Russian people: culture, traditions and customs. Traditions of the Russian people Russian folk traditions and customs

National culture is what makes up the memory of entire peoples, as well as what makes this people different from others. Thanks to traditions, people feel the connection of generations through time, feel the continuity of generations. People have spiritual support.

Important!!!

Each day of the calendar has its own rite or holiday, and even a church sacrament. The calendar in Rus' had a special name - the calendar. The calendar was also designed for a year and every day was painted - traditions, rituals, phenomena, signs, superstitions and so on.

The folk calendar was devoted to agriculture, so the names of the months had similar names, as well as signs with customs. An interesting fact is that the duration of the season is connected precisely with climatic phenomena. It is for this reason that the names did not match in different areas. Falling leaves can be both October and November. If you look at the calendar, you can read it like an encyclopedia that tells about the life of peasants, about holidays and ordinary days. In the calendar, one could find information on various issues of life. The folk calendar was a mixture of paganism and Christianity. Indeed, with the advent of Christianity, paganism began to shift, and pagan holidays were banned. Nevertheless, these holidays received new interpretations and passed in time. In addition to those holidays that had certain days, there were also holidays of the Easter type, which were not fixed to a specific day, but became mobile.

If we talk about the rituals that took place on major holidays, then folk art occupies a large place here:

• Songs
• round dances
• Dancing
• skits

Calendar and ritual holidays of Russians

The peasants worked notably, so they loved to relax. The main rest fell on holidays.

How is the word "holiday" translated and where did it come from?

This word comes from the word "holiday" (Old Slavic). This word means idleness, rest.

There were many celebrations in Rus'. For a very long time, the focus was not on one calendar, but on three:

• Natural (change of seasons)
• Pagan (like the first one, it correlated with nature)
• Christian (holidays were designated; if we talk about the largest ones, then there were only 12 of them).

Christmas and Christmas

The main and favorite holiday of antiquity was Christmas. In Rus', Christmas began to be celebrated after the introduction of Christianity. Christmas was combined with the ancient Slavic Christmas time.

The Importance of Christmas

This holiday for the Slavs was the most important. Winter work came to an end and preparations for spring began. And the rest was a joy for people, because. they have been waiting for it for a very long time. Nature disposed to rest, because the bright sun shone, the days became longer. December 25 in the ancient calendar was called the day of "Spyridon-solstice". In ancient times, it was believed that when a new sun was born, ancestors descended to earth, who were called saints - and this is how the name "Christmas" appeared.

Christmas time was celebrated for a long time - from the end of December and the first week of January. On this multi-day holiday, it was not allowed to mention death and quarrel, swear and commit reprehensible acts. It was a time when it was possible to give each other only joy and pleasant emotions.

The evening before Christmas was called Christmas Eve. The observance of rituals was the preparation for Christmas. According to the rules, on this day they fasted until the first star. And only after the evening dawn appeared, it was possible to sit down at the table. On Christmas Eve, godchildren went on visits to their godfathers and mothers. They brought them kutya and pies. The godparents were supposed to treat the godchildren in return and give them money. Christmas Eve was a rather quiet and modest holiday, cozy and family.

What comes after Christmas Eve?

And the next morning the fun began. The holiday began with children who went from one house to another, holding a star and a nativity scene. They sang verses that sang of Christ. The star was made of paper, painted, and a lit candle was placed inside. As a rule, the boys carried the star - for them it was very honorable.

Important!!!

The nativity scene was a box of two tiers. In the nativity scene, wooden figures depicted scenes. In general, this whole composition with children can be described as a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, and the nativity scene is a puppet theater.

Slavers received gifts for their change. It was either pies or money. To collect pies, one of the children carried a body, and to collect money they carried a plate. Somewhere around noon, the worship of adults began. Previously, absolutely all people, regardless of class, took part in this.

Advice

Not a single Christmastide passed without mummers. The mummers fooled around, showed various performances, went into the huts. A kind of fun buffoons.

Also among the rituals, caroling can be distinguished. It was fairly common. This is a distant reminder of the ancient Kolyada. Carols are called Christmas songs, which are aimed at glorifying the owner of the house, wishing him joy, prosperity, well-being for him and his family. For carols, the hosts treated them to delicious rewards. In the event that the owner turned out to be stingy and did not treat carolers with anything, then it was quite possible to hear unpleasant wishes.

