Ukrainian Traditions

Learn more about the beauty, history and  life of Ukrainians. Be proud for the heroic past of our Motherland! The more we know about our country, about our ancestors, their traditions, the better citizens we are.

Level - A2 (pre -intermediate )

Maria TSYTSYURA    A teacher of English School # 3 of Sarny Rivne region

Objectives: to teach pupils to:

-   practise oral speech based on familiar grammar and new vocabulary;

-   ask and answer questions;

-   develop students' reading comprehension skills;

-   expand their vocabulary;

- learn more about the traditions and customs of Ukrainians;

- summarise information;

Equipment: calendar, hand outs some illustrations, a book "Ukraine, a Cultural Reader" by V.L.Polupan, A.P.Polupan, V.V.Makhova; dictionaries, sayings, tables;

My motto is: Never stop, if you want to achieve success! Believe in yourself, if you want to achieve success.

Time: 45 minutes.

                                                   Procedure 

I.   Introduction.

T: The territory of Ukraine is 603.7 thousand square kilometers. Two such countries as Italy can be placed on this territory. Ukraine occupies 42^nd place in the world as to its territory being larger than any country in Western Europe. Ukraine stretches for 1300km from east to west and 900km from north to south. Ukraine borders on Russia, Moldova, Rumania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Belarus.

Ukrainians speak the Ukrainian language. According to UNESCO Ukrainian occupies 22^nd place among the Slav languages after Russian. II.  Revising the vocabulary.

T: Please, now say what you associate with our state Ukraine.

Pls:

Easter is the chief Christian feast, which ceberbates the resurrection of Christ. The week before Easter, the Great (Velykyi) week is called the white (Bilyi) or Pure (Chystyi) week. The last Sunday before Easter is called (Verbna Nedilia). Easter begins with the matins and high mass, during which the pasky (traditional Easter breads), pysanky and krashanky (decorated or coloured Easter eggs) are blessed in the church. Butter, leaf lard, cheese, roast suckling, pigs, sausage, smoked meat, and little napkins containing poppy seeds, horse-radish and other provisions are also blessed. After the matins the people exchange Easter greetings "Krystos voskres" and answer "Voistino voskres" They often sing spring songs (vesnianky).

Speaking. Work in groups.

T: Now, Let's check how well you know about our ancestors and         their traditions.

Group I: Name the main holidays of Ukraine, the dates of them..   Group II: Retell about the most interesting facts in every holiday.

For example: only since Spas people could eat apples.

After this holiday the ploughmen sew the winter crops.    Group III: Explain,please:

1.  What is "the snip" like?

2.            What is "kutia" like?

3.            How do you call Easter bread?

4.            How do you call Easter eggs?

5.            What are the 12 symbolic dishes for a holy supper?

Group IV:

             1.How do people call the last  

                Sunday before Easter?
             2.What do they say and do?
                (The people top one another with
                the brancher of pussy - willow repeating
                the wish: "Be as tall as the willow, as
                healthy as the water and as rich as the
         Earth. Not Iam tapping, the willow is

                tapping. Easter is in a week")

Group V: Make up your conclusion on the topic:

               1. The Ukrainians are known as:

-         hardworking;

-         skilled farmers;

-         patriots of their Land;

-         good family men and devoted wives;

-         kindhearted;

-         friendly;

-         hospitable and well wishing;

-         they are cautious and inclined to romanticism and sentimentality;

-         brave, determined and ready for selfsacrifice;

-         value consideration and realistic view of life;

-         they have a special sense of humour;

-   they can be bitingly ironical

             -   My people is unique.

Ukrainian Traditions

A year consisted of two cycles: spring-summer and autumn-winter.

The spring-summer cycle began on March 21 when the life - giving power of the Spirit of the Sun 4 /Yarylo/ awoke. After the feast of God Yarylo or Goddess "Yara corn-growers went to the field to sow. Our ancestors spent summer working in the field and observing the rites of the corn-growers. Whitsun [witsn] was called in Ukrainian the Green Week. Then the Petro Fast was observed. After the fast there were the fun days of  Kupala on July 7. the first day of harvest was Makovii on August 14. on Makovii day shortcakes topped with honey and poppy seeds were cooked.

On August 19 Ukrainians mark the holiday of ripe fruits - Spas. Only since that day people could eat apples. The drinking songs were sung to Rai, the Spirit of Harvest and all who took part in the harvesting. After the Spas holidays the ploughmen sew the winter crops. On Spas day the dead were remembered in prayer. After the Spas feast autumn holidays began. The parents presented their children with the fruit of their labour. Women - reapers used to go the field to pick up the last rye stems and made wreaths and sang songs.They choose a girl, put a wreath on her head and wished her to be led to the altar as soon as possible.

On August 29 is the Holiday of the First Prechysta was marked. It was the time of finishing the field works. It was the time of young people's gatherings and matchmaking.

On September 21, on Vozdvyzhennia the Earth moves to winter. The birds fly to the warm parts.

The autumn-winter cycle began on October 23. The harvest was gathered and the
nature stood still. They began to sing carols, there are three images in them: the Sun, the
Moon and the Stars.     

On Pokrova the agricultural year is over, nobody sows the winter crops. Cold days come.

Christmas January 7 is the most beloved festival among Ukrainians when the family gathers for a holy supper of 12 symbolic dishers food is one of the aspects of culture.

The beginning of the holy supper is signaled by the first star. Christmas Eve is really a family celebration. Traditionaly, the father brings in the, "snip", a handpicked wheat sheaf that represents the spirit of ancestors. The father sets it in a place of honour in the dining room before the table is set. Wheat, flour and bread are important to Ukrainians: they came from the land and Ukrainians are close to the land.

Ukrainians prepared "Kutia". It is a dish of honey, poppy seeds and wheat kernels boiled in pure rainwater.

Christmas Eve supper begins with the lighting of the beeswax candle in the braided bread center-piece. After the Lord's prayer the”Kutia” is passed and everyone  takes a spoonful. But nobody eats it. The head of the family raises his spoonful and greets the family with "Khrystos Rozhdaietsia" /Christ is born/. The family answers "Slavym yogo" /Glory, praise him/. That's the signal to start the meal.