The traditions of the Russian people are rooted in ancient times. Many are associated with Orthodox holidays - Easter, Christmastide, Christmas. Maslenitsa is a pagan custom. Celebrating Victory Day and the procession of the Immortal Regiment is a new tradition. The traditions of Russia are not limited to Russian customs. There are other peoples in Russia: their holidays and rituals differ from Russian traditions.
Folk traditions
Traditions and customs can tell a lot about the way of life and the character of a people.
- In Rus', an important element of a healthy life was the bathhouse. It was built on the shore of a reservoir and heated on Saturdays. In the summer they prepared brooms - birch, oak, juniper. Children and adults took a steam bath in the bathhouse; they were sure to visit it before the wedding. The steam room was a favorite remedy against illness. Usually they steamed for a long time, threw themselves into a lake, river, snow several times, or doused themselves with cold water.
- The customs of welcoming guests have not changed much. Dear guests are greeted with bread and salt and seated in a place of honor. The table is covered with a beautiful tablecloth and the best dishes are served.
The hostess baked a round loaf of bread. Families kept loaf recipes. The top of the loaf was decorated with figures of flowers, ears of corn, and clusters of berries.
Rice. 1. Russian loaf.
Holiday Traditions
Most of the holiday traditions of the Russian people are associated with the dates of the Orthodox calendar and the periods of the beginning or completion of field work; some ancient rituals and customs have been preserved since pagan times.
The main Russian folk holidays include:
- New Year. The tradition of celebrating the beginning of the year as a time of awakening of nature originated in Mesopotamia, where this holiday was celebrated in the spring. When European countries began to live according to the Gregorian calendar, the New Year began to be celebrated on January 1 (in Russia, by decree of Peter I from 1699).
- Christmas. Orthodox Christians celebrate it on January 7th. On Christmas evening, 12 dishes are served on the table - according to the number of apostles - disciples of Jesus Christ. During the Christmas holidays, children walk the streets, from house to house, singing songs wishing their owners health and prosperity, and in return they are given sweets and money.
- Easter. The holiday of the Resurrection of Christ is one of the most beloved among the Russian people. On Easter, churches hold all-night vigils and consecrate holiday foods (Easter cake, painted eggs, homemade sausage, boiled pork). After returning from church, the whole family sits down at the festive table to break their fast after fasting.
- Trinity. Celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter. The holiday is associated with the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit to earth, which proved the trinity of God. Temples and homes are decorated with fresh grass on Trinity Day.
- Ivan Kupala (celebrated during the summer solstice). One of the deities of the ancient Russians was Kupalo, the god of summer, light, fertility and purity, the patron of the water and fire elements. On Kupala night they collected dew, because magical properties were attributed to it, and burned fires through which they jumped to cleanse themselves with the Kupala fire.
- Maslenitsa. This week before Lent is dedicated to reconciliation with neighbors, forgiveness of offenses, and preparation for the repentant path to God. According to Russian traditions, the essential attributes of Maslenitsa are sleigh rides and treating all friends and family to pancakes and flatbreads.
Traditions of the peoples of Russia
It is worth telling separately about the rituals of the peoples of Russia and interesting customs:
- Kalmyks are ancient nomads who profess Buddhism. Kalmyk New Year is celebrated on December 22. On this day, lamps are lit in churches, apartments, and on the streets. Gifts to deities are brought to temples. The first days of March mark the beginning of spring. People congratulate each other on the end of the cold weather. In the old days, everyone gathered at churches for common prayer.
- The Yakuts inhabit the coldest region of Siberia. Their cultural traditions are associated with natural phenomena. For example, it is believed that a tree split by lightning can heal. The main animal in the taiga is the bear. Therefore, amulets made from his claws and teeth are highly valued.
Rice. 2. Yakut amulet made from a bear claw.
Popular writings
- Essay by Samson Vyrin in the story The Station Warden (Image and Characteristics)
Samson Vyrin is the image of a small, modest man. At the beginning of the story, he is a cheerful and fresh man of about fifty. He serves as a station supervisor. His work is hard and thankless, but Vyrin fulfills his duties honestly and conscientiously - Essay My favorite word (Friendship)
There are a lot of kind words in the world, but my favorite is friendship. - The image and characteristics of Bek-Agamalov in the story The Duel
A. I. Kuprin in his story “The Duel” shows all the features of the army life of Russian officers and their environment, without hiding all the cruelty, ignorance and rudeness that reigns in this environment
Modern traditions
Every year on May 9, Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War is celebrated. Military parades are held in major cities. After the parade, the procession of the Immortal Regiment begins. The Immortal Regiment movement was founded in 2011 in Tomsk.
