Role of Elements of Ukrainian Folk Costume in Cossack Folklore Heritage

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the diversity of elements of traditional Ukrainian clothing and their symbolic content in the folklore of the Cossack period; to conduct a substantive analysis of folk art samples in terms of their classification and references to the component parts of the costume. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach. To solve the tasks set, a number of scientific methods were used, namely: historical and chronological, method of comparison and generalisation, art historical analysis, using the principles of systematicity and historicism. The source base was the heritage of Cossack folklore – lyrical, epic, and lyric-epic works. Scientific novelty. The folklore heritage of the Cossack era – the works of the Cossacks themselves and oral folklore about the Cossacks – was studied in view of the presence in their numerous samples of references to elements of traditional costume as the personification of the material and spiritual culture of Ukrainians, where each part of the integral set of clothing performs utilitarian, aesthetic, ritual, ethno-patriotic, and other functions. This applies to such common costume components as shirt, hat, belt, outerwear, and shoes. They were not only everyday items but also symbols of individual events in Cossack life. Conclusions. The analysis of the national folklore heritage of the Cossack era – the works of the Cossacks themselves and oral folklore about the Cossacks – has testified to the presence in their numerous samples of references to elements of traditional costume as the personification of the material and spiritual culture of Ukrainians, where each part of the complete set of clothing plays utilitarian, aesthetic, ritual, ethnopatriotic, and other functions. It has been found that references to such elements of traditional clothing as headwear, underwear and outerwear, jewellery and footwear were used by the people in songs, dumas, legends, fairy tales, proverbs, and sayings to emphasise social status, romanticize, and heroise characters and events.
 Key words: folk costume, traditional clothing, ritual, Cossacks, Cossack folklore, oral folk art.