Ukrainians Don Embroidered Shirts for Vyshyvanka Day
On a lighter note, Ukraine is marking Vyshyvanka Day today – a celebration of the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt (pronounced vish-ee-van-ka).
It is one of the best-known “symbols of Ukrainian culture,” with roots reaching back several centuries.
Classic vyshyvankas boast exquisite, usually floral, patterns down the middle of the front. Some of these “patterns carry a meaning of their own, such as hope, love, chastity, fertility, protection against disease or the evil eye.”
Different Ukrainian regions have patterns peculiar to them. The original vyshyvanka is white, but now they are available in almost any colour imaginable.
Today, President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a tweet describing the vyshyvanka as “a holy protective amulet” in the war with Russia.
He also tweeted a video of himself wearing the vyshyvanka.
BBC /Shakirat Sadiq
