« 2019. № 4 (148)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2019, № 4 (148), 951—1000

УДК 398.332

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2019.04.951

POPULAR CALENDAR OF BEREZNIVSHCHYNA IN RITUALS, CUSTOMS AND FOLKLORE

HALAICHUK Volodymyr

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7780-5876

Candidate of Philology, docent

The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv

Department of Ethnology

1, Universytets’ka str., 79000, L’viv, Ukraine

Contacts: е-mail: halay_czuk@ukr.net

Abstract. The elucidation of the local specificity of certain ethnographic regions nowadays is one of the most important and relevant trends in the study of the traditional culture of Ukrainians.The author sets the goal in the research, to comprehensively describe the national calendar of Bereznivshchyna, which is part of the Western Polissya. The object of the research is the calendar-marked rites, customs, beliefs and folklore of the inhabitants of Bereznivshchyna, and the subject is their general-Ukrainian features, regional and local peculiarities. The methodological basis of the research is the use of basic methods of ethnological science, primarily the method of field ethnography, as well as the development of ethnographers in the field of formation of folk calendars in local areas. The traditional calendar of Bereznivshchyna has not been the subject of special studies yet. This aspect is elucidated in the scientific literature quite sparingly, so the basis of the work is the author’s field materials.

This article describes in detail the register of holidays and dedications, which is important folk component of Bereznivshchyna.

Ritual games with «Kalyta» on Andri’s day, the custom «go to the Gypsies» on Varvara,

«calling the Frost» usually on the Rich kutya attracts attention to the holidays of the folk winter calendar.

The spring period is detemined by the custom of «Kolodka», timed to the Masnycy, with local representations that Marco Klyuchnik in the spring «disposes of the land». Attracted attention is also to the archaic customs of dancing on the cemetery on the Provod, walking «rocking in the rye» on Yuri, as well as a ritualized grazing of the cattle on the grass timed to Yuri.

Among the holidays of the summer complex, the Rusal Week is first of all distinguished. As is typical of the Polissian tradition, a number of rituals, customs and superstitions this week are associated with the notions of mermaids. The peculiarities of local Kupala customs and rituals, accompanied by the production of plant substitute witches, are noted. The local tradition is «to strangle the cuckoo». The variety of rituals with the so-called «beard» attracts attention among harvivarian traditions .

The local peculiarity of autumn holidays is characterized by ideas related to the days of «Miracle» and Exaltation. An important place among the customs and ordinances of the autumn occupy those that are aimed at honoring the ancestors.

It should also be noted that, according to the author’s observation, the southern margins of Bereznivshchyna in some aspects tend to gravitate towards the Volyn ethnographic tradition.

Keywords: Polissya, Bereznivshchyna, calendar customs and ceremonies, Christmas, Easter, Yuri’s day, mermaids week, Kupala.

Received 10.05.2019

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