Interesting traditions of one of the peoples of the Astrakhan region. Astrakhan Kazakhs: customs, traditions, life. What nationalities live in Astrakhan

Coins in a pie, candy in a stocking, gifts in a shoe and other New Year traditions of our fellow countrymen

The New Year has been celebrated in our country since 1897 by decree of Peter I. For a long time, many customs and traditions have appeared and strengthened around this holiday. Some of them have remained in history, and some are still practiced by Astrakhan families. Read about the most interesting New Year and Christmas traditions of our fellow countrymen in our material.

In the spirit of tradition

Of course, the most important tradition that has survived to this day is the installation of a New Year's tree, which takes on a festive look thanks to bright decorations: balls, garlands, ribbons and sweets.

The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year is preserved in almost all Astrakhan families. It arose in the country after the revolution of 1917, when there was a transition from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar with a thirteen-day difference between dates. But not everyone abandoned the previous date. Since then, they began to celebrate the New Year first in a new way, and then in the old way. This is how we have two holidays that bring together most Astrakhan families for dinner.

Russian monarchs held colorful New Year's masquerades at court: music, dancing, beautiful masks, costumes and decorations. The modern New Year is not famous for royal balls, but numerous festivals and not as magnificent as during the reign of Catherine II, balls are held in Astrakhan and other cities of the country.

In the old days, before Christmas, they put a piece of incense on the coals and fumigate the whole house. The Greeks have a similar tradition: they fumigate houses and all premises, including cafes, restaurants, etc. with incense.

The Germans have a funny tradition. With the chiming of the chimes, they climb onto the table, and at the end of the fight they jump, as they say, “into the New Year.” We use the table differently. We are preparing a festive dinner, at which we first see off the Old Year. Don’t forget to remember all the good things that the outgoing year 2016 brought you and leave all the bad things in it. And then we celebrate the New Year. The first glass of the traditional sparkling drink, drunk during the chiming clock, was raised in the 1960s, when the Soviet government decided to provide every family with a bottle of champagne. While the clock strikes twelve, make a wish, it will definitely come true!

Inventive Astrakhan residents

The Chinese traditionally celebrate the New Year to the accompaniment of firecrackers and fireworks. We have adopted this tradition: volleys of colorful fireworks and bursts of firecrackers on New Year's Eve have become real entertainment for Russians. The residents of Astrakhan are organizing something like a New Year's battle in the manner of “whose projectile will fly higher and bang harder.” People do not skimp on the festive fireworks, and even those who do not directly participate in the firecracker fight will never miss this spectacle and will find themselves involved in the exciting action as an observer from the outside.

We asked city residents about their family traditions, which they still have today. Not everyone had old or even new customs in store for the New Year celebrations. But those who still have them delighted us with their stories.

It is interesting that in Greece they leave shoes near the fireplace overnight and St. Basil fills them with gifts. American Santa puts gifts in Christmas stockings hanging by the fireplace. Well, we have simplified the task for Santa Claus: our Santa Claus carefully places his gifts under the beautiful Christmas tree.

The Shlykov family transformed the Western stocking into shoes. A red New Year's boot is placed near the Christmas tree, into which various small sweets are placed at night for the children.

A young couple from Astrakhan, widely known for their creative work in making unique musical instruments and glucophones, spoke about their holiday traditions. Ivan and Polina always spend New Year's Eve together. Instead of traditional champagne, there is a bottle of excellent rum on the table. The children decorate the house with a lot of bells and lights. A creative approach transforms a home, which literally becomes a fabulous place. The couple performs Russian and Ukrainian carols, which were known in ancient times.

Note to housewives. Do you know that there are traditions that can save you from household chores during the New Year holidays? The Yarov family cooks meat in pots and hides a walnut in one of them. Whoever gets it doesn't wash the dishes during the holidays.

It is known that Italians get rid of old things on New Year's Day, and they throw them right out of the windows of their houses. Some Astrakhan residents, perhaps due to holiday fatigue, do not have enough strength to carry the unnecessary New Year tree to a special place. Therefore, trees sometimes fly out of windows, similar to Italian customs. The main thing is that this does not develop into an Astrakhan tradition.

Traditions of different peoples in Astrakhan

Interesting customs were preserved by the Sorokin family, who lived for a long time in Germany, where they adopted the German tradition of decorating windows with mini-mangers with candles and compositions of glowing houses at Christmas. The head of the family has Jewish roots. Each Hanukkah, one candle is lit per day until the end of Hanukkah.

The Kustadinchev family lives in Astrakhan, in which the head of the family, Evgeniy, is half Bulgarian. On the old New Year, according to the old tradition, which was honored by Evgeniy’s forefathers, a Bulgarian pie is prepared - kubite. This is a puff pie made from unleavened dough filled with minced meat and rice. It looks like our Napoleon cake. If not for one difference: the bottom cake is made larger than the others in order to cover all the upper layers. It looks very beautiful and appetizing. Different coins are placed in one of the layers, each of them is given its own purpose, be it happiness, health, promotion at work, addition to the family, etc. The hostess divides the pie into portioned pieces and distributes pieces to each guest according to seniority. The meal turns into real fun as guests begin searching for coins in their piece of pie.

A family with Dutch and Russian roots, living in our city for more than five years, shared with us the rich variety of their customs. According to the old Russian Epiphany tradition, at Epiphany Svetlana and Petrus go to the river at midnight, where they cut a hole. Take a new bucket and alarm clock with you. Next you need to watch the water: if it stirs, then, according to legend, this is the moment of Jesus’ baptism. A bucket of Epiphany water is filled, with which all household members wash themselves. Rooms and surrounding areas are also sprinkled with this water.

On Christmas night, the family lights candles and places them on the windows. Son Misha writes two letters at once: one to Santa Claus, and the other to Santa Claus.

In fact, the boy Misha is a real lucky one: he has much more New Year holidays, and therefore gifts, than in families with the same faith and nationality. For example, the Dutch give gifts not on Christmas or New Year, but on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, when Santa arrives on a sleigh with two assistants called negro grooms. Misha chooses the largest and juiciest carrot and places it in his shoe. The grooms take the carrots for the reindeer and leave a gift in return. And the sweeter and more beautiful the carrot, the better the gift.

So household members give gifts to each other three times: December 6, New Year and Orthodox Christmas.

In Anton's German family, who have lived in Astrakhan for many years, Christmas stockings are an important tradition, loved by all the children in the family. A whole garland of 25 small stockings is hung, each with a chocolate bar and a candy. From December 1st until Christmas Day, only one stocking is opened per day and a happy child extracts a small treat. Family traditions are an important feature for any event in the life of household members. By preserving old customs and instilling them in future generations, we not only create an extra reason to have fun spending time together, but also preserve significant historical moments and the memory of our ancestors in the treasury of family values.

Calendar rituals and holidays of the Russians of the Astrakhan province were associated with the Orthodox calendar.

No matter where you came from, you saw the holiday everywhere

Partying. Artist Boris Kustodiev, 1910.

Astrakhan province is a territory of interethnic interaction of numerous peoples. Each village in it was famous for its traditions, rituals, songs, and crafts. The hard life of the Astrakhan fisherman and plowman was not conducive to an abundance of holidays. But still, residents of Russian villages and towns widely celebrated folk celebrations: Vespers and the Nativity of Christ (December 25), Epiphany (January 6), Melania the Roman (January 13), Maslenitsa, Easter, Krasnaya Gorka (April 23), St. Thomas Day (October 6).

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, boys and girls went caroling.

In the village of Solodniki, Melania was glorified at that time. Wealthy owners forced young people to wallow in the snow. According to popular beliefs, this contributed to a large offspring of sheep. Carolers were given dried apples and peas.

On Christmas Day, all the village children went to praise Christ. Entering the houses of their neighbors, they performed the first irmos of the Nativity canon, the troparion and kontakion of the holiday.

In addition, they sang or recited Christmas rhymes, for which the owners were supposed to treat the young celebrant with food or money:

Items of peasant life in the exhibition Culture and Life of the Peoples of the Region in the Astrakhan Museum of Ethnography.

Christ is born, praise:
Christ from heaven, hide:
Christ is on earth, ascending:
Sing to the Lord, all the earth,
and sing with joy, people,
as if he had become famous.
Your Nativity, Christ our God,
raising up the world's light of reason:
in it he serves the stars,
I follow a star
I bow to you to the Sun of Truth,
and I lead you from the heights of the East:
Lord, glory to You.
Virgo today of the Most Essential
gives birth,
and the earth is a den for the Impregnable
brings:
angels and shepherds praise,
The Magi travel with the star:
For our sake, a young boy was born,
Eternal God.

