Leelokoor Kullakõsõ was established in 2003 in Põltsamaa under the leadership of Maria Noormets. We operated in Põltsamaa until 2013. In 2012, Maria moved with her family to Nõo, and Kullakõsõ then continued its activities there. The choir started with three generations of singers from one family. Later several young people with Seto roots from Nõo elementary school joined. We come together in Nõo and in Tartu County. All the singers have Seto roots, but mostly we were born outside Setomaa. Our most beloved Seto feasts are Seto Christmas, Easter, St. Mary’s Day, Midsummer’s Day, Seto Kingdom Day and St. Michaels Day. We consider the preservations of the Seto culture and customs very important and we like to involve young people in our activities. We meet every Wednesday, and occasionally on Sundays too. Most of our songs were written by Maria Noormets, the melodies also come from Maria’s birthplace.
Olõ mi koori Kullakõsõ’,
latus laulupargikõnõ,
kinä’ näio’ keskpaigah
nuur veli veere pääl.
Leelopark Kullakõsõ alost´ kokkok´aumist Põltsamaal 2003. aastagal. Noormõtsa Manni iistvidämisel. Sääl k´auti kokko kooni 2013. aastagani. Sis läts Manni üteh perrega elämä Nõo nulka, ni Kullakõsõ kuuhk´aumine läts edesi Nõoh. Kõgõpäält laulimi kolm põlvõ kuuh, a sis korjusi mano Nõo koolilatsi, kinka juurõ’ omma’ kah Setomaalt peri. Päämädselt saami kokko Nõoh vai muial Tartomaal. Laulja’ omma’ meil seto juuriga, a suurõp jago olõ-i Setomaal sündünü. Meele omma’ tähtsä’ seto talsipühi’, munapühi’, Maaŕapäiv, leelopäiv, kunigriigipäiv, Mihklipäiv jt. Veiga süämeh om seto kultuuri ni kombidõ alalõhoitmine, nuuri ütehhaardmine. Kokko korjumi õga kolmapäävä, ku saami, sõs ka pühäpäävä. Sõnolinõ om meil Noormetsa Manni, viie’ omma’ kah nii, nigu timä mälehtäs umast sünnüpaigast.
We perform in kindergartens and retirement homes, as well as at local events in Nõo. There is no fixed performance program, the repertoire is different every time as we choose songs according to the special day or event. In kindergartens we perform playful songs suitable for children. Our lead singer and lead singer Noormetsa Manni has written lyrics for many songs and has adapted some of them for children. Most of the lyrics are about animals, birds or children. We have also danced some simpler Seto dances in kindergartens. We adapt the repertoire of retirement homes for the elderly, usually with our own lyrics, sometimes adding some suitable older Seto songs. We always ask whether there are people with Seto roots among the listeners. In retirement homes, we also introduce Seto customs, tell stories, and always have some Seto style cheese (Sõir) with us that we share with the listeners.
K´aumi pall´o laulmah latsiaidoh ja puhadelnih, niisamatõ ka Nõoh pita pääl. Mi esinemine om õga kõrd eismuudu, laulami noid laula, mia laulupaiga ja -aoga kokko kõlbas. Latsiaiduh teemi mängolaula ja muud, mia latsile miildüs. Mi sõnolinõ Noormetsa Manni kirotas eis ka latsi jaost sõnno ja pand viie sinnä mano. Inäbüs sõnno om eläjist, tsirkõst vai latsist. Latsiga tandsimi ka loohvkabit seto tandsa. Puhadelnih ülest astmisõst võtami laulu’, mia kõlbasõ’ vannolõ inemiisile, säemi õks kõgõ ummi sõnno ni mõnikõrd võtami ülest ka mõnõ hüä vanõba seto laulu. Meid huvitas kõgõ, kas kullõjidõ hulgah om ka setosit. Kõnõlõmi ka seto kombist, jutatami ni kõgõ om üteh ka sõir kõigilõ maitsa’.
