News
"Anniversary Shcherba (Fish Soup)" was successful
10.09.2019
September 8, 2019 at the Cossack farmstead of Sholokhov Museum-Reserve in the Kruzhilinsky village there passed the tenth anniversary "Kruzhilinskiye toloki". This year, the festival was held under the slogan "Anniversary Shcherba" (fish soup) and was dedicated to the traditions and secrets of ancient Cossack fishing.
The guests gathered in the small homeland of Mikhail Sholokhov were warmly welcomed by First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Culture of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Sholokhov and Director of the Sholokhov Museum-Reserve Olga Anistratenko, who congratulated everyone on the jubilee, wished the “Kruzhilinskiye toloki” an even longer, brighter and happier journey, and their guests and participants a festive mood.
A cheerful and festive atmosphere reigned at the Cossack farmstead: we sang songs, danced, played games, and since the very morning on the main stage folklore groups — the winners of the festival “Songs over the Chir” performed.
Merchants' rows attracted by the uniqueness of souvenirs made in a plenty of techniques, a variety of household utensils, clothes in a folk style. Horses and ponies tirelessly rolled everyone. Tables with dishes of Cossack cuisine attracted guests as a magnet: here you have pancakes cooked on a Russian stove, and home-made noodles, grape jam and even melon fruitade!
In honor of the anniversary, the photo exhibition “Kruzhilinskie toloki -10 years” was opened, which vividly recalled the whole history of the festival, and some guests even found themselves in photographs and shared overwhelming memories.
To the main theme of the holiday – fishing, exhibition “Fishing with Mikhail Sholokhov" was dedicated, where you could not only see all the necessary attributes of an old Cossack fishing, but also take a picture with a writer sitting by the fire. The atmosphere and the sounds of nature inspired some inveterate fishermen to tell us about funny and amazing cases happening with them during this fascinating activity.
A master class on fishing rods making was held at the interactive playground “Kruzhilinskaya Zavod”, and anyone could try to catch the fish with a net or a basket in the pond.
At the parental estate of Mikhail Sholokhov, people actively participated in master classes of ancient Cossack crafts: some people were interested in the process of making ropes on special instrument - prosak and a grass rug, others were attracted by burning wood, some wanted to learn how to spin wool on a spinning wheel or to make a pot of clay.
The guests of the festival attracted great attention to the competition “Catch the fish, big and small”, in which 11 beautiful handicrafts took part. All the works fascinated with their originality, however, three winners were selected by the public jury: the first place and the main prize - a certificate for 3,000 rubles - were received by 11-year-old craftswomen Zhuzhneva Sofya and Ryabova Vlada from the village Gluboky of Kamensky district. Their handicraft “Catch a Goldfish” made of foil, art plasticine and decorative materials gathered 90 votes! The second place was taken by Alexei Frolov from the stanitsa Vyoshenskaya of the Sholokhov district, presenting the panel “Perch” from linden tree, which gained 80 votes. Craft “The soul sings when the fish is pecking”, made of puff pastry, received 73 votes, providing its creator Elena Pluzhnikova from the stanitsa Malchevskaya of the Millerovsky District the third place.
At this time, many guests gathered at the stage. Here, around a real pond, a spectacular theatrical performance "How Cossacks cooked ukha (soup fish)" was played. Under amusing tales of the well-known Old Shchukar, the Cossacks caught so many fish that there were enough for a whole pot of ukha. Mistresses from the audience helped to cook it for our Cossacks. The jubilee shcherba was delicious, which everyone could feel.
At our festival, each guest could become not only a spectator or observer, but also a direct participant in the action: everyone danced together at the "Cossack Ball", played watermelon bowling, plowed on bulls, cooked ukha. Boys and girls, along with adults, tried to turn the handle of a millstone or sift grain on a huge sieve - bolter. Guests of the festival of all ages especially liked the contact zoo, where you could chat, feed and take a photo with rabbits, ducklings, a goat, sheep and even a small heifer Ryabinka that willingly made contact with young visitors.
The whole territory of the festival was one large photo zone: a bunch of pumpkins by the wattle fence, a Cossack on a cart, hurrying home after a good fish crop, giant figures of hay in the form of various animals and much more. But fashion hayloft was especially popular: everyone wanted to take a photo on a large sofa made of hay, decorated with colored rugs and pillows.
For those who wanted to get a photograph in an old-style vignette, a real old Cossack photo studio worked. And real fishermen could take pictures along the top at the “Whangdoodle Fish Sazan”.
This day passed quickly, the tenth anniversary page of this wonderful festival, reviving the traditions and folkways of the Upper Don Cossacks, was turned over.