Fragment of the exhibition Culture and life of the peoples of the region. Russians in the Astrakhan Museum of Ethnography.

The first celebrant of Christ who entered the house was seated on a fur coat, spread out on a bench in the front corner. This was done to encourage sheep and chickens to lay eggs. The fur coat could also be placed on the floor.

Early in the morning of the old New Year, young sowers (as children who congratulated the villagers on the holiday were called in the Russian settlements of the Arkhangelsk province) went from house to house and praised the owners. In the front corner of the room, under the icons, they sowed, scattered the grains they had brought, with the words: I sow, I sow, I congratulate you on the New Year! Grow, rye, wheat, peas, lentils.

Types of folk clothing and household items common in the Astrakhan province.

Adults - both men and women - glorified Christ much later, closer to noon. An integral part of Christmas entertainment is fortune telling about marriage. The girls went to cast spells in the chicken coop at night. They caught chickens in the dark and saw who caught which. Then they poured water into a plate, put a mirror, sprinkled grain and each watched their bird. If she drank water - to her drunkard husband, pecked grain - to a rich groom, looked in the mirror - to a farcical betrothed. If a girl caught not a chicken, but a rooster in the dark, she would be married to a widower.

On Christmastide they dressed up and made masks. To make them, we used available natural materials.

On Epiphany Christmas Eve, young village women told fortunes, and also gave and distributed kutya to relatives. On the morning of Epiphany, the whole village went to the Jordan - an ice hole in the pond for ablutions. It was prepared the day before. Isolde carved a throne, a cross and doves. Not far from Jordan, they made another font for washing the elderly and sick. After immersion in the cold water, their vitality returned.

The carousel is spinning, the earth is turning towards spring

Gingerbread stamp.

Men built carousels especially for Maslenitsa week.

The animals harnessed to them personified the solar cycle. On Wide Thursday, Maslenitsa revelry began, riding on three harnessed horses. As a rule, on the last day of Maslenitsa he organized other competitions. The day of forgiveness was replete with ritual actions. In the first half, they made a ritual visit to relatives and asked for forgiveness for the insults inflicted during the year; in the second, all residents gathered for horse racing.

At the end of the 20th century, the tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa and burning its effigy returned to Russian villages.

During Lent, all residents of Russian villages went about their daily affairs and worked. Women spun, weaved and knitted. The men were saddling, preparing for spring. On Wednesday of the fourth, Middle Cross, week of Lent, housewives baked ritual cookies in the shape of crosses for children.

Wedding feast. Artist Boris Kustodiev, 1917.

During the sowing trip, one of them was broken and given to a horse to eat.

On the day of remembrance of the forty Sebastian martyrs - Christian soldiers from the city of Sebastia - they also prepared ritual cookies - larks. Local children climbed onto the barns, threw treats high and called for spring.

A coin, caramel candy,
lentils or peas for good luck.

Particularly revered holidays among the Astrakhan Tatars were the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram. The New Year's holiday Navruz was celebrated on March 10 according to the old style, simultaneously celebrating the onset of spring: they went out into the field, performed namaz, treated themselves to ritual porridge, and held various competitions (horse racing, wrestling).

The ritual of circumcision in the Muslim world has long been considered as an important sign of a man’s membership in Islam. This apparently explains the important role of this ritual among the Yurt Tatars of the Astrakhan region, both in the past and in the present. Earlier, at the end of the 19th century - the first half of the 20th century, the rite of circumcision (Tat.-Yurt. Sunnet) was more archaic and diverse than it is now. Circumcision was usually performed between the ages of seven days and seven years. An uncircumcised person was considered "unclean." Responsibility for performing the ritual lay with parents, relatives and guardians. They prepared for the sunnet in advance. Two to three weeks before the ceremony, guests were notified and invited: mullahs, village elders, khushavaz singers, musicians (sazche and kabalche), male relatives, neighbors. Special elegant clothes made of silk and velvet were sewn for the boy. On the appointed day, the boy was dressed up, seated with other children on a decorated cart and driven through the streets of the village, visiting relatives who presented the hero of the occasion with gifts. All this was accompanied by cheerful songs and musical accompaniment. Upon the boy’s return home, a mullah, his father, two unfamiliar men and a sunnatche baba, a circumcision specialist, were waiting for him in a separate room. The mullah read prayers from the Koran. Then they began the actual circumcision: the men held the boy by the legs, and the sunnatche quickly cut off the foreskin, while distracting the child with soothing phrases (for example: “Now you will become a big guy!”). The cry of a child meant a successful outcome of the ritual. As a signal, it was immediately picked up by the boys in the other room with shouts of “ba-ba-ba” or “hurray” and clapping their hands to drown out the crying. After the circumcision, the wound was sprinkled with ashes and the boy was handed over to his mother. Invited guests gave the child gifts: sweets, children's clothes, etc. Everyone present put money for the boy in a specially sewn shuntai bag. At the same time, the official part of the ritual ended, after which the Sunnet-Tui holiday began.

Sunnet-tui included a feast and a maidan. At the same time, only men participated in both the feast and the Maidan. The treat was prepared ahead of time: rams and sheep were slaughtered. Due to the large number of guests, tents were set up and dostarkhans were covered. The feast was accompanied by the performance of khushavaz (from Tat.-Yurt - “pleasant voice”) - a unique epic genre of vocal folklore of the Yurt Tatars of the Astrakhan region. Khushavaz was performed by khushavaz - male storytellers. The Maidan consisted of sports competitions: running, freestyle wrestling, horse racing and the Altyn Kabak competition (shooting a gold coin from a gun at a gold coin suspended on a high pole). The winners were awarded silk scarves and sheep. All competitions required certain masculine qualities: the ability to stay in the saddle, agility, strength, accuracy, endurance. The magnificent, massive celebration of Sunnet-Tui suggests that this holiday was one of the most important family celebrations. Today, both the ritual itself and the holiday dedicated to it have undergone significant changes. Thus, circumcision is now performed by surgeons in hospitals. The practice of carrying a boy on a decorated cart and organizing maidans has disappeared. The Sunnet Tui holiday is mainly held a few weeks after circumcision. On the appointed day, the invited men gather at the boy’s house. The mullah reads the Koran, then the guests are treated to pilaf. After the men, the women come, give the child gifts and also treat themselves. Despite all its changes, the rite of circumcision has retained its ritual content and important social significance. There is not a family among the Yurt Tatars that does not celebrate this holiday. Sunnet is not only a symbol of the introduction of a new person into the Muslim community, but also a kind of initiation that contributes to the “transformation” of a boy into a man.

The traditional Tatar wedding of the Astrakhan region is a bright and complex event in dramaturgy, rich in rituals and ceremonies. For centuries, established norms of behavior, an established way of life, rich musical and poetic folklore have found their implementation in wedding culture. In the everyday culture of the Yurt Tatars, like the Nogais, a hierarchical ladder of seniority was strictly observed. The majority of families were complex and patriarchal. In matters of marriage, the final word remained with the parents, or rather with the head of the family. In the villages of the Yurt Tatars, parents of young people often came to decisions without their consent. In villages of later origin with a mixed Tatar population, morals were not so harsh. At the same time, residents of Yurt villages preferred to marry between representatives of their group, which continues to this day.

Weddings usually took place in the fall, after the completion of the main agricultural work. The boy's parents sent Yauche matchmakers to the girl's house. Matchmaking could take place in one or two stages: eitteru and syrau. Women and close relatives were usually chosen as matchmakers. The guy's mother didn't have to come the first time.

The bride's consent was sealed with prayer and the demonstration of the gifts she had brought: kuremnek decorations, a tray with tel buleg sweets and pieces of kiit fabric for the girl's mother, placed in a large shawl and tied in a knot. The bride would treat the guests to tea. At the same time, a saucer with butter was placed on one edge of the table, and with honey on the other, as symbols of a soft and smooth, like butter, and sweet, like honey, married life. After the ceremony, the tray was taken to another room, where several women divided the sweets into small pieces, and, wrapping them in little bags, distributed them on the same day to all the women and neighbors present, wishing their children happiness. This ritual was called shiker syndyru - “breaking sugar” (shiker syndyru - among the Turkmens) and symbolized wealth and well-being for the future young family. In a conspiracy, the dates of the wedding and the sequence of its holding are established. Before the wedding, on the bride's side, lamb or a whole ram and tens of kilograms of rice were sent from the groom's house to prepare the wedding pilaf kui degese.

