Peculiarities of Mode of Life, Conventional Occupations and Rites of Eastern Slobozhanshchyna’s [By Way of Example of the Village of Mozhniakivka (Novopskov District, Luhansk Region)]

Author

Kaplun Nataliya – a research fellow at Ethnography Department of the Luhansk Regional Local History Museum (2000–2014)

Peculiarities of Mode of Life, Conventional Occupations and Rites of Eastern Slobozhanshchyna’s [By Way of Example of the Village of Mozhniakivka (Novopskov District, Luhansk Region)]

Abstract

The article examines ethno-cultural phenomena of the Ukrainian village of Mozhniakivka on Luhanshchyna. In terms of historical and ethnographical zoning, the territory of Novopskov District belongs in the eastern part of Sloboda Ukraine. Throughout the mid­to­late­XVIIIth to XIXth centuries, mainly Ukrainian peasants populated this locality; therefore, the village’s residents still speak Ukrainian. Folk architecture of the village is represented by huts made of wood: wooden framework was puttied with several layers of clay, and afterwards walls were smoothed out and whitewashed. For Mozhniakivka uncharacteristic were so called eaves supported by a row of wooden pillars, which is peculiar to the Lower and Middle Over Aydar Lands. In adorning abodes, carving was applied. Window glasses were embellished with pieces of paper cutting handiwork usually made out of white paper, and in postwar years – newspapers. Up to now, this is the first recorded evidence of the existence of pieces of cut paper on the Luhanshchyna territory. According to recollections of Mozhniakivka dwellers, at the end of the XIXth to early XXth centuries there was pottery – on the courtyard of Holovynskyis functioned a ceramic workshop producing brown ware. Yet, visiting masters worked at that place as well.

Questioning of local population allowed ascertaining the ultimate term of existence of homespun clothes in the village – the mid­1950s. Of traditional articles of clothing, chemises (both short ones – stan, and long ones – dodilni), tablecloths, and towels were detected. Short chemises were sewn with loose sleeves and shoulder insets united at warp. The upper part of sleeves were adorned with pukhlyks (swollen­like insets), the neck and sleeve edges were densely heaped, while cuffs were stitched to the lower part of sleeves. Chemises were usually bedecked with cross­stitch in a range of red­black/dark blue colours.

The studies on local cloth garments show the changes that came about in folk decorative art throughout the XXth century. Traditional decorative strips of openwork typical of the late­XXth­to­early­XXth­century Slobozhanshchyna embroidery were replaced, in the 1950s, by straps of lace knit by hook, later – machine-laced. Changes are also observed both in techniques and in colouring of articles of clothing: from a cross-stitch in conventional bichromatic range of red-black colours to a cross-stitch in a polychromatic range of colours, and further to polychromatic embroidery in satin stitch.

The article also examines the family-life and calendar rituals of the locality.

The nuptial rite detected in the village of Mozhniakivka generally affirms the preservation, in the 1950s, of the principal features of traditional Slobozhanshchyna wedding. Prior to an espousals took place a matchmaking. In a week upon it, a bride’s kin (except for her parents) surveyed the place allocated to dwelling of a future family. This ritual was called ohliadyny (bride show) and babushky in Mozhniakivka. A bride’s dowry was conveyed to a bridegroom. There were baked a round loaf and shyshky (wedding pastry), with singing without fail at the time. While leavening dough for baking round loaf, women – round-loaf bakers, with singing songs, went round a large pot with dough. Nuptials lasted for 2–3 days. The second day of wedding was called besida (interlocution) in Mozhniakivka. On this day in the morning, newly married couple went to a bride’s parents to breakfast, whereupon the latter were invited to visit the couple.

Among calendar holidays, the ones of Christmas – New Year cycle and Green Week proved to be the most carefully treated and observed. On Christmas Eve, at the corner of honour were placed a sheaf, kutia (ritual boiled barley or wheat used with sweet sauce on the eve of Christmas) and stewed fruit. Children brought kutia only to godparents and those inviting them (generally being their kindred). On New Year’s Day, children melankuvaly – made the round of homesteads with wishing luck and household wellbeing to family members. In the 1950s, the Shrovetide was widely observed. On Pancake Day, varenyky (meat, fruit, or curd dumplings) and pancakes were traditionally made. On Whit Sunday, (earthen) floors were strewn with wormwood and thyme; homes were beautified with twigs of smooth­leaved elms and acacia.

In whole, the examined ethno-cultural phenomena retain their connection with general Ukrainian variants of traditional culture.

Keywords

Eastern Sloboda Ukraine, ethno­culture, local peculiarities.

References

1. (2003) Population of Luhansk Oblast (After the Results of All-Ukrainian Census of Population of 2001). Luhansk.
2. Bagalei D. (1848) Essays from the History of Colonization of Steppe Remote Area of Moscow State. Moscow.
3. Bahaliy D. (1993) History of Slobidska Ukraine. Kharkiv.
4. Ivanov, V., ed. (1898) Life and Works of the Peasants of Kharkov Governorate: Essays on the Ethnography of the Region. Kharkov: Provincial Administration Publishers, Vol. 1, 1012 pp.
5. Selivachov M. Wall Painting. In: (1999) Ukrainians: in two books. Opishne: Ukrayinske Narodozhavstvo, Book 2, pp. 433–454.
6. Borysenko V. Wedding Rituals. In: (1999) Ukrainians: in two books. Opishne: Ukrayinske Narodozhavstvo, Book 1, pp.209–214.
7. Vikhrova T. (2009) Scientific Report After the Materials of Ethnographic Expedition for the Study of Peculiarities and Evolution of Traditional and Everyday Culture of Novopskov District. 2005. Luhansk. Archives of Luhansk Regional Local History Museum.
8. Vikhrova T. (1993) The Main Family and Calendar Holidays and Rites of Slobozhanshchyna Population (After the Materials of Ethnographic Research of Starobelsk District, Kharkov Province of the Late XIXth Century). Lugansk. Archives of Luhansk Regional Local History Museum.
9. Kurochkin O. Calendar Customs and Rites. In: (1999) Ukrainians: in two books. Opishne: Ukrayinske Narodozhavstvo, Book 2.