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The name of the group Bozhychi comes from the name of the pre-Christian God, which the Slavs called "Bozhycha", who was the god of youth and caroling. Members of the ensemble chose the name by chance: the ensemble was formed on January 7, on the Old-Ukrainian holiday Kolyady, or caroling day; and no one in the group was older than age 27.
The ensemble performs authentic, ancient songs and dance-instrumental traditions, parts of which were preserved in the villages and farms of Ukraine, all of which are dying off with catastrophic speed. The main direction of activity of the ensemble- the scientific study of the Ukrainian village and the method of recording authentic folklore samples. The main focus over the past four years has been collection trips made on canoe expeditions along the rivers of Ukraine.
For the right to receive nationally funded, organizational help for the activities of young folklorists of Ukraine, members of the ensemble started the initial creation of "The All Ukrainian Association of Young Ethnomusicologists". The ensemble actively works in association with the Ukrainian Parliament in the areas of youth politics, physical education, sports and tourism, in the name of the State Committee, and the Ministry of Ukrainian Transport.
Ensemble "Bozhychi" has participated in the all-Ukrainian folklore festival "Svitovyd" (Kyiv, 2000), international festival "Autumn Jazz Marathon- 2000", international festival "Pokut- 2000" (Kharkiv), international art festival "Berezillya" (Kyiv, 2001), international festival "Sodruzchestvo"(Russia, 2003). "Bozhychi" takes part in international tours and takes part in stage performances in Kyiv and Ukraine, as well as performing on television and radio.
In May 2002 in an associated project with the Center for Modern Art "Dakh", Bozhychi performed their theater piece "U Poshukakh Vtrachenoho Chasu" (In Search of Lost Time) at the "Wienner Festwochen" festival in Vienna, Austria. At this festival, "Bozhychi-Dakh" received the theater grand prize "Pektoral 2001" for the best chamber theater piece, and as well the grand prize from the theater critics of "Kyivan Rakhunok" for the best theater piece of the year. In July 2003 Bozhychi performed their theater piece in Hungary, on theater festival in Capolch.
Information, photo from official web-site http://www.bozhychi.com.ua/index_angl.htm
