84-Year-Old Maria Keeps a 12-Hour Ukrainian Cabbage Tradition Alive

In the village of Smidyn, located in the Volyn region of Ukraine, an ancient culinary tradition lives on through the dedication of Maria Potapivna Polyak. At 84 years old, Maria continues to preserve the art of making "Smidyn Cabbage," a unique dish passed down through generations. Known locally as "Baked Smidyn Cabbage," this cultural treasure is a staple among village households, with recipes often handed down from mother to daughter. Maria, having learned from her own mother, follows the traditional method. Each evening, she prepares the cabbage by selecting heads of similar size and removing the outer leaves. The cabbage is then placed in a heated oven, tightly sealed with a mixture of sand, clay, and water. The baking process lasts 12 hours, usually overnight. In the morning, Maria carefully removes the fragrant, tender cabbage, letting it cool before dressing it with pickles, garlic, and oil. Despite living alone, Maria’s spirit remains strong and resilient. Her life is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Volyn, filled with prayer, dedication, and love for her community. Through her efforts, she keeps a centuries-old tradition alive, offering a glimpse into the enduring strength and warmth of Ukrainian village life. 🔗 Follow us for more behind-the-scenes content: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basic__life__/profilecard/?igsh=MTgybTRjdm5mbml1Zw== 🎥 TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@basic_life 🌟 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell 🔔 for weekly videos full of inspiration, culture, and tradition. Your support keeps our stories alive! ❤️ village life old couple mountain village rural life old couple life mountains life village woman village village lifestyle how people live hard life in the mountains mountain village life traditional food country lifestyle mountain life mountains hard life village food village cooking village people old man traditional life village life vlogs old man life the life at highland village village life in ukraine primitive life woman alone in the wilderness how people live in ukraine woman alone in mountain woman alone food around the world nature organic food village channel old couple life at the top of mountains old couple living alone relaxing video old man live alone far from civilization old grandmother drama old culture country life vlog everyday life mountain cooking the village cold village nomadic lifestyle village people life country life retirement village old blind couple life lifestyle at the villages mountain afghani traditional food cooking in village living alone life in remote villages village family couple life in village live alone how to live alone nomadic lifestyle campfire campfire cooking traditional cooking relaxing video 4k relaxing video nature lifestyle story of life stories of real people country life lonely grandpa mountain village people life life in most remote villages village vlog old couple living in mountain old women old house at the top of mountain alone couple country cooking vlog countryside vlog lonely grandmother Ukraine village life mountaintop daily life simple living life in mountains mountain people living in mountains primitive living far from any road rural village remote village primitive documentaries life in the mountains cooking in the mountains traditional village life old couple live alone in mountains alone old man life family and nature life highland documentary nomadic ambience life in nature highland and village life natural farming how to old couple mountain old couples mountain in village nomad life 2000 years old cave living in the mountains historical village countryside food women daily routine village in mountain nomadic life in the mountains making fire tea in the mountains mountain valley old village village girl old lovers living in a cave my rural events caves with 2000 years archaism hard life in the village life style village #villagelife #village #documentary