Central Albertans designed eggs to show support to those suffering in Ukraine.
About 10 people gathered at the Urban Aboriginal Voices Voices Society office downtown to learn the Ukrainian art of Pysanka egg crafting Sunday morning.
Red Feather Women of Red Deer organized the event to raise awareness for the Ukrainian people suffering due to the Russian invasion, which began February 24. Donations were also gathered to support Ukrainian women and children in crisis.
Theresa “Corky” Larsen-Jonasson, one of the founding members of Red Feather Women, said, “We thought we could support women and children in need over there, or if anything, create relationships and learn a little more.”
The event was also held to support central Alberta community members involved in search and rescue in Ukraine, with the Canadian International Rescue Organization.
READ MORE: Central Albertans part of search and rescue efforts in Ukraine
Hayley Christen taught attendees how to design the Pysanka eggs, which are Ukrainian Easter eggs, decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk designs using a wax-resist method.
“It’s good to get together, spend time with other people. Hopefully, through media it gets outs that people around the world are thinking about what’s happening there. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people suffering and going through a lot,” Christen said.
She learned the Ukrainian art form when she was in grade school.
“I learned when I was in Grade 4 and 5 when I was in Annie L. Gaetz School. A teacher there … taught students how to do it,” she said.
At the beginning of the event, she walked attendees through the process of designing the eggs.
“You start with a fresh egg. You use beeswax to write on the egg – you use a (tool) and put the wax wherever you want to preserve the colour of the egg,” she explained.
“You put the egg in colours that go from light to dark. When I pull it out of the yellow dye, I’ll put wax on the yellow egg, so wherever I put wax on, it will remain yellow.
“Then when I put it in the darker dye, it will still have the yellow underneath that.”
After the egg has been dyed, Christen holds it close to a candle and wipes the wax away as it melts.
“All of the colours from the dyes come through, so they’re all preserved. Then I spray it with varnish and blow out the insides. The egg can last for year,” she said.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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