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Mexico's Russian Colony -- by David Rojas. Good article originally published in Spanish about the history of the Molokan Colony in Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico. Also, reference to a history of the "Molokans" archived in a book that is for sale at the Museo Comunitario del Valle de Guadalupe (Community Museum of Guadalupe Valley), Calle Principal # 276, Valle de Guadalupe, BC México 22750. The telephone Number is (as dialed from the USA) 011-526-155-2030, and the curator's name is Francisca Samarin. Rojas notes that he was surprised with all the e-mail he got after posting this article on the Internet.

Photograph of the First Russian Christian Molokan Church of San Francisco posted by S.F. CitySearch with address, cross-streets and phone number.

There were 15 registered Molokan Churches in Russia in 1995. From Statistics Registration Report, Rules and Regulations of Religious Organizations in the Russian Federation as of January 1, 1995, item #34, Spiritual Molokan Christians.

See the Molokan Heritage Collection, published by The Highgate Road Social Science Research Station which is devoted to research and dissemination of information about Russian social sciences, particularly anthropology and sociology, including the study of Russian ethnic groups (Molokans, Doukhobors) originating from the former Soviet Union, whatever their present location. Their library is open to an international community of scholars, and interested laymen. Dr. Stephen P. Dunn, President; Ethel Dunn, Executive Secretary.

A special entry of 40 Molokans from Armenia to Australia in was approved in 1992. Here's the story as told by Lynn Arnold, now CEO World Vision Australia, who used to live in South Australia, and was a former Cabinet Minister and Premier in the state government. Also in 1996 a Molokan in Australia "... claimed that he was harassed and persecuted by extremist Armenians because of his ethnicity and Molokan faith. He was tormented at school, often attacked on the street and threatened with death. The Applicant also claimed he would be conscripted into the army and be required to fight against his conscience. The Applicant's parents gave additional evidence of continuous intimidation, harassment and persecution suffered at the hands of Armenians."

Browse John Miles Foley's Oral Formulaic Theory and Research: An Introduction and Annotated Bibliography to discover the abbreviation used in the bibliography for "Molokan".

Try to translate this daily account of a group of kids, ages 7-10, from Moscow on an outing in 1994. On August 11, the 13^th day, they collect "… molokany and ermakoviki - mushrooms, which Ira calls filthy." ("… molokany i ermakoviki - griby, kotorye Ira nazyvaet poganistymi.") Russians call a mushroom which they do not recognize or which might be poisonous a "poganka" (the "foul" or "filthy" one).

Molokan Music Sites:

• The WPA California Folk Music Project is a multi-format ethnographic field collection that includes sound recordings, still photographs, drawings, and written documents from a variety of European ethnic and English- and Spanish-speaking communities in Northern California. The collection comprises 35 hours of folk music recorded in twelve languages representing numerous ethnic groups and 185 musicians. The Russian Molokan congregation from Potrero Hill, San Francisco, performs unaccompanied sacred music and preaching in the Russian language.
• Molokan choirs from Russia and California sing at the Smithsonian Institution's 1995 Festival of American Folklife, outdoors at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for ten days in June and July. Dr. Margrito Mazo, an ethnomusicologist and professor of music history at Ohio State University, was the conceptualizer and curator of the Smithsonian's project called "Russian Roots, American Branches: Music in Two Worlds." After six years of research into the lives, cultures, and musical traditions of the two groups, 50 Molokans and Old Believers from Russia and the U.S. were invited to participate. Article from Fall 1995 Arts Advocate (Ohio State) with photo of Photo of lead Molokan singer Vasilii Vasilich Bogdanov from Iutsa, Stavropol'skii Krai, and Dr. Margarita Mazo.
• Folk Music G3: Faces of Russia CD by the Dmitry Pokrovsky Ensemble (1991) Price: $13.98, reports: "... some fascinating examples of sacred hymns by Russian "sectarian groups, "such as the Molokans and Dukhobors ..." Note numbers 5. 116th Psalm of King David, and 7. Gusly.
• Mnogaya Leta! (Many Years!) tape by The Middlebury Russian Choir directed by Kevin Moss. Side1 selection 7 is Psalm 116 (Molokan). "The Molokans have preserved many old folk traditions, among them their style of singing, which is transmitted like folk singing from one singer to another." Also shows the beginning text of this Psalm.
• My Love Divine. "An all-girl trio (Stasiya Rezansoff, Sarah Koochin and Joycelin Drazdoff) sing three couplets of a nine-part song. Attributed to Molokan sources, the words combine secular and religious motifs, while the melody is reminiscent of a modern folk composition." Hear this song and more Doukhobor singing, and browse a large virtual exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilization website celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Doukhobor Burning of the Arms.