Malanka in Vashkivtsi – masquerade of Bukovyna

Malanka in Vashkivtsi is a unique phenomenon in Ukraine. Every year on the eve of the Old New Year or the Orthodox New Year (at night from January 13) Malanka is celebrated so noisy that it seems the entire world can hear it.

Celebration begins on January 13 in the evening, as the first star rises in the sky. Then almost in every house everyone from small boys to men put on fantastic masks and costumes and go to sing carol songs to its fellow villagers. In such manner «pereberii» (in English “disguised”), it is one more name of Malanka holiday in Bukovyna, respect owners, chase and cheat evil spirits and witches.

And on January 14 in Vashkivtsi come a lot of tourists, guests and fans of loud celebration from different parts of Ukraine to watch in reality this famous theatrical performance. Actually there is a real carnival on the streets of this town – you may amaze costumes, sophisticated masks, theatrical performances showing the most critical current problems, there are hundreds of people having fun, laugh or just enjoy life. This is the best way to gain peace of mind and good mood for the entire year.

The end of this festival is also very astonishing. People swim in Teplytsia River that originates from the underground holes and it never freezes in winter. In such manner “malankari” (participants of festival) clear from evil spirits that could «stick» to them during the festival.

So if you like fun celebration of winter holidays, we will advise you to visit Malanka in Vashkivtsi because you will not be able to find elsewhere such concentration of inventive persons in one place.

The main characters of classical Malanka is an Old man and an Old woman, a Young man and a Young woman, that is Vasyl and Malanka, a wedding Father and Mather, a Bear, Death, Devil, a Smith, a Hutsul, a Gipsy man and woman, a Turk, a Gentleman and a Lady, a Jew and a Soldier (Russia).

Above all, Devils entertain guests at this holiday: they throw passerby into snow and soot them as well, frighten children and make fun of girls and so on.

Ukrainian people for a long time celebrate Malanka's holiday on January 13 on the eve of Saint Basil the Great (January 14) when it celebrated as the start of New Year by the Julian calendar. It was believed that in New Year's Eve the Sun and the Moon met together in the heaven and that was a symbol of whole new things, namely New Year. According to legend, namely in that night Malanka, which was a symbol of the Moon in imagine of our ancestors, got married to Basil who was a symbol of the Sun.

Researchers of Ukrainian folklore and New Year's ceremonies believe that Saint Melanie at Christianity replaced a much older image of pagan goddess Makosha or how it was called Mokosh. This goddess was patron of women, helped mothers giving of children's birth and particular helped women in all theirs beginnings. She was also worshiped as the goddess of rain and the Sun's sister.

Vashkivtsi village, Vyzhnytsia region, Chernivtsi oblast.

There were used photo from sites and pages ukrinform.ua, molbuk.ua, vidido.ua, mtrk.com.ua, bukpravda.cv.ua, http://www.vashkivtsi.com/malanka, http://vk.com/club68309375?from=quick_search