The ‘Portal Through the Centuries: Bohuslav Carols’ project is gaining momentum! On Saturday, the expedition members visited the village of Savarka. In the village club, they had a warm chat with local performers. They heard unique songs that were sung only in this village, as well as several old carols and recorded them.
The next part of the trip was the Savarka Village History Museum. The museum is awesome and worth a visit. However, it also needs funding and support. Even though the museum is little known, it has every chance of becoming another tourist attraction in the region of Bohuslavshchyna.
Maryna Hohulia, a member of the expedition, notes: ‘The folklore expedition to Savarka was very productive: we recorded a wealth of material about how people used to carol in Savarka after World War II, what the Christmas holiday life was like in a country where Christmas was banned, and how this ban was circumvented. As a gift, we also received lyrical folk songs and wedding choruses, and brought back some old photographs.’
We are looking for people who have collected and are currently collecting songs, carols, local traditions, etc. We invite you to share your findings so that they become known to a wider audience. Also, if you have elderly relatives or friends who can share their memories of traditional Christmas celebrations, sing carols, tell us about the customs of celebrating the New Year holidays, cuisine, outfits, implements and utensils, etc., please help us to get to know them! We will be grateful for your help in organising the expeditions.
