HUTSUL RITES OF HONORING ANCESTORS, RECORDED IN THE WORKS OF UKRAINIAN WRITERS

The article explores Hutsul rituals of ancestor veneration as depicted in the literary works of prominent Ukrainian writers. The author analyzes how writers from different periods and styles — including Ivan Franko, Olha Kobylianska, Hnat Khotkevych, Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Marko Cheremshyna, Danylo Kharov’yuk, and Petro Shekeryk-Donikov — portray the features of Hutsul spiritual culture and traditions, particularly rituals related to remembering the deceased, beliefs about the soul, funeral rites, and commemorative practices. Special attention is given to an analysis of Petro Shekeryk-Donikov’s novel Dido Ivanchik, which most fully reflects the richness and depth of Hutsul traditions, including rituals associated with the soul’s passage to the afterlife, the struggle with evil spirits, as well as the significance of games and festive activities accompanying funeral ceremonies. The article highlights the role of molfars as mediators between the worlds of the living and the dead. It demonstrates that Hutsul ancestor veneration rituals in literary texts serve not only as ethnographic material but also as an important element of cultural identity and worldview of the mountain people. The study emphasizes that through literary works a stable “Hutsul text” is formed, preserving and transmitting traditions and spiritual values to future generations. The article will be valuable for specialists in Ukrainian literature, ethnology, folklore studies, and cultural studies.