Christmas and Christmas time in Rus'

Fortune-telling was a favorite Christmas activity. Fortune-telling appeared from an insatiable desire to find out what lies ahead and, perhaps, even influence the future. In pagan times, fortune-telling was used exclusively for economic purposes - crops, livestock, health of loved ones. An armful of hay was brought to the hut at Christmas time, and then a straw and a blade of grass were pulled out with their teeth. If the ear was full, then the owner was waiting for a rich harvest, if there was a long blade of grass, then a good hayfield. Over time, fortune-telling began to be popular exclusively among young people, mainly among girls. Everything that was pagan in this rite has long been lost, only fun on the holiday remains.

But why is it necessary to guess at this particular time?

Guessing is recommended at this time, because. according to an old legend, evil spirits appear at this time, which can tell about the future fate. The main purpose of fortune-telling among girls is to find out if they will get married this year. In the dead of night, when all the households had long fallen asleep, the girls let the rooster into the house. If the rooster ran away from the hut, then the girl does not promise marriage in the coming year, and if the rooster went to the table, then the girl will get married.

Bird in divination

There was also another kind of divination. The girls went into the goose house in the dark and caught the bird. If there was a female, then continue to walk in girls, and if a male, then marriage is coming.

Single or widower?

Such questions were also present at fortune-telling. The girl secretly left the house and approached the tyn, or hedge. She clasped it with both hands and touched each stalk with one hand. At the same time, it was necessary to pronounce the words "bachelor, widower, single, widower." On which word the tyn ends, he will marry him.

Advice

To find out from which side of the betrothed to wait, the girls threw a slipper out of the gate. Where the end of the shoe showed, in that direction the narrowed one lived. You can experiment.

Wax for fate

To find out what fate is, they burned wax. The resulting figures spoke of what awaits the girl. If the outlines of the wax looked like a church, then the wedding was waiting for the girl, if the cave, then to death.

Divination with a dish

The most popular divination was podbludnoe. In a dish, the girl put her rings and covered with a handkerchief. They sang songs, and after the song they shook the dish. The fortuneteller pulled out one ring. Whose ring pulled out, the song belonged to that girl, or rather, its content. Here is a prediction of fate.

Mirror and candles

The most exciting and scary fortune-telling was fortune-telling with a mirror and a candle. I had to look in the mirror through the flame of a candle. There was something to be seen in this reflection.

Important!!!

Fortune-telling was allowed during Christmas time, i.e. until January 19 (when Epiphany was celebrated). This holiday was established by the prophet John the Baptist in memory of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.

On the eve of spring, everyone was waiting for a fun holiday - Maslenitsa. This holiday came from pagan times - it is a holiday of meeting spring, as well as seeing off winter. The name of the holiday appeared for a reason. The last week before fasting is such that it is no longer possible to eat meat, but dairy products are allowed, and pancakes with dairy products, which also includes butter, are eaten on Shrove Tuesday. So, thanks to the main holiday dish, the name of this holiday appeared. And earlier, Shrovetide was called "myasopust" - also a telling name. Also, like Easter, Maslenitsa is not attached to a specific day and is celebrated in the week before the Great Lent. Christians have been waiting for this event for a very long time.

Name by day

Each day of Shrovetide had its own name and each day had activities that were forbidden. These actions included some rituals, rules of conduct. Monday is a meeting. Tuesday was called a game, and Wednesday was called a gourmet. Thursday was a riot. Friday was known for mother-in-law evenings. On Saturday, the sister-in-law's gatherings were arranged, and on Sunday, a forgiveness day and farewell.

Important!!!

In addition to the official names attached to the days, there were also the names of the whole week that were used by the people - honest, wide, cheerful and others, Madam Shrovetide.

On the eve of carnival

On Sunday, on the eve of Shrovetide, the father of a young wife with refreshments (as a rule, these were pies) went to visit the matchmakers and asked to let his son-in-law and his wife go on a visit. Matchmakers were also invited, the whole family. As usual, the young people came on Friday, which the whole village was looking forward to. The mother-in-law had to take care of her son-in-law, baked pancakes and other delicious dishes. It is from these customs that Friday at Shrove Tuesday is called mother-in-law evenings. The next day belonged to the sister-in-law (husband's sister), now it was her turn to look after the guests.

