Antokhi L. Calendar-ritual folklore of Moldovans in Ukrainian surrounding: particularities of the way of life

The thesis is the first integral investigation in Ukrainian folklore studies of calendar-ritual folklore of Moldovans in Ukraine, with the ascertainment of the ethnogenetic processes. Close attention is focused on the discovery of the historic background of the formation of Bessarabian and Bukovina folklore tradition and its correlation with the Ukrainian tradition. Based on the comparative study of spring, summer and winter samples of the calendar rites of Moldovans and Ukrainians, the question of their genetic and typological relationship is elucidated. Though genetically, Moldovans and Ukrainians exhausted the kinship since the break-up of the Thracian community, the calendar rites of both nations have much in common. The majority of analogies has ancient genetic and typological basis caused by the climate conditions and the peculiarities of the relievo. The largest number of the matches of the rites of Moldovans and Ukrainians is found in the folklore compositions of agricultural direction.