Old-New Year’s Eve (shchodry vjechar/shchadrets – шчодры вечар/шчадрэц), January 13. “Koniki” in Davyd-Haradok 2017.
Шчодры вечар/шчадрэц: “конікі“ ў Давыд-Гарадку 2017 г.
Eastern Orthodoxy uses the Old Style (Julian) calendar to determine the liturgical cycle of the year. Old-New Year’s Day thus falls on January 14. Belarusians celebrate Old-New Year’s Eve with a tradition of caroling from house to house to bring good luck; homeowners in turn lay out a rich spread of foods for the carolers and give them money, fruit or candy.
The Polesian city of Davyd-Haradok has long celebrated shchedrets in a unique way, calling it “little horses” (koniki – конікі). People traditionally hand-made masquerade costumes and hobby horses to go around caroling.
Having heard about Davyd-Haradok’s koniki for many years, I hoped to be able to photograph groups this past January 13 as they began their house-to-house caroling after school. However, the sight of carnival preparations on the main square made it clear that the the celebration has lost much of its traditional, hand-made character and taken on a more of a commercial atmosphere as Haradchany assemble in the main square in late evening to parade and enjoy carnival rides (see this article for an idea of how commercial the celebration has become in Davyd-Haradok: http://m.bel.sputnik.by/photo/20170116/1026996026/koniki-u-davyd-garadku-kalyadny-abrad.html ):
У шуканьні “конікаў“ у Давыд-Гарадку, трапіў на галоўнай плошчы, дзе бачыў, колькі ў апошніх гадах “конікі“ значна зьмянілі свой традыцыйна народны, рамесны характэр (каб разумець перамену, гл. http://m.bel.sputnik.by/photo/20170116/1026996026/koniki-u-davyd-garadku-kalyadny-abrad.html ):
So I set out to wander the back streets in an effort to find a traditional group of carolers. All of a sudden, after much wandering in vain along deserted street, I caught sight of three youths carrying traditional gear and took a quick photo through the windshield.
Дзе й як знайсьці традыцыйных конікаў? Можна ў цішэйшых кварталах? Пачаў вандраваць…і вандраваў і вандраваў, марна пры марна. Раптам пабачыў трое хлопцаў з традыцыйнымі прыстасаваньнямі. Хутка іх паклапаў праз лабавое шкло.
But by the time I had stopped the car, unbuckled my seat belt and opened the car door, the trio had disappeared into a house. It was clear that the revelry would not start for some time, and I decided to photograph the architectural patrimony of various neighborhoods and whatever people I could find out in the afternoon snowstorm…
Але пакуль спыняўся, расшпільваў рэмень бяспекі ды адчыняў дзверы, хлопцы знікнулі кудысьці. Яўна мне не будзе шанцаваць…і замест далейшага марнага шуканьня, рашыў здымаць засьнежаны гарадок…