Among the main Maslenitsa actions, one can single out a meeting and seeing off. By Thursday, a straw doll was being made. The outfit for this doll was either bought together or dressed in cast-offs. This scarecrow was taken throughout the village, they sang songs and jokes, laughed and frolicked.

Ignition of fires

The most common way to see off Shrove Tuesday was to light fires. On Maslenitsa Sunday in the evening, a procession went out to the winter, and it was there that they burned an effigy at the stake. By the fire you could see absolutely everyone. People sang songs, joked, sang jokes. More straw was thrown into the fire and they said goodbye to Shrovetide and called her for the next year.

Newlyweds from the hill

A favorite custom on Maslenitsa was the newlyweds' skiing from the icy mountain. For this skating, young people put on their best outfits. It was the duty of every husband to take his wife down the mountain. Skating was accompanied by bows and kisses. A merry crowd could stop the sleigh and then the newlyweds had to pay off with public kisses.

Advice

Don't miss your chance to ride. Skiing is generally considered to be one of the most popular pastimes. Both children and adults have been riding the slides since Monday. The slides were decorated with lanterns and Christmas trees, ice statues.

Carnival fun

On Thursday, instead of skiing, they switched to horseback riding. Threes with bells were held in high esteem. Ride as a race, and just for fun. There were some serious entertainments too. Such entertainments include fisticuffs. Everyone fought one on one, there were wall-to-wall fights. As a rule, they fought on the ice of frozen rivers. The fights were reckless, merciless, everyone fought at full power. Some fights ended not only in injuries, but also in death.

Taking the snow town

Another carnival week fun is taking a snowy town. A week before the carnival, the little guys built a town out of snow. The guys tried their best, creating masterpieces. Next, the mayor was selected, whose duties included protecting the city from the attack of Shrovetide. The capture of the city was carried out on the last day of Shrovetide. The purpose of taking the city is to capture the flag on the city and also the mayor.

The last day of the celebrations was Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, it was customary to ask for forgiveness from both the living and the dead. In the evening, it was customary to visit the bathhouse, where everyone was cleansed and entered into Great Lent.

Lent was marked by the celebration of the Annunciation. Church tradition says that on April 7, an archangel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who said that she would give birth to a baby who would be conceived miraculously. It is believed that all life on earth is blessed on this day. Despite the fact that the holiday takes place in Great Lent, on this day it was allowed to eat fish.

Maslenitsa festivities

Every spring, Christians celebrate Easter. This is one of the oldest celebrations. Among the main Easter rituals, one can single out baking Easter cakes and painting eggs. But not only this is marked by Easter for a believer. It is also known for its all-night vigil, procession and Christening. The latter is a congratulation with kisses on this bright day. It is customary to answer “Christ is Risen” with “Truly Risen”.

Why is this holiday so revered by the Russian people?

This holiday is the most important and incredibly solemn, because. This is the feast of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was martyred. The fact that the celebration of Easter moves, every year the course of events that are associated with this holiday cycle also changes. So, the dates of Great Lent and Trinity are changing.

Palm Sunday is celebrated a week before Easter. In the church, this holiday is held in memory of the entry into Jerusalem of Christ. And the people at this time threw palm branches to him. It is the willow that is the symbol of these branches. It was customary to consecrate branches in the church.

The week following Palm Sunday was called Holy Week. This week is the week of preparation for Easter. People went to the bathhouse, cleaned everything in the house, cleaned it and brought it into a festive look and, of course, baked Easter cakes and dyed eggs.

Trinity

Trinity was celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. This holiday has its roots in ancient Slavic times. Then a similar holiday was called semika and it was customary to spend it in the forest. The main attention that day was riveted to the birch. Ribbons and flowers were hung on the birch. Round dances with chants were led around the birch. For these purposes, the birch was chosen for a reason. After all, it was the birch tree that was one of the first after the winter to put on its emerald crown. From this came the belief that the birch has the power of growth and must certainly be used. Birch twigs were used as house decorations - they hung them on windows and doors, on temples, courtyards, because wanted to get its healing power. And on Trinity it was customary to bury a birch, i.e. drown in water to make it rain.

It is worth noting that Kupala is pagan, and he had no name. And he got his name when this holiday coincided with the Christian holiday - the Nativity of John the Baptist.

