rainmaking custom

Eremija 2

1 (GK) a ednò vrème kato nèmaše dɤ̀š dɤ̀lgo vrème ìmaše li

In the old days. when there was no rain for a long time. was there

2 (GK) n'àkəf ubičàj də sə prài zə zə dɤ̀š səs pòpo da

some sort of custom people did for rain where the priest [did] –?

3 (a) a abè pràveše

Oh yes, they –

4 (GK) pòmniš li

Do you remember?

5 (a) pràveše se praveše se

They did. They did.

6 (GK) à kəkvò bèše

And what was it?

7 (a) pràveše se

They did.

8 (GK) kàk stàvaše

How did it go?

9 (a) à decàta što smè takvìa pu tri če̝tirnàese godìni

Those of us children who were thirteen or fourteen years old,

10 (a) nèkoe siràče napràvime gu vàjdudùlka

[we find] some orphan [girl] and make her the rain maiden.

12 (a) nakìtime go sos cvetjà sos takòva venèc na glavàta i zème kotlènce

We decorate her with flowers, a wreath on her head, she takes a small pot

13 (a) u na rakàta bèlo i vodìčka i nìe slet nìx pèeme

in her hand, white, with water, and we [go] after them and sing,

14 (a) vàjdudùle dàj bòže dòš onà rɤ̀si

“Oh Dodola, God grant rain!” and she sprinkles [the water].

15 (a) i kàraa edìn den le dvà pa zavàli doš sà karàa pòpo

They do this a day or two, and it starts to rain. Now they got the priest

16 (a) da prài nèkakof molèben ama e trebàlo nàj màlko trì čètiri žèni

to do some sort of prayer, but it needed at least three or four women

17 (a) da se sobèrat pa nèče nìkoḁ

to get together [to do it], but none of them want to.

Glavanovci 3

51 (b) nìe ne smè igràli peperùda vìe mòže da ste igràli

We never did the “peperuda” (rainmaking ritual) dance, maybe you did.

52 (a) a peperùdata se igràe

The “peperuda” is danced ...

53 (VZh) à za dɤ̀š

Ah, for rain.

54 (a) da vàli dɤ̀š

... da vàli dɤ̀š

56 (a) da zàjde dɤ̀š

So it will start raining.

57 (VZh) kàk kàk stàva tàa ràbota kakvò se

And how does this happen, what do –

58 (a) dɤ oblečù se devojčetìja u tɤ̀nki ròklički sɤz

Girls get dressed up in thin little dresses,

59 (a) napràvat si venčèta od zelenìš i sɤs tòčat vodà plìskat se

they make wreaths out of greenery and pour water, sprinkle it

60 (b) če igràjat mòkrat se

They get wet as they dance.

61 (a) mòkrat se ta da predizvìkat ə dɤ̀ž da zàjde

They get wet so as to cause it to start raining,

Golica 3

45 (a) kažɛ̀te im da zəvəl'ɛ̀t

Tell them to make it start raining!

47 (VZh) da zaval'ə̀t li

To make it start raining?

49 (a) da zəvəlìt'i

You [should] make it start raining.

51 (a) enò vr'ɛ̀me prɑ̀vehme mol'èbie krɛ̀st'at sa

In the old days we used to do special prayers, people cross themselves …

53 (a) bòže mìla zəvəlì bòže mìla zəvəlì

... [and say] “Dear God, make it rain; dear God, make it rain.”

76 (a) na n'ègo tr'àbva t'ɑ̀h na t'ɑ̀h tr'àbva də sə mòl'at

It’s to it (the municipal hall) – them – to them that they have to pray

77 (a) da zəvəl'ɛ̀d dɛ̀ž da ukwɑ̀si zem'ɛ̀ta

to make the rain start to fall so it will moisten the earth.

78 (VZh) vìe na vrèmeto kato n'àmaše dɛ̀š kakvò pràvexte

In the old days when there was no rain, what did you do

79 (VZh) tə də zəvəlì

to make it rain?

80 (a) kət zəvalì dɛ̀š li

When the rain starts to fall?

81 (VZh) nè kato n'àmaše dɤ̀žt i kato kato ìskate də valì

No, when there wasn’t any rain and when, when they want it to rain.

137 (c) i zaval’à vèš tugàva

… and it started to rain even then,

139 (c) kɛ̀p'ət se iz udɛ̀tə

[people] were splashing in the water…

141 (c) iz virištɑ̀ta

… in the whirlpools.

165 (a) ɑ̀s v'èke na gròbištətə amà n'èka nə zəvəlì za wɑ̀s

I’m already for the graveyard. But let’s [help make] it rain for you.

