As Easter approaches (Sunday the 15th on the Julian calendar and this Sunday on the Gregorian), one of the oldest Ukrainian traditions is decorating Easter Eggs known as Pysanky (which is plural, where as Pysanka is one). An ancient custom pre-dating Christianity in the region over 1,000 years ago, these eggs were decorated to symbolize new life that began in Spring.
To begin, first you need a few items:
- Eggs – the larger the better, some pysanky are even drawn on ostrich eggs
- Kistka – also known as the pysachok, this is the stylus used to draw the lines and figures on the egg using beeswax
- Beeswax – is the binding material used to shield the colour of the surface of egg before it is dyed
- Candle – is used to heat the beeswax to bind to the egg
- Dye – originally from plants and fruit, these are used to stain the eggs different colours
Where to purchase them:
This video illustrates how the process is done:
Enjoy these hand-made crafts, while you can before they are modernized!