Malanka, December 31
Malanka, December 31
Malanka is an ancient holiday that combines Christian and pagan traditions. Ukrainians celebrate it on the 31st of December. This holiday used to mark the beginning of the new year before the calendar was changed from Julian to Gregorian.
Traditional Malanka is a vivid and loud festival with unusual costumes, songs, and acting. Typical characters of Malanka include grandpa and grandma, gypsies with wheat straw bears, kings and queens, horses, and doctors. Some costumes are extremely heavy and can weigh up to 100 kg! If you want to see the traditional and epic celebration of Malanka, you should go to Western Ukraine. The biggest Malanka of Ukraine is organized in Krasnoilsk – a village near the Romanian border.
Malanka in the village of Vashkivtsi would be even more interesting for foreign tourists because here they can see many Ukrainian traditions. Highlights of this festival include a bear fight, swimming in a river for cleansing, and a procession of decorated cars and motorcycles.
When do Ukrainians celebrate Malanka?
Which traditions does the holiday combine?
What did it use to mark?
What is this holiday like?
What are the typical characters of Malanka?
What does the word "highlights" mean?
What does the word "vivid" mean?
What does the word "gypsies" mean?
What does the word "border" mean?
Complete the sentence:
Traditional Malanka is a .... .... .... festival.
Complete the sentence:
Highlights of this festival include a bear fight, swimming in a river for ...... .
Which tense is used in the next sentence:
Malanka is an ancient holiday that combines Christian and pagan traditions.
Which tense is used in the next sentence:
This holiday used to mark the beginning of the new year.
In which part of Ukraine can you see the traditional celebration of Malanka?
Створюйте онлайн-тести
для контролю знань і залучення учнів
до активної роботи у класі та вдома
