You’ve probably seen them in gift shops or photos. And, in fact, eggs exquisitely painted in intricate patterns seem to pop up around this time of year like, well, rabbits.
If you were at the Easter Market here last Thursday and Saturday, you also would have seem them there—thanks to Elma Tucker of Fort Frances.
Tucker (nee Tkachyk) had some of her handiwork on display and for sale—just in time for Ukrainian Easter, which falls this weekend this year.
The art of “pysanka,” which stems from the Ukrainian word for writing, is still alive and well in Rainy River District, although Tucker admitted she was somewhat late getting into the art.
“I didn’t actually start until I was in high school. It was my Aunt Elma who taught me,” she noted, adding her aunt actually taught courses in pysanka at Fort Frances High School.
Pysanka is a long-standing Ukrainian tradition that is meant to symbolize the victory of life over death; hence the association with Easter. But actually, it pre-dates Christianity and besides being a symbol of friendship and protection, the pysanka was believed to protect one from harm.
Pagans celebrated the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. Then with the arrival of Christianity, the painted eggs became part of the Easter ritual, where they symbolize the coming of Christ, the rebirth of man, and the victory of life over death.
Each region in the Ukraine has its own special ritual and design. The intricate patterns often show the plants and animals particular to that region as well complex geometric patterns.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