Other name

Also this day had the name of the day of Ivan Travnik. There is a belief that the medicinal herbs that are collected at this time are miraculous. On Kupala, my cherished dream was to find a fern - to see how it blooms. It was at such a time that green treasures came out of the earth and burned with emerald lights.

Important!!!

Also, everyone wanted to see the gap-grass. It was believed that one contact with this herb could destroy the metal, as well as open any doors.

Advice

The Slavs believed that the period of violent growth of grasses was a period of rampant evil spirits. To get rid of evil spirits, fire was mined in the ancient way, bonfires were kindled and jumped over them in pairs, crowned with flowers. There was a sign that said that the higher you jump over the fire, the better the grain harvest will be. Also, old things, clothes of the sick were thrown into the fire.

In the evening, after visiting the bath, everyone went to splash around the river. It was believed that not only fire at this time had miraculous powers, but also water. The Orthodox Church did not accept this holiday, considering it pagan and obscene. This holiday was persecuted by the authorities, and after the 19th century it almost ceased to be celebrated in Rus'.

Conclusion:

Russian folk holidays are bright festivities full of fun and interesting events. They are very diverse, although, unfortunately, some of them have not been celebrated for a long time. But there is little hope that the lost culture will begin to revive and be passed down through the generations again. Rus' is a country that is rich in traditions and customs. A large number of holidays confirm this. These traditions filled the life of our ancestors with joy and interesting events. These traditions must be revived and passed on to posterity.

Ivan Kupala - how it is celebrated

The history of the Russian people has been going on for more than 1500 years. And all this time, legends about the mysterious Russian soul and the incomprehensible nature of Russian culture, where modern trends are closely intertwined with the legacy of distant ancestors, are being composed in the world.

In Russia, national traditions are sacredly honored, passing them from generation to generation for centuries. Some customs appeared only after the Revolution of 1917, and some originate from the time of Ancient Rus', which, oddly enough, does not prevent them from being present in the life of a modern Russian person.

The customs of the ancient Slavs, which have survived to this day

Our ancient ancestors gave us the opportunity to bear not only the surname and name, but also surname .

In the days of the Slavic tribes, a person was not perceived as a separate person, but was part of a kind. When meeting, everyone had to name the name of their parent and grandparent. Because of what glory, the reputation of the father, grandfather and great-grandfather depended on the attitude of others towards their offspring. A person was evaluated according to the affairs of the whole family, which is why he himself felt a great responsibility for his family.

Coming from a decent family, there was no reason to hide the name of the parent, on the contrary, it was an honor to call him at every opportunity. That is why people were called, for example, like this: Gorislav, son of Dragomir, Lyudmila, daughter of Mechislav. Or even like this, with the mention of not only the father, but also the grandfather: Peresvet, the son of Nekras, the son of Vladimir. In the future, these forms gradually transformed into modern patronymics.

Today, addressing a person by name and patronymic, we show him our special respect. Calling elderly, high-status, authoritative people simply by their first names is considered bad manners and the height of ill manners.

Another amazing tradition was given to us by the Slavs - this whip yourself with a broom in the bath . In the old days, people were treated for colds by applying plant leaves to their chest and back. Birch and oak leaves seemed especially healing. For convenience, they were collected together with young branches, which were tied into brooms.

To get the greatest effect, the broom had to be applied hot to the body. Where is the easiest place to warm it up? Of course, in the bath. In order not to burn themselves, the branches were sometimes applied, then taken aside, as if patting themselves. At the same time, the effect of massage was also created. Until today, without this unique procedure, which is considered a true Russian fun, a real bathing day for a steam bath lover is not possible.

Another custom that came from antiquity is coaxing a brownie . According to Slavic beliefs, in every dwelling there is an invisible patron, a spirit that guards the house and its inhabitants. In order not to suddenly find himself in disfavor with the brownie, the owners talked to him, asked for protection and help, and fed him. Milk with a salted loaf of bread was put behind the stove or lowered into the cellar. It was believed that it was these places that the spirit-domozhil chose for his rest. When they moved out of the old hut, the owners called the kind grandfather-brownie with them to go with them to the new home.

