In Istria the Ćići in Ćićarija and in village Žejane were known for now almost extinct practice of singing folk songs, called bugarštine. This way of singing in Istria is known as bugarenje, while in Ćićarija also as pivati po starinsku, rozgat, kantat, guditi (Vodice, Dane, Jelovice, Golac), and žaliti (mourn). Males and females sing differently. The guditi''' or žaliti, (laments) is performed mostly by women everyday and when someone dies. In bugarenje are present melancholic verses of lyric, lyric-epic and epic poetry while the verses are short decasyllabics. Themes of epic poetry are mostly related to the Ottoman occupation. In contrast to epic poetry in Dalmatia and other parts of the Balkans, only three Turkish words (harač, ćorda, delija) were mentioned. The tradition of rain ritual prporuša was present until recent times. It is known as Paparuda and its variations or Dodola in South Slavic countries. While in dodola the ritual was performed by a girl, in prporuša'' was by a boy. He was aged around 10-14, decorated with greenery (sambucus or tilia leaves) and goes through the village singing, stopping at every house, where the hosts pour water on him and give gifts.