Before the wedding, guests were invited. Each party appointed its own invitee. Selected relatives gathered for the “endeu aldy” ritual. The hostess of the huzhebike informed everyone about who she had chosen in the endeuch and presented her with a piece of fabric and a headscarf. All gifts brought by guests were divided between the hostess and the chosen endeuche. Particular respect for the invitee was emphasized by her visiting both in the house of the bride and in the house of the groom. The custom of inviting a wedding with the help of endueche has firmly entered into the tradition of rural weddings. Before the wedding invitations, boys were sent to the guests, who knocked on the window to announce the upcoming wedding. In modern times, in all the houses where the endeuche comes, a warm welcome, refreshments, and gifts await her, some of which are intended for the invitee herself, and the other is given to the hostess.

On the bride's side, it consisted of two parts: the women's wedding khatynnar tui (tugyz tui) and the evening of the groom's treat kiyausy. This surviving custom emphasizes the role of the feminine, matriarchal principle in wedding culture. Its expression can also include part of the wedding ceremony on both sides - khatynnar tue (women's wedding); rite of election of the invitee Endau Alda. Rural weddings, both on the bride's side and on the groom's side, are held in tents. The tradition of a wedding tent has been known since the 18th century. Tents are built a few days before the wedding in front of the house or in the yard, covering the frame with light film in the summer and with tarpaulin in the autumn. They immediately put together tables and benches, located inside the tent in the letter “P”.

The culmination of the wedding on the bride's side is the display of the groom's tugyz gifts, which are passed on to all the guests so that everyone can view and approve of the groom's generosity, while showering them with small coins. The hosts distribute gifts of kiet - pieces of fabric - to all guests on the groom's side, and then on the bride's side. Folk musicians continue the celebration: to the tunes of the Saratov harmonica and the cabal percussion instrument, the wedding hosts “force” the guests to dance. The wedding is colored with songs accompanied by the Saratov accordion, which the hosts use to help themselves when treating the guests. The motives of Uram-kiy and Avyl-kiy are superimposed on various majestic, comic, and guest texts. They see off guests, just as they greet them, with music, cheerful songs and comic ditties called takmak. The bride's mother gives three trays of sweet treats to the groom's mother.

On the same day, an “evening” wedding can also be held, an evening of refreshments for the groom. It starts late, in some Yurt villages closer to midnight. In addition, the groom’s “train” is traditionally late, forcing him to wait. Having reached the tent to the sound of cheerful tunes, sonorous songs and Saratov harmonica, the travelers stop at the tent. The groom deliberately resists, which is why the bride's relatives are forced to carry him in their arms. All this is accompanied by playful exchanges, humor and laughter. The newlyweds enter the tent to the tune of a wedding march cue. The period between two wedding blocks usually lasts a week. At this time, the religious ceremony of Nikah marriage is held in the bride's house. If previously the young could not participate in this ceremony, or the groom participated, and the bride was in the other half of the house, behind the curtain, then today the young are full participants in the ceremony. Nikah is carried out before official registration. The mullah, invited by the bride's parents, registers the young couple. He asks the young people's consent three times. At the end of the prayer, everyone present should take a pinch of salt. On the day of a religious wedding, a dowry is also sent to the groom's house.

Special attention was always paid to the removal of the dowry. At the groom's house, the horses were dressed up: bright ribbons were tied to their manes, bells were hung, and white ribbons were wrapped around the horses' legs. The carts were prepared and decorated, on which the yauchelar matchmakers sat. Accompanied by the dance tunes of an instrumental trio (violin, Saratov harmonica, cabal), the procession headed to the bride's house with noisy fun. Upon arrival at the groom’s house, the dowry was unloaded and brought into one of the rooms, where it was “guarded” by two relatives chosen by the groom’s mother.

Nowadays, horse-drawn carriages have given way to cars, but the removal of the dowry and the decoration of the groom's house with it remains one of the most exciting moments of the wedding ceremony. There are jokes at the doors of the house: “Narrow doors - no furniture goes in.” The ritual of decorating the house with the dowry brought by the Tatar settlers was called oy kienderu, which means “to dress the house.” At the same time, two matchmakers, from the side of the bride and groom, threw each a pillow: whichever of them sits on the pillow faster, that side will “rule” the house.

On the day of taking away the dowry, the Yurt Tatars performed the tak tui ritual: the matchmakers heated the bathhouse, bathed the bride, and then laid the dressed bride and groom on the bed. The ritual of the “maiden bath” was common among the Mishar Tatars and Kasimov Tatars.

The wedding on the groom’s side also traditionally took place in two stages: the women’s wedding, khatynnar tue, with the ritual of “revealing the face” bit kyurem and the evening, steam room parly.

On the appointed wedding day, the groom took the bride to his house. The girl's dressing was accompanied by her mother's chant, which was echoed by her daughter. The bride's cry duplicated the "cry" of the Saratov harmonica elau saza. As Kazan ethnographer R.K. Urazmanova notes, the ritual of lamentation of the bride under different terminology “kyz elatu, chenneu”, “was characteristic of the Mishars, Siberian and peripheral groups of Kazan ("Chepetsk, Perm") Tatars, Kryashens, Kasimov Tatars. Wedding lament found in rituals associated with the farewell of the native home among the Nogai-Karagash, Turkmens. The theme of the bride's laments and laments are memories of her native home, plaintive appeals to her father and mother. Nowadays, when seeing off the bride, the tradition of showering the newlyweds with coins or millet has been preserved. rice, flour, which has analogues among other groups of Tatars engaged in agriculture, as a manifestation of the magic of fertility, modern ritual is accompanied by a ransom, which is demanded by fellow villagers, blocking the passage of the groom's train to the bride's house. At the evening feast, humorous roll calls are formed from both parties present. :

How did you reach us without drowning in the sea? Dear guests, how can we treat you?

So we came to you, Without drowning in the sea! Dear guests, we thank you for treating us!

For some reason, water is not flowing from the matchmaker’s jug. Let's get the matchmaker drunk. Let him not get up!

The guests did not remain in debt, in turn, teasing the hosts:

Lack of salt in your food, Not enough salt? Like a rose flower in the garden, the Bride is for us!

Music in the traditional wedding of the Astrakhan Tatars accompanies all the key moments of the action. The musical wedding complex includes laments, laments, songs, ditties, and dance tunes. The dance tunes "Ak Shatyr" ("White Tent", i.e. "Wedding Tent"), "Kiyausy" reflect in their names the first wedding block, held on the bride's side. The dance tunes “Schugelep,” (“Squat”) and “Shurenki,” performed at wedding celebrations, retain their function in our time. Folk musicians, sazchelar and kabalchelar (players of the Saratov harmonica and the percussion instrument kabal), are each in their own village. They are known, invited to weddings, treated and rewarded financially. The marriage ceremony consists of pre-wedding rituals (matchmaking yarashu, sorau; conspiracy suz kuyu, wedding invitation endeu); wedding celebrations, including two stages: on the bride’s side and on the groom’s side, kyz yagynda (kiyausy) and eget yagynda. A religious wedding nikah, held between two blocks and the transportation of the dowry to the groom’s house, can be considered a kind of culmination. There are also post-wedding rituals aimed at strengthening intra-kinship and interkinship ties. They danced to instrumental tunes ("Ak Shatyr", "Kualashpak", "Shchibele", "Shakhvarenge"). Caucasian dance tunes called "Shamilya", "Shuriya", "Lezginka", " Dagestan". Their inclusion in the wedding musical repertoire is not accidental: in the 17th-18th centuries, some Caucasian peoples were part of the ethnic composition of the Yurt Tatars and exerted their cultural influence.

On the first wedding night, the newlyweds made the bed by the matchmaker (the groom's daughter-in-law). He guarded the peace of the young people at the door. In the morning, the young woman performed a ritual of ablution, pouring herself from a jug from head to toe. The bed matchmaker came to look at the sheets and took away the gift due to her for her maiden honor under the pillow. The groom's parents rewarded her for the good news. On the second day, the ceremony of “daughter-in-law tea”, kilen chai, is performed. The daughter-in-law served tea and treated the new relatives to peremeche meat whites sent from her father’s house. Parallels of the Kelen Chai tea ceremony can be traced in the rituals of the Nogai-Karagash and Astrakhan Turkmens. After several days, the parents of the young woman were supposed to invite the newlyweds to their place. A week later, the newlyweds or the husband’s parents made a return call. Mutual post-wedding visits are typical for the Nogai-Karagash and Turkmens.

