To the issue of ethnographic research of traditional occupations of Hutsuls (from the 20s to 90s of the 19th century)

Abstract

Ethnographic study of Hutsul region started in the early 19th century. The 1920s-30s of the 19th century attest to the growing interest in the Hutsul theme on the part of the travellers and amateur ethnographers. The traditional culture, mode of life and occupations of Hutsuls attracted attention of a wide circle of researchers, who, while travelling in the Carpathians, collected extensive ethnographic material. Major attention of the researchers of this period is focused on spiritual culture, descriptions of customs and rituals, the issue of folk myths and demonology. However, there is fragmentary information about the main occupations of Hutsuls.
It was the time of accumulation of ethnographic data, development of individual issues from the life of Hutsuls, collection of the material and a descriptive way to present it. K. Milevskyi, A. Kozheniovskyi, K. Vuitsitskyi, I. Vahilevych and Ya. Holovatskyi, Polish and Ukrainian researchers, ethnographers and public figures, made the first attempts to study life and polonyna occupations of Hutsuls.
In the 1040s-1970s, V. Pol, V. Kohlberg and V. Zavadskyi, professional ethnographers, are interested in the life of Hutsuls along with amateur ethnographers. Travelling around Hutsul region, they studied traditional Hutsul clothing as well as described the main occupations of the mountain dwellers.
The further development of ethnographic research and scientific study of the traditional occupations of Hutsuls is associated with the last decades of the 19th century. Works of the Polish authors who studied the spiritual and material culture of Hutsuls contain a considerable amount of the descriptive material. The works of A. Kohlberg and L. Verzhbytskyi provide partial information important for our in-depth study. The ethnographic research of V. Zavadskyi and S. Vytvytskyi, Ukrainian ethnographers and public figures, the latter is considered one of the founders of the Hutsul Doctrine, is of great value.
Ethnographic materials, collected by R. Kaindl, an ethnologist, are an important source of study of the life of Hutsuls. Almost annually, the scientist launched expeditions to the Hutsul Carpathians. His research concerned the origin of Hutsuls, their spiritual and material culture.
Late 19th century is characterized by a significant accumulation of the materials, addressing major issues when studying ethnography of Hutsuls and forming the first scientific ethnographic centres in Ukraine. Taras Shevchenko Scientific Society in Lviv played the main role among them. This period is marked by the works of V. Shukhevych, V. Hnatiuk, F. Vovk, I. Franko, A. Onyshchuk, I. Kopernytskyi, Yu. Schneider and others.
The level of study of the traditional occupations of Hutsuls of the specified period is insufficient in scientific and literary sources, based on the performed analysis. Creative work of folk craftsmen and such occupations of Hutsuls as lizhnyk making and manufacturing of cheese products, in particular, were not a special subject of study, and the descriptions available at that time are rare and of superficial character. However, despite the lack of a thorough analysis, the researchers managed to collect a considerable amount of ethnographic material.