Everything about Hutsul totally explained
Hutsuls (
Romanian:
Huţuli, singular
Huţul, Hutsul dialect:
Hutsule, singular
Hutsul; alternatively spelled
Huculs,
Huzuls,
Hutzuls,
Gutsuls,
Guculs,
Guzuls, or
Gutzuls;
Polish:
Hucuł, plural
Huculi, Hucułowie) are an
ethno-cultural group of
Ukrainian highlanders who for centuries have inhabited the
Carpathian mountains, mainly in
Ukraine, but also in the northern extremity of
Romania (in the areas of
Bukovina and
Maramureş), as well as in
Slovakia and
Poland.
Etymology
There are different versions for the origins of the name
Hutsul. An explanation is that it comes from the
Romanian word for "outlaw" (cf. Rom.
hoţ - "thief",
hoţul - "the thief"). Other explanations place their origins in the
Slavic kochul - "wanderer","migrant", in reference to their semi-
nomadic lifestyle, to the name of the
Turkic tribe of the
Uzy, and even to the name of the
Moravian Serbian king Hetsyl
(External Link
).
History and origins
Hutsuls inhabit areas situated between the south-east of those inhabited by the
Boykos, down to the northern part of the Romanian segment of the Carpathians.
There are several hypotheses concerning the origin of Hutsuls. According to one of them, Hutsuls are descendants of Slavic tribe
Ulichs, that had to leave their previous homes near the
Buh river under the pressure of
Pechenegs (External Link).
Hutsuls identify themselves as a part of
Ukrainian ethnos, having at the same time their local identity as a sub-ethnos
(External Link).
Language
The Hutsul language is relatively unique. It is thought to be a dialect of
Ukrainian with some Polish influences
(External Link),
(External Link),
(External Link),
(External Link),
(External Link)). Several words in their dialect have Romanian origins (for example
kyptar - "vest", from Rom.
cheptar cf.
Latin pectus;
zgardy - "necklace", from Rom.
zgardă, cf.Rom.
brânză).
Due to the current educational system, the Hutsul dialect is in danger of extinction. Compulsory education is done only in standardized literary Ukrainian. In recent times there has been a roots movement to keep the traditional Hutsul language alive.
Way of life and culture
Traditional Hutsul culture is often represented by the colorful and intricate craftsmanship of their clothing, sculpture, architecture, woodworking, metalworking (especially in
brass), rug weaving, pottery, and egg decorating (
see pysanka). Along with other Hutsul traditions, as well as their songs and dances, this culture is often celebrated and highlighted by the different countries that Hutsuls inhabit. Ukrainian Hutsul culture bears a noted resemblance to the traditional culture of
Romania (External Link), with that of western and southwestern Ukraine
(External Link) (External Link), and with that of other mountainous people which may have similar origins, such as the
Gorals in
Poland and
Slovakia(External Link) and the
Moravian Wallachians in the
Czech Republic. Most Hutsuls belong to the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
.
Hutsul society was traditionally based on
forestry and
logging, as well as cattle and sheep breeding; the Hutsuls are credited with having created the breed of horse known as the
Hucul pony. They use unique musical instruments, including the "
trembita"
(trâmbiţa), a type of
alpenhorn of Dacian origin, as well multiple varieties of the
fife, or
sopilka, that are used to create unique folk melodies and rhythms. Also frequently used are the
bagpipe (
duda), the
jew's harp (
drymba), and the hammered dulcimer -
tsymbaly.
The Hutsuls served as an inspiration for many writers, such as
Ivan Franko,
Lesya Ukrainka, Mykhailo Kotsiubyns'kyi, Vasyl Stefanik,
Marko Cheremshyna and
Mihail Sadoveanu.
Sergei Parajanov's film
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (
Тіні забутих предків), which is based on the book by Mykhailo Kotsiubyns'ky, portrays scenes of traditional Hutsul life.
Every summer, the village of
Sheshory in Ukraine hosts a three-day international festival of folk music and art. Two Hutsul-related museums are located in
Kolomyia, Ukraine: the Pysanky museum and the Museum of Hutsul and
Pokuttya Folk Art. Traditional Hutsul sounds and moves were effectively used by the Ukrainian winner of the
2004 Eurovision song contest,
Ruslana Lyzhychko.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hutsul'.
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