The Hutsuls (sometimes the spelling variant: Gutsuls; uk, Гуцули, translit=Hutsuly; pl, Huculi, Hucułowie; ro, huțuli) are an
ethnic group spanning parts of western
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
and
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
(i.e. parts of
Bukovina and
Maramureș
or Marmaroshchyna ( ro, Maramureș ; uk, Мармарощина, Marmaroshchyna; hu, Máramaros) is a geographical, historical and cultural region in northern Romania and western Ukraine. It is situated in the northeastern Carpathians, alon ...
). They have often been officially and administratively designated as a subgroup of Ukrainians and are largely regarded as constituting a broader Ukrainian ethnic group.
Etymology
The origin of the name ''Hutsul'' is uncertain.
The most common derivations are from the
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
word for "outlaw" (cf. Rom. ''hoț''–"thief", ''hoțul''–"the thief"), and the
Slavic ''kochul'' (Ukr. ''kochovyk''–"nomad") which is a reference to the semi-
nomad
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the po ...
ic shepherd lifestyle or the inhabitants who fled into the mountains after the Mongol invasion.
Other proposed derivations include from the
Turkic tribe of the
Utsians or Uzians, and even to the name of the
Moravian Grand Duke Hetsyla, among others. As the name is first attested in 1816, it is considered to be of recent origin and as an
exonym
An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, ...
, used by neighboring groups and not Hutsuls themselves, although some have embraced it.
The region inhabited by Hutsuls is named as Hutsulshchyna. Their name is also found in the name of Hutsul Alps, Hutsul Beskyd,
Hutsulshchyna National Park, and
National Museum of Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttya Folk Art.
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. Several hypotheses account for the origin of the Hutsuls, however, like all the Rusyns, they most probably have a diverse ethnogenetic origin. It is generally considered to be descendants of the
White Croats
White Croats ( hr, Bijeli Hrvati; pl, Biali Chorwaci; cz, Bílí Chorvati; uk, Білі хорвати, Bili khorvaty), or simply known as Croats, were a group of Early Slavic tribes who lived among other West and East Slavic tribes in the ar ...
, a Slavic tribe that inhabited the area,
also
Tivertsi
The Tivertsi ( uk, Тиверці; ro, Tiverți or ), were a tribe of early East Slavs which lived in the lands near the Dniester, and probably the lower Danube, that is in modern-day western Ukraine and Republic of Moldova and possibly in east ...
, and possibly
Ulichs
The Uliches or Ugliches ( ro, Ulici or ; russian: Уличи or , or ; uk, Уличі , or ) were a tribe of Early East Slavs who, between the eighth and the tenth centuries, inhabited (along with the Tivertsi) Bessarabia, and the territories ...
who had to leave their previous home near the
Southern Bug river under pressure from the
Pechenegs
The Pechenegs () or Patzinaks tr, Peçenek(ler), Middle Turkic: , ro, Pecenegi, russian: Печенег(и), uk, Печеніг(и), hu, Besenyő(k), gr, Πατζινάκοι, Πετσενέγοι, Πατζινακίται, ka, პა ...
.
There is also considered a relation to
Vlach
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Easter ...
shepherds who later immigrated from Transylvania,
because of which some scholars like Romanian historian
Nicolae Iorga
Nicolae Iorga (; sometimes Neculai Iorga, Nicolas Jorga, Nicolai Jorga or Nicola Jorga, born Nicu N. Iorga;Iova, p. xxvii. 17 January 1871 – 27 November 1940) was a Romanian historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, Albanologist, poet ...
argued that "huțuli" or "huțani" are denationalized Vlachs / Romanians.
Language
Hutsul is considered to be a dialect of Western Ukrainian (with some Polish influences) along with
Pokuttia-Bukovina dialect and the dialects of the
Lemkos
Lemkos ( rue, Лeмкы, translit= Lemkŷ; pl, Łemkowie; uk, Лемки, translit=Lemky) are an ethnic group inhabiting the Lemko Region ( rue, Лемковина, translit=Lemkovyna; uk, Лемківщина, translit=Lemkivshchyna) of Car ...
and
Boykos.
