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Spring Holiday of “Soroki”

From 22 to 30 of March, 2017, the excursion and exhibition centre “People’s House” of the Museum-Reserve of M.A.Sholokhov gave theatrical classes devoted to the folk holiday of “Soroki”.

Since old times, “Soroki” has been celebrated in Rus when migratory birds returned back in spring. In class the children learned about the rites traditional for the Upper Don region.

The holiday of spring birds “Soroki” is marked on the 22 of March, on the Day of Spring Equinox. Its name is associated with the memory of Forty Martyrs Honoured by the Orthodox Church. The holiday rites are connected with returning migratory birds – larks and waders, which bring spring and open the way to all the rest of birds coming back from warm countries to the Don region.

“Soroki” is a great fun for children. They get into the atmosphere of the traditions, which their forefathers followed, and learn a lot of interesting things about the holiday and the rites. In class they enthusiastically practised ritual songs, played games, danced round, guessed riddles, made reed pipes and remembered the names of the birds living in the Don region. Then they tasted baked “larks” with fragrant herb tea.

The Museum classes devoted to the holiday “Soroki” arouse interest in the younger generation for the traditions and customs of their people.

Lyudmila Gnusina