Until now, there is a belief that it is impossible to shake hands, kiss, pass anything through the threshold. And all because beyond the threshold the protection of the brownie ended. Further, he could no longer protect his wards from evil influences. It turned out that impure forces could not enter the house, while on the threshold a bad person had the opportunity to exert a negative influence on the owner, to inflict damage or a love spell on him, to transfer an enchanted thing.

Traditions of the Middle Ages

After the baptism of Rus' in the Middle Ages, there was a close interweaving of pagan and Christian customs. On the eve of major Christian holidays, such as Christmas, Epiphany, the Annunciation, the Intercession began to take place divination , caroling , dressing up . All these rituals have changed little to this day.

Peasants used to guess in the evenings, gathering in groups. Both the old and the young wanted to know their future, whether it promises love, prosperity, the birth of children. Various objects were used in the rituals: mirrors, dishes, jewelry, clothes, shoes and much more.

Companies in the villages went around the houses, sang carols under the windows with good wishes to the owners, for which they expected a reward in the form of mash, gingerbread or a coin.

At festivities, weddings and fairs, those who wanted to entertain the people dressed up in masks, costumes of animals and birds, clung to themselves bells and bells, creating noise around themselves and depicting crazy dances.

In addition, there was a tradition sow in houses for Christmas and St. Basil's Day. Groups of young people or children entered the huts without asking, threw grain on the floor, sang songs. The rite promised the owners of the houses a good harvest, prosperity and happiness, and those who sowed were thanked, treated or presented with coins.

Before Great Lent on the last day of Maslenitsa week at folk festivals burned a straw effigy of winter , thereby seeing off the cold until next year.

Customs of Tsarist Russia

The Russian monarchy gave us the tradition of celebrating the first day of the New Year.

Before the reign of Peter I, the New Year in Russia began on September 1, but the tsar, by his decree, approved a new date for the departure of the old and the arrival of the New Year, that is, January 1. In addition, Peter I ordered on this day to decorate the gates of houses and churches with coniferous branches, and to mark the New Year with a cannon salute. Passers-by had to congratulate each other, wish happiness, health and well-being.

During the reign of Catherine II, the first New Year's masquerades were held at the court, accompanied by music, dances and congratulatory speeches. Unlike the peasant mummers, whose task was to frighten or make laugh, the court nobility wore beautiful masks, costumes and jewelry, trying to stand out and surprise others.

After the war with Napoleon, the Russian nobility got acquainted with such a French drink as champagne. It was he who was preferred to drink at all social events, including New Year's masquerade balls.

It turns out that since the times of tsarist Russia and until now, Russian people, as usual, celebrate the New Year with congratulations, Christmas trees, champagne, fireworks, music and costume events.

The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year

Even the name of the holiday surprises, speaks of its unusualness. Of course, the tradition of celebrating this day cannot be called centuries-old, but it is already very close to its centenary.

It all started with the fact that after the Revolution of 1917, the new government made the transition from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian, between which there was a thirteen-day difference.

However, people did not stop celebrating the New Year in the usual old style, which eventually led to the formation of a separate holiday of the Old New Year. Now this day is loved by many. It does not imply much fuss and is most often celebrated in the circle of the closest ones.

In conclusion, I would like to note that we do not know what traditions the new time will bring into our lives, whether they are destined to have a long life, or they will soon be forgotten. But there is no doubt that the customs of our distant ancestors will exist for another century. Such is our Russian mentality. It has the power of people's memory and great patriotism.

Even at the time of paganism, the ancient Russians had the deity Kupalo, personifying summer fertility. In his honor, in the evenings they sang songs and jumped over the fire. This ritual action turned into an annual celebration of the summer solstice, mixing pagan and Christian traditions. The deity Kupala began to be called Ivan after the baptism of Rus', when he was replaced by none other than John the Baptist (more precisely, his popular image), who baptized Christ himself and whose Christmas was celebrated on June 24.

Maslenitsa

In the old days, Maslenitsa was considered a holiday to commemorate the dead. So burning Shrovetide is her funeral, and pancakes are a memorial treat. But time passed, and the Russian people, greedy for fun and relaxation, turned a sad holiday into a daring Maslenitsa. But the tradition of baking pancakes remained - round, yellow and hot as the sun, and horse-drawn and sleigh rides from the icy mountains, fist fights, mother-in-law gatherings were added to it. Shrovetide rituals are very unusual and interesting, as they combine the end of the period of winter holiday rituals and the opening of a new, spring period of holidays and rituals, which should have contributed to a rich harvest.

