Doll-motanka in Ukraine

The first doll-motanka was made more than 5 thousand years ago. Such dolls you can find in every country. It wasn’t a simply toy. It was believed that this doll protected from troubles and evil. This doll was often used in rituals. Making a doll people wove in it the things of which they wanted to get rid (troubles, diseases) and then it was burnt or sank in the water.

There were these dolls in every peasant house. They performed a variety of functions such as the protection of the house, of children, of sleep and of household. Children liked to play with it. This doll differs from a typical doll by the absence of face. According to the ancient popular beliefs, the face inspired a soul in a doll. The soul can be good or bad. These dolls are made from the natural materials such as (hay, straw, wood, herbs, dry leaves, grains, seeds). The doll- motanka was decorated by the national ornaments and by the embroidery.

People believed that there was a spirit of ancestors in it and it could pass on the experience from generation to generation. The Ukrainian people believed that this symbol brought them wealth and fortune. The secrets of making this doll were passed on from mother to daughter.

Before the wedding the mother made the doll for the daughter like amulet for the house of the newly married couple. When the child was ill, this doll was given to play with it. Then it was annihilated. People believed that this doll took the disease. When a child was grown, the doll took his place in the cradle. It protected this place from evil to the birth of the next child.

At Christmas the special dolls were made from grains. These dolls symbolized a bumper harvest. There are three types of the doll-motanka: a baby, a woman, a bride.

At birth of the child, the Ukrainian people made the doll-motanka of baby. It was a baby in the nappy. It was put in the cradle in order to protect the sleep and the health.

The doll-motanka of woman helped to be in easy circumstances. Coins, grains, wool were put in the doll in order to keep the family unit and to protect the household.

The doll-motanka of bride helped the girls to turn away the evil eye and support them.This doll was wealthy dressed and decorated because it symbolized the dowry of the bride and attracted the wealthy bachelor.

The technical progress and the struggle for properties didn’t leave the place for the good national traditions in our life. We are always busy and fight with problems and crises. We remember our national traditions during the religious holidays.

One day a person will understand that it’s necessary to change something but it can be so late. That’s why we maintain the national handicrafts and popularize the healthy lifestyle.

Rural tourism gives you and your relatives the opportunity to recall the national traditions and during some days you’ll become utterly absorbed in the usual lifestyle of our nation. Here you, maybe at first, will take in your hands the natural materials and make a useful toy for your child. Our masters will share the secrets of national handicraft with you.

For our foreign guests and local tourists we organize the workshops of making these perfect talismans. Our specialists always work on the perfection and the diversity of teaching.

We work for you!