Wedding and Marriage Traditions of Ukrainians

Every nation, every people, even every social group has its traditions which developed during centuries. The process of formation of wedding and marriage traditions in Ukraine was difficult and diverse. Some lands of Ukraine during long time belonged to different states, each of which had its own social and economic development, political system, religion. Thus, regional types of traditional culture and way of life with its system of custom rules, norms of behavior and moral principles developed, but there always existed the system of values of family throughout Ukraine. Ukrainians considered a man to be an independent person only after marriage; a single man whatever his age was, was called “parubok”. People didn't respect those who hadn't managed to get married in time.

The most typical feature of a Ukrainian family from the very beginning of its formation and development was cosmic spirituality where the marriage union of a man and a woman was a union of the Sun and The Moon and bright little stars – their children.

The goddess of marriage, love, happiness, and family well-being was Lada, glorified till now. Little girls are given this name, and during wedding people wish to the newly couple: “ладу в сім’ї”.

There are different forms of marriage, which were conditional by the historical lot of Ukraine. These are: marriage through agreement, leaving, stealing and "on trust". The first variant was legal, the rest of them were illegal, as they did not blend with the system of laws and religious canons. The civil marriage among the Ukrainians till the 16th century was based on folk wedding customs (traditions). From the 16-17^th centuries marriage was put under control of Church which proclaimed it a mystery and the ceremony of wedding was introduced.

However, interference of church did not change radically the essence of civil marriage and wedding: people considered a marriage legal if it was made on the basis of agreement and celebrated with the wedding rites. Marriage with wedding in church but without wedding rites was invalid. Marriage “on trust” (without wedding in Church but with wedding rites) was one of the manifestations of resistance to the Churches interference.

But this type of marriage wasn't popular among Ukrainians. Only poor people and those, who did not get the parents’ consent, resorted to it. The same goes about marriages through stealing and leaving. The understanding of the married life with equal rights was reflected in the oath that newly weds took during wedding in Church: that oath underlined equal rights of both of them and friendly respect.

This made a wife materially independent while her husband was alive and provided material security while she was a widow. Nowadays there is the law about marriage settlements in Ukraine, which also protects material rights of wife and husband.

Those who did not want to make a family had no respect and underwent certain punishments: they had, for example, the smaller part of hereditary property. But celibacy was not widespread among Ukrainians. 0n the contrary, marriage was gaining a great social prestige, raising the authority of a person. The basis of a marriage in Ukraine in 16^th - 19^th centuries was formed by an agreement (zgovir, zmovyny, zgoda) between two parties (sides): parents and relatives of the young man and parents and relatives of the young woman. The mediators between them were confidential agents: Father or Mother of the son-in-law.

First, marriage agreement was made orally and from the 17th century, as the land problem was becoming acute, written agreement became obligatory. According to the custom law during making an agreement the parties settled the amount of bride’s dowry, which consisted of a chest and cattle, contribution of parents and relatives.

One of the important conditions of the marriage agreement was providing the young with land. The young man, as a rule, was always provided with some land, the young woman was provided with it in some regions of Ukraine. But she got her dowry that in the end of 19^th and at the beginning of the 20^th centuries contained only a chest (bed - linen, cloth). Now people present furniture, carpets, TV sets, etc. As to the first part of the dowry - cattle, land, and money - it was not included in the marriage agreement which was connected with the depriving peasants of the land.

The great importance was attached to the creating a family. Accordingly, there developed a complex system of wedding rites. It was a kind of theatre action, together with games, music, dancing, singing, that acquired character of a folk holiday.

All the wedding rites were divided into three parts: before - wedding, wedding - itself, after - wedding. In its turn, each part consisted of some rites. Before - wedding rites included asking to marry (svatannya), umovyny,, oglyadony, zaruchyny, baking corovay, and divchin - vechir. Wedding included zaprosyny, posad of the young, presenting, unplaiting, dividing the corovay, bringing the dowry, and dressing up (ryadzhennya). After wedding part was dedicated to thanking the parents by the newly weds, drawing the bride to the husband's family.

Wedding began with asking to marry (svatannya) - it was a preliminary agreement about marriage at bride's place with her parents. Usually Ukrainians made such an agreement while they were free from field work (from Easter to Whitsunday). Witty and respected people were chosen to be leaders (svaty, starosty)! The young boy (parubok) went together with them to the girl's place (in some regions of Ukraine his parents, brother or sister joined him). After parents' blessing, the girl tied the leader with the towels (rushnyky) across their shoulders, and she gave a kerchief on the plate to the betrothed. However, in some cases she did not give her consent to marriage: she returned to the leaders the bread brought by them or presented a pumpkin to the young man.

When she gave her consent, kumovyny (oglyadyny) took place – it was acquaintance with the young man's property. And in a fortnight zaruchyny were held - it was a kind of consolidating a marriage agreement. Parents and relatives of the young man sat at the table at the bride's place, and the young were lead to special place - posad. The chief leader covered the bread with the towels, put the bride's hand on it, the young man's hand on hers, and tied their hands with the towel. After this ritual the bride tied the leaders with the towels and presented kerchiefs, linen or shirts (sorochky). After all these ceremonies the young were considered to be engaged and they had no right to go back on their word. An attempt to refuse was a dishonor, besides, this person had to compensate for the material expenses and to pay for “insult”.

Great importance was attached to the clothes of the young during their wedding. The bride’s wreath, for example, was to protect her from the "evil eve". Ukrainian brides had a wreath with periwinkles (barvinok) – a symbol of long love. Unfortunately, recently Ukrainians brides have a white veil on their heads - it is "fata", wedding head-dress of Russian women.

The procedure of wedding is shortened nowadays, but the main traditional rites are observed, especially in villages. People invite guests, divide "corovay", give presents to the betrothed. And on the second day a real theatrical action takes place, when the disguised (ryadzeni) are walking in the street. Songs, music, dancing. It's impossible to guess who this bright gypsy, or guerrillas with tambourine are. It is impossible to pass without giving something to them - money, candies, dry bread-rings, bottle of horilka. After that the disguised treat the passers-by to what they have. In Chernihiv region people still observe some rites common to Byelorussians and Ukrainians: sprinkling with grain and small coins, dividing of "corovay", tying the young with towel, stealing, redemption. The ritual bread is of great importance. Nearly all the ritual actions are sanctified by it: guests are invited and presented with the bread, the betrothed are met and sent off to marriage with it.

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