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Dear Friends,
I have an issue of the National Geographic Magazine from Novemember 1997. It has a beautiful photo essay on the Hutsul people of Western Ukraine. Can someone give me some basic information on them? Who are they? How are they related to Ukrainians and Rusins? Can somone share a bit on their language and history?
Thanks in advance,
Manuel.
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Dear Manuel,
The Hutsuls are a Carpathian people with their own language and culture, as are the Lemko and Boyko peoples (I am of Boyko-Bukovinian background).
At the time of St Paissy Velichkovsky in the 18th century, the Hutsuls were counted as a separate people. St Paissy himself counted them among his disciples separately and apart from the "Great Ukrainians."
Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky wrote a number of epistles to the Hutsuls in their own language and I have copies of these.
He was particularly concerned with their level of morality and with a tendency in some areas to publicly accept adultery.
"Some Hutsuls tell their spouses, 'What pride can I take in a wife that doesn't have lovers?' What a stupid comment to make! One does not expect that kind of stupidity from such a wise people as the Hutsuls! What are we to do? Sound the church bell and shout to the people that a rabid dog is biting an elderly woman in the town square?"
They are famous for their wood-work and for the long "Topor" or long-handled axes that they carry.
The Hutsul "Robin Hood" was "Dovbush" an 18th century Hutsul outlaw who robbed wealthy landowners in the Carpathian region and fought them for oppressing his people - the stuff of which legends are made.
Alex
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SLAVA ISUSU CHRISTU!
SLAVA NA VIKI BOHU!
Hi Alex!
You wrote:"...They are famous for their wood-work ..."
I am the proud owner of wooden Hutzul hand cross. I purchased it at our local Ukrainian Festival from a little old man who was selling things out of a suitcase. It's GORGEOUS!!! It's about 7" long and all hand carved with an outline of brass finishing nails. I gave the man 3 times what he was asking for it. I felt that I would be stealing it if I paid what he was asking for it!!
It's the cross on the right-hand side in the foto I sent you.
I also love Hutzul pysanky. I think they are the most gorgeous and I often find myself doing Hutzul-style patterns and color combinations when I do my pysanky.
S'Bohom!
mark
ps
do you have SHADOWS OF OUR FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS??
the ikon writer
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Dear Marko,
Yes, I have that!
Our local Ukie store sells Hutsul hand crosses, some with the slanted Foot-rest, but no "Title" on the top - actually an ancient Kyivan style Cross.
In fact, I've seen photos of Hutsul neck crosses that VERY closely resemble Ethiopian neck crosses.
I gave an Ethiopian cross to a Presbytera friend who now wears it all the time, especially with her own Hutsul folk costume - it looks like a real Hutsul cross and one couldn't tell the difference.
Alex
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Alex,
Is that Arka West on Bloor?
The Hutsuls are mountain people and I believe their major cultural center is in Yaremche, in southwestern Ivano-Frankivska Oblast.
uc
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My sons wear Hutsul chip-carved crosses to serve at Divine Liturgy that have circles and other desings on them very much like some Ethiopian crosses I have seen.
The Hutuls also do some beautiful inlay work on wood with mother of pearl, etc. as well as some very distinctive vishivka (embroidery) designs as do some of the other Carpathian peoples. We have carved boxes, crosses and carved wooden plates throughout our house. They are always a source of fascination for anyone who comes to visit.
The Hutsul architectural style was very distinct for Ukrainian wooden churches - a cruciform church with a single large dome in the center of the cross, with an external belfry in a separate structure. A good example of this is the church of St. Michael in Dora.
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Dear UC,
Arka West indeed!
A great store for Hutsul hand crosses, and all things Ukrainian!
They also had some Papal rosaries for sale that people received from the Pope and then sold . . .
Alex
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Originally posted by Orthodox Catholic:
Dear UC,......
They also had some Papal rosaries for sale that people received from the Pope and then sold . . .
Alex How could people bear to part with such a treasure? There are some folk you just do not understand. Anhelyna
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Dear Anhelyna, Well, I certainly wouldn't buy them . . . I got mine by shamelessly asking the Pope himself  But you are right. I saw a video of the Papal visit to Ukraine and the journalists in Kyiv were wondering about those "stringed beads" the Pope was giving out. "What are those things?" a journalist asked another on the ground near the Papal Altar. "They are a bunch of beads on a string on which prayers to the Mother of God are said," came the answer. "Oh!" said the other journalist. Alex
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Thanks for the responses everyone
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