Marina Kirichenko
Što je pisanka?
Pisanke su jaja, uglavnom kokošja, oslikana za blagdan Uskrsa. Tradicija ukrašavanja jaja seže u davna vremena. Na području Ukrajine pronađene su keramičke pisanke stare mnogo stotina godina. Zvečke i drugi predmeti u obliku ukrašenog jajeta vjerojatno su naši preci koristili kao amajlije, ukrase, kultne predmete.
Kako se oslikavaju pisanke?
Pisanka je posebno jaje koje se oslikavalo znakovitim uzorcima. Među najstarijim elementima dizajna su znakovi sunca, vode, plodnosti. Među često korištenim bojama su žuta, crvena, zelena, crvena i druge.
Suvremene pisanke u Ukrajini oslikavaju se pomoću prirodnog voska i boja. Rastopljenim voskom na jaje se postupno nanosi uzorak. Dijelovi ljuske koji nisu prekriveni voskom boje se bojom. Tako nastaje višeslojni i složeni ornament.
Zašto postoje pisanke?
Ranije su se pisanke koristile kao darovi. Vjerovalo se da jaje oslikano za Uskrs pomaže ostvariti sve one lijepe želje koje su na njemu ispisane. Pisanke su se darivale bližnjima, rođacima i djeci. Često se pisanka čuvala pored ikona za sreću. Također su se pisanke zakopavale u polja za dobar urod.
U današnje vrijeme pisanke se izrađuju više u dekorativne svrhe. Važan je i sadržajni dio ovog procesa. Jer Ukrajinci obnavljaju ukrajinske tradicije koje su dosljedno uništavane od strane Ruskog Carstva i Sovjetskog Saveza.
Jedu li se pisanke?
U proslavi Uskrsa jaja igraju važnu simboličku ulogu. Međutim, ona su i izvrsna hrana nakon dugog posta. Za svečani stol Ukrajinci pripremaju krašanke. Krašanke su ista jaja, ali obojena u jednu boju. Raznobojnim kuhanim jajima običaj je uživati i počastiti prijatelje.
Zanimljivosti o pisankama:
- Najveća pisanka na svijetu nalazi se u Kanadi. To je dvanaestmetarski spomenik, stvoren u čast pisanke, a postavila ga je ukrajinska zajednica grada.
- U Ukrajini, u gradu Kolomija, djeluje jedini muzej pisanke na svijetu.
- Ukrajinska pisanka uvrštena je na UNESCO-ov popis nematerijalne kulturne baštine čovječanstva.
Ukrainian Easter: Eggs
Easter is one of the two biggest holidays for Christians, along with Christmas. And in Ukraine, the celebrations last for at least a week. We’ll talk about the rich traditions, festive preparations, and favorite treats of Ukrainians in the next article. But today, I’d like to focus on preparing eggs for the holiday. In Ukraine, they are called pysanky.
What is a pysanka?
Pysanky are eggs, mostly chicken eggs, decorated for the Easter holiday. The tradition of decorating eggs dates back to ancient times. After all, ceramic pysanky, which are many hundreds of years old, have been found on the territory of Ukraine. Rattles and other objects in the shape of a decorated egg were probably used by our ancestors as amulets, decorations, and cult objects.
How are pysanky decorated?
A pysanka is a special egg that was decorated with symbolic patterns. Among the oldest design elements are symbols of the sun, water, and fertility. Commonly used colors include yellow, orange, green, red, and others.
Modern pysanky in Ukraine are decorated using natural beeswax and dyes. Molten wax is applied to the egg in stages to create a pattern. Parts of the shell not covered in wax are dyed. This creates a multi-layered and complex ornament.
What are pysanky for?
Previously, pysanky were used as gifts. It was believed that an egg decorated for Easter helps to realize all the good wishes that are inscribed on it. Pysanky were given to loved ones, relatives, and children. Often, a pysanka was kept near icons for good luck. Pysanky were also buried in fields for a good harvest.
Nowadays, pysanky are made more for decorative purposes. The meaningful part of this process is also important. After all, Ukrainians are reviving Ukrainian traditions that were systematically destroyed by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
Are pysanky eaten?
In the celebration of Easter, eggs play an important symbolic role. However, they are also a wonderful food after a long fast. For the festive table, Ukrainians prepare krashanky. Krashanky are the same eggs, but dyed in one color. It is customary to enjoy and treat friends with colorful boiled eggs.
Interesting facts about pysanky:
- The largest pysanka in the world is located in Canada. It is a twelve-meter monument created in honor of the pysanka and installed by the Ukrainian community of the city.
- The only Pysanka Museum in the world operates in the city of Kolomyia, Ukraine.
- The Ukrainian pysanka is included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Emilija Natalija Habulin
