MALANKA - OUR NEW YEAR
January 13 is another special day in archaic calendar of Ukrainians.This day we celebrate the New Year or Malanka. There is a great difference between the essence of the passage of time in archaic (sacred) and astronomic (physical) meaning. As for the first one, in Ukrainian culture it is reflected in celebration of the New Year by old calendar or the Old New Year (Malanka) in common parlance.
This wonderful custom prevails not only among the nations who adhere to the spiritual realm of Julian calendar (Ukrainians, Belarusians, Serbs, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Arabs of Jerusalem) but also the Germans of Switzerland (Alter Silvester), Scots (Oidhche Challainn) and Celts of Isle of Man.
Ukrainian traditions, associated with the celebration of this holiday, are filled with wonderful plexus of customs and rituals that follow us from the depths of millennia.
In addition, in these days (January 13, 14) Orthodox Christians celebrate the feasts of St. Melania or Malanka and St. Basil the Great.
However, as was noted above, the fest reaches the ancient times. Ukrainian New Year's obtained the name Malanka from a folk tale collected by a Ukrainian ethnologist. The story is based on The Creator Praboh and his four sons and one daughter. One son was the Devil, the second son was St. George (Yar-Yarylo), the third was St. John (Rai) and the fourth was Lad or Myr (Peace). The one daughter is our mother Earth and she was named Lada, who had two children, a son who was called the Moon and a daughter Spring-May, who was later referred to as Mylanka because she was loving (мила). As mother Earth, she was responsible for the blooming of flowers and the greenery spread in spring. Her evil uncle, the Devil desired her presence in his underground world and stole her one-day when the Moon was hunting. While she was gone, the Earth was left without spring and once she was released from the Devil, flowers began to bloom and greenery spread around the world. Ukrainians celebrate Malanka to symbolize the release of spring and to welcome it soon.
Malanka commemorates the feast day of Saint Melania the Younger. On this night in Ukraine, carolers traditionally went from house to house playing pranks or acting out a small play (similar to Vertep), with a bachelor dressed in women's clothing leading the troop. Today, Ukrainians all over the world still follow this tradition but with different variations that have been passed down from their ancestors. People gather in groups, dressed in traditional Ukrainian clothing and holding props such as the star and go door to door to their neighbours, nearest friends and family. This is called a Koliada, which starts on 6 January, Christmas Eve (Sviaty Vechir) and ends on 19 January. Traditionally, the first thing to do when you are invited into the family's house is to have the eldest male throw wheat grains around the entrance, which gifts the family with happiness, health, love, luck and more. As the male is throwing the wheat grain, he is saying a verse (вірш). Once this is completed, the rest of the carolers join in. Each person sends wishes to the family through these verses, they perform little skits and in between each of these, they sing Kolyadkas (on Christmas) and Shedrivkas (on Malanka), traditional Ukrainian carols.
Interestingly, that some Shedrivkas retained memories of ancient times when our ancestors celebrated the becoming of a new year not in the middle of winter but in March. Interestingly, that some Shedrivkas retained memories of ancient times when our ancestors celebrated the becoming of a new year not in the middle of winter but in March, a time of the year when migratory birds back from home from Vyriy. In addition the carols are full of images that reflect male and female archetype, for example solar and lunar symbols, as well as kids-stars as a result of their alliance and a symbol of procreation.
The evening of January 14 usually belongs to boys, who traditionally went from house to house, singing Shedrivkas and scattering grains on the doorstep. This tradition also dates back to ancient times, to early grain-growing civilizations, which we came from. The very process of scattering grains (sowing) obviously is an allegory of main male physiological function in nature - starting a new life as a kind, figuratively to sow the grains on a field.
In addition, performing our ancient rituals we perform a very important social mission, explaining to boys and girls their natural role in society since childhood. Unfortunately, we have to admit that not only the Western world has almost forgot it's ancient customs because of imposition of multicultural fakes by cultural marxists, but also the Eastern part of our country and in Belarus because of the same leftist counter-cultural politics the Soviet authorities had been pursuing here for decades, and it is ongoing now, implementing by Moscow.
Traditionally, celebrating the Winter feasts we celebrate the beginning of the new circle, the renewal of the world. Mystery of lights, and vegetation creates a new, or rather restores the original life, according to God's plan. For our ancestors it was not a simple celebration of the day in the calendar, but an act of entering to a sacred space and time.
Interestingly, that some Shedrivkas retained memories of ancient times when our ancestors celebrated the becoming of a new year not in the middle of winter but in March. Interestingly, that some Shedrivkas retained memories of ancient times when our ancestors celebrated the becoming of a new year not in the middle of winter but in March, a time of the year when migratory birds back from home from Vyriy. In addition the carols are full of images that reflect male and female archetype, for example solar and lunar symbols, as well as kids-stars as a result of their alliance and a symbol of procreation.
The evening of January 14 usually belongs to boys, who traditionally went from house to house, singing Shedrivkas and scattering grains on the doorstep. This tradition also dates back to ancient times, to early grain-growing civilizations, which we came from. The very process of scattering grains (sowing) obviously is an allegory of main male physiological function in nature - starting a new life as a kind, figuratively to sow the grains on a field.
In addition, performing our ancient rituals we perform a very important social mission, explaining to boys and girls their natural role in society since childhood. Unfortunately, we have to admit that not only the Western world has almost forgot it's ancient customs because of imposition of multicultural fakes by cultural marxists, but also the Eastern part of our country and in Belarus because of the same leftist counter-cultural politics the Soviet authorities had been pursuing here for decades, and it is ongoing now, implementing by Moscow.
Traditionally, celebrating the Winter feasts we celebrate the beginning of the new circle, the renewal of the world. Mystery of lights, and vegetation creates a new, or rather restores the original life, according to God's plan. For our ancestors it was not a simple celebration of the day in the calendar, but an act of entering to a sacred space and time.
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