In addition to the traditional wedding option, the Astrakhan Tatars also have a “runaway” wedding - kachep chigu. It is quite active among the rural population today. In this case, the young people, having agreed in advance, set a specific day for the “escape”. The next morning, the boy's parents notify the girl's parents. After this, the religious rite of marriage nikah is performed, after which the newlyweds register and celebrate the wedding evening.

Before the birth of a child, the woman giving birth was placed in the middle of the room and an older relative circled around her several times. Wrapping around and touching her with his wide clothes. This was done to ensure that the birth was quick and easy. The woman had to endure her suffering in silence, the intimate side of the life of the Tatars was not discussed, it was not accepted. And only the cry of a child announced that a new person was born in the house. Grandfather Malatau was the first to be informed about the joyful event. Grandfather asked who was born? And if it was a boy, then the joy was doubly - an heir was born, a successor to the family. The grandfather, to celebrate, immediately gave his grandson either a cow or a heifer, a horse or a filly, if the family was wealthy. If less wealthy - a sheep or a goat, at worst a lamb. They could even give away future offspring. When the son's family separated their farm from their father, the grandchildren took the donated cattle to their farm. If girls were born, they were also happy, sometimes there could be 5 girls in a row, then they joked at the unlucky father: “M?lish ashiysyn, kaygyrma” (“Don’t worry, you’ll eat the wedding cake”). This meant that when they woo a Tatar girl, they bring large pies to both the matchmaking and the wedding, and the largest one goes to the father. A newborn baby up to 40 days old comes to be bathed by a close relative who knows how to do this well. She teaches everything to the young mother. For this, at the end she is treated and given gifts.

Bishek tui Literally translated as “wedding of the cradle”. This is a celebration dedicated to the birth of a child. The child is named after a few days from the date of birth. The name is a mullah, who reads a special prayer, then whispers his name into the child’s ear several times. Guests come to Bishek-Tui from both the child’s father’s side and the mother’s side. The maternal grandmother collects the dowry for her little grandson (granddaughter). It was mandatory to carry a small children's arba (wooden cart). It is small, they put a soft mattress in it, put a small child in it and rolled it around the room. Or he was just sitting in it. The maternal grandfather also gave his grandson (granddaughter) some kind of cattle. Either she was brought immediately, or she grew and gave birth until the child’s parents themselves decided to take her into their household. If the child could not walk for a long time, then they took a rope, tied his legs, put him on the floor, and with prayer and wishes to go quickly, they cut this rope with scissors.

Demonological ideas are an important element of the animistic worldview of the Astrakhan Tatars, the genesis of which dates back partly to the pre-Islamic era, and partly to Islamic times. The demonological characters of the mythology of the Astrakhan (Yurt) Tatars that have come down to us very vaguely resemble the spirits of antiquity. They combine features that relate to different stages of development of mythological ideas. These characters were heavily influenced by Islam.

Demon spirits are considered the original enemies of the human race, always seeking means to harm people. They never patronize a person, and if at times they help him (sometimes even work for him), then only when forced to do so by force. To get rid of the machinations of spirits, they do not try to appease them, they do not serve them; you just need to drive them out, protect yourself from them. The main and most effective way is considered to be reading the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. Evil spirits include: shaitans, jinn, albasts, azhdakhar, peri, as well as vague and less common images of zhalmauz and ubyr. The most common demonic image among the Yurt Tatars is Shaitan. All evil spirits are collectively called shaitans. In Arab-Muslim mythology itself, Shaitan is one of the names of the devil, as well as one of the categories of jinn. The word "Shaitan" is related to the biblical term "Satan". According to Muslims, every person is accompanied by an angel and a shaitan, encouraging him to do good and wicked deeds, respectively. Shaitans can appear in human form and sometimes have names. Yurt Tatars believe that the devils are invisible, and sometimes they represent them in the form of lights, silhouettes, voices, noises, etc. There are a huge number of devils. The leader of the devils is Iblis (the devil). Their main occupation is to harm people. This is how the devils can spoil drinking water and food. If a person sees it, he may get sick. Everywhere, the most effective remedy against the machinations of demonic creatures in general and shaitans in particular is considered to be reading the Koran (especially the 36th sura “Ya sin”) and wearing amulets called doga (or dogalyk; from Arabic dua - “call”, “prayer”) - leather rectangular or triangular bags with a prayer from the Koran sewn inside. They are worn around the neck suspended from a string. In addition, according to the Yurt residents, shaitans are afraid of sharp iron objects (for example, a knife or scissors). That is why, in order to scare away the devils, they are placed both under a child’s pillow and in the grave of a deceased person.

No less common is the image of a demon called a genie/zhin, which was clearly borrowed by the Yurt people from Arab-Muslim mythology. In Arabia, jinn were known back in the pre-Islamic, pagan era (jahiliyya); sacrifices were made to the jinn, people turned to them for help. According to Muslim tradition, jinn were created by Allah from smokeless fire and are air or fiery creatures with intelligence. They can take any form. There are Muslim jinn, but most of the jinn make up the demonic army of Iblis. The spirits of jinn/zhin in the ideas of the Yurt residents are close to the shaitans. They harm people, causing them various diseases and mental disorders. Jinns have an anthropomorphic appearance, live underground, have their own rulers and are the owners of countless treasures. In Yurt legends, hero-batyrs fight with genies and, after victory, take possession of their treasures. A large place in the animistic beliefs of the Yurt people is occupied by beliefs about albasty - this is an evil demon associated with the water element, known among the Turkic, Iranian, Mongolian and Caucasian peoples. Albasty is usually represented as an ugly woman with long flowing blond hair and breasts so long that she throws them behind her back. Azeybardzhan people sometimes imagined albasty with a bird's foot; in some Kazakh myths it has everted feet or hooves on its legs. According to Tuvan myths, the albasta has no flesh on its back and its entrails are visible (this idea is also found among the Kazan Tatars). According to the ideas of most Turkic peoples, albasty lives near rivers or other water sources and usually appears to people on the shore, combing their hair with a comb. She can turn into animals and birds, and enter into a love affair with people. The image of albasta dates back to ancient times. According to a number of researchers, initially Albasty was a good goddess - the patroness of fertility, the hearth, as well as wild animals and hunting. With the spread of more developed mythological systems, the albasty was relegated to the role of one of the evil lower spirits. The spirit of albasty/albasly is known to all Turkic-speaking peoples of the Astrakhan region. Among the Yurt Tatars, the traits of other evil spirits, in particular Shaitan, are attributed to this demon, and the image of albasta itself is less clear. The demon harms women most during pregnancy and childbirth. Albasty can “crush” a woman, and then she becomes “mad.” Among the Yurt Tatars there is a widespread belief that albasty “crushes” a person in his sleep. Another evil spirit in the traditional demonology of the Yurt Tatars is azhdah (or azhdaga, aidahar, azhdakhar). Among the Yurt people, he is represented as a monstrous snake, a dragon, “chief among snakes.” A demon can have several heads and wings. In Yurt tales, azhdaha is a cannibal. He flies into the village and devours people. The hero-batyr kills the dragon in a duel and saves civilians. In this regard, the legend about the origin of the name of the city of Astrakhan, given by the Ottoman author Evliya Celebi (1611-1679/1683) in his work “Seyahat-name” (“Book of Travels”), seems interesting: “In ancient times, this city (Astrakhan . - A.S.) lay in ruins and there was a dragon-azhderkha, devouring all the sons of men living in the Heikhat steppe, and all living creatures, he subsequently destroyed several countries. made it safe and comfortable - that’s why this country began to be called Ajderkhan.”

The origin of another demonic image - peri - is connected with Iranian mythology and the Avesta. The ideas about peri spirits among the Yurt people are currently very scarce and are at the stage of extinction. It is known that peris are evil spirits that have much in common with the devils. Peri can appear in the form of animals or beautiful girls. They can bewitch a person so much that he becomes “mad,” mentally ill, and loses his memory. Peri "make a person's head spin" and paralyze him.

The image of peri finds analogies in the beliefs of the peoples of Asia Minor and Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Volga region, who were influenced by the Iranian tradition. Among the majority of the peoples of Central Asia, peri/pari are the main spirit assistants of shamans, constituting their “army”. Even one of the names of the shaman - porkhan/parikhon contains the word "pari" and literally means "reprimanding pari". There are widespread beliefs that pari spirits can have sexual relations with people. The Astrakhan Tatars do not have such ideas.

The Yurt Tatars also know the evil spirits Zhalmauz and Ubyr. They say about Zhalmauz that it is a very voracious cannibal demon; his name is translated from Nogai as “glutton”. Today the word "zhalmauz" can be used as a synonym for the words "greedy", "voracious".

