| Lemkos are one of four major ethnic groups | | | | the central and the western half of the |
| who inhabit the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, | | | | Carpathians in Ukraine, including the |
| and who speak the Lemko dialect/language. | | | | Dolynsky and a part of the Rozhniativsky |
| | | | Raions (districts) in the Ivano-Frankivsk |
| Location | | | | Oblast (province), the Skolivsky, Turkivsky, |
| | | | and parts of the Drohobytsky, Sambirsky and |
| The Lemkos' homeland is commonly referred to | | | | Starosambirsky Raions in the Lviv Oblast, and |
| as Lemkivshchyna (Ukrainian: ?e??i?????, | | | | parts of the Mizhhirsky Raion in the |
| Polish: Lemkowszczyzna). Up until 1945, this | | | | Zakarpattia Oblast), as well as the adjacent |
| included the area from the Poprad River in | | | | areas of southeast Poland and northeast |
| the east to the valley of Oslawa River in the | | | | Slovakia. |
| west, areas situated primarily in present-day | | | | |
| Poland, in the Lesser Poland and | | | | Some scholars claim that this ethnic group is |
| Subcarpathian Voivodeships. This part of the | | | | a part of Rusyns. Indeed, in the 19th century |
| Carpathian mountains is mostly deforested, | | | | and in the first part of the 20th century |
| which allowed for an agrarian economy, | | | | Boykos, as well as most of the population of |
| alongside such traditional occupations as ox | | | | the present day's Western Ukraine called |
| grazing and sheep herding. | | | | themselves Ruthenians (Ukrainian: ??????, |
| | | | Rusyny). Then the term "Ukrainian", that |
| This area was part of Austro-Hungarian Empire | | | | replaced the term "Ruthenians" in Eastern |
| until its dissolution in 1918, at which point | | | | Ukraine a century earlier, has became more |
| the Lemko-Rusyn Republic (Ruska Lemkivska) | | | | common among Western Ruthenians/Ukrainians, |
| declared its independence. The independence | | | | including Boykos, as well. According to the |
| did not last long, and the territory was | | | | recent census practically all Boykos in |
| incorporated into Poland in 1920. | | | | Ukraine (not however in Poland and in |
| | | | Slovakia) declared their ethnicity as |
| As a result of Operation Wisla, the majority | | | | Ukrainian. |
| of Lemkos from this territory were resettled | | | | |
| throughout Poland and in the Ukrainian Soviet | | | | The name, "Boyko" is thought by some to |
| Socialist Republic, leaving a significant | | | | originate in their patterns of speech, |
| population only in the Prešov Region of | | | | specifically the use of the expression, |
| present-day Slovakia. | | | | "bah!". |
| | | | |
| Etymology | | | | Most Boykos belong to the Ukrainian Greek |
| | | | Catholic Church, with a minority belonging to |
| The name "Lemko" derives from the common | | | | the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The |
| expression Lem (?e?), which can mean "but", | | | | distinctive wooden church architecture of the |
| "only", or "like" in the Lemko dialect. | | | | Boyko region is a three-domed church, with |
| "Lemko" came into use as an endonym after | | | | the domes arranged in one line, and the |
| having been used as an exonym by the | | | | middle dome slightly larger than the others. |
| neighboring Boykos and Hutsuls, who do not | | | | |
| use that expression in their respective | | | | Boyko is also a common surname among people |
| dialects. Prior to this moniker, the Lemkos | | | | with origins in Western Ukraine, including in |
| described themselves as Rusnaks ((Ukrainian: | | | | Canada and the United States. |
| ????a??, translit. Rusnaky) or Rusyns | | | | |
| (Ukrainian: ??????, translit. Rusyny), as did | | | | Hutsuls (Ukrainian: ??????, singular ?????, |
| the rest of the inhabitants of present-day | | | | Romanian: Hutuli, singular Hutul, Hutsul |
| Western Ukraine in the 19th century and first | | | | dialect: Hutsule, singular Hutsul; |
| part of the 20th century. In the early 20th | | | | alternatively spelled Huculs, Huzuls, |
| century, a majority of these peoples became | | | | Hutzuls, Gutsuls, Guculs, Guzuls, or Gutzuls) |
| active participants in the creation of the | | | | are an ethno-cultural group of highlanders |
| Ukrainian nation and came to call themselves | | | | who for centuries have inhabited the |
| Ukrainians (Ukrainian: ????????, translit. | | | | Carpathian mountains, mainly in Ukraine, but |
| Ukrayintsi). However, while they may have | | | | also in the northern extremity of Romania (in |
| accepted the new state of Ukraine, many | | | | the areas of Bukovina and Maramures), as well |
