Today at 20:10
In Kyiv, there were celebrations at the outdoor Pyrohiv museum that began with traditional folk music. The lyrics and melody were passed from generation to generation. The folk band that performed them, from the Rivne region, aims to preserve Ukrainian traditions.
“This vyshyvanka is probably more than one hundred years old,” Manager of the Berehynia folk band, Natalia Kryvko said, indicated the traditional Ukrainian shirt that she was wearing. “It belonged to my grandmother. All our costumes belonged to our grandmothers. These skirts, these shirts. These are also traditional Ukrainian shoes – postoly. They are especially made for us by craftsmen.”
At Pyrohiv, women were taught to make the main element of the Kupala outfit – wreathes. Wreath weaving is a special ritual. Women have to collect 12 different types of plants by sunrise. Each of them has its unique purpose and properties.
“There is birch, oak, daisy, calendula, St John’s wort, mint. Mint is used to attract men, birch is for slenderness, and oak is for strength,” wreath maker Olena Semenenko said.
Semenenko’s student today, Natalia Moseyko has already found her love but she could wove a wreath to get married.
“At first, I just wanted to buy one. But then I decided to try to make one myself,” Moseyko said.
In the evening on Ivan Kupala day, it’s customary to make wishes and follow ancient fortunetelling traditions.
The Trofimchuk family believes this is a special night. Ten years ago, Natalia Trofimchuk met her future husband after she made a wreath and placed it in the river, as per tradition.
“I was with friends. My husband was with his friends. We were walking and we found each other,” she said.
But if her heart’s desire is marriage, best to make the wreath well, for if it drowns, the woman who made it won’t be married that year.
The celebrations ended with a bonfire.
Both men and women jumped over the fire as a cleansing ritual. According to old folk tales this will protect you from misfortune.
