Older Belarusians, of course, remember those times when carolers and mummers went from house to house in villages, performed entire performances and gratefully took treats from their owners. But is it possible now, and especially in the city, to revive the folk tradition of caroling? What do you need for this and when is the right time to go?
When do Kolyadas come?
Carols (that’s right, in the plural) have their roots in the distant pagan past. It was then that our ancestors associated them with the day of the first winter solstice. Carols symbolized both the beginning of a solar new year and a new agricultural year. They were celebrated from December 25 to January 6.
Now Orthodox Belarusians celebrate Kolyady from January 6 to 19 – from Christmas Eve to Epiphany.
And if the first day of Carols (Christmas Eve, the evening before Christmas) was considered a family holiday, then on the second day (and in some cases only on the third) they already went to caroling. Moreover, the most active carolers were young people.
However, after folk traditions and rituals began to be actively revived in Belarus somewhere in the 1990s, in addition to young people, both children and adults of different ages happily engage in caroling.
How to properly carol
Let’s remember how our ancestors usually caroled in the villages and try it on ourselves.
Big company
To make caroling really fun, it was necessary to gather a lot of people to perform entire performances. Usually there were 5-15 people in a group of carolers. Nowadays you need at least three.
Recognizable characters
Carolers assigned roles in advance, took out masquerade costumes or made them from what was at hand.
Common carol characters are:
- goat;
- bear;
- a horse;
- Gypsy;
- guide (grandfather);
- stork;
- star;
- bell ringer
Also in the company were mekhonosha, musicians, began to sing.
Poems and songs
To really please the owners, you should learn a few carol songs and poems and rehearse. They are usually quite short. You can find it on the Internet and even compose it yourself.
The main thing is that the poems should contain congratulations on Christmas, Christmas Carols, wishes for health, goodness, wealth, and a good harvest. It is also not considered shameful to ask for a treat.
For example:
Let’s carol, let’s carol
We wander from family to family.
We will tell you poems,
Give us some pies.
Well, it would be better if there were coins
We’ll buy the candy ourselves
And also a handful of nuts
And let’s take a thimble of wine!
Scenario
It’s also a good idea to write out a script for your speech in advance. After all, first the carolers must ask the owners for permission to carol. And only after receiving permission, begin the performance.
At the same time, you need to know that the Goat, for example, after funny dancing and butting horns (for fun), should fall to the floor and pretend that it died.
This is done in order to beg for a treat. The carolers, after unsuccessful attempts to revive the Goat on their own, sang: “Oh, Pan Idze, carol for now, three pieces of lard until the kaza gets tired.”
And only after the owners brought out the treat did the Goat come to life.
Symbol
One of the symbols of Kolyad is the Christmas star worn by the star. To notify the arrival of carolers, you need a bell, which the bell ringer rings. But this tradition is started only in some areas.
And, of course, one of the symbols of Kolyad was a large bag in which gifts and treats were placed for the whole company. It was worn by a fur bear – usually the strongest man.
By the way, according to one of the traditions, carolers should not take treats or money in their hands – the owners themselves put them in the bag.
How to meet carolers
Our ancestors believed that the arrival of carolers in the house “ensures” happiness, health, and well-being of the family for the whole year. The only exception for them was not to enter houses where less than a year had passed since one of the family members died.
And if for some reason the carolers of someone didn’t visit, then this was considered great disrespect, and even a harbinger of troubles. That is why the owners tried to meet them halfway to invite them into the house. And, of course, they gave rich treats – sausage, lard, cookies, and sometimes money.
Nowadays, those who are skeptical about the caroling process have every right to keep the doors of their houses or apartments locked during the Kolyad period. But not giving the carolers a treat after their performance, no matter what it was, is really not very good.
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