| Lemkos, including those in Poland and | | | | as in Slovakia and Poland. |
| Slovakia, consider themselves to be a | | | | |
| distinct ethnicity, while some claim to be | | | | Although Hutsuls have a distinct |
| Ukrainians and still others indentify as | | | | self-identity, there is an ongoing and, often |
| Rusyns. | | | | politically charged, debate on whether |
| | | | Hutsuls are of the Ukrainian ethnicity or the |
| History | | | | Rusyn one (opinions also vary over their |
| | | | status as a subgroup of the Ukrainian |
| Lemkos are generally considered to be | | | | ethnicity itself), as well as whether they |
| descendants of Ruthenian settlers who arrived | | | | originated from the Romanian people. |
| in 14th century or probably earlier to the | | | | |
| area traditionally inhabited by Lemkos. | | | | Etymology |
| | | | |
| After World War I, Lemkos founded two | | | | There are different versions for the origins |
| short-lived republics, the Lemko-Rusyn | | | | of the name Hutsul. An explanation is that it |
| Republic in the west of Galicia, which had a | | | | comes from the Romanian word for "outlaw" |
| russophile orietation, and the Komancza | | | | (cf. Rom. hot - "thief"). Other explanations |
| Republic, with a Ukainophile orientation. | | | | place their origins in the Slavic kochul - |
| | | | "wanderer","migrant", in reference to their |
| It is estimated that about 130,000-140,000 | | | | semi-nomadic lifestyle, to the name of the |
| Lemkos were living in the Polish part of | | | | Turkic tribe of the Uzy, and even to the name |
| Lemkivshchyna in 1939. Mass emigration from | | | | of the Moravian king Hetsyl[1]. |
| this territory to the Western hemisphere | | | | |
| began in the late 1800s, diminishing the | | | | History and origins |
| cultural uniqueness of the Lemko homeland. | | | | |
| Additional depopulation of these lands | | | | Hutsuls inhabit areas situated between the |
| occurred when the Lemkos began to be removed | | | | south-east of those inhabited by the Boykos, |
| in a forced resettlement, first to the Soviet | | | | down to the northern part of the Romanian |
| Union (about 90,000 people) and later to | | | | segment of the Carpathians. |
| Poland's newly-acquired western lands (about | | | | |
| 35,000) in the Operation Wisla campaign of | | | | Two prominent theories of their origin state |
| the late 1940s. This action was a state | | | | that the Hutsuls may have begun as an early |
| ordered solution to the struggle waged by the | | | | non-Romanised Thracian or Dacian population, |
| Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in | | | | which was later linguistically assimilated |
| south-eastern Poland. | | | | with the neighboring Slavs, or the origin may |
| | | | only go back as far as a later Romanised |
| While a minority of Lemkos returned (some | | | | Dacian (Romanian) population (see Vlachs), |
| 5,000 Lemko families returned to their home | | | | which was also linguistically assimilated. |
| regions in Poland between 1957-1958[1], | | | | |
| officially having been allowed the right to | | | | Language |
| return in 1956), the Lemko population in the | | | | |
| Polish part of Lemkivschyna only numbers | | | | Although most of them speak the Hutsul |
| around 10,000-15,000 today. Some 50,000 | | | | dialect (a dialect of Ukrainian/Rusyn with |
| Lemkos live in the western and northern parts | | | | Polish influences), several words in their |
| of Poland, where they were sent to populate | | | | dialect have Romanian origins (e.g. kyptar - |
| former German villages in areas Stalin had | | | | "vest", from Rom. cheptar cf. Latin pectus; |
| ceded to Poland. Among those, 5,863 people | | | | zgardy - "necklace", from Rom. zgarda, cf. |
| identified themselves as Lemko in the 2002 | | | | Albanian shkardhë; bryndza - "cheese", cf. |
| census. However, it is estimated that no | | | | Rom. brânza). |
| fewer than 80,000 ethnic Lemkos reside in | | | | |
| Poland today. Within Lemkivshchyna, Lemkos | | | | Due to the current educational system, the |
| live in the villages of Losie, Krynica, | | | | Hutsul dialect is in danger of extinction, as |
| Nowica, Zdynia, Gladyszów, Hanczowa, | | | | the compulsory education is done only in |
| Zyndranowa, Uscie Gorlickie, Bartne, | | | | Ukrainian, including in countries where |
| Binczarowa and Bielanka. Additional | | | | Hutsuls are recognised as a separate minority |
| populations can be found in Mokre, Szczawne, | | | | than the Ukrainian one. |
| Kulaszne, Rzepedz, Turzansk, Komancza, Sanok, | | | | |
