Inventory

Region: District:

The Spring Ritual Circle Dance ‘Strylka’ of Biezdziež Village, Drahičyn District, Brest Region

Cipher (in the State list): 13Б0000078

Date inclusion: 02.08.2016

№ Protocol Rada: Пратакол пасяджэння Беларускай рэспубліканскай навукова-метадычнай рады па пытаннях гісторыка-культурнай спадчыны ад 22.01.2014 № 210. Пастанова Савета Мiнiстраў Рэспублiкi Беларусь ад 02.08.2016 № 607

Cipher (in inventory): НКС-140807/01

Identifying the elements of the ICH

Name:

The Spring Ritual Circle Dance ‘Strylka’ of Biezdziež Village, Drahičyn District, Brest Region

The second item name ICH (adopted in a particular community, the local version):

Corresponding to (s) Community (s), group (s) or individual (s) described:

Habitat:

Brest region » Dragichyn district » Biezdziež Village;

Short description:

‘Strylka’, a spring ritual circle dance, is usually performed annually on the first day of Easter after the vespers in the church locally called ‘Nešpar’ and lasts for 40—60 minutes. After the vespers, people from the villages around Biezdziež gather to perform the ceremony in the village square locally called ‘misto’ in front of the church, near the cross, which is located at the intersection of five roads. The Misto is an important element of the cultural landscape associated with the existence of the rite, so the layout of the streets and the traditional local architecture is the cause of safeguarding all the constituents of the rite. The priest sprinkles holy water on all those present. The Zavadatar (the kingpin) — this function is usually performed by the same person year after year, or by the eldest and the most respected woman (she should be married and have children, and also should know how to start the dance — lines up the ‘zyrniatkas’, small children, to form a triangle. The groups of children stand in place, and the other dance participants join hands and start moving sunwise in a horseshoe bypassing the ‘zyrniatkas’ and singing the dance song in a quiet, plangent manner. The rite is an appeal to the supreme powers for a new rich harvest, for safeguarding the villagers against possible disasters, bad habits, also for not losing their juvenile, feminine or masculine beauty.