TAYANE BOYANE - MACEDONIAN FORGOTTEN CUSTOM

The feast of Ivanden is connected with the custom of Tayane-Boyane, which was performed in many parts of Macedonia.


On the eve of the Ivanden, young boys and girls gathered and decorated a pot with herbs and filled it with water from three fountains. One of them at the age of 10-12 years wore the pot on the head and was called "Tayane", and the other boys and girls walked around him and sang songs that were suitable. In the morning, the group went to the stores where they also sang songs and collect gifts from which they then made a joint dinner. Then they sang:

Tayane Boyane, imam brat Sveti Jovane,
Unkeshi unkeshi po maglata,
Po magla po magla sitna rosa
po rosa po rosa moma bosa.....

Significally one boy is dressed as a groom and one girl as a bride.