Folklore Group "Zarnitsa"

Inhabitants of the Upper Don are carefully keeping the traditions and rites of Cossack singing. A lot of songs have been gathered by the Folklore Group "Zarnitsa", which was founded in 1986 on the first museum's director N.A. Bulavin's initiative. The group faced a challenge of reviving the Don songs used in Sholokhov's works. It was necessary to keep the original lyrics, pronunciation and peculiar dialect of the Cossack's of the Upper Don. "Zarnitsa's" songs are popular among Yugoslavian, Belarussian admirers of Don folklore. In 1999 the group was awarded with a "Folklore Amateur Group" status for a great contribution into the development of Don culture. "Zarnitsa" doesnt stop at what it has achieved and is improving its skills. They learn new songs, invent new concert programs, revive musical tunes described by Sholokhov, make new recordings.

Working over the repertoire, enlarging it in folklore tours and expeditions, gathering and keeping Cossack songs, absorbing the beauty of folk art, melody of a forgotten tune, wisdom of an ancient rite, "Zarnitsa" fills people's hearts with feeling of pride and love for Don Land and getting more and more popular on Cossack songs.

On the 6th Russian contest of folklore ensembles "Traditions", which took place in 2004 in Velikiy Novgorod, "Zarnitsa" won a prize and became one of the best 8 folklore groups in Russia.