Article

Name: “Syagodnya Kupala, zavtra Yvan…”: Systematizing Belarusian Kupala songs recorded in the Omsk Irtysh region

Authors: S. A. Myasnikova

Institute of Philology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia; F. M. Dostoevsky Omsk State University, Omsk, Russia

In the section Систематизация фольклорных текстов

Abstract:

This article analyzes archival and published materials from the Omsk Irtysh region (Priirtyshye) that document the Kupala traditions of Belarusian settlers. The author provides both quantitative and qualitative assessments of existing records, evaluates the current state of research on the topic, and identifies the ethnic identity of informants and the geographic distribution of Kupala rituals within the region. The study focuses primarily on the classification and systematization of Kupala song material. The resulting index is organized based on verbal components while accounting for the genre and thematic nature of the text corpora. The main objective of this systematization is to catalog regional records, describe the structural and poetic elements of the texts, and introduce reliable folklore data into the scholarly record. By documenting various versions of these songs, the work illustrates the historical evolution and regional adaptation of the material. The research findings provide significant insights into the nature of resettlement folklore. The qualitative characteristics of the Omsk records demonstrate high representativeness, allowing for a clear determination of the functionality and genre of the texts. Furthermore, the study identifies specific thematic groups and plot situations, finding numerous parallels in traditional Belarusian sources. This systematic approach highlights the continuity of Belarusian ritual culture despite long-term geographic displacement.

Keywords: classification and systematization, Belarusian settlers of Siberia, Kupala songs, Omsk Priirtyshye

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