On January 5, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. "Zhanitsba Tereshki" will traditionally be performed in the Lepel district of the Vitebsk region on the eve of Christmas and Kolyady, Olga Makhonenko, coordinator of the regional branch of the public association "Rest in the Village", told a BELTA correspondent. The authentic Kolyady game "Zhanitsba Tereshki", preserved to this day only in the Lepel region, was recognized as a historical and cultural value in 2009 and included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Belarus. The essence of the game is to introduce young men and women to each other. However, this is not simple matchmaking, but a whole ritual designed to demonstrate maiden beauty and youthful prowess. The game includes mandatory folk dances, humorous songs and jests, and concludes with a cheerful feast. By the way, the Belarusian saying "to get married is not a misfortune, but not to disappear while married" originates precisely from Tereshka's songs. After "Zhanitsba Tereshki", the time for real weddings came in the village. Both domestic ethnographers and foreign ones naturally show interest in the national Kolyady game. Dutch and Polish specialists studied and described this Christmas fun, and German filmmakers shot a documentary. As Olga Makhonenko noted, "Zhanitsba Tereshki" is becoming a full-fledged tourist product and contributes to the development of tourism in the region. "However, our main goal is to preserve the folk tradition in its original form," she emphasized. This year, Tereshka will be "married" on January 6 at the "Lyukshino" peasant farm. -0-

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