Traditions

Who are the Horiuns?

In Slobozhanshchyna, near the cities of Putyvl and Bilopillia, Horiuns live. They are an East Slavic subethnic group that was formed on these lands in the 16th century. Now, there are only a few thousand Horiuns left.

The Return of the Wooden Toy

The tradition of creating toys has lived in Ukrainian culture from time immemorial. Clay, wood, fabric, straw, vine, dough — this is far from an exhaustive list of traditional Ukrainian toys. Despite such diversity, only two state museums are dedicated...

Grainland. Bringing life back to the village

A few years ago in the village Ivkivtsi hidden from the passers-by over the hills near Cherkasy, the locals transformed a former Soviet collective farm into agricultural attraction Grainland. Grainland aims to not only entertain visitors but also display antique...

Kryvorivnia. Hutsul Koliada in Spite of the Bans

 “On Sunday morning, an early sunrise brought joy and glory to cherry gardens” — these lines begin a carol which has been heard in the village of Kryvorivnia in the Hutsul region for over 100 years. The tradition...

Worldwide unknown Petrykivka

The village of Petrykivka is known for the eponymous traditional painting style — Petrykivka painting (or simply “Petrykivka”). Historically, people used it to decorate house walls, musical instruments and household items. Nowadays, these painting elements can be seen on a...

Polissia singing

In the villages of Polissia, the tradition of authentic Polissian singing has been preserved. Stari Koni, Komory, Svalovychi — in these and some other villages in Polissia, there are still people who remember the old songs that were known and...

Khortytsia. A Reserve in the Middle of the City

Khortytsia, the largest island on the Dnipro river, is located In Zaporizhzhia, below the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Station. Nowadays this place is gaining importance for the revival of Ukrainian history. Over the past 15 years, the island has got own...

Shepherd by Vocation

Cheesemaking is a long-standing craft in the Carpathians. The locals were making cheese using sheep and cow milk. The original recipes were passed from generation to generation. However, very few people make cheese nowadays. The youth is sure that grazing,...