People of all ages take part in the processions, carrying portraits of relatives who took part in the war. This remembrance event has turned into a tradition dedicated to Victory Day.
Rice. 3. Procession of the Immortal Regiment.
Family traditions
A large number of Russian folk customs are associated with the creation of a family and the appearance of children in it. Some of the rituals have been preserved since pagan times; after the Baptism of Rus', new ones were added to them.
Russian wedding
Russian wedding traditions include many interesting rituals and ceremonies. The first of them is matchmaking. A representative of the groom's parents comes to the house of the bride's parents and offers to marry her to their “candidate.” If consent is received, the bride is examined, the purpose of which is to evaluate her physical and moral merits. After the viewing, with the mutual consent of the parents of the bride and groom, an engagement is announced.
The last evening before the wedding, the future newlyweds, as usual, spend with friends: the bride gathers her girlfriends for a get-together, and the groom has a bachelor party with his single friends. The wedding day begins with the bride price. Today it is a symbolic ritual - paying a fee so that relatives and bridesmaids will allow her to go out to her lover.
Then comes the most important moment - the newlyweds undergo a wedding ceremony in the church, conducted by a priest. This beautiful and touching ritual got its name from the fact that during it, crowns are held over the heads of the newlyweds. To officially register the marriage, the newlyweds go to the registry office, and the bride and groom must arrive there in different cars. After the newlyweds have become husband and wife, all the guests head to the wedding feast.
Birth of children
Among the Russians, traditional rituals accompanied people from the very cradle. If a boy was born into a family, the umbilical cord was cut on an ax handle, and if a girl was born, on a spindle. The umbilical cord had to be tied with a thread woven with the hair of the baby's parents. In order for a newborn to sleep well, a piece of aspen bark was placed in his crib or a cat was allowed in. It was believed that aspen bark has healing properties that protect against diseases, and the “psychotherapeutic” abilities of cats have been known since ancient times.
With the advent of Christianity, the rite of baptism of children was introduced into the traditions of the Russian people. When it is performed, the clergyman, reading prayers, dips the baby three times into the water of the holy font. According to church canons, the baby’s godparents, as well as everyone except the mother’s and father’s relatives, can be present at the baptismal ceremony. The ritual can be performed both in church and at home; according to tradition, the baby is baptized on the third, eighth or fortieth day after birth.
Rituals associated with the remembrance of the dead
According to Russian traditions and customs, it is customary to remember deceased ancestors on Radonitsa, which is celebrated a week after Easter, as well as on the eve of major church holidays: Maslenitsa, Trinity, Intercession. On such days, people visit cemeteries and hold funeral dinners at home.
On memorial days, ancient Russians set tables for the spirits of the dead and heated a bathhouse especially for them. The dead were respected and their wrath feared. To prevent the dead from getting into the house, it was sprinkled around with poppy seeds, which, according to legend, the dead are afraid of.
What have we learned?
Russian traditions are the basis of modern culture. Folk customs (hospitality, Russian baths), the celebration of Maslenitsa and Easter have been preserved to this day. A story about which traditions have arisen at the present time and which have come from ancient times will be especially useful for children in 2nd grade.
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Maslenitsa
One of the most popular, well-known ancient holidays, which was associated among the pagans with the remembrance of their ancestors. Hence the eating of pancakes - funeral food. Also, the holiday symbolized the arrival of spring, pagan rituals were performed.
On Maslenitsa, it is customary to burn a straw effigy, personifying winter.
Symbols of Maslenitsa
Over time, the sad holiday turned into a day of fun and joy. Horse-drawn sled rides, fist fights, and mother-in-law get-togethers were added to the traditions of burning effigy and cooking pancakes.
Holiday entertainment
Maslenitsa rituals are interesting and unusual. They combine the end of the winter holidays and the beginning of spring. Maslenitsa is celebrated 7 days before the start of Lent. Farewell to her takes place on Sunday.
