What is Pysanky? Understanding the tradition and history behind the Ukrainian Easter eggs

Pysanky is written with a special kind of stylus called a "kystka" (Image via SOPA Images and Natalie Fobes/Getty Images)

As the world celebrates Easter on Sunday, April 17, Ukrainians all around the globe are coming together to celebrate Pysanky (pronounced "pih-sahn-KIH"). The Easter tradition of coloring intricate details on an eggshell with the help of wax.

The art form was banned in the Soviet governed Ukraine but has flourished since the country's independence. Adults teach the art form to children, and the decorated eggs are carefully passed on through generations.

Pysanky is a way to appeal to gods and goddesses for health and prosperity.

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The art form of decorating eggs for Pysanky

According to Wikipedia:

"Pysanky is often taken to mean any type of decorated egg, but it specifically refers to an egg created by the written-wax batik method and utilizing traditional folk motifs and designs. Several other types of decorated eggs are seen in Polish, and Ukrainian tradition and these vary throughout the regions of Poland and Ukraine."

The tradition is said to date back to the pre-Christian era. Fragments of the wax decorated eggshells have been archeologically excavated in Ostrówek, a village in Poland, with some of them dating back to the early Piast Era.

The religious practice was banned in Ukraine by the Soviet regime, and most of the ancient collections in museums were destroyed both by war and negligence. It saw a resurgence in the country after independence in 1991.

Each family has its own designs and formulas for dyeing eggs. The design and painting methods are passed down through generations, usually from mother to daughter and so on.

The dyes are extracted from various natural resources like dried plants, roots, bark, berries and insects. The egg contents are blown out of the egg with the help of two small holes.

The patterns are drawn with a stylus made of thin brass wrapped around a needle. It is known by different names in different regions, like, pysachok, pysak, pysal'tse, and kystka (kistka).

Pysanky are made using the batik method, where patterns are drawn on the egg using molten wax. The egg is then dipped in dye to color the parts that are not covered with wax. The process is repeated multiple times, going from the lightest to the darkest color. It is also called "writing" on the egg.

In the end, the wax is melted off the eggshell using hot water or a warm washcloth. The resulting products include intricately decorated eggs ranging from simple geometric lines to eyecatching flowers.

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The social effects of the tradition on Ukrainians

Helen Badulak, an 84-year-old, an expert who has been creating the Easter eggs since 1970s and has written on eggs of different sizes, told a news channel:

"Practice makes perfect, I have used all kinds [of eggs], from the smallest finch, to the largest which was an ostrich."

Badulak is a master artisan and can complete one egg in just three days. She explained the symbolism of the art by saying:

"The colors have meanings and also the symbols. Yellow is spirituality, white for purity, birds for peace."

According to her, the eggs bring luck to anyone who receives them as a gift.

Ukrainian-American artist Sarah Bachinger founded a group called Pysanky for Peace. The group holds workshops dedicated to the tradition, and the proceeds earned are directed towards aiding Ukraine in its fight against the Russian offensive.

In an interview with a news portal, Bachinger shared her inspiration and experience with the organization. She said:

"The workshops I've been doing in my local area have garnered so much interest. People have seen this type of work before, but have never really looked into how it's done in the history and culture behind it. So there's been a very big increase in interest in how this work is done and how it relates to Ukraine and Ukrainians."

She added:

"The community aspect that has kind of sprouted from this is just really beautiful. It's just creating a space where people can come together to the table and learn from each other, focus their intention on something good, and just relax and connect."

According to the company's website, Pysanky for Peace has already raised over $7,500 in funds benefiting Ukraine.