Girls go into the forest where they dance around a birch tree, make garlands and perform magic rituals to learn the names of their future husbands. The birch tree is treated as the birthday girl.
The performance in the Old Believers’ Compound in the small village of Lyakova is held to celebrate “the beauty in white pinafore and green shawl.”
Garlands are made of birch twigs and magic rituals are performed.
Visitors are invited to partake of a sumptuous meal of black cabbage soup (shchi), finger-licking pies and aromatic tea.
Tour programme
Ancient dances, rituals and games, a dinner, and a workshop on making a guardian doll
The tour is part of the Birchbark Ring cluster project
Address:
Lyakova, Krestetsky District, Novgorod Region GPS coordinates 58.292973, 32.617218
Old Believers Compound interactive museum https://vk.com/muzeystaroyvery
