Burning symbol of winter on Black Sunday (22nd Feb)

something steeped in history for sure

Hello Homebird, this is very old pagan and typically Slavic tradition of burning the darkness, winter, death. More you can read on this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzanna

Interesting !

You are welcome.

That is very interesting. Do many people still carry out that tradition, Katarina?

No, just in some regions, like South Moravia (Czech republic) or mountain areas of Slovakia. It is very rare now, so interesting for us.

it's good to keep old traditions alive, and even better to remember why those old traditions were done in the first place! so many have been forgotten or have slid into "chidlren's games"

It is always better then playing with guns. We have a large group of young men who dress as soldiers and train in woods. People, who spend weekends in their cottages in woods are always frightened, as they usually think that there was martial law declared :-)

not surprised!