166 (a) də nakòl'at idìn kurbɑ̀n' če də sə pumòl'at či n'èka zəwəlì

Let them make a sacrifice, and they’ll pray that it will start raining

167 (a) da ukwɑ̀si mamùl':t'ȅ vèči̥ zə kəkvò sti s'ɛ̀li kɛ̀k

and moisten the corn. [Otherwise] what’s [the point of] your having sown it?

176 (a) jà da u kò dùmam bòže bòže pu mòl'a sə

And if some – I keep on saying “God, God, please!

177 (a) ni slùšaj hòrata bòže zavalì bòže zavalì

Don’t listen to people! Oh God, make it rain! Oh God, make it rain!”

Oborište 2

82 (MM) takà a ako ìma mnògo gol’àma sùša ìmaše li

O.K. Now if there’s a very great drought, was there

83 (MM) n’àkakɤf obicàj də za dɤ̀š

some sort of custom to – for [making it] rain?

84 (a) ami ìmaše obicàj če fàne d’àdo pòp pràvi molèbie

There was a custom. “Grandpa” priest says [special] prayers

85 (a) ìde segà f polèto

he goes out into the open field

87 (a) nìvata i sə xòrata koìto vèče mògat da ìdat

– the [cultivated] fields with people, those who can go,

88 (a) otìvat tàm četè d’àdo pòp

[they] go out there; Grandpa priest says the prayers –

92 (a) i ìdat tàm četè d’àdo pòp pràvi molèbie vɤ̀rne sa

And they go there, Grandpa priest does the prayers, they come back –

93 (a) mòže i òšte v momènta da zavalì dòkato e

It might even start to rain just then while he’s …

95 (a) tàm na nìveto i mòlim sa za bòk

… still there in the fields. And we pray to God,

96 (a) pràvea vàjdudùlki ima f sèl

The “vaydudulki” [performers in rain-making rituals] would –

98 (a) vàjdudùlki segà prìmerno tàa mi e sestrà

“Vaydudulki”, well – For instance one was my sister,

99 (a) ama i nàj màlkatḁ istɤrsàka mu kàzvame

but the youngest one. We call it “the baby of the family”.

100 (d) nàj napòsle kojà se e rodìla

The one that was born the latest.

102 (a) i ìmaše edìn ə bùren ta mu vìkaa tòstata tìkva

And there was this plant, they called it “fat pumpkin” –

103 (a) tò kato tìkva rastè obàče ne vrɤ̀zva ami takà si rastè

it grows like a pumpkin plant but it doesn’t give fruit, it just grows like that –

104 (a) i go naskùbem nègo i a natrùpame sɤs tòo bùren

and we pick it and pile this plant on her,

105 (a) i a vòdim is selòto i pèem

and lead her throughout the village and sing …

106 (d) let’àla e peperùda

“The butterfly has taken flight”.

108 (a) is selòto po kɤ̀štite vàjdudùle

… through the village, from house to house, [singing] “vaydudule” (rain-making songs).

110 (d) let’àla e peperùda dàj bòže dɤ̀š

“The butterfly has taken flight / Give us, oh God, rain”

111 (a) vàjdudùle

The “vaydudule” [song about the vaydudulka].

115 (a) [pee] poletèla e peperùga dàj bòže dɤ̀š dàj bòže dɤ̀š

[sings] “The butterfly has just flown off / Give us oh God rain / Give us oh God rain”

116 (a) [pee] izùlica vuzùlica vàjdudulè dàj bòže dɤ̀š dàj bòže dɤ̀š

[sings] “Izulitsa vuzulitsa, vaydudule / Give us oh God rain / Give us oh God rain”

117 (a) sèki iznòsi kotèla sɤz vòda i ja zalìva

and each one takes out a kettle of water and pours it out

119 (d) polìvame dudùlkata

We pour water on the "vaydudulka" (the center of the rain ritual, the one decorated with greenery)

136 (d) pravìle sme go f čitàlišteto nìe tòo običàj predì segà nèma

Earlier on we did that custom in the reading room, [but] now we don’t.

140 (MM) znàči tòo običàj go ìmaše

So then this custom was found [here].

141 (a) dà

Yes.

142 (MM) štòto go n’àma f c’àla bɤlgàrija

Because it’s not [found] everywhere in Bulgaria

143 (MM) n’àkɤde go ìma n’àkɤde go n’àma

Some places have it, some don’t.

144 (a) nàm go ìma

We have it.

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rainmaking custom

Eremija 2

Glavanovci 3

Golica 3

Oborište 2