Koledari
Encyclopedia
Koledari is a term that refers to the orthodox Christmas
carolers in Bulgaria
, Macedonia and Ukraine
. The name koledari comes from the Church Slavonic word for Christmas i.e. Koleda
. In Bulgaria this type of caroling is called "коледаруване" (koledaruvane), where as in Macedonia it is called "коледарење" (koledarenje), but it is better known as "коледе" (kolede).
on Christmas Eve
. They visit the houses of their relatives, neighbours and other people in the village. The caroling is usually performed by young men, which are accompanied by an elder one called stanenik. Each caroler carries a stick called gega. They wish the people from the village health, wealth and happiness.
or known in Macedonian as Badnik. Usually kids are caroling in Macedonia and they go from house to house wishing a lot health, happiness and luck. The wishes are expressed through songs called koledarski pesni or carols
. After the song is finished, the person, that the song is means to, rewards the kids with money, fruit, candies and other gifts. Traditionally, the kids are wearing masks and they go around the whole neighborhood or village.
One of the most popular kolyadka
(song) in Macedonia is the following:
Коледе леде
паднало греде
утепало деде
деде се мачи
баба го квачи
со четири јајца
гускини, шаткини.
Денес е Коледе,
утре е Божиќ
ќе колеме теле
теле вика леле
не колете мене
ќе ви купам зеље
да месите пита
да јадете сите.
Коледеее
Kolede lede
padnalo grede
utepalo dede
dede se mači
baba go kvači
so četiri jajca
guskini, šatkini.
Denes e Kolede
utre e Božiḱ
ḱe koleme tele
tele vika lele
ne kolete mene
ḱe vi kupam zelje
da mesite pita
da jadete site.
Koledeee
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
carolers in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Macedonia and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The name koledari comes from the Church Slavonic word for Christmas i.e. Koleda
Koleda
Kolyada or koleda is an ancient Slavic winter ritual celebrating the Old New Year. It was later incorporated into Christmas. The word is still used in modern Belarusian , Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian and Croatian, Slovak...
. In Bulgaria this type of caroling is called "коледаруване" (koledaruvane), where as in Macedonia it is called "коледарење" (koledarenje), but it is better known as "коледе" (kolede).
Bulgaria
The carolers traditionally start their rounds at midnightMidnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
. They visit the houses of their relatives, neighbours and other people in the village. The caroling is usually performed by young men, which are accompanied by an elder one called stanenik. Each caroler carries a stick called gega. They wish the people from the village health, wealth and happiness.
Macedonia
In Macedonia, the caroling starts early in the morning on 6 January, which is the Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
or known in Macedonian as Badnik. Usually kids are caroling in Macedonia and they go from house to house wishing a lot health, happiness and luck. The wishes are expressed through songs called koledarski pesni or carols
Carol (music)
A carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship, and often with a dance-like or popular character....
. After the song is finished, the person, that the song is means to, rewards the kids with money, fruit, candies and other gifts. Traditionally, the kids are wearing masks and they go around the whole neighborhood or village.
One of the most popular kolyadka
Kolyadka
Kolyadka is a traditional song usually sung in Eastern Slavic countries only on Orthodox Christmas holidays, between the 7th and 14th of January. It is believed that everything sung about will come true....
(song) in Macedonia is the following:
Коледе леде
паднало греде
утепало деде
деде се мачи
баба го квачи
со четири јајца
гускини, шаткини.
Денес е Коледе,
утре е Божиќ
ќе колеме теле
теле вика леле
не колете мене
ќе ви купам зеље
да месите пита
да јадете сите.
Коледеее
Kolede lede
padnalo grede
utepalo dede
dede se mači
baba go kvači
so četiri jajca
guskini, šatkini.
Denes e Kolede
utre e Božiḱ
ḱe koleme tele
tele vika lele
ne kolete mene
ḱe vi kupam zelje
da mesite pita
da jadete site.
Koledeee
See also
- KoledaKoledaKolyada or koleda is an ancient Slavic winter ritual celebrating the Old New Year. It was later incorporated into Christmas. The word is still used in modern Belarusian , Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian and Croatian, Slovak...
- Koledari in the Serbian tradition
- KoliadaKoliadaKoliada, in Slavic mythology, is the name of a goddess of the sky stemming from the Greek kalandai and the Latin calendae. She brings up a new sun every day; for that reason, she is hunted by Mara to stop her and cause total darkness...