The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HOLY SATURDAY: PASANKA; WRITINGS

ON HOLY SATURDAY THE FAMILIES MADE PASANKA, OR WHAT WE KNOW AS EASTER
EGGS. FIRST ONION SKINS WERE SOAKED TO MAKE A BROWN DYE. THEN
DESIGNS WERE MADE ON THE EGGS WITH WAX. THE EGGS WERE THEN PUT IN
THE DYE. THE LONGER THEY SOAKED, THE DARKER THE EGGS GOT.
THE DESIGNS WERE MADE WITH A QUILL. THIS QUILL WAS DIPPED IN HOT WAX
AND THE DESIGNS WERE THEN PUT ON THE EGG.

Data entry tech comment: THE WORD PASANKA, WHICH I HAVE FOUND SPELLED PYSANKI, COMES FROM THE
UKRAINIAN WORD, PYSAC: TO WRITE, TO DESIGN. THE CUSTOM HAS BEEN
ELEVATED TO A FINE ART; EACH EGG IS, IN THE WORDS OF F.X. WEISER, THE
EASTER BOOK, "A MASTERPIECE OF PATIENT LABOR, NATIVE SKILL, AND
EXQUISITE WORKMANSHIP." "NO TWO PYSANKI ARE IDENTICAL."

Where learned: HOME

Date learned: 11-27-1967