Christmas and Malanka

A book about the traditions of celebrating Christmas and Malanka from the Ukraїner team: we take you with us on an expedition to different corners of the country to show how the traditions of winter holidays are preserved and recreated in Ukraine.

Christmas unites whole generations, families around a festive table and caroling together, and Malanka - whole villages in street carnival action with masks and fancy costumes in honor of the new year's arrival. Both holidays have deep roots for Ukrainians, which the Soviet repressive machine tried to destroy for decades.

We were told about bans on celebrations, oppression, and persecution of carolers and malankars in the villages of Poltava Oblast, in Kharkiv, Lviv, and Vashkivtsi. Despite these prohibitions, many traditions have survived. Thanks to those who hid Malanka's masks in chests in time, protected gangs from persecution, recorded ancient carols, and gathered carolers in their kitchens despite the risks of arrests and searches.

The tradition has not been interrupted; it is being studied and revived. This is how Ukrainians always won in the struggle for their own identity. They are winning even now.