Since the annexation of western Ukraine regions, including
Ivano-Frankivsk and
Chernivtsi oblast
Chernivtsi Oblast ( uk, Черніве́цька о́бласть, Chernivetska oblast), also referred to as Chernivechchyna ( uk, Чернівеччина) is an oblast (province) in Western Ukraine, consisting of the northern parts of the regio ...
as well as
Transcarpathia
Transcarpathia may refer to:
Place
* relative term, designating any region beyond the Carpathians (lat. ''trans-'' / beyond, over), depending on a point of observation
* Romanian Transcarpathia, designation for Romanian regions on the inner or ...
by the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
, compulsory education has been conducted only in standardized literary Ukrainian. In recent years there have been grassroots efforts to keep the traditional Hutsul dialect 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
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
), rug weaving, pottery, and egg decorating (''see
pysanka
The tradition of egg decoration in Slavic cultures originated in pagan times,Kazimierz Moszyński – Kultura ludowa Słowian, Kraków 1929Anna Zadrożyńska – Powtarzać czas początku, Warsaw 1985, and was transformed by the process of ...
''). 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 resemblance to neighboring cultures of western and southwestern Ukraine,
particularly
Lemkos
Lemkos ( rue, Лeмкы, translit= Lemkŷ; pl, Łemkowie; uk, Лемки, translit=Lemky) are an ethnic group inhabiting the Lemko Region ( rue, Лемковина, translit=Lemkovyna; uk, Лемківщина, translit=Lemkivshchyna) of Car ...
and
Boykos. These groups also share similarities with other Slavic highlander peoples, such as the
Gorals
The Gorals ( pl, Górale; Goral dialect: ''Górole''; sk, Gorali; Cieszyn Silesia dialect, Cieszyn Silesian: ''Gorole''), also known as the Highlanders (in Poland as the Polish Highlanders) are an indigenous ethnographic or ethnic group primar ...
in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
. Similarities have also been noted with some
Vlach
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Easter ...
cultures such as the
Moravian Wallachia
Moravian Wallachia ( cs, Moravské Valašsko, or simply ''Valašsko''; ro, Valahia Moravă) is a mountainous ethnoregion located in the easternmost part of Moravia in the Czech Republic, near the Slovak border, roughly centered on the cities Vs ...
ns in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, as well as some cultures in
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
.
Most Hutsuls belong to the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
, native_name_lang = uk
, caption_background =
, image = StGeorgeCathedral Lviv.JPG
, imagewidth =
, type = Particular church (sui iuris)
, alt =
, caption = St. George's ...
and the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
The history of Christianity in Ukraine dates back to the earliest centuries of the history of Christianity, to the Apostolic Age, with mission trips along the Black Sea and a legend of Saint Andrew even ascending the hills of Kyiv. The first Chr ...
.
Hutsul society was traditionally based on
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
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
The Hucul or Carpathian is a pony or small horse breed originally from the Carpathian Mountains. It has a heavy build and possesses great endurance and hardiness. The breed is also referred to as the Carpathian pony, Huculska, Hutsul, Huțul, Hu ...
. One of the main attributes of Hutsuls' is their
Shepherd's axe
The shepherd's axe is a long thin light axe of Eurasian origin used in past centuries by shepherds in the Carpathian Mountains and in other territories which comprise today Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Hungary. The fe ...
(bartka), a small axe with a long handle that is still used to this day for chopping wood, as a cane, for fighting and traditional ceremonies. They would often be intricately decorated with traditional wood carving designs and passed on from generation to generation especially upon marriage.
They use unique musical instruments, including the "
trembita
The trembita (from the old Germanic ''trumba'', "to trumpet") is an alpine horn made of wood. It is common among Ukrainian highlanders Hutsuls who live in western Ukraine, eastern Poland, Slovakia, and northern Romania. In Poland it is known as ...
" ''(trâmbiţa)'', a type of
alpenhorn
The alphorn or alpenhorn or alpine horn is a labrophone, consisting of a straight several-meter-long wooden natural horn of conical bore, with a wooden cup-shaped mouthpiece. Traditionally the Alphorn was made of one single piece, or two parts ...
, as well multiple varieties of the
fife, or ''
sopilka
Sopilka (, uk, Cопiлка) is a name applied to a variety of woodwind instruments of the flute family used by Ukrainian folk instrumentalists. ''Sopilka'' most commonly refers to a fife made of a variety of materials (but traditionally out ...
