The Hutsuls (sometimes the spelling variant: Gutsuls; uk, Гуцули, translit=Hutsuly; pl, Huculi, Hucułowie; ro, huțuli) are an
ethnic group
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
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 inva ...
and
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
(i.e. parts of
Bukovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...
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, traditiona ...
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
The Boykos ( uk, Бойки, Boiky; pl, Bojkowie; sk, Pujďáci), or simply Highlanders (верховинці, ''verkhovyntsi''), are an ethnolinguistic sub-group of Ukrainians located in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, Slovakia, Hung ...
, 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, and possibly
Ulichs who had to leave their previous home near the
Southern Bug
, ''Pivdennyi Buh''
, name_etymology =
, image = Sunset S Bug Vinnitsa 2007 G1.jpg
, image_size = 270
, image_caption = Southern Bug River in the vicinity of Vinnytsia, Ukraine
, map = PietinisBu ...
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 shepherds who later immigrated from Transylvania,
because of which some scholars like Romanian historian
Nicolae Iorga 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
The Boykos ( uk, Бойки, Boiky; pl, Bojkowie; sk, Pujďáci), or simply Highlanders (верховинці, ''verkhovyntsi''), are an ethnolinguistic sub-group of Ukrainians located in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, Slovakia, Hung ...
.
Since the annexation of western Ukraine regions, including
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вськ, translit=Iváno-Frankívśk ), formerly Stanyslaviv ( pl, Stanisławów ; german: Stanislau), is a city located in Western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Ob ...
and
Chernivtsi oblast as well as
Transcarpathia by the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
, 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 wi ...
), rug weaving, pottery, and egg decorating (''see
pysanka''). 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
The Boykos ( uk, Бойки, Boiky; pl, Bojkowie; sk, Pujďáci), or simply Highlanders (верховинці, ''verkhovyntsi''), are an ethnolinguistic sub-group of Ukrainians located in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, Slovakia, Hung ...
. 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 ...
. Similarities have also been noted with some
Vlach 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 ...
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 Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
.
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.
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. One of the main attributes of Hutsuls' is their
Shepherd's axe (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, as well multiple varieties of the
fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross ...
, or ''
sopilka'', 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'' (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
Lesya Ukrainka ( uk, Леся Українка ; born Larysa Petrivna Kosach, uk, Лариса Петрівна Косач; – ) was one of Ukrainian literature's foremost writers, best known for her poems and plays. She was also an active ...
,
Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky,
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 ...
,
Marko Cheremshyna,
Mihail Sadoveanu and Stanisław Vincenz, and painters such as
Kazimierz Sichulski and
Teodor Axentowicz—famous for his portraits and subtle scenes of Hutsul life—and
Halyna Zubchenko.
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
''Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors'', alternatively translated into English as ''Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors'' or ''Shadows of Our Ancestors'' ( uk, Тіні забутих предків, Tini zabutykh predkiv), also known in English under ...
'' (''Тіні забутих предків''), which is based on the book by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, portrays scenes of traditional Hutsul life. Composer
Ludmila Anatolievna Yaroshevskaya 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 inva ...
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 ad ...
, 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 Mounta ...
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 Broa ...
,
Ruslana Lyzhychko.
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 county.
Notable people
*
Matei Vișniec, playwright
*
Thomas Bell, writer
*
Marko Cheremshyna, 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, 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, composer
*
Elisabeta Lipă
Elisabeta Lipă (; née Oleniuc on 26 October 1964) is a retired rower and government official from Romania. She is the most decorated rower in the history of the Olympics, winning five gold, two silver and one bronze medals. She holds the recor ...
, multiple world and Olympic rowing champion
*
Ivan Malkovych
Ivan Antonovych Malkovych ( uk, Іва́н Анто́нович Малко́вич; born 10 May 1961 in , Ivano-Frankivsk) is a noted Ukrainian poet and publisher. He is the proprietor of the publishing house " A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA", which specia ...
, publisher
* , sculptor, woodcarver
*
Mariya Yaremchuk, singer
*
Nazariy Yaremchuk
Nazariy Nazarovych Yaremchuk ( uk, Назарій Назарович Яремчук) was a Hutsul Ukrainian singer, born in the village of Rivnya, Chernivtsi Oblast. He was posthumously named Hero of Ukraine in August 2021.
Until his death in 19 ...
, 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
*
Hutsul Republic
*
Hutsulka
*
Kolomyjka
*