Pororoka drops new dark folk single & video, ‘Zakvitchaly, Divchatonka’ – Out now
Pororoka
The Ukrainian dark folk project Pororoka has released a cover and video of the old Riflemen’s song “Zakvitchaly, Divchatonka” (“Заквітчали”) written by Rifleman and poet Roman Kupchynsky. The song is available on all streaming platforms and on Bandcamp.
The song was originally written in 1916 and dedicated to Vasyl Malovanyi, a junior officer in the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen Legion who was killed in battle against Russian Bolshevik forces. Roman Kupchynsky, the song’s author, was among the first to join the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen – a volunteer legion formed in 1914 within the Austro-Hungarian Army.
The Sich Riflemen later became the backbone of the Ukrainian People’s Republic army in the 1920s. Their legacy also influenced the creation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and continues to echo in the modern Ukrainian Army.
The video includes footage of historical sites often overlooked by the state, such as the presumed grave of Hetman Andriy Mohyla – the only known hetman’s grave preserved in Ukraine; the Cossack cemetery in Trakhtemyriv, once the Cossack capital and home of Hetman Sahaidachny; and ancient cemeteries in Zaliznyachka and Kolodyste, both in the Cherkasy region.
About Pororoka
Pororoka is a Ukrainian dark-folk band founded in Kyiv in 2017. The band’s name refers to a rare wave phenomenon on the Amazon River. Fronted by musician and vocalist Svitlanka Sugak, Pororoka integrates ethnic vocal techniques and traditional instruments, grounding their sound in Ukrainian folk traditions. Their music often delves into themes from Ukrainian folklore and history.
Their most recent releases were singles. The first is “Origins” (2023) which explores the Sun cult in Ukrainian culture. The track features Sugak’s vocals and percussion, Eugene Kolyada on didgeridoo, and Andrij Boichenko’s vocals. The second is “Hey, Look Around” (2023), a folk ballad dedicated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, inspired by the liberation of Kherson in November 2022. In 2024 Pororoka released “Aidar“, an experimental track embodying the essence of the Aidar River, and now also “Заквітчали”.
Pororoka has also contributed to compilations like our very own “Electronic Resistance“, featuring Ukrainian darkwave and post-punk acts.
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