Wedding

Along with other Russian traditions, wedding traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation are also of great interest.

Many sources describe interesting traditions of the peoples of Russia. Mother Russia includes more than 190 nationalities, whose representatives differ from each other in skin color, eyes and other external data, religion, folklore, traditions and customs.

Some of them are so unusual that they surprise even "experienced" travelers. The article will consider the traditions of the most numerous peoples of Russia, as well as little-known and amazing customs of small nationalities.

The school curriculum includes the customs of the peoples of Russia. For young children, information is presented in the form of fairy tales and legends; students in grades 7-8 are introduced to the culture and life of the population of the Russian Federation with the help of textbooks and atlases.

Traditions of the Russian people

The largest people in the Russian Federation, as well as the indigenous inhabitants of the state, are Russians. Their traditions are known to people from all over the world.

The traditional Russian dwelling is a log hut with a gable roof. And although it is quite difficult to find such a structure on the territory of modern Russia, in some areas they are still preserved along with other elements of Russian culture.

The family has been and remains an important value for a Russian person. It has long been considered important to know and remember one's own family. At school, children were even asked to draw a “family tree”. Often, newborns were named after grandfathers or grandmothers, thereby showing respect for their older relatives.

The transmission of family heirlooms through generations is another important tradition among Russians. These items are especially valued and acquire a history that every family member knows.

Traditional Russian cuisine is rich in a variety of dishes, among which the most famous are cabbage soup, okroshka, pickle, syrniki, and cheesecakes.

Most of the Russian-speaking population are Slavs. Therefore, Russians celebrate both national and religious holidays:

• March 8;
• New Year;
• Victory Day;
• Easter;
• Christmas;
• Baptism and others.

Each holiday is associated with its own interesting customs and traditions. For example, folk culture and Shrovetide have an inextricable link between them. The holiday, whose roots come from paganism, is celebrated for a week, until Lent. Seeing off winter traditionally ends with the burning of an effigy, and the celebration itself is accompanied by eating pancakes.

Tatar traditions

The second place in terms of population in Russia is occupied by the Tatars. They also differ in cultural features, have their own customs and rituals.

An insignificant part of the Tatars is Orthodox, and most of them live according to the laws of Islam. The traditional Tatar dwelling is a four-walled log house, which was divided into male and female halves inside. Ancient customs have survived to this day. Some modern Tatars live in residential buildings decorated in accordance with folk traditions.

Tatar cuisine consists of a variety of dishes that have appeared under the influence of national and other cultures. These are baklava, pilaf, dumplings and more.

Tatars especially honor spiritual values ​​and family traditions. Family is always in the first place, and material wealth is at the end. Tatars consider marriage almost a sacred bond. They firmly believe that it is not only on earth, but also in heaven. After all, it is far from a secret how religious this people is.

On a note! Tatars mainly create patriarchal families, where a man is at the head. True, the traditions of the modern representatives of the nation have undergone some changes, which happened under the influence of the cultures of other peoples.

Tatars, like other peoples of the country, celebrate public holidays, as well as their national and Islamic ones:

• Uraza Bairam - created in honor of the end of Ramadan (the month of fasting).
• Kargatuy - a meeting of spring.
• Sabantuy - according to custom, it is celebrated at the end of spring field work and others.

Tatars respect other peoples, so among their holidays there are many national Russian celebrations with interesting rituals.

Traditions of Ukrainians

In terms of the number of people living in the territory of the Russian Federation, Ukrainians are on the list after the Tatars. An important component of Ukrainian culture is the national dwelling - the hut. This is a small wooden house, whitewashed inside and out.

As for traditional Ukrainian cuisine, the main dish is borscht, which is cooked with cabbage and beets. And, of course, lard is considered a national Ukrainian product. It is not only eaten on its own, but also used to prepare other dishes. Wheat flour products (dumplings, dumplings and others) are popular in Ukrainian cuisine.

The way of life and culture of Ukrainians is in many respects similar to Russian traditions. National holidays are also not too different.

5 strange but interesting traditions of the little-known peoples of Russia

Many people are familiar with the traditions of Russians and Ukrainians, but other, less well-known peoples also live on the territory of the country. Their culture for some will seem unusual and even surprising. But that doesn't make it any less interesting.

