There are many testimonies in ancient writing about harp and buffoons as gifted singers, epics, poets and musicians. In particular, they are mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years (1068). Popular characters of Russian folklore, heroes of many folk sayings - buffoons, guselniks were artels, squads or fraternities, historically known in Russia from the 11th century … They inhabited vast expanses of Crimea, Siberia, Ukraine, the Volga region. But after the arrival of the "Byzantine yoke" to Russia, they were severely persecuted by the church and civil authorities.
The sonorous gusels in Russia fell silent, the sun of good people, buffoons, gudochniks and guselniks went down, Byzantium began to "burn with fire" the entire Slavic culture and destroy musical instruments and literature of the Slavs in the most cruel way. Ethnographer O. Afanasyev cites in his work "Poetic views of the Slavs on nature" a record of a foreign traveler Olearius, who personally saw how all folk musical instruments were taken from each house by force and, under the wire of the local priest, “five carts full of instruments were burned on the square as the devil's weapon”.
There were long-term methods of reprisals of the Christian Inquisition against the guseliks and buffoons. Until now, in the church, musical instrumental creativity is considered by default a "satanic, demonic" act, and folk instruments can be seen well, except perhaps in the painting of the Last Judgment on the walls of most canonical temples.
Why is the spiritual creativity of the Slavic peoples still considered a manifestation of Satanism and why was it so objectionable to the church nomenclature? The fact is that in their way of life, guseliks and buffoons opposed themselves to the ritual-religious Byzantine way of life as criminally imposed on Russia with the advent of Byzantine Christianity, and in their work they were the conductors of opposition sentiments, which the church elite feared most of all.
Guselniks-buffoons not only played their instruments, but at the same time "recited" works of Russian spiritual folk poetry and carried in Russia the archetype of good people - Slavic Bogomils (people dear to God), who are considered to be carriers of Hyperborean spirituality, as well as their followers - European Cathars, cruelly persecuted by Roman-Byzantium.
Acting as singers and bards, they at the same time won a reputation for witches and folk satirists. There were quite a few elders among them, and the people revered them as the kindest people of God, they considered them an honor if they came to the court, they used to say: “the good-natured Svarozhenka himself has come to our house…”.
The main body of Russian buffoons in Russia was made up of guslists, folk amusements, holy fools who, in their foolish form, denounced evil clergymen with their Byzantine obscurantism. Historians also associate the origin of the national character Baba Yaga with the satirical work of guslists and amusements who denounce the Byzantine cult of worship of the Jewish god Jehovah and his Baba Yagov (Yaga). It is significant that they dressed in short-brimmed caftans, and the church also considered wearing short-brimmed clothes a sin, as well as all their "occupations" called nothing other than "demonic" providence.
After the Slavic Theogamites, under the yoke of persecution, moved to the west, their Qatari guselniks and buffoons appeared in Europe. For example, in Italy they were called "scaramucci", and in France "scaramushi".
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By the nature and way of life of the buffoons themselves, guselniks, wandering musicians-minstrels, one can judge their original appearance in Russia on the basis of the professionalization of participants in the spiritual rites of the ancient Slavic brotherhoods, invariably accompanied by music, singing and dancing. As evidenced by the decree of the Church's Stoglava "robber" council of 1551 directed against the buffoons, their numerous brotherhoods (mobs) reached "up to 60-70 and up to 100 people."
Until now, the guselniks have not been rehabilitated by the Orthodox Church and they continue to be considered "the Devil's instrument". In addition, from the orthodox point of view, the entire folk-musical and instrumental culture is already initially considered a violation of Christian norms of behavior.
Guselniks and buffoons in Russia
They are in bazaars, at princely feasts, They set the tone at the merrymaking, Playing the harp, bagpipes, horns, People were amused at fairs.
Although a tambourine is not a sword, and a surna is not a spear, But who among mortals does not know
As a song gives strength to the tired, How music raises the spirit!
A careless tribe of gay tramps
Born in the spirit of freedom
They did not need either glory or blessings, Enough of the love of the whole people.