| Nowy Sacz, and Gorlice. | | | | Way of life and culture |
| | | | |
| Religion | | | | Traditional Hutsul culture is often |
| | | | represented by the colorful and intricate |
| Christianity in the region is thought to date | | | | craftsmanship of their clothing, sculpture, |
| to the efforts of Saints Cyril and Methodius | | | | architecture, woodworking, metalworking |
| in the 800s. The religion of many Lemkos is | | | | (especially in brass), rug weaving, pottery, |
| Greek-Catholicism. In Poland, they belong to | | | | and egg decorating (see pysanka). Along with |
| the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and to | | | | other Hutsul traditions, as well as their |
| the Ruthenian Catholic Church (see also | | | | songs and dances, this culture is often |
| Slovak Greek Catholic Church) in Slovakia. A | | | | celebrated and highlighted by the different |
| substantial number belong to the Eastern | | | | countries that Hutsuls inhabit. Hutsul |
| Orthodox Church. Through the efforts of the | | | | culture bears a noted resemblance to the |
| martyred priest Fr. Maxim Sandovich in the | | | | traditional culture of Romania [7], with that |
| early 1900's (canonized by the Polish | | | | of western Ukraine [8] [9], and with that of |
| Orthodox Church in the 1990s) Eastern | | | | other mountainous people which may have |
| Orthodoxy was reintroduced to many Lemko | | | | similar origins, such as the Gorals in Poland |
| areas which had accepted the Union of Brest | | | | and Slovakia[10] and the Moravian Wallachians |
| centuries before. The distinctive wooden | | | | in the Czech Republic. Most Hutsuls belong to |
| architectural style of the Lemko churches is | | | | the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the |
| to place the highest cupola of the church | | | | Ruthenian Catholic Church. |
| building at the entrance to the church, with | | | | |
| the roof sloping downward toward the | | | | Hutsul society was traditionally based on |
| sanctuary. | | | | forestry and logging, as well as cattle and |
| | | | sheep breeding; the Hutsuls are credited with |
| Dialect | | | | having created the breed of horse known as |
| | | | the Hucul pony. They use unique musical |
| The Lemko dialect is the western-most dialect | | | | instruments, including the "trembita" |
| of the Ukrainian language. Lemko speech, | | | | (trâmbita), a type of alpenhorn of Dacian |
| however, includes patterns matching those of | | | | origin, as well multiple varieties of the |
| the surrounding Polish and Slovak languages, | | | | fife, or sopilka, that are used to create |
| leading some to refer to it as a transitional | | | | unique folk melodies and rhythms. Also |
| dialect between Polish and Slovak (some even | | | | frequently used are the bagpipe (duda), the |
| consider the dialect in Eastern Slovakia to | | | | jew's harp (drymba), and the hammered |
| be a dialect of the Slovak language). | | | | dulcimer - cymbalom. |
| | | | |
| Language | | | | The Hutsuls served as an inspiration for many |
| | | | writers, such as Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka, |
| Metodyj Trochanovskyij published a Lemko | | | | Mykhailo Kotsiubyns'kyi, Vasyl Stefanik and |
| Primer ('Lemkivskj bukvar') and a First | | | | Mihail Sadoveanu. Sergei Parajanov's film |
| Reader ('Persa knyzecka') for use in schools | | | | Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (???? ??????? |
| in the Lemko-speaking area of Poland in the | | | | ???????), which is based on the book by |
| 1930's. These were banned by the Polish | | | | Mykhailo Kotsiubyns'ky, portrays scenes of |
| government in 1938. In the late 20th century, | | | | traditional Hutsul life. |
| some Lemkos/Rusyns, mainly emigres from the | | | | |
| region of the southern slopes of the | | | | Every summer, the village of Sheshory in |
| Carpathians in modern-day Slovakia, began an | | | | Ukraine hosts a three-day international |
| effort to codify and standardize a grammar | | | | festival of folk music and art. Two |
| for the Lemko dialect. This happened on the | | | | Hutsul-related museums are located in |
| 27-th Jan. 1995 in Presov, Slovakia. The | | | | Kolomyia, Ukraine: the Pysanky museum and the |
| Lemko/Rusyn languague became a language. | | | | Museum of Hutsul and Pokuttya Folk Art. |
| | | | Traditional Hutsul sounds and moves were |
| Boyko or Boiko is the name for a distinctive | | | | effectively used by the Ukrainian winner of |
| group of Ukrainian montagnards of the | | | | the 2004 Eurovision song contest, Ruslana |
| Carpathian highlands. The Boykos inhabited | | | | Lyzhychko. |