 According to Fiodar Klimchuk, the Goryuns may be descendants of local Severians or they might be of mixed Severian-Radimich stock, or their Severian ancestors might have moved
to north-west and then returned.Some researchers believe that they are autochthonous to the region and are related to the local early Slavic population; according to others they descend from migrants from what is now Belarus - mixed with the local population.Goryuns have a reputation for their unique style of polyphonic singing.