What is the Hutsul Dance “Arkan“?

The Arkan dance is the main element of the initiation rite of a Hutsul 12-year-old boy by adults. After the rite, he received the right to participate in dances, wear a bartka (Hutsul axe) and gird himself with a skullcap (wide sash), i.e. he became a potential oprichok. Legends tell us that the first Hutsul Arkan performed by descended from the mountains vytyazi. For the preservation of the original Arkan among Hutsuls, we must be grateful to Carpathian beliefs among the local population. The Arkan is danced in a closed circle or semi-circle, with axes in their hands. The dance is widespread in Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernovtsy and Transcarpathian regions.