Holidays of Belarus - Zazhinki

The oldest agricultural holiday of the ritual cycle, falling on July 21, is called Zazhinki Although similar holidays were common among all East Slavic tribes, where agriculture was the main occupation, Belarus managed to preserve the traditions longer and more fully than anyone else The word symbolizes the beginning of the harvest period, which is significant for any farmer, usually rye and wheat, which ripen earlier than other crops The ritual of the holiday was clear and consistent The whole community prepared for it, and for every family it was an important ritual After thoroughly cleaning their personal farmsteads, they went to the field The very first harvest of ears of grain, compressed with a sickle, was given special significance - it was kept separately The most respected woman, usually the eldest in the family, was trusted to make the first sheaf Having decorated it with flowers, they carried it from the field to the hut, where it occupied a place of honor until the fall, when this sheaf had its own mission - it was from its ears that the grinding of the entire harvest began The consciousness of the peasants endowed the grain with healing power from the first sheaf; they began sowing it the next year All processes, from going into the field to planting the sheaf, were accompanied by harvest songs and sayings endowed with sacred meaning People believed that a good harvest, and therefore the ability to survive, depended on rituals Their strict observance brings the mercy of nature, the condescension of higher powers, rewarding the daily hard work of the peasants Signs about the weather patterns characteristic of a given day also occupied a special place It was believed that a sunny and hot day favors a good harvest Centuries-old folk mythology, ritual and magical actions based on paganism, were later intertwined with another religious moment - the adoption of Christianity in the 10th century Zazhinki began to be correlated with the commemoration of Procopius of Caesarea, popularly nicknamed the Harvester, who was tortured and executed for his faith on July 21, 303 in Jerusalem But traces of paganism still remained in songs and rituals, and some folklore examples have survived to this day In modern times, Zazhinki is also celebrated, although in some areas they no longer have a clear date, July 21: they are simply timed to coincide with the beginning of the harvesting season Previously, they did not work on this day, organizing festivities and a special festive dinner The revival of folk rituals is increasingly supported in different regions of Belarus There are celebration scenarios in which, despite the further mechanization of grain harvesting, the first spikelets are cut off with a sickle Preserving an ancient and original culture is not an easy task, but not for Belarus, which demonstrates outstanding success in the historical branch of the economy - agriculture Ethnic complexes, agricultural estates, and museums not only preserve national culture, but also introduce guests to rituals and traditions through theatrical performances, especially interesting to city residents