'', that are used to create unique folk melodies and rhythms. Also frequently used are the ''
duda
) (Polish, Ukrainian Carpathians)
*Diple ( Dalmatian Coast)
* Tulum (Turkish and Pontic)
*Tsambouna (Dodecanese and Cyclades)
*Askambandoura (Crete)
*Gajdy (Polish/Czech/Slovak)
*Gaita ( Galician)
*Surle (Serbian/Croatian)
*Mezoued/Zukra (Northern ...
'' (bagpipe), the ''drymba'' (
Jew's harp), and the ''
tsymbaly
The tsymbaly ( uk, цимбали) is the Ukrainian version of the hammer dulcimer. It is a chordophone made up of a trapezoidal box with metal (steel or bronze) strings strung across it. The tsymbaly is played by striking two Percussion mallet, ...
'' (hammered dulcimer).
The Hutsuls served as an inspiration for many artists, such as writers
Ivan Franko
Ivan Yakovych Franko (Ukrainian: Іван Якович Франко, pronounced ˈwɑn ˈjɑkowɪtʃ frɐnˈkɔ 27 August 1856 – 28 May 1916) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, interpreter, economist, ...
,
Lesya Ukrainka,
Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky
Mykhailo Mykhailovych Kotsiubynsky ( uk, Михайло Михайлович Коцюбинський), (September 17, 1864 – April 25, 1913) was a Ukrainian author whose writings described typical Ukrainian life at the start of the 20th centur ...
,
Vasyl Stefanyk
Vasyl Semenovych Stefanyk ( uk, Васи́ль Семе́нович Стефа́ник; May 14, 1871 – December 7, 1936) was an influential Ukrainian modernist writer and political activist. He was a member of the Austrian parliament from 1 ...
,
Marko Cheremshyna
Marko Cheremshyna ( uk, Марко Черемшина) (other name: Ivan Semaniuk, Іван Семанюк), (born 13 June 1874 in Kobaky, Galicia; died 25 April 1927 in Kobaky) was a Ukrainian writer of Hutsul background.
Biography
Cheremshy ...
,
Mihail Sadoveanu
Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; November 5, 1880 – October 19, 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting head of state for the communis ...
and Stanisław Vincenz, and painters such as
Kazimierz Sichulski
Kazimierz Sichulski (17 January 1879, Lviv – 6 November 1942, Lviv) was a Polish painter, lithographer and caricaturist; associated with the Young Poland movement. His work was part of the Art competitions at the 1928 Summer Olympics#Painting, p ...
and
Teodor Axentowicz
Teodor Axentowicz ( Armenian: Թեոդոր Աքսենտովիչ; 13 May 1859 in Brașov, Austrian Empire – 26 August 1938 in Kraków, Second Polish Republic) was a Polish- Armenian painter and university professor. A renowned artist of his times ...
—famous for his portraits and subtle scenes of Hutsul life—and
Halyna Zubchenko
Halyna Olexandrivna Zubchenko ( uk, Галина Олександрівна Зубченко; 19 July 1929 – 4 August 2000) was a Ukrainian painter, muralist, social activist and member of the Club of Creative Youth. She join ...
.
Sergei Parajanov
Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
's 1965 film ''
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors'' (''Тіні забутих предків''), which is based on the book by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, portrays scenes of traditional Hutsul life. Composer
Ludmila Anatolievna Yaroshevskaya Ludmila Anatolievna Yaroshevskaya (14 September 1906 – 27 March 1975) was a Soviet composer, pianist, and concertmistress. A native of Kiev, she studied piano with V. Pukhalsky at the Lysenko Music School there, graduating in 1930. She was concer ...
composed a work for piano based on Hutsul folk music (''Fantasy on Hutsul Themes'').
Every summer, the village of Sheshory in
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
hosts a three-day international festival of folk music and art. Two Hutsul-related museums are located in
Kolomyia
Kolomyia, formerly known as Kolomea ( ua, Коломия, Kolomyja, ; pl, Kołomyja; german: Kolomea; ro, Colomeea; yi, ), is a city located on the Prut River in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (province), in western Ukraine. It serves as the adm ...
, Ukraine: the Pysanky museum and the Museum of Hutsul and
Pokuttya
Pokuttia, also known as Pokuttya or Pokutia ( uk, Покуття, Pokuttya; pl, Pokucie; german: Pokutien; ro, Pocuția), is a historical area of East-Central Europe, situated between the Dniester and Cheremosh rivers and the Carpathian Moun ...
