently. And the obligatory decoration — a smiling glowing pumpkin — is a must-have for my children now.
In Ukrainian tradition, pumpkins are used in a matchmaking or engagement ritual. A party of a fiancee-to-be friends comes to the house of a girl he likes. They communicate with her parents in an attempt to convince them that this wedding could be happy and long. And though the girl is not supposed to take an active part in the ritual, the decision is hers. In case she and her family are against this union, she “gives the pumpkin” to the young man. It is literally a ripe pumpkin on a traditional embroidered cloth, which means a rejection of the offer. In such a case, the engagement party then leaves the house with the fruit.
Nobody knows why this pitiful “duty” was assigned to pumpkins. There are plenty of them in autumn when engagements and weddings are usually arranged, though. And it is a pretty effective way of ridding yourself of extra pumpkins, I guess. Just joking. But the expression “to give a pumpkin” has become a phraseologism and is commonly used in the Ukrainian language.
Barbara Ušković
