Pysanka Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine (17 April - 5 May 2014)

Many eastern European ethnic groups decorate eggs using wax resist for Easter. Ukrainian Easter egg decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk designs using a wax-resist method is called pysanka. 



Last week I visited Pysanka Festival at National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv” in Kyiv, Ukraine. The word pysanka comes from the verb pysaty, "to write", as the designs are not painted on, but written with beeswax. When I was thinking about the Festival I remembered Pysanka Museum in Kolomyya and, therefore, I expected to see many eggs with different “written” designs displayed under open sky. 

The Festival is really more than that. Ukrainians have been decorating eggs, creating these miniature jewels, for countless generations. So you can find all types of decorated eggs at the Festival, such as pysanka, dryapanka, malyovanka, nakleyanka, travlenka, biserka, lystovka, etc. I was surprised to learn that students of elementary and medium schools created many eggs for this Festival. The youngest student I found was 3 years old and eggs were collected from almost every region of Ukraine! I truly believe that this is very positive experience for kids to learn its own culture and history because crating pysankas makes you learn about ritualistic elements involved, magical thinking, a calling out to the gods and goddesses for health, fertility, love, and wealth. 

Although the Festival is over but in case if you get a chance to visit Kyiv these days come to see Pysanka Exhibition, which will last till 5 May 2014. General admission ticket to St. Sophia court is only 3 UAH (approximately $0.25 – really that much!). However, if you’ve never visited St. Sophia and you want to know more about Ukrainian culture and history I really recommend going the museum with mosaics and frescoes from the 11th century. It will cost you only $5 to 8$ for regular or premium ticket including admission to the Bell Tower. Enjoy!

1. Big Krashanky are welcoming visitors. 

2. Decorated Easter eggs made by students.

3. Decorated Easter eggs made by students.

4. Creative Easter eggs made by students.

5. Creative Easter eggs decorated with coffee beans, rice, threads and ribbons.

6. Big pysanka plate.

7. Arch made of krashankas.

8. Green tree with malyovanky.

9. Trees decorated with Easter eggs and St. Sophia's Cathedral.

10. Extra-large egg :)

11. A lot of pinkish eggs.

12. And if you go to the top of the Bell Tower you will see....

and, if you turn around you'll see beautiful Kyiv skyline. 

I made few shots but will keep them for my next post. Hope you enjoyed. See you!