Wedding custom in Chukotka

First, the groom meets the bride's father and asks for the girl's hand, which is reminiscent of the customs of famous peoples. But only at the beginning. Then the bride goes on reindeer with her relatives to the groom's home.

On special poles for sacrifices, the deer on which the girl arrived is killed. Then, using the blood of the animal, a family sign is drawn on the faces of the future spouses.

And the bride rubs the ashes left after the sacrificial fire together with the blood with her palms and quietly pronounces a wish for herself a happy family life.

Kalmyk Gal Tyalgn

The Kalmyks believe that after performing a certain rite, one can clear karma, get rid of fatigue, illness and anger. It is also associated with sacrifice and is carried out towards the end of October.

The whole rite includes two parts. First, the sacrum and the lower part of the ram's head are sacrificed to the Buddha statue. In the process of sacrifice, a prayer is said, a lamp is lit, incense is added.

In the second part of the rite, a fire is kindled, and at this time a teenage boy must go around it in a circle in accordance with the movement of the hands of the clock. In his bag are sacrificial carcasses of animals. Approaching the door, the boy calls out a specific word, and other people answer him. The boiled insides of the carcass are tried three times by children in the northern part of the dwelling. The ashes left after the sacrifice must be stored for a year, until the next ceremony.

Buryat tribal custom

Modern Buryats support paganism. In their opinion, shamans are some kind of intermediaries between higher powers and people. That is why the ritual is performed exclusively with a dedicated person.

The tribal rite in Buryatia is carried out to honor relatives. The shaman who comes to perform the ritual is given a table with a variety of dishes used as an offering. In addition, the shaman is given gifts in the form of pieces of silk, a pack of tea and other things that are valued in Buryatia.

At the next stage, three even birches without notches are prepared, and one tree should have a root, and the other two should not. It is necessary to decorate them with blue and white ribbons at the bottom and red-yellow at the top. A table with treats is placed in front of a birch with a root.

The next stage is the preparation of the black sheep carcass. Previously, the animal is castrated, the horns are removed. The ram's head is laid on the table, the shaman reads a prayer, and then the animal is killed. Its meat is boiled in a cauldron and placed on a wooden tray. At the end of the ritual, the trees, the rest of the ram, and treats for the ancestors are burned at the stake.

"Blood Sorrow" in Yakutia

Funerals in Yakutia are accompanied by a certain ritual, which for an uninitiated person looks quite intimidating. First, the horse was dressed up, and then the dead man was seated on it, thus seeing him off on his last journey. The animal must make several circles around the lake, and in the process, those present sprinkle fresh blood.

Sometimes during the ritual, the dead person fell off the horse. In this case, he was seated again, and the procedure began again. The rite must be completed, this is how the inhabitants of Yakutia think. Otherwise, the soul of the deceased will not rest.

With the help of this ritual, men were buried. For the funeral of women, a different rite was used. Instead of sitting on a horse, the deceased was fixed among the dancing people, which allowed her body to move along with the living.

Maritime customs in Chukotka

On a holiday called kayaks in early spring, the following ceremony is held. In the morning, meat is sacrificed to the sea. The oldest woman makes a round of the dwelling several times in a circle, and then the boat is removed from the rack and set off to sea on it.

In the summer, a different rite takes place. At the end of the period of catching seals, walrus heads are removed from the cellars and placed in the central part of the yaranga, spreading the skin. Having tied a belt to the head of the walrus, the performer pulls on it, imitating catching the animal from the sea.

Video: traditions and customs of the peoples of Russia

The culture of each people of Russia is unique and interesting separately. Together, traditions make up a single puzzle, which becomes incomplete when at least one piece is removed. The task of the Russian people is to honor and carefully preserve their centuries-old traditions.

The culture of the peoples of Russia is described in the following videos.

Rites, customs and traditions of the Russian people are rooted in ancient times. Many of them have significantly changed over time and have lost their sacred meaning. But there are some that still exist. Let's consider some of them.

The calendar rites of the Russian people are rooted in the days of the ancient Slavs. At that time, people cultivated the land and raised cattle, worshiped pagan idols.