Zhalmauz is a purely Turkic character. So the Kazakhs have a demon zhelmauyz kempir - an old cannibal woman who kidnaps and devours children. Such is the Kyrgyz demon Zhelmoguz kempir. Similar characters are known to the Kazan Tatars (Yalmavyz karchyk), Uighurs and Bashkirs (Yalmauz/Yalmauyz), and Uzbeks (Yalmoviz kampir). The question of the origin of this image is complex. There is an opinion that the image of the jalmauz goes back to the ancient cult of the mother goddess. During Islamization, the beneficent goddess apparently turned into an evil old cannibal woman.

The demonological ideas of the Yurt Tatars are quite close and in many ways identical to the demonological ideas of other Turkic peoples of the Astrakhan region. The names of spirits, their imaginary properties, rituals and beliefs associated with them are similar. In general, the demonological ideas of the Astrakhan Tatars have constantly evolved over the past centuries, and this evolutionary development was directed towards Islam. Many images became more and more simplified, lost their personal specificity and the most ancient, pre-Islamic features and were generalized under the name “Shaitan”. It is also interesting to note that some demonological characters (peri, azhdah) are related in origin to Iranian mythology. This fact is explained by ancient ethnocultural contacts of the ancestors of modern Turkic peoples with the Iranian-speaking population of the Eurasian steppes. Funerals among the Yurt Tatars are a continuation of the farewell and funeral of the deceased and, together with them and other ritual actions, constitute a single complex of funeral and memorial rituals. According to Islamic tradition, funerals are performed with the aim of “atonement for the sins” of the deceased. Funerals are dedicated mainly to one deceased person. However, sometimes they are also held as family ones - with the memory of all deceased relatives.

It is believed that through commemorations, close ties are established between living and deceased people: the living are obliged to arrange sacrifices in honor of the dead, and the latter, in turn, must show tireless concern for the welfare of living people. The duty to appease (attract the soul to oneself) the deceased through a wake rests with all his relatives. It disappears only after a year has passed and one of the most important memorials for the deceased has taken place - the anniversary of death. Obviously, the strict observance of mourning for the deceased for a year can be explained by previously existing ideas that the soul of a deceased person finally leaves the world of living people only after a year has passed after his death.

The most common ideological motive of the tradition of remembering the dead among the Yurt Tatars is their belief that the soul of a deceased person rejoices and calms down after a memorial service is held for him. These days, the soul of the deceased walks the earth and is next to his relatives, watching how he is remembered. The deceased himself, if he is not remembered, will suffer, worry that his relatives have forgotten him." Among the Yurt Tatars, funerals are supposed to be held on the 3rd (oches), 7th (zhidese), 40th (kyrygy), 51 The th (ille ber) and hundredth day after the death of a person. They also celebrate funerals after six (six months) (yarte el) and twelve (years, ate) months after the death. In the village of Kilinchi, funerals are held for the deceased person, except for those indicated. above the dates, they are also set aside on the 36th (utez alte) day after death. As for the commemoration of the hundredth day, according to historians, including R.K. Urazmanov, the Yurt residents began to celebrate them in the 1960s. influence of the Kazakhs living in their midst. However, this tradition may, in our opinion, be originally inherent to the Yurt people, since holding commemorations on the hundredth day is also typical for the Karagash, as well as for other groups of Tatars, in particular, the Siberian ones. However, a century ago the Karagash, in addition to those listed. days of commemoration, in the 19th century commemorations were celebrated on the 20th day. Among other Muslim and Volga peoples, the timing of commemorations partly coincides with the commemoration dates of the Yurt Tatars, and partly differs from them. So, for example, among the Kalmyks, funerals are held three times: on the day of the funeral, on the 7th and 49th days, among the Kryashens - on the 3rd, 9th, 40th days, at six months and a year, among the Kurdak-Sargat Tatars - on the day of the funeral, after returning from the cemetery.

In the village of Tri Protoka, relatives of the deceased must leave one piece of fabric from the material used to make the shroud in order to keep it, along with a small saucer filled with salt, in a secluded place at home (for example, in a closet) until the year-long funeral. During the year, every wake (3, 7, 40 days) this piece of fabric should replace the tablecloth spread on the table for treating guests. At all funerals, a saucer of salt must be placed in the middle of the table. After the funeral is over and the prayer is read, the tablecloth and saucer are put back into the closet. After the annual commemoration, the so-called memorial set - a tablecloth and a saucer with salt - is given to the mullah or the person who read the prayers during this entire period. As a gift, the relatives of the deceased also add a certain amount of flour to it.

In the event of a wake for a person who died at an old age, a piece of such fabric (tablecloth) was torn into small ribbons and distributed to everyone present with the wish that everyone would live to reach his age. With the same wish, such ribbons could be tied to the hand of a small child. In some groups of Siberian Tatars, in particular the Kurdak-Sargat, similar bandages were worn until they tore themselves. At the same time, the custom of presenting ribbons from a funeral “tablecloth” can be compared with gifting (as sadak) to participants in the farewell and funeral of the deceased with threads (zhep) used in sewing a shroud. It is noteworthy that analogues of this ritual (with threads or ribbons) can be found in the culture of other peoples. Thus, it is known that the Bashkirs wrapped the “threads of the deceased” around part of the leg at the knee and near the foot - 10 or 30 times. The custom of distributing threads during the removal of the deceased from the house existed, in particular, among the Udmurts and baptized Tatars. The Mari covered the eyes, ears and mouth of the deceased with skeins of thread, thereby wanting to protect themselves from him. The placement of threads with the deceased is associated by some researchers with ideas about “life threads” given to a person at birth and connecting him with other worlds, while the distribution of threads to living people symbolizes the wish for their longevity.

Usually, at the third day's wake among the Yurt Tatars, a mullah is invited to read prayers; if one is not available, an elderly man or woman (abystai) who can read prayers from the Koran. According to Islamic tradition, relatives of the deceased must feed the poor for three days after his funeral. On the “third day”, a small number of guests gather for the funeral of the Yurt Tatars - up to five to ten, and one of the “night guards”, diggers and washers must be present among the invitees. All the closest relatives of the deceased must be present. Those who participated in washing the deceased are given things on this day (shirts for men, cuts on dresses for women), the water bearer is given a (new) ladle (ayak) used in washing. The obligatory funeral dish of the 3rd day is dumplings (pelmen) with broth (shurpa). The custom of feeding the soul of the deceased, which is characteristic of some other groups of Tatars, is not practiced by the Yurt residents.

On the 7th day of the funeral, it is also customary for the Yurt residents to give away various things (among the Kazan Tatars, for comparison, the distribution and gifting of things occurs not on the 7th day, but on the 40th day. On this day, they invite one of the The funeral participants are again given shirts and money (10-15 rubles each).

According to the ideas of all Astrakhan Tatars, including the Yurt residents, the souls of the dead can visit their home every day throughout the year. With the establishment of Islam, Friday began to be considered a universal day of remembrance. The fulfillment of this rule explains the fact that every Thursday during the year, women (in houses where year-long mourning lasts) from early morning prepare dough for baking ritual donuts - baursak or kainara, paremech (with meat or potato filling). They are fried in a hot frying pan in vegetable oil so that the “smell” is felt, which, according to many Muslims, is necessary to calm the soul of the deceased. Sometimes a mullah or an elderly woman is invited to the house on this day to read a prayer for the deceased, who are then treated to tea and donuts. A housewife who knows prayers from the Koran can read them herself on Fridays, without resorting to the help of a mullah. Similar ceremonies with tea drinking find parallels in the traditions of other groups of Tatars, as well as Karachais, Nogais, and some Central Asian peoples on the fortieth and fifty-first (ille ber) days after the death of a person. According to the testimonies of our informants, the 51st (funeral) day is the most painful day for a deceased person, since on this day “all bones are separated from each other...”. Old people believe that on this day loud groans of the dead are heard in the cemetery. To alleviate the torment of the deceased, relatives should read three or four (specific) prayers. Only invited people come to these wakes. On these memorial days, large festive feasts are held, and for men and women separately; Among those invited, as a rule, there are many elderly people. For the women present, the prayer is read by a woman - a mullah-bike; for men - a man, more often a mullah. The reading of prayers from the Koran ends with the mention of the name of the deceased, often all the deceased relatives in a particular family. The duration of reading prayers on these memorial days (40th and 51st), according to our observations, lasts about 30-40 minutes. At such a wake, the hostess distributes money (sadaka) to everyone present (starting with the mullah), usually two or more rubles to each of the guests. After the ritual is completed, the actual meal begins.

