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Тема 3
National traditions of Belarus. Национальные традиции Беларуси
Many festivals that originated in pre-Christian times are still celebrated in Belarus. The reverberations of paganism are felt in the festivals which have remained really popular and demonstrated curious traditions for centuries, for example January 13 - the old New Year day. Traditionally people celebrate again the New Year on that day, yet this time according to the Old Style (calendar) - on the night from 13th to 14th of january. People call that holiday Shchedrets, the Generous night or Kolyada.
Children dress up in traditional clothes and wear masks depicting animals, give
themselves out to be fantastic creatures, carry the sun and a goat's head in their hands. They proceed in groups from house to house,singing Kolyda songs and dancing. At each house they show off the masks and the hosts treat them with food
in return.
In late February - early March there comes Maslenitsa - a ritual of parting with winter. On that day people traditionally bake pancakes, reminding of the sun by their shape, and carry on open-air festivals.
Another ancient tradition is the annual tidying of the graves of parents and grandparents. Orthodox Christians celebrate this festival around April 23 and call it the Easter of the Dead, or Radunitsa. Some families leave painted Easter eggs at the graves to show that the departed are still part of the family. Catholics honour the dead on All Souls Day, or Dzyady, on November 2.
On July 7 there is Kupalie, which is traditionally celebrated on the night from the 6 to the 7 of July. It is a festival to worship the Sun God and the God of Fire. It is considered one of the most beautiful holidays filled with pagan traditions. According to popular legends, a flower of a fern unfolds on Kupala midnight and the person who finds it will be eternally young, happy and capable to predict the future. On that night young men set off for the forest hoping to find this miraculous flower. In the mean- time girls pick field flowers, bind wreaths and let them drift down the river trying to find out about their destiny in such a way. In bygone times each girl made two wreaths - one for herself and one for her Prince Charming. Wreaths were decorated with lit candles and let float. The candle light was seen from afar in the night and that added even more mystery to this ritual. The popular belief had it that if wreaths meet and float together it will mean a soon-to-be marriage, if they float apart one has to wait for another year.
On the Kupala night people usually move on a round dance and jump over the fire competing in their deftness. Nowadays this pagan festival is celebrated as the Christian holiday of the John the Baptist birthday (John is Ivan in Russian and Yanka in Belarusian).
The festival of Kupalie held in July celebrates nature and summertime. People return to their home villages to celebrate in fields and forests with picnics and bonfires. Traditional songs are sung and people dance in circles around bonfires.
Sometimes a man and woman will hold hands and jump over the bonfire as a symbol of spiritual cleansing.
During this festive night our ancestors performed rituals which were supposed to protect them from evil spirits. Special importance was attributed to the miraculous force of water and fire. It was believed that on this night evil spirits roam about. And to get protection from them big bon fires were set alight. Young people dressed in their best clothes danced around bon fires and sang Kupalle songs. A wooden wheel symbolizing the sun was raised on a tail pole and set afire. There is a belief that it is during this night that the magic fern comes into bloom. A belief persists to this day that curative flowers and herbs collected on this night have a special healing power. It is also commonly believed that on this night water helps to purge oneself of sin and get protected from evil spirits.
Kupalle night, a night of miracles, is very much cherished by Belarusians to this day.
