Vodograi presents Ukrainian jewellery and gerdany at Handicraft Days in Narva

On 22 May 2026 the Vodograi Ukrainian community of Sillamäe, a member organisation of the Association, took part in Estonia's national Handicraft Days, held this year in Narva. Its participation was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Vyshyvanka Day.

Community head Larysa Zhytnyk and Kateryna Maltseva presented an exhibition of traditional Ukrainian jewellery, "Beauty that Unites Hearts", to local residents and seminar participants from all over Estonia. Visitors saw dukachi, coral necklaces, beaded collars, gerdany and other folk ornaments and were impressed by the display.

A separate section showed gerdany made by community craftswomen Tamara Paskarenko, Svitlana Stashkevych and Larysa Zhytnyk. This beadwork technique was passed on to the community by the late craftswoman Anna Vylu, whose memory has lived on in Vodograi's work for more than 25 years. Tamara Paskarenko led a gerdan weaving workshop, while Yaroslava Chernenko and Oleksandr Matushko presented traditional costumes from the Ternopil and Kyiv regions.

The community thanks the organisers, Olga Kublitskaya and Anna Uttendorff, for the invitation, and everyone who helped present Ukrainian culture with dignity.

More photos are in the Vodograi community group on Facebook.