Female kolenda in the area of Dubrovaĉko primorje, a specific form of exclusively female a capella singing, has been present in the villages of Smokovljani, Visoĉani, Doli, Zamaslina, Konštari, Lisac, Ćepikuće, Toĉionik i Trnovica since the 18th century. Passed by word of mouth, from one generation to the next, female kolenda was sung by carolers from the holiday of St Kate (25th November ) to Christmas Eve (24th December). Back in the day,kolenda was performed by women of all ages, but on Christmas Eve female carolers were strictly young girls, who often took advantage of the occasion to meet with their chosen ones. A significant foundation for this study is an unpublished collection of thirteen kolendas, carefully cherished by the family of Mato Katiĉić, from the village of Smokovljani. The songs from the collection prove to be folk songs, which are called kolendas because they were performed around holidays, each containing inserted refrains “kolenda, kolenda” and “veselo, veselo”(“merrily merrily”). The two oldest songs date back to the 19th century. The statements of the interviewees obtained in this study match the data found in literature, thus confirming the continuity of the custom of female kolenda singing in the villages of Dubrovaĉko primorje from the 18th century to the present day. The Ministry of Culture has launched a procedure for the preservation of female kolenda as part of Croatia’s intangible cultural heritage. The much anticipated positive outcome of the preservation will greatly contribute to the understanding of the traditions and customs outside the area of Dubrovaĉko primorje.