EARTHW ATCH PROJECT "FOLKLORE OF RURAL RUSSIA"

Yelena and Sergei Minyonok, Institute of World Literature, RAN, Moscow

This research aims to document the rich and varied folklore and ethnographical traditions

of southwestern Russian by utilizing a variety of recording methods (field notes, audio records,

video records, photographs). The research will be centered near the towns Rognedino (Brianskaia

province), Roslavl (Smolenskaia province) and Betlitsa (Kaluzhskaia province). Detailed studies

will be conducted on the following subjects:

a) ritual folklore;

b) mythological stories about spirits of nature and the home;

c) folk songs;

d) traditional women's everyday and festive clothes, towels and floor coverings;

e) peasant houses and household buildings.

We hope to identify a number of regularities of shared local traditions within the study

area based on the volume of data collected, thus clarifying the complex folklore and

ethnographical picture of the southwestern Russia. Our goal is to broaden and popularize our

Russian folklore heritage.

TEAM DATES IN FIELD:

Team 1: May 27 - June 9, 1999 (recording and investigating of the Trinity ritual (Troitsa), ritual folk

songs, mythological stories).

Team 2: July 15 - 26, 1999 (recording and investigating of the ritual of the Holy Icon of Kazanskaia

Virgin Mary, folk songs, mythological stories).

Team 3: August 2-13, 1999 (recording and investigating of folk songs, mythological stories).

Team 4: January 23-February 3, 2000 (recording and investigating of folk songs, mythological

stories).

Those who are interested in taking part in these expeditions should contact the progarm

manager of the project - Deb Pollak

E-mail: dpollak@earthwatch.org
Fax: (61 7) 926-8632
Phone: (617) 926-8200 or (800) 776-0188

page 5\ Fall \998

SEEFA Journal 1998, Vol. III No. 2

mailto:dpollak@earthwatch.org