Maslenitsa (Масленица) or Pancake Week is an ancient Slavic holiday which symbolises the end of the long winter and meeting of the long-awaited spring. It is one of the few ancient traditions which is celebrated nowadays in Russia. This year winter does not seem to give way to spring as it is still snowing here.
The celebration got its name due to the butter (maslo) which was allowed to eat during the festive week. After this week Lent follows which lasts till Easter.
Each day of the week has its name and its traditions, for example, a day of meeting, flirting, revelry, companies. The most important day is Sunday: people ask each other to forgive them. Moreover, Sunday is a farewell of winter: a scarecrow is to be burnt. The scarecrow is associated with Miss Winter who does not want to leave the country. While she is burning everyone is shouting something like "Blaze,blaze, don't go out!" or "Winter, go away!"..
Other attributions of the holiday are pancakes (blini) with jams or caviar, outdoor festivals which include singing songs or chastooshka (a very short, but funny verse accompanied by accordion) and sport games of all kinds (e.g. pulling the rope).
This year, 2013, main festivals take place in all the parks of Moscow. People can buy blini - the minimal cost is 70 rub. - and take part in different competitions or even workshops.
The attached video in Russian shows the festival in Gorkiy Park (metro station Park Kultury, Oktyabrskaya).
The celebration got its name due to the butter (maslo) which was allowed to eat during the festive week. After this week Lent follows which lasts till Easter.
Each day of the week has its name and its traditions, for example, a day of meeting, flirting, revelry, companies. The most important day is Sunday: people ask each other to forgive them. Moreover, Sunday is a farewell of winter: a scarecrow is to be burnt. The scarecrow is associated with Miss Winter who does not want to leave the country. While she is burning everyone is shouting something like "Blaze,blaze, don't go out!" or "Winter, go away!"..
Other attributions of the holiday are pancakes (blini) with jams or caviar, outdoor festivals which include singing songs or chastooshka (a very short, but funny verse accompanied by accordion) and sport games of all kinds (e.g. pulling the rope).
This year, 2013, main festivals take place in all the parks of Moscow. People can buy blini - the minimal cost is 70 rub. - and take part in different competitions or even workshops.
The attached video in Russian shows the festival in Gorkiy Park (metro station Park Kultury, Oktyabrskaya).
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