'Pysanky keeps the world alive': How Ukrainian Easter eggs can help preserve culture

A selection of Ukrainian Easter eggs by Tracy Rossier, of Pysanky by Tracy

They may look like colourfully decorated Easter treasures but Ukrainian Easter eggs, known as pysanky, have a history steeped in tradition.

With global headlines shining a spotlight on the war in Ukraine, Manitoba pysanky artist Tracy Rossier said interest in the art form has grown due to a desire to protect and preserve the nation’s culture.

“I think it’s really having people reach out to their heritage and their culture and even people who aren’t Ukrainian are really interested in learning more about the culture and traditions as well,” said Rossier.

Tracy Rossier, of Pysanky by Tracy, usually works with multiple eggs at a time

Making them has been a hobby decades in the making for Rossier, who was first introduced to the art of pysanky making as a young girl at the St. Vital Library.

“The egg that I made in the library, in my 6-year-old mind, was very beautiful but I did end up dropping it about 20 minutes before the end of the course so I had to scramble and make a new one,” said Rossier.

After returning home from the workshop, excited and telling stories of the eggs she had made, she soon learned her grandmother had learned the process through her Ukrainian mother-in-law. An inter-generational exchange of materials, props and knowledge followed laying the foundation for a passion that continues today.

Rossier said her interest grew as she learned more about the history and the traditions behind pysanky through research and talking to community members.

“One of my favourite legends actually comes from the Hutsul region of Ukraine,” said Rossier. “For them, they believe the pysanky keeps the world alive.”

The legend tells of a giant monster chained up in the region’s mountains and every year he sends his minions out to see how many pysanka are being made within the world. If the number diminishes, the monster’s chains loosen and it is set loose to wreak havoc on the world.

However, if the number of pysanky increases, the legend dictates the monster’s chains are tightened, meaning good has surpassed evil for another year.

The variety of colours and symbols used by artists on eggs are meaningful, according to Rossier, making each egg unique in a craft that has been ongoing for thousands of years.

Stylistically, the process is started with a basic division of the egg, often with bands dividing the egg into sections. From there, the artist’s creativity takes over.

“I often have an idea in my head when I start an egg but by the time it’s finished it’s something completely different,” Rossier said.

Time spent on each egg can vary, often depending on its size. For Rossier, an average chicken egg takes a couple of hours but when working with larger ones, like ostrich eggs, 100 hours is not out of line.

Pysanky is making a resurgence thanks to social media. There are now popular pysanky artists on Instagram, which Rossier said has spurred interest in younger generations.

“It’s nice to see that it has picked up again because it’s something that’s been going on for thousands of years, I wouldn’t want to see it die out at all,” said Rossier.

She describes herself as an intermediate professional in pysanky but with growing sales across the country and into the U.S., her opinion may be modest.

For someone new to the art form --- the advice she gives is practice.

“If you make a mistake, make it part of the design cause I do that all the time.”