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Folklore
Veshenskaya land is rich. It's famous for people, their labour and hospitality. Only really folk, wise and eternal values of the Cossack mode of life have been formed on the boundless steppe. The depository of the Russian language was enriched here with brisk words and witty humour.
Don folklore reflects everlasting memories about striking and unique Don history. The most popular Don folklore is songs. Cossacks liked to sing very much. They enjoyed singing the long drawn-out sad songs about merits of Cossacks who shed their blood on battle fields. Songs about Cossacks' freedom, favourite hero Ermak Timofeevich, the poor Cossack's ataman (leader) Stepan Rasin, favourite character Krasnoshyokov, fights with Turks were heard. They used to be sung on squares, weddings, meetings and other special occasions and just for fun. While composing the songs, Cossacks put all their soul into it, carefully keeping them for generations
to come.
Like everywhere in Russia, here on Don there was a traditional holiday of welcoming spring by merry games and songs and round dances. Cossacks also celebrated the favourite butter week joyfully. An ataman, a master of the ceremony was chosen for the occasion.
The Cossack song is unique, like that of Volga, Voronezh, Nothern Russia and the Urals'. One can't imagine Veshenskaya without songs, everybody sings here. Sholokhov loved and valued the Don song. All the great works are decorated with songs like with string of pearls. In the middle of the 30-s the Cossack choir which became popular all over the country was organized on Sholokhov's initiative. It appeared for keeping the unique culture of Cossacks which they tried to eliminate and show its beauty for those living far from Don.
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