Rushnik
Rushniks are traditional East
Slavic towels decorated with the ornamental pattern that are used for ceremonial events. An example of their use would be a host offering his guests
rye,
bread, and
salt, which would then be served on a rushnik. Rushniks are also used at religious services,
funerals, and other social functions. On each rushnik, there is a decorative pattern called an ornament. The ornaments are commonly designed to show local
plants and
flowers. These patterns are also woven into outfits. An example of an ornament can be seen on the
national flag of Belarus.
When the towels are made, they are said to represent order and the bond man has to his
God, to his family and to those who came before him. The towel is also said to reflect the
history of the people, their
spirit, their creativity and their artistic view of the
world around them.
The way that a
towel is used by a person depends on their name. The very basic rushnik is called the
uciralnik or wiper. The uciralnik is a basic towel that is used to clean up the home. The towel either has no designs on it or it has very narrow strip on the edges. In contrast, a
nabozhnik is a highly decorated towel composing of
embroidery and of
lace. Nabozhniks, also called nabrazniks or nakutniks are used to decorate
icons.
Rushniks are widely used in rituals of the
Slavic religion and many of these ancient customs have been incorporated into modern observances. The rushnik is used during various ceremonies, including
weddings and
funerals. During a wedding ceremony, the
bride and
groom are standing on a towel called a
padnozhnik, which litterally translates to step-on towel. What happens to the padnozhnik is that the bride will drag the towel behind her, and her
bridesmaids follow behind her. Tradition has it that when the bridesmaids follow behind the padnozhnik, they are following the path of the bride and hopefully be married themselves.
*
Virtual Guide to Belarus - Belarusian Textile *
Virtual Guide to Belarus - Belarusian Rushniks
