Koliada
Koliadnyky are Hutsul winter song singers. They are from Kryvorivnia, a village in the Carpathian Mountains which has preserved an ancient winter ritual that now coincides with Christmas, but is much older in its origin, traditions and symbolism.
More on Koliada and our book
The Koliadnyky from Kryvorivnia perform on unique instruments. Trembita is a Carpathian mountain horn made of a hollowed pine tree that has been struck by lightning and wrapped in birch bark. In the villages they are only used during the Koliada and at funerals. The fiddle is played in the Carpathian style. The musicians also play duda, a bag pipe made from a goat, and tsymbaly, a hammer dulcimer, and a variety of hand-made Carpathian flutes including the tylynka.
Ivan Zelenchuk, is the lead singer or bereza of the Koliadnyky. Mykola Zelenchuk, the son of Ivan,is both a winter song singer and the best trembita (mountain long horn) player in the village. Mykola Ilyuk is a master fiddler and plays most traditional instruments. Vasyl Tymchuk plays the tsymbaly (hammer dulcimer). Ostap Kostyuk plays the duda (bagpipes) and various flutes.
Koliada at La MaMa
Past & present, pagan & Christian traditions. Ukrainian & English in tradition folk songs. Read more & video links
Koliada in New York
Winter Songs and Music from the Carpathians at the Ukrainian Museum biannually since 2005
Koliada art events
Hudson River Museum
Photos from event
Koliada in Toronto
Yara's show "Midwinter Night" with Koliadnyky & Lemon Bucket at Harbourfront and Koliada events in the Toronto community.
Koliada at the Ukrainian Institute
Koliadnyky set the mood and the table and Olesia Lew serves up new versions
of the traditional twelve dishes.
Photos from event
