The way one lives, it is sung, but the opposite is also true! Therefore, Slavic songs were heard everywhere: at the festivities of young people, at holidays and during work. Well, if a girl is reputed to be a songstress - such suitors are happy to woo. In the old days we also had women mourners who knew special lamentation songs. They were called to weddings to help the bride cry, saying goodbye to the old life, then the new life will be good! The men, of course, also sang. And children from childhood remembered the festive songs of the Slavs.
Conversation whiles away the road, and song - work
In the old days they worked harmoniously, amicably. Here the song comes to the rescue - adjusts to the general mood, sets the speed of work. When working in the field, the song gives strength, helps to feel the help of the Mother of the Raw Earth and the support of the comrades nearby. Therefore, the songs here are perky, sonorous. The girls and girls on the sidewalks have other ritual songs - calm, slow, attuning to the slow spinning of the spindle.
Slavic songs are not only good rhythm. They also keep in themselves the strength of the aspirations of a person who dreams of seeing soon the fruits of his labor. In the songs, people described a rich harvest that awaits them in the fall, prosperity in the house, a large family that certainly lives in harmony and in harmony with each other.
Promotional video:
The soul grows with the song
The songs of the Slavs are especially important at national holidays. Each day has its own ritual song: in the spring they sing about the awakening of nature and honor God Yarilo, on the Kupalo holiday songs about love, in the fall - about the rich gifts of the earth, in winter on Kolyada and now we remember the custom of carols, song wishes for prosperity and happiness.
The very essence of folk holidays is preserved in the Slavic song: an uplifting of the soul, faith in a better future, unity with native nature. You can talk about this in words, but the song and the beautiful Slavic rite revive the thought, make it visual, visible … and now, spinning in a round dance, you already feel the uplift, which is enhanced by joint singing.
Ritual songs for the main Slavic holidays
Let's share now ritual songs and descriptions of the celebration of the meeting with the four Solar Gods.
Kolyada:
“And from the ground a song was already heard calling for Kolyada:
In the afternoon they prepared a big bonfire - "The Steal", in which by nightfall they lit not even logs, but whole logs. One such log was specially prepared for a special event. He had to be dragged around the entire village on fire and returned back to the Krada.
This time the log, "Balda", as the villagers called it, was safely dragged along the snow path, also arranged in advance, and returned to the fire burning. - Glory! Glory! - joyful shouts were heard, - the year will be successful!"
From the book "Gods and People"
Yarilo:
“And so, one day the day of Yarilina Strecha came. Yarilu, the god of the fiery spring sun, love passion and fertility, was greatly honored in our village. The whole village in the morning took part in the holiday - both young and old. They go to Yarilina Gorka, each owner carries bread and salt, piles it up, and a specially chosen owner bows three times on three sides and pronounces an appeal to Yarila:
And all the people repeat this after him and also bow to three sides. Then they go to the fields, walk around them three times and sing:
And in the evening they chose the most handsome guy, put a wreath on his head, gave him a bird cherry branch, and danced around him, singing songs.
Only young boys and girls were allowed to these evening games. After the round dance, they split into pairs and scattered, some in the field, some in the forest."
From the book "Gods and People"
Kupalo:
“There were three days left until the night in honor of Kupalo. Towards evening, the girls and boys again reached out to the birches. Now they carried outfits for birches and gifts for mermaids. Birch trees were dressed in everything - and in scarves, ribbons, beads, and even in women's clothing! And again they held round dances in which they conjured the rain to come and that the harvest was good.
They sang "You succeed, succeed my flax," accompanying the singing with movements, as if they were sowing flax, collecting it, soaking, beating, spinning, weaving and bleaching. But they especially liked to portray "And we sowed millet", because at the end of the song the girls ran away, and the guys caught them and even kissed them stealthily.
From the book "Gods and People"
Lyrics of the song "And we sowed millet"
Two choirs - male and female:
Avsen:
“The holiday of Avsen - Osenina has come. It's a big holiday - the whole village is coping! We were harvesting the rye together, and now they are happy together that the bins are full for the winter. A big fair was starting up right in the village itself - the market in the middle was large, just designed for locals and arrivals. They arrived not only from the surrounding villages, but even waited for overseas guests, they loved to go across the sea at the mouth of the Onega River on their ships, there was enough depth here to get up and not worry about shoals.
The last day of the fair has come. The celebration began with round dances, in which many people got up and were led by special knowledgeable:
From the book "People and Spirits"
Will you also now remember Slavic songs for the celebration of Avsen, and after winter on Kolyada? If so, we are glad that the ancient tradition is still alive today! May joyful songs reminiscent of bygone times be heard further on our land.