Paska or kulich: what is the correct Ukrainian name for the ritual sweet bread baked for Easter?
3 May 2024 10:15
This Sunday, Ukrainians will celebrate one of their most important religious holidays – Easter, or the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. The main dish on the Ukrainian Easter table is paska, a sweet, cylindrical pastry bread that is blessed on the eve of the holiday. However, one can sometimes hear incorrect names for this traditional bread, such as “kulich”. [ Komersant reminds believers of the correct name for the holiday and its attributes in Ukrainian.
Unfortunately, many Ukrainians refer to this great holiday incorrectly, namely as“Pascha“. All dictionaries of the Ukrainian language use the name“Velykden“.
Pascha is the name of the corresponding Jewish holiday. This is the name of the word paska, the sweet bread baked for Easter.
Why is it not recommended to use the term “kulich”?
The word “kulich” is Russian, and its use in Ukrainian is not recommended. It is incorrect to call Easter cake “kulich”, as this word does not belong to the Ukrainian vocabulary and comes from the Russian language. In Russian culture, “kulich” is a common name for sweet ceremonial bread, but in Ukrainian tradition, this term has no historical or cultural basis. The use of such a word may distort the authenticity of Ukrainian Easter customs and the purity of the Ukrainian language.
Instead, the Ukrainian term “paska” is of Jewish origin and derives from the Hebrew name for the Passover or Pesach holiday, which Jews celebrate in March-April. It is believed that this word was established in the Ukrainian language due to the cohabitation of Ukrainians and Jews, which contributed to the mutual influence of languages, cuisine and culture. The use of the name “kulich” in this context is inappropriate, as it reflects a Russian tradition.
In addition to the word “paska”, there are other names for Easter bread. Thus, in different regions of Ukraine, Easter bread is called differently. For example, in some regions, the name “baba” or “babka” has been preserved, which is of Slavic origin and is associated with pagan rituals of worshiping the sun and ancestors. In eastern Galicia in the late nineteenth century, baba differed from Easter cake in that more eggs were used to make it. In the Lemkivshchyna region, two types of Easter cakes were baked: rye or wheat flour and white flour, which was called babka.
In addition, there are other names for Easter bread, such as “kolachi” and “korovai”. “Kolachy is a round bread with a hole in the middle, and korovai often has a cross or a sword.
Famous linguist Oleksandr Avramenko also notes that eggs that are traditionally dyed for Easter should be called either “krasanky” when they are painted in one colour or “pysanky” when they contain an ornament. At the same time, the linguist emphasises that the use of the term “testicles” in this context is not recommended, as it has a completely different meaning and symbolises “paired male gonads”.
Thus, in order to preserve national customs, try to use traditional Ukrainian names for Easter dishes and attributes.
Author: Olya Yushko