Folk Art. Traditional Hutsul sounds and moves were used by the Ukrainian winner of the
2004 Eurovision song contest
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004 was the 49th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Istanbul, Turkey, following the country's victory at the with the song "Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener. Organised by the European Br ...
,
Ruslana Lyzhychko
Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko ( uk, Руслана Степанівна Лижичко, ''Ruslana Lyzhychko''; born 24 May 1973), known mononymous person, mononymously as Ruslana, is a World Music Awards, World Music Award and Eurovision Song Co ...
.
The Romanian Hutsuls have a Festival of Hutsuls at the
Moldova-Sulița
Moldova-Sulița (german: Moldawa Sulitza) is a commune located in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and S ...
village in
Suceava
Suceava () is the largest urban settlement and the seat town ( ro, oraș reședință de județ) of Suceava County, situated in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania, and at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. Klaus Pet ...
county.
Notable people
*
Matei Vișniec, playwright
*
Thomas Bell, writer
*
Marko Cheremshyna
Marko Cheremshyna ( uk, Марко Черемшина) (other name: Ivan Semaniuk, Іван Семанюк), (born 13 June 1874 in Kobaky, Galicia; died 25 April 1927 in Kobaky) was a Ukrainian writer of Hutsul background.
Biography
Cheremshy ...
, writer
*
Oleksa Dovbush
Oleksa Dovbush ( uk, Олекса Довбуш) (born 1700, Pechenizhyn Kolomyia— died 24 August 1745) was a famous Ukrainian outlaw, leader of opryshky, who became a folk hero, often compared to Robin Hood.
Biography
Oleksa was born in the ...
, leader of opryshky movement
*
Vasile Hutopilă, painter
*
Mickola Vorokhta
Mickola Vorokhta ( uk, Микола Ворохта, born 18 July 1947 in Rakhiv, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian artist- painter who lives and works in Odessa. In 2014, he was awarded the status of Merited Artist of Ukraine.
Mickola Vorokhta finished ...
, painter,
Merited Artist of Ukraine
Merited (Performing) Artist of Ukraine (also translated as Honored (Performing) Artist of Ukraine, uk, Заслужений артист України) is a state honorary title of decoration awarded by the Ukrainian SSR and later Ukraine for o ...
*
Volodymyr Ivasyuk
Volodymyr Mykhailovych Ivasyuk or Volodymyr Ivasiuk ( uk, Володи́мир Миха́йлович Івасю́к) (4 March 1949 – 24–27 April 1979) was a Ukrainian songwriter, composer and poet. He is the author and composer of the ...
, composer
*
Elisabeta Lipă, multiple world and Olympic rowing champion
*
Ivan Malkovych, publisher
* , sculptor, woodcarver
*
Mariya Yaremchuk
Mariya Nazarivna Yaremchuk ( uk, Марія Назарівна Яремчук; born 2 March 1993), also transliterated as Maria Yaremchuk, is a Ukrainian singer and actress. Yaremchuk represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 held ...
, singer
*
Nazariy Yaremchuk, singer
Gallery
Hutsuls (26).jpg
Hutsulka.jpg
Hutsul woman 110 years old, Prykarpattia.jpg
Hutsul 1 (Ukrainian highlander).jpg
Hutsul bagpiper (Ukrainian highlander).jpg
Hucul Verkhovyna 1.jpg
Hutsuls 1927, Verkhovyna, west Ukraine.jpg
Hutsuls (38).jpg
Ukrainian hutsuls 2.jpg
Hutsuls (32).jpg
Three hutsuls from Verkhovyna area.jpg
Hutsuls (19).jpg
Hutsul musicians.jpg
Hutsul (80-ies).jpg
File:Hutsul shoes.jpg
File:Hutsul_musicians_with_trembits.jpg
File:Hutsul violinist.jpg
File:Hutsul.jpg
File:Portraits of musicians.jpg
See also
*
49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment
The 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment was a unit of the Polish Army, which belonged to the Polish 11th Infantry Division, 11th Carpathian Infantry Division (Army Kraków). Stationed in the Second Polish Republic, interbellum in the garrison in Kolomyia, ...
*
Hutsul Republic
The Hutsul Republic ( uk, Гуцульська Республіка) was a short-lived state formed in the aftermath of World War I. The republic was declared on 8 January 1919, when original plans to unite this area with the Western Ukrainian Pe ...
*
Hutsulka
*
Kolomyjka
*