Making Ukrainian dolls

Ira Buch, Ukrainian national and current junior at The Hotchkiss School, led a traditional doll-making workshop Wednesday, May 8.

Patrick L. Sullivan
scoville memorial library

Making Ukrainian dolls

SALISBURY — Ira Buch, a Ukrainian student at The Hotchkiss School, showed a group of children how to make traditional Ukrainian dolls at the Scoville Memorial Library Wednesday afternoon, May 8.

With backup from Caroline Burchfield, Buch demonstrated how to make the simple, colorful “motanky” dolls from available fabric — in this case, an old tablecloth and some ribbon.

As the group worked, she explained that the dolls are meant to protect the household from evil spirits.

The dolls do not have faces.

Asked why, Buch said “a face could annoy the spirits.”

Buch was a natural with the small children, asking them about what they like to do and putting them at ease.

scoville memorial library

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