It was an exciting creative day at Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre when two classes, youth and adults, learned how to create traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs known as Pysanky.
The tradition of egg decoration and the art of wax-resist (batik) egg decoration in Slavic cultures probably dates back to the pre-Christian era and the word Psanky means ‘to write’.
Each egg is unique with symbolic meanings and colours. For example”
White Purity, innocence and Birth
Yellow Youth, hapiness, hospitality
Green Spring, new growth and hope
Orange Strength, endurance, eternal sun
Red Happiness, hope, passion, the sun
Blue Sky and good health
Black Eternity, dark time for dawn
During the workshops, Angela Ewtushik of Harriston, explained the meaning and history behind Pysanky and the technique of decorating traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs.
For larger view, click on image
A tool called a “kistka” is used to apply hot wax to the shell of an egg, which is then placed in a series of dye baths. The wax prevents the dye from reaching the surface of the egg; multiple layers of wax and colour may be applied to build the pattern which is then revealed when the wax is removed by melting it and gently rubbing it off at the end.
While today’s dyes are manufactured in bygone days natural products were used:
- dark red/brown: — onion skins;
- black: — oak or alder bark or walnut shells;
- gold: — apple tree bark or marigold flowers;
- violet: — mallow flower petals;
- green: — rye shoots or periwinkle leaves;
- pink: — beet juice
With three grandaughters in the youth workshop, Martha Juhasz (nee Sawchuk) brought in a traditional Ukrainian blouse worn by her mother who emigrated to Canada in 1939.
The traditional blouse is hand-made and sewn of natural materials and embroidered with threads of various colours … most often, the frontal part of the shirt and sleeves are embroidered. Ukrainians believe embroidery has a talisman meaning — the power to protect a person from all harm and bring good luck but the designs varied in meaning.