The hostess sets the table for the funeral in advance, before the guests arrive. There must be new plates and spoons on the table. The presence of knives and forks is excluded. The obligatory (usually the first) dish that is put on the table is noodle soup with beef or lamb. It is served by passing filled plates one at a time. It is not customary to serve two plates at a time, as this may invite another death. The meal ends with tea. At the men's table, the old men are treated first, then the young men; if the table was set alone, women and children are treated to the last (after everyone). The hosts try to distribute the remaining treats among the invited guests. In general, it is worth noting that the custom of presenting virtually everyone present at a funeral with a bag of treats (from the funeral table) is becoming more and more widespread.

On the anniversary of death (el con), all relatives of the deceased, his acquaintances and neighbors are invited. On this day, the washers are again presented with a dress and money (sadaqa), as well as new plates filled with pilaf and spoons. These commemorations are relatively modest, as they symbolize the end of mourning. During the entire one-year period of mourning, relatives cannot have fun, get married, etc. However, today, both rural and urban youth (Yurt residents) do not strictly observe the rules of mourning. The Yurt Tatars do not have mourning clothing; they did not practice wearing such in the past. The funeral and memorial rituals of the Yurt Tatars are a very stable mechanism for the reproduction of not only knowledge, cult rituals and production skills related to a specific area (sewing a shroud, digging graves, making funeral equipment, etc.), but also its ethnic specificity.

The Russian people are representatives of the East Slavic ethnic group, the indigenous inhabitants of Russia (110 million people - 80% of the population of the Russian Federation), the largest ethnic group in Europe. The Russian diaspora numbers about 30 million people and is concentrated in countries such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, the countries of the former USSR, the USA and EU countries. As a result of sociological research, it was found that 75% of the Russian population of Russia are followers of Orthodoxy, and a significant part of the population does not consider itself to be a member of any particular religion. The national language of the Russian people is Russian.

Each country and its people have their own significance in the modern world; the concepts of folk culture and history of a nation, their formation and development are very important. Each nation and its culture are unique in their own way, the flavor and uniqueness of each nationality should not be lost or dissolved in assimilation with other peoples, the younger generation should always remember who they really are. For Russia, which is a multinational power and home to 190 peoples, the issue of national culture is quite acute, due to the fact that in recent years its erasure has been especially noticeable against the background of the cultures of other nationalities.

Culture and life of the Russian people

(Russian folk costume)

The first associations that arise with the concept of “Russian people” are, of course, breadth of soul and strength of spirit. But national culture is formed by people, and it is these character traits that have a huge impact on its formation and development.

One of the distinctive features of the Russian people has always been and is simplicity; in former times, Slavic houses and property were very often subjected to looting and complete destruction, hence the simplified attitude towards everyday issues. And of course, these trials that befell the long-suffering Russian people only strengthened their character, made them stronger and taught them to get out of any life situations with their heads held high.

Another trait that prevails in the character of the Russian ethnic group can be called kindness. The whole world is well aware of the concept of Russian hospitality, when “they feed you, give you something to drink, and put you to bed.” A unique combination of such qualities as cordiality, mercy, compassion, generosity, tolerance and, again, simplicity, very rarely found among other peoples of the world, all this is fully manifested in the very breadth of the Russian soul.

Hard work is another one of the main traits of the Russian character, although many historians in the study of the Russian people note both its love of work and enormous potential, as well as its laziness, as well as complete lack of initiative (remember Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel). But still, the efficiency and endurance of the Russian people is an indisputable fact that is difficult to argue against. And no matter how much scientists around the world want to understand the “mysterious Russian soul,” it is unlikely that any of them can do it, because it is so unique and multifaceted that its “zest” will forever remain a secret to everyone.

Traditions and customs of the Russian people

(Russian meal)

Folk traditions and customs represent a unique connection, a kind of “bridge of times” connecting the distant past with the present. Some of them have their roots in the pagan past of the Russian people, even before the baptism of Rus'; little by little their sacred meaning was lost and forgotten, but the main points have been preserved and are still observed. In villages and towns, Russian traditions and customs are honored and remembered to a greater extent than in cities, which is due to the more isolated lifestyle of city residents.

A large number of rituals and traditions are associated with family life (this includes matchmaking, wedding celebrations, and the baptism of children). Carrying out ancient rites and rituals guaranteed a successful and happy life in the future, the health of descendants and the general well-being of the family.

(Colorized photograph of a Russian family at the beginning of the 20th century)

Since ancient times, Slavic families were distinguished by a large number of family members (up to 20 people), adult children, having already gotten married, remained to live in their home, the head of the family was the father or older brother, everyone had to obey them and unquestioningly carry out all their orders. Typically, wedding celebrations were held either in the fall, after the harvest, or in the winter after the Epiphany holiday (January 19). Then the first week after Easter, the so-called “Red Hill,” began to be considered a very successful time for a wedding. The wedding itself was preceded by a matchmaking ceremony, when the groom's parents came to the bride's family along with his godparents, if the parents agreed to give their daughter in marriage, then a bridesmaid ceremony was held (meeting the future newlyweds), then there was a ceremony of collusion and hand-waving (the parents decided on the dowry and the date of the wedding festivities ).

The rite of baptism in Rus' was also interesting and unique, the child had to be baptized immediately after birth, for this purpose godparents were chosen, who would be responsible for the life and well-being of the godson all his life. When the baby was one year old, they sat him on the inside of a sheep's coat and cut his hair, cutting a cross on the crown, with such meaning that evil spirits would not be able to penetrate his head and would not have power over him. Every Christmas Eve (January 6), a slightly older godson should bring kutia (wheat porridge with honey and poppy seeds) to his godparents, and they, in turn, should give him sweets.

Traditional holidays of the Russian people

Russia is truly a unique state where, along with the highly developed culture of the modern world, they carefully honor the ancient traditions of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, going back centuries and preserving the memory of not only Orthodox vows and canons, but also the most ancient pagan rites and sacraments. To this day, pagan holidays are celebrated, people listen to signs and age-old traditions, remember and tell their children and grandchildren ancient traditions and legends.

Main national holidays:

• Christmas Jan. 7
• Christmastide January 6 - 9
• Baptism January 19
• Maslenitsa from 20 to 26 February

• Forgiveness Sunday ( before the onset of Lent)
• Palm Sunday ( on the Sunday before Easter)
• Easter ( the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurs no earlier than the day of the conventional vernal equinox on March 21)
• Red hill ( first Sunday after Easter)

• Trinity ( on Sunday on the day of Pentecost - the 50th day after Easter)
• Ivan Kupala July 7
• Peter and Fevronia Day July 8
• Elijah's day August 2

• Honey Spas August 14
• Apple Spas August 19
• Third (Khlebny) Spas August 29
• Pokrov day October 14

There is a belief that on the night of Ivan Kupala (July 6-7), once a year a fern flower blooms in the forest, and whoever finds it will gain untold wealth. In the evening, large bonfires are lit near rivers and lakes, people dressed in festive ancient Russian attires lead round dances, sing ritual chants, jump over the fire, and let wreaths float downstream, in the hope of finding their soul mate.

Maslenitsa is a traditional holiday of the Russian people, celebrated during the week before Lent. A very long time ago, Maslenitsa was more likely not a holiday, but a ritual when the memory of departed ancestors was honored, placating them with pancakes, asking them for a fertile year, and spending the winter by burning a straw effigy. Time passed, and the Russian people, thirsting for fun and positive emotions in the cold and dull season, turned the sad holiday into a more cheerful and daring celebration, which began to symbolize the joy of the imminent end of winter and the arrival of the long-awaited warmth. The meaning has changed, but the tradition of baking pancakes remained, exciting winter entertainment appeared: sledding and horse-drawn sled rides, a straw effigy of Winter was burned, throughout the entire Maslenitsa week relatives went to pancakes with their mother-in-law and sister-in-law, an atmosphere of celebration and fun reigned everywhere , various theatrical and puppet shows were held on the streets with the participation of Petrushka and other folklore characters. One of the very colorful and dangerous entertainments on Maslenitsa was fist fights; the male population took part in them, for whom it was an honor to take part in a kind of “military affair” that tested their courage, boldness and dexterity.

Christmas and Easter are considered especially revered Christian holidays among the Russian people.

