Carnival

Carnival (м’ясниці; miasnytsi). The period between Epiphany and Lent traditionally devoted to revelry and dancing. Normally, weddings take place during this period. The carnival period ended in Ukraine with the kolodka, an ancient feast for older women, who treated each other with dumplings (varenyky). Later it became a feast for everyone (known in Western Ukraine as zapusty) to celebrate the end of the carnival season. The name kolodka derives from the word for a small log or stick; this was tied to a young man or girl who did not marry during the carnival.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 1 (1984).]