College student advocates for preserving Ukraine's Bukovyna heritage in photo project about traditional wells
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
Ivan Mudrak, a student of Vasyl Shkribliak Vyzhnytsia College of Arts and Design, investigates and captures the Bukovyna architecture and traditions in photographs.
Bukovyna is a historical region in Romania and Ukraine located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and nearby plains.
Bird In Flight reports that Ivan studies the decoration of authentic wells and talks about his finds in expeditions on the Instagram page.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
Mudrak created the "Babyn Buchok" project during a full-scale invasion to preserve traditions and show the identity of his native land.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
"The 'Babyn Buchok' project is almost a year old. I started it during a full-scale invasion," says the student. "Recently, a friend from the 20partisan_n community, a student of the jewelry department, has been helping me. We are conducting our research, traveling to the remote corners of Bukovyna."
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
The young man studies artistic weaving at Vasyl Shkribliak Vyzhnytsia College of Arts and Design and lives in the city of Storozhynets, Chernivtsi region.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
Although there are no hostilities in Bukovyna, the villagers were suspicious of his research, Mudrak says.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
People were interested in what he did. Some called him a "spy" who adjusted a Russian rocket fire. But in general, many people were interested in this activity. They kindly talked about their lives and offered to photograph them next to their homes.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
"A life-giving attribute of every village street is a water well. Locals treat them with special respect. This is noticeable by their well-groomed and decorated condition," says Mudrak. "Modern decor is somewhat different from traditional decor due to the influence of several historical and cultural factors. As a rule, the craftspeople in the village made wells not only for themselves but also for neighbors, relatives, and acquaintances. That's how a certain style of decoration spread in every village."
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
Most often, wells are painted red, blue, and yellow. They are decorated with symbols traditional for Bukovyna: birds, flowers, livestock, plant, and geometric patterns, as well as sacred symbols in the cross-cutting technique.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
The roof is decorated with geometric notches, crosses, or plant-like shapes. Crane wells have also been preserved in the border villages of Storozhynets and Hlyboka.
Photo: instagram.com/babynbuchok
Bukovyna wells were traditionally built behind a fence with access to the road, hanging a mug or a cup for travelers. This is an attribute of non-accidental hospitality because locals people it's a sin not to share bread and water with one's neighbor. This tradition is already being lost.
