Ratiboř

"Bringing out death and welcoming spring is a West Slavic folk custom dating back to the pre-Christian era. Its central element is a straw figure dressed in a woman's dress, known by numerous names such as Morana, Morena, Marzana, Marřena, Smrt, Smrtka or Smrtholka."

The Kosaci men rode around the village on a horse-drawn ladder as conscripts, singing songs from their repertoire, as well as folk songs familiar to us all. Upon arrival in front of the church, they introduced us to their new piece Masár, Masár. Then our little and bigger Kosacs presented their band Na Salašu, co-created by Barča and Radka, to whom we owe a big thanks for their patience during rehearsals and for their work, which is gradually bearing fruit. With the accompaniment of Martin and the help of other hands, ancient customs, rituals and customs can come to life.

"Death is carried out of the village to the singing of ceremonial songs and then thrown into water or a ditch, burned or buried in the ground. The throwing into the water is probably not intended to destroy Death and Winter, but only to send it back to the underworld, to which the watercourse is the gateway."

"Death, cruel death, sourness disgusting, sourness we will eat and death we will drown... FUCK THEM!"

Singing, dancing, kysellica and good cheer thus rounded off a beautiful Saturday and we look forward to more performances at the 2018 Gullah King!

For the Kosiska ensemble
Lucie Žabčíková