Duma (epic) Duma (epic) A Duma (, plural "dumy") is a sung epic poem which originated in Ukraine during the Hetmanate Era in the sixteenth century (possibly based on earlier Kievan epic forms). Historically, dumy were performed by itinerant Cossack bards called kobzari, who accompanied themselves on a kobza or a torban, but after the abolition of Hetmanate by the Empress Catherine of Russia the epic singing became the domain of blind itinerant musicians who retained the kobzar appellation and accompanied their singing by playing a bandura (rarely a kobza) or a relya/lira (a Ukrainian variety of hurdy-gurdy). Dumas are sung in
Chairman of the State Duma at the regular sessions of the parliament. The position Chairman of the State Duma was established in 1906, when the State Duma of the Russian Empire was established. The first chairman was Sergey Muromtsev. This position existed for 11 years during which five people held this position. It was abolished together with the State Duma after the Russian Revolution. It was restored after 76 years, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the constitutional crisis of 1993. The first Chairman of the State Duma after the restoration of the post was Ivan Rybkin. Since January 1995, the speaker of