The Nativity of Christ is not only a bright holiday of Orthodoxy, it also symbolizes the revival and return to life, the traditions and customs of this holiday, filled with kindness and humanity, high moral ideals and the triumph of the spirit over worldly concerns, are being rediscovered and rethought by society in the modern world. The day before Christmas (January 6) is called Christmas Eve, because the main dish of the festive table, which should consist of 12 dishes, is a special porridge “sochivo”, consisting of boiled cereal, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with poppy seeds and nuts. You can sit down at the table only after the first star appears in the sky. Christmas (January 7) is a family holiday, when everyone gathered at one table, ate a festive treat and gave each other gifts. The 12 days after the holiday (until January 19) are called Christmastide. Previously, at this time, girls in Rus' held various gatherings with fortune telling and rituals to attract suitors.

Easter has long been considered a great holiday in Rus', which people associated with the day of general equality, forgiveness and mercy. On the eve of Easter celebrations, Russian women usually bake kulichi (festive rich Easter bread) and Easter bread, clean and decorate their homes, youth and children paint eggs, which, according to ancient legend, symbolize drops of the blood of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross. On the day of Holy Easter, smartly dressed people, when meeting, say “Christ is Risen!”, answer “Truly He is Risen!”, followed by a three-time kiss and an exchange of festive Easter eggs.

"Orphanage No. 1" Astrakhan
Professional competition for educators

All-Russian Internet competition of pedagogical creativity

(2012 – 2013 academic year)
Competition nomination: organization of leisure and extracurricular activities .
Author of the work: teacher Gorshunova Nadezhda Vladimirovna
Scenario for the event:
“Customs and traditions of the Astrakhan people”
Target:

• 
  acquaintance with the national culture of the region, the main holidays of the city;
• 
  education of patriotism through the example of pride for one’s land and people, aesthetic culture and tolerance;
• 
  developing children's creative abilities and increasing their self-esteem.

The venue is divided into sections, each filled with attributes of a given nationality (elements of costume, household utensils, folk crafts.) A presentation has been prepared.

Progress of the lesson.

Leading:

Today our lesson is devoted to the topic “ Customs and traditions of the Astrakhan people"

We will get acquainted with the main holidays of the peoples of Astrakhan and the traditions of the people. But first we will learn what the words “custom” and “tradition” mean.

Custom- an action that has been ingrained and repeated for a long time in any society...

Tradition(from Latin Traditio - transmission; tradition), elements of social and cultural heritage transmitted from generation to generation and preserved in certain societies, classes and social groups for a long time...

What nationalities live in Astrakhan?

The majority of the region's population (70%) are Russians. The second largest nation is the Kazakhs (14.3%). The Astrakhan region is the historical place of residence of the Kazakhs; it is the largest Kazakh community in the federal subjects. The Astrakhan region is also a historical place of residence for Tatars (including Astrakhan and Yurt speakers of individual dialects) (7%), Nogais (mostly Karagash) and Turkmen.
Number of people in 2002, thousand people

Russians 700,561 (70.0%)

Kazakhs 142,633 (14.3%)

Tatars 70,590 (7.0%)

Ukrainians 12,605 (1.2%)

Chechens 10,019 (1%)

Azerbaijanis 8,215 (0.8%)

Kalmyks 7,165 (0.7%)

Armenians 6,309 (0.64%)

Nogais 4,570 (0.45%)

Gypsies 4,331

Avars 4,218

Lezgins 3 646

Dargins 3,550

Persons who did not indicate nationality 2,963

Belarusians 2,651

Turkmens 2,154

Koreans 2,072

Astrakhan Tatars 1 980

Germans 1,389

Kumyks 1,356

Georgians 1,212

Chuvash 1 171

Turks 1 128

Uzbeks 1,030

Jews 1,011

The tasks of preserving traditional culture are closely linked with the problems of reviving national cultures. There are regional national-cultural societies (NPOs), of which there were more than 30 in the region by the beginning of 2010 (Kazakh society - “Zholdastyk”, Tatar - “Duslyk”, Turkmen - “Vatan”, Uzbek - “Uzbekiston”, Azerbaijani - “Azerbaijan” , Turkish - “Aydin”, Armenian - “Arev”, Dagestan - “Dagestan”, Kalmyk - “Halmg”, German autonomy “Einheit”, youth center of Nogai culture “Edige and others”.
Traditional regional holidays and festivals are held in Astrakhan, such as the Tatar “Sabantuy”, the Kalmyk “Tsagan Sar”, the Turkic-Iranian “Navruz/Nauryz”, etc. Since 1992, the days of the Turkic enlightener A.H.-Sh. Dzhanibekov “Dzhanibekov Readings”, since 2010 “Biryukov Readings” in memory of the Ataman of the Astrakhan Cossack Army I.A. Biryukov, as well as events in honor of the Uzbek educator Alisher Navoi. In the early 90s, regional competitions of children's Kazakh (“Anche Balapandar”), Nogai (“Sheshekeyler”) and Tatar (“Yana Isemner”) creativity were held.
Maslenitsa- a holiday preserved from pagan times. Celebrated during the week before Lent. The custom of celebrating Maslenitsa dates back to ancient times - from Greek and Roman bacchanalia. The pagan Slavs also celebrated a spring holiday during this period - welcoming spring and seeing off winter. Among the people, Maslenitsa has always been a fun time. It was believed that anyone who refused to celebrate it would live “in bitter misfortune and end badly.”
(Scene from Maslenitsa)
Originating long before the birth of Islam, the holiday Nauryz represents the spring awakening of nature, its renewal. According to the old belief, on the days of the spring equinox, when the Sun enters the constellation Aries, the world is created anew and the New Year begins for the eastern peoples. In Astrakhan, Nauryz acquired the status of a regional holiday, and since 1998 it has been held annually in the central park of culture and recreation "Arcadia", where, according to established tradition, representatives of regional national cultural societies install colorful national yurts on one of the April days. There will be ten of them, and each of them will have its own national flavor, its own semantic and content content (Iranian, Kazakh, Turkmen, Azerbaijani, Turkish , Tatar, Tajik, Nogai, Dagestan, Uzbek). The ancient culture of the people - nomads, life, customs, nature, songs, legends, epics, the art of craftsmen, jewelers became a source of creative inspiration for Kurmangazy.

(The recording sounds - “Memoirs of Savishchev”

composer Kurmangazy Sagyrbaev)

On this day, Astrakhan residents and guests of the holiday will see national dishes, household items and arts and crafts presented by each nation. Officially, Nowruz is simply a national holiday. And it has long lost its religious character, like a holiday of fire worshipers. Before the start of the holiday, order was restored in every house, wells and irrigation ditches were cleaned in auls and villages, trees and flowers were planted, garden equipment was repaired and updated, etc. It is believed that when Navruz enters a clean house, a good owner, illnesses, failures and adversities pass him by. On the eve of the holiday itself, each family laid out a dastarkhan - a tablecloth with various dishes. To treat neighbors and relatives, traditional festive national dishes were prepared - pilaf, shish kebab, boiled peas, sumalak, etc. On this day, people forgive old grievances and help those in need of mercy.

(Kazakh dance performed by children)

Among the Astrakhan Tatars, the big Spring holiday was called - Amil. This holiday was also not associated with Muslim religious rituals. The holiday usually began in the city center and constantly moved to the outskirts, and then from village to village. People greeted each other with a handshake with both hands. On the festive table on this day, every Tatar family served dishes with pumpkin and rice: pilaf, pies - “kubak burek”. Young people took part in traditional horse racing competitions – “yat yarysh”, and wrestling – “kuryash”. Young people also competed in climbing a high pole - “altyn kabak”, and the one who became the owner of the coveted coin mounted on the top of the pole received the main prize - usually a ram. Until the evening, the students (shakirds) went from house to house, delighting the owners with songs, for which some received money, some received treats.

(Wrestling and bag-fighting competitions on a log)

"Sabantuy"

(From the Turkic “saban” - plow and “tui” - holiday, a holiday among the Tatars and Bashkirs, after the end of spring field work)

The history of Sabantuy is as ancient as the Tatar (Bulgar) people themselves. Already two weeks before the holiday, the collection of gifts for the winners and preparation for the holiday began. “The horse senses the approach of Sabantuy in advance,” says a Tatar proverb. The culmination of the holiday was the Maidan - competitions in running, jumping, national wrestling - koresh and, of course, horse racing, sung in poetry and songs, causing admiration and delight - the decoration of the Tatar holiday. The origins of the Sabantuy holiday go back centuries, and it was originally called “seken” - a ritual with chicken eggs (a symbol of fertility). Its essence was as follows: eggs had to be removed from a vessel with thick sour cream without using your hands. Other elements of the holiday acquired a valiant, daring character, such as: pole climbing (previously a symbol of the sun), horse racing and horse riding, the characteristic Turkic belt wrestling - “kuresh”, as well as songs, dances and treating with national dishes, the arrival of numerous guests.
"TSAGAN SAR ON ASTRAKHAN LAND"
“Tsagan Sar” is one of the best Kalmyk holidays. They talk about its history in different ways: it has many legends and traditions. There is an opinion that Buddhists all over the world have been celebrating it since the time when the Great Buddha, having gained enlightenment, completely refuted six false teachers in a dispute and showed miracles to the people. And according to folk legends, Kalmyks celebrate Tsagan Sar also as a victory of the legendary maiden Gall-Okon-Tengri over the tribe of cruel and treacherous giants - the Mangus, who personify the power of evil.

