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KOLIADNYKY Winter Song Singers from the Carpathian Mountains |
Koliadnyky means "winter song singers" in Hutsul. They are from Kryvorivnia, a village high in the Carpathian Mountains which has preserved an ancient winter ritual that now coincides with Christmas, but is much older in its origin, traditions and symbolism. It is considered to be the most important event of the year in the area, since people believe that the spring and harvest will not come to the village unless these songs are sung in every household. A separate long song is sung to every member of the household, both living and recently deceased. Each song is chosen specifically for that person by the leader of the singers. The words are of ancient origin and exhibit traces of the worship of sun, ancestors and nature. The songs are incantations that assume the magical power of words: what is said will be so.
Instruments:
Trembita – (Carpathian mountain horn) made of hollowed pine tree that has been struck by lightening and wrapped in birch bark. Trembitas are used primarily in the mountain pastures. In the villages they are usually only used during the koliada and at funerals. Fiddle -- played in the Carpathian style. The musicians also play wolynka -- (bag pipe) made from a goat and a drymba (jaw harp).
The Winter Songs:
Is the master home?
We all know he’s home
He is sitting at the head of the table
At the head of the table made of maple
And his table is beautifully set
Beautifully set with braided breads
With braided breads made of spring wheat
On his table are three jugs
The first jug holds sweet mead
The second jug holds dark beer
The third jug holds green wine
… (translated by Virlana Tkacz and Wanda Phipps)
The Winter Song SINGERS:
IVAN ZELENCHUK, is the “bereza,” lead singer and leader of the Koliadnyky. He comes from an old Kryvorivnia family and is the village head, as well as the best known winter song singer. He is the son of Ivan Zelenchuk whose handwritten notebook of winter songs has helped to preserve this tradition for future generations despite the intense persecution under fifty years of Soviet rule in this area. Now in his fifties Ivan considers his involvement in the koliada his personal mission. He met the members of Yara when they first visited the village in 2002 and took part in Yara’s Koliada workshop in Kyiv and shows in New York.
PETRO ZELENCHUK, the brother of Ivan, and personally took great risk preserving his father’s handwritten notebook of winter songs. He has taken part in the Koliada in Kryvorivnia, since he can remember, leading the Tsaryna group, which is charged with all the homes of that section of the village.
MYKOLA ZELENCHUK is the son of Ivan and proudly carries on the tradition of his forefathers, both as a winter song singer and the best trembita (mountain long horn) player in the village. He also makes the traditional costumes for the winter song singers.
DMYTRO TAFIYCHUK, is a virtuoso wolynka player, as well as master fiddler. He was born into one of the most famous musical families of the Carpathians. His father Mykhaylo Tafiychuk is a musician, musical instrument maker and blacksmith. Dmytro himself has learned how to make traditional musical instruments and play them. Several years ago Koka Records of Poland issued a beautiful two CD set of the music the Tafiychuk family. Dmytro took part in Yara’s workshop of Koliada in Kyiv and the shows in New York He plays the fiddle for a koliada group in Kryvorivnia, where he now lives.
YARA ARTS GROUP began its collaboration with traditional artists from the Carpathians in 1995. In 2002 and 2003, Yara artists recorded the winter song ritual in Kryvorivnia and the surrounding villages. In 2005 Yara created a theatre production Koliada: Twelve Dishes at La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York and an art installation Still the River Flows at the Ukrainian Museum in New York based on this material.
see also:
"In Search of the Hutsul Koliada of Kryvorivnia" by Virlana Tkacz
Koliadnyky of Kryvorivnia in Concert at La MaMa Galleria March 16, 2005
Koliada: Winter Rituals photo exhibit and video installation at La MaMa Galleria January 15-23, 2005
Koliada theatre workshop at Les Kurbas National Theatre Center, Kyiv, Ukraine December 4-5, 2004
Koliada: Twelve Dishes information on theatre piece at La MaMa ETC March 4-20, 2005
Koliada: Twelve Dishes reviews and photographss from theatre piece at La MaMa ETC
Still the River Flows installation at Ukrainian Museum December 11, 2005 - Febraury 6, 2006
Still the River Flows reveiws and photographs from installation at Ukrainian Museum
BRAMA, Inc.
Copyright (c)1995-2006 Yara Arts Group; all rights reserved.
Photos by Watoku Ueno and Alexander Khantaev
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