Giving Away Pysanky

When I came to Ukraine I was anxious to take home many pysanky (Ukrainian singular is "писанка"), which are Ukrainian Easter eggs decorated with vibrant and highly symbolic colors. The word "писанка" is related to the word "to write," as the process of creating the eggs involves literally "writing" on the eggs. This morning I bought dozens of pysanky, both the original eggshell and more recently used wooden varieties. This is something that I had hoped to be able to do, since the hand decorating of Easter eggs has been the defining tradition in our family since our children were infants.

I have talked to a few Ukrainians about the various pysanky traditions, which are not universal by any means, but the following is my summary understanding: The purpose of the pysanky is to give them away as blessings to those around you. You don't keep pysanky--you give them away. I like that. To give away a pysanka is to give a unique symbolic gift of life and happiness. Each of the designs on the pysanka is supposed to have a deep, symbolic meaning. Traditionally, pysanky designs were chosen to match the character of the person receiving the gift. Usually pysanky would be displayed prominently in the largest public room of the house.

At Easter the women in a large family would create about 60 pysanky. In some communities, the preparation itself would be a deeply religious experience, requiring a certain peaceful and receptive state of mind, because blessings were to flow through the giving away of the pysanky to loved ones. The finished pysanky would be carried to the Church in a basket to be blessed by the priest on Easter Sunday, after which they were given away. I understand that the gift giving might proceed roughly as follows:

• One or two pysanky might be given to the Orthodox priest in the village Church.
• Three or four might be carried to the cemetery and placed on the graves of departed family members.
• Ten or fifteen might be given to children or grandchildren.
• Ten or twelve might be exchanged by the unmarried girls with the eligible young men in the community.
• A few might be saved to place in the coffin of loved ones who might die during the coming year.
• Several might be saved to keep in the home for protection against fire, lightning, storms or other dangers and intrusions.
• Two or three might be placed in the mangers of cows and horses to ensure safe calving and colting and a good milk supply for the young.
• At least one pysanka was placed beneath the family's bee hive to ensure a good harvest of honey (Ukraine is famous for honey--I have been having bread and honey for breakfast almost every morning since my arrival).
• One was saved for each grazing animal to be taken out to the fields with the shepherds in the spring.
• Several pysanky were placed in the nests of hens to encourage the laying of eggs.

Everyone in the family from the youngest to the oldest would always receive at least one pysanka for Easter. Young children and teenagers were given pysanky with light colors and bright designs; dark pysanky were given to older people. I understand that it was appropriate to give very young children pysanky which were very nearly white, signifying that they still had much in their lives "to be written." The pysanky for those of old age were glorious and rich with many deep hues and intricate designs. A bowl filled with pysanky was invariably kept in every home. It served not only as a colorful display, but also as protection from all dangers.

So, its a wonderful tradition. There is something powerful and moving in the idea behind pysanky--that it is better to give blessings away than to hoard them for ourselves. Though the colors and patterns are bright, we never really enjoy them unless they are given away. I will take home pysanky to give to my family and friends (and maybe even one for my Golden Retriever, "Lady," and one or two to give to the "Bishop" of my village church, and, of course, a bowl full of pysanky to sit in the large family room of our house).