Tsagan Sar foreshadowed the beginning of spring. Therefore, during the holiday, Kalmyks, when they meet, greet each other, and then ask: “Did you have a good winter?” “Yes, we overwintered well,” they usually answer. And although winter has not yet taken the reins of power, in the Astrakhan region, on the hospitable estuary land, with the arrival of Tsagan Sara on February 12, they welcomed spring and remembered the traditions laid down by our ancestors. Here are some of them: From time immemorial, everyone prepared for the holiday: they did general cleaning in the house, sewed or bought new clothes, chose a fat sheep, cooked meat, washed all things. On the eve of the holiday, women washed their hair, combed their hair and put on shivrlg (hair covers). They wore shirts with a white collar. Before the Tsagan Sar holiday, the mistress of the house, having made wrestlers, was fingering her rosary, because this day is called “Matzg Odr” - the day of prayers, purification, the last day of winter.

Early in the morning, on the day of Tsagan Sar, the mistress of the house brews Kalmyk tea. While the tea is boiling, she opens the chest, takes out new clothes and hangs them on a pre-stretched rope. This was the custom - to air out clothes once a year. In the morning, when the whole family wakes up, the mother calls the children to her and kisses them on the right cheek, saying: “Be happy, live long, next year I will kiss you on the left cheek.” Next year is coming. She says the same words again. These words contain the wisdom of the people: live a successful year and congratulate each other again. We wished each other health and happiness.

An important moment of the holiday was the preparation of the national flour dish - wrestlers. They were made from butter dough and fried in boiling fat. The uniform of the wrestlers had deep meaning. Khuts wrestlers, sculpted in the form of a ram figurine, meant wishes for a large offspring; “whale” - resembled part of a horse’s entrails, “ovrtya tokhsh” - symbolized cattle, “moshkur” - twisted, resembled sheep’s entrails, symbolizing the “knot of happiness”, “tsatsl” - a brush, a symbol of the brush on the Kalmyk headdress.
Traditional "Roach Day"

There is a big holiday in Astrakhan. Traditional "Roach Day" celebrated for the 15th time. Entire families come to see it. Many are with fishing rods, hoping to catch the fish so beloved in this city. A competition was held on the Volga embankment. Participants came from all over Russia with their gear and bait.

Game: "Catch the Fish"

Children use a magnetic fishing rod to catch fish. Who is bigger and faster?
Fisherman's Day

On the second Sunday of July, Russia traditionally celebrates Fisherman's Day.

On the embankment of the Volga River, the now traditional “Ukha Festival” will take place, in which representatives from all districts of the region will take part. The regional fisheries agency has prepared a show-competition “Catch, Fish!”, in which participants will be asked to chase fish released into the city fountain with their bare hands. At the same time, the international folk art festival “Living Water - 2012” will be held on the main stage. The evening will end with a festive concert with the participation of Astrakhan soloists.

(Scene “Neptune visiting the fishermen”)

Wedding traditions.

One of the most romantic places in Astrakhan is the bridge of lovers. A small bridge stretching from one bank of the Kutum River to the other has become a popular spot for lovers in recent years.

Carved pillars and benches in the Pushkin style look very attractive, and from the bridge of lovers there is an incredible view of the Red Embankment. Before the bridge appeared, there was a tradition among newlyweds to tie a ribbon on the branch of one of the birches growing in the square. After a while, the birch tree could not withstand such “ribbon oppression” and died: they began to tie knots on a nearby birch tree, but it could not withstand such an attack. In order to avoid the disappearance of Astrakhan birches, it was decided to give the lovers one of the Astrakhan bridges. Later, in 2005, next to the arch on the bridge of lovers in Astrakhan, a metal tree made to resemble bronze was installed, on which the treasured ribbons of family well-being began to be hung.

Then another tradition appeared, which came to us from the European and Baltic countries - hanging a castle, personifying a strong and happy family life. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, they have been fighting this original wedding tradition for a long time: the administration, believing that lovers’ locks spoil the appearance of the bridge, mercilessly cut off piles of bulky iron. In Astrakhan they began to fight against this very recently. Back in 2006, there were no locks, but 5 years later, a huge number of them have accumulated on the bridge of lovers: literally every centimeter of the fence is occupied by a lock with a romantic inscription. However, despite the disputes between lovers and the city administration, the lovers' bridge in Astrakhan never ceases to be one of the most beautiful and favorite places for couples in love.

The Swan Lake

Brotherly kindergarten, Palace of Culture of the Caspian Flotilla.
Day of the city

Astrakhan residents celebrated this favorite holiday, which this year they decided to hold in warm September, for two days. Folk festivities took place in urban areas. Children's and sports games, competitions, concerts with performances by creative groups of the city - several sites were organized in each district of Astrakhan where Astrakhan residents could have fun. The main celebration took place in the Arcadia recreation park. Here the guests of the holiday observed a real miracle made of sand. The festival “Sand Sculpture of the Ponizovye” was held in Astrakhan for the first time. Students from Astrakhan art schools took part in it. Many of them worked with sand for the first time; they were helped by artists from St. Petersburg, who were specially invited to City Day. In total, Astrakhan and St. Petersburg residents created 12 sand figures, led by the three-meter “Chernomor”.

On the same Saturday, in honor of City Day, a religious procession was held, which ended in the Kremlin. Here, at the Assumption Cathedral, the Cossacks solemnly took the oath. On this day, the mayor of Astrakhan, Mikhail Stolyarov, who is a hereditary representative of the Orthodox community, was also dedicated to the Cossacks.

Towards evening, a knight's tournament was held in the Ulyanovs' park on Oktyabrskaya Square. Representatives of historical reconstruction societies showed the audience knightly combat in real armor.
On the second day of the Astrakhan holiday, delicious treats awaited the townspeople. The Astrakhan watermelon festival was held on Lenin Square, where Astrakhan residents were able to see delicious berries of the most unusual shapes and sizes. Guests of the holiday could try unusual watermelon cocktails and admire the strange patterns that carving masters carved on watermelons. The Astrakhan mayor's office held two other delicious festivals on the Volga embankment. Here, to the sounds of folk songs, one could try a variety of types of Astrakhan fish soup, which was prepared for the guests of the holiday by the city and region districts. According to the jury, the most delicious was the fish soup prepared by the Kirov region. And then everyone could try different types of tea. Russians, Kazakhs, Tatars, Armenians, Chechens, Azerbaijanis, Nogais, Uzbeks and Kalmyks - representatives of various nationalities who have lived in peace and friendship on the territory of Astrakhan for hundreds of years, prepared treats and tea according to their traditions.

The presenter sums up and invites guests on a tour

Guests are invited to the tables, where the children, together with the teacher, prepared treats and tea, according to their national traditions.
Appendix No. 1

King Neptune enters to the music, takes a lap of honor and sits on the throne.

Neptune.
I am the proud ruler of the seas,
Pisces, dolphin lord.
My palace is at the bottom of the sea
All strewn with amber.
Congratulations on Neptune's holiday!
I wish you a fair wind,
Seven feet under keel and
Go around all the sea reefs!

Mermaids enter to the music.

Neptune.
Why are you sad today? Has anyone offended you? Just tell me. I will turn the entire kingdom of the sea upside down. I will find the offender and order him to be punished.

mermaid.

There is no need to look for anyone and turn the kingdom of the sea upside down. No one offended us and no one caused us harm.

Neptune.
Share your grief with me, beauty. Why are you sad? Tell me, maybe I can help you.

mermaid.
Ah, Father Tsar. And I’m ashamed to say that. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen people having fun, I’d like to see it.

Neptune.

Well, it's not difficult. Look (the “Sailor” dance is performed)

Neptune.

We cannot remain without water for long. Farewell! It's time for us to go, and you continue to have fun. (They leave