Here are some of the rituals:

1. Sacrificial rites to the god Veles. He patronized pastoralists and farmers. Before sowing the crop, people went out into the field, wearing clean clothes. They decorated their heads with wreaths, they held flowers in their hands. The oldest resident of the village began to sow and threw the first grain into the ground.
2. The harvest was also timed to coincide with the festival. Absolutely all the villagers gathered near the field and sacrificed the largest animal to Veles. The men began to plow the first strip of land, while the women at that time gathered the grain and gathered it into sheaves. At the end of the harvest, they set the table with a generous treat, decorated it with flowers and ribbons.
3. Maslenitsa is a calendar rite that has survived to this day. The ancient Slavs turned to the sun god Yaril with a request to send a rich harvest. They baked pancakes, danced round dances, burned the famous Maslenitsa effigy.
4. Forgiveness Sunday is the most important day of Shrovetide. On this day, people asked for forgiveness from relatives and relatives, and also forgave all offenses themselves. After this day, Great Lent began.

Despite the fact that Maslenitsa has lost its religious meaning, people still take part in mass festivities with pleasure, bake pancakes and enjoy the coming spring.

Christmas traditions

It is impossible not to say about the Christmas rituals, which remain relevant to this day. They are traditionally held from January 7 to January 19 in the period from Christmas to Epiphany.

The sacred rites are as follows:

1. Kolyada. Youth and children go from house to house dressed up, and the residents treat them with sweets. Now they rarely carol, but the tradition has not yet become obsolete.
2. Holy divination. Young girls and women gather in groups and arrange fortune-telling. Most often, these are rituals that allow you to find out who will become narrowed, how many children will be born in marriage, and so on.
3. And on January 6, before Christmas, in Rus' they cooked compote with rice, cooked delicious pastries and slaughtered livestock. It was believed that this tradition helps to attract a rich harvest in the spring and provide the family with material well-being.

Now the Christmas rites have lost their magical sacrament and are used mainly for entertainment. Another reason to have fun in the company of girlfriends and friends is to arrange a group fortune-telling for the betrothed, dress up and carol on holidays.

Family rituals in Rus'

Family rituals were given great importance. For matchmaking, wedding or baptism of newborns, special rituals were used, which were sacredly honored and observed.

Weddings, as a rule, were scheduled for a time after a successful harvest or baptism. Also, the week following the bright holiday of Easter was considered a favorable time for the ceremony. The newlyweds were married in several stages:

• Matchmaking. In order to marry the bride to the groom, all close relatives from both sides gathered together. They discussed the dowry, where the young couple would live, agreed on gifts for the wedding.
• After the blessing of the parents was received, preparations for the celebration began. The bride and her bridesmaids gathered every evening and prepared a dowry: they sewed, knitted and wove clothes, bed linen, tablecloths and other home textiles. They sang sad songs.
• On the first day of the wedding, the bride said goodbye to girlhood. Girlfriends sang sad ritual songs of the Russian people, farewell laments - after all, from that moment on, the girl was completely subordinate to her husband, no one knew how her family life would turn out.
• According to custom, on the second day of the wedding, the newly-made husband, along with his friends, went to his mother-in-law for pancakes. They arranged a stormy feast, went to visit all the new relatives.

When a child appeared in a new family, he had to be baptized. The rite of baptism was performed immediately after birth. It was necessary to choose a reliable godfather - this person bore great responsibility, almost on a par with parents, for the fate of the baby.

And when the baby was one year old, a cross was cut off on his crown. It was believed that this rite gives the child protection from evil spirits and the evil eye.

When the child grew up, he was obliged to visit his godparents every year on Christmas Eve with refreshments. And those, in turn, presented him with presents, treated him with sweets.

Watch a video about the rituals and customs of the Russian people:

mixed rites

Separately, it is worth talking about such interesting rituals:

• Celebration of Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only from that day on it was possible to swim. Also on this day, a fern bloomed - the one who finds a flowering plant will reveal all the innermost secrets. People made bonfires and jumped over them: it was believed that a couple who jumped over the fire, holding hands, would be together until death.
• From pagan times came the custom to commemorate the dead. At the memorial table, there must have been a rich meal and wine.

To follow the ancient traditions or not is everyone's business. But you can not build them into a cult, but pay tribute to the ancestors, their culture, the history of their country. This applies to religious practices. As for entertainment events such as Shrovetide or the celebration of Ivan Kupala, this is another reason to have fun in the company of friends and soulmate.