“Among us it is the custom to sing under the window on Christmas Eve carols that are called kolyadki. The mistress or master or whoever is left in the house always drops into the singer’s bag some sausage or bread or a copper or whatever he has plenty of…they often sing about the birth of Christ, and at the end wish good health to the master, the mistress, the children, and the entire household.” Mykola Hohol’
During Christmas, it is common to decorate the home with a sheaf of wheat, called didukh, which represents the ancient, wheat fields that serve as a foundation of modern Ukrainian culture. The word didukh means “grandfather spirit,” reminding the family of its ancestral ties to the rich land that fed generation upon generation and continues to nourish, both in a physical sense and a spiritual one. In addition to the ceremonial sheaf of wheat, a traditional East Slavic bread called kalach (калач) is prepared. The name of this bread comes from the Old Slavonic word коло (kolo), meaning circle or wheel. This is because the kalachi are maid by braiding dough into ring shapes. Often times three of these rings are stacked atop each other, and a candle is placed in the middle. It is traditionally prepared for the Holy Supper (Свята Вечіря). It is said that this bread is a symbol of luck, prosperity, and eternity. At the end of Holy Supper it is common for the family to sing kolyadky (колядки), which are Christmas carols. Many carols are ancient, pagan songs which have evolved and been adapted to fit the mold of a Christian carol. Groups of carolers go door to door, singing these beautiful songs and spreading peace, love, and joy. It is customary to give them a donation, which frequently is put toward church funds. It is not uncommon, though to present the carolers with a gift of bread, instead of, or in addition to money. Below is a link to a video of traditional carolers receiving bread and a picture of a didukh in L’viv, Ukraine.
Kalach is also found at memorial ceremonies because of its image of the eternal. It is tradition for the dead to be buried with a loaf of bread placed over his heart, to keep him from becoming hungry on his journey. In addition to this bread, after the burial ceremony, a dish of wheat and honey, known as kolyvo (коливо) is prepared for any guests present. After the meal it is tradition to put a glass of vodka and a piece of bread on the windowsill for the deceased, because it is believed that the deceased soul returns home during the following days. The bread is carried to the grave the next day to “wake up the deceased.” At this point, the funeral ends and commemoration begins. Bread is even a staple in Hutsul funerals. The Hutsuls (Гуцли) are an ethno-cultural group of Ukrainian highlanders who have inhabited the breathtakingly gorgeous Carpathian mountains for centuries, where they have lived mostly in isolation, allowing them to develop traditions unique to them. During a Hutsul funeral, a small group of men follow the procession of mourners, playing a wooden alpine horn called the trembita. Ceremonial loaves are offered to the players and tied to the base of the trembitas. In this representation and in many others, bread is inexorably linked to life, death, love, memory, faith, and healing. Below is a picture of a Ukrainian funeral procession. The casket’s cover is being carried separately, and on top of it lay flowers and bread.
Please view this youtube video of a Hutsul funeral:
~Spenser
Sources:
http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages%5CH%5CU%5CHutsuls.htm
http://www.wumag.kiev.ua/index2.php?param=pgs20052/70 (note: this site has beautiful photos!)
http://www.whatson-kiev.com/index.php?go=News&in=view&id=202
http://saritabehindthelens.blogspot.com/2007/09/ukrainian-funeral.html
http://myukraine.info/en/culture/etnography/traditions/view?searchterm=bread
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