Wedding traditions
Since the end of the 9th century, when Christianity was proclaimed, traditional Russian wedding ceremonies and church wedding rites began to take shape. The ancient wedding ritual with certain stages, paraphernalia, clothing, and treats was finally formed in the 16th century.
Russian wedding
The newlyweds were protected with the help of numerous amulets, amulets, embroidery on clothes, and lit candles.
A wedding, like birth and funeral, was considered a kind of transition in a person's life. The holiday consists of stages:
- Matchmaking.
- Engagement.
- “Purchasing” a bride.
- Wedding.
- Partying and feasting.
- Second wedding day.
The whole process took from a week to three months. Relatives and friends of the newlyweds took part.
Good customs of my people
An integral part of the culture of every nation is the preservation of its customs, traditions, rituals and holidays. They were formed over several centuries. Kazakh national traditions and customs were influenced by both the nomadic lifestyle and the Muslim religion. Currently, there is a renewed interest in the past among the younger generation. And this is natural, because the people, especially we, the younger generation, must certainly know the history of the place where we were born, where we live.
Without the past there is no present, we must not lose the good customs of our people. They contain folk wisdom, centuries-old experience and real life lessons. They reflected the way of life of the people, their habits, and national characteristics. What is meant by customs? Let's look in the dictionary: “Customs are generally accepted rules and norms historically developed in the process of evolution that regulate the behavior of people in a certain area, social life. One of the wonderful customs of the past, which has survived to this day, is hospitality, which relates to universal human norms and is a positive feature of any civilized society; on the other hand, cordiality and welcoming guests are indispensable for every Kazakh.
So, for the arrival of guests, a traditional national dish is prepared - beshbarmak - with kazy, karta, zhal-zhaya, and shuzhuk provided for the guest of honor. If the owner cannot treat you to meat, he will simply treat you to tea and let any traveler spend the night in the house. This is our traditional hospitality. This custom is closely related to another: respect for elders. From an early age, children are taught to be friendly, reserved and respectable in their relationships with elders, while listening to their wise advice. Never, under any circumstances, should you cross the road in front of your elders; the youngest must be the first to greet the elders. On the other hand, if a young man is seriously ill or returns home after a long absence, the elder will be the first to rush to shake his hand.
How wise our people are! Since life and well-being depended on endurance, strength, dexterity and ingenuity, special attention in the steppe was paid to instilling these qualities in these children from early childhood. Therefore, many Kazakh rituals are in one way or another connected with the birth, childhood, adolescence and coming of age of a young man. For example, at the celebration of the birth of a son, wealthy people arranged generous treats, inviting not only their own, but also neighboring villages, and organized a competition of singers and horse riders. The child was often named after a person revered in the village. There were also cases when they gave a child the first available, inconspicuous, sometimes even very obscene name so that he would grow up out of sight, so that he would grow up healthy and strong.
As special stages on the way to coming of age in the Kazakh family, events such as “besikke salu” - placing a newborn in a cradle - were celebrated. The baby is comfortable in this cradle: both warm and calm. There he grew up and gained great health. Further, when the child grew up, “tusau-kesu” was carried out - a custom according to which the elder tied the legs of a child taking his first steps in life with a colorful rope and led him around the gathered guests. Why do the ropes have to be colorful? A light thread means the good in life, a dark thread means bad and difficult things. The child must independently learn to overcome difficulties and pass through glory with dignity.
Speaking about the customs of my people, one cannot help but dwell on the following good ritual - “atka-otyrgyzu”. This is boarding a horse and handing over not only a whip, but also a spear, so that the heir can ride a horse and throw spears better than anyone else, far and accurately. This was followed by the ceremony of circumcision. The circumcision was performed by a mullah; now this minor operation is performed by a surgeon. Once again the wisdom of my people is demonstrated here: compliance with hygiene standards. As a continuation of this ritual - of course, that one.
We also really like “basire” - a Kazakh tradition associated with raising a child. Often the birth of a child coincides with the lambing of domestic animals. In this case, a foal or camel “basire” is given to a newborn and is considered the property of the child. According to legend, the future of a baby is closely connected with its “basire”. That's why they don't drive it, they don't cut it and they don't sell it. On the contrary, they look after you like a child. And he grows up, grows day by day, the time comes - and he crosses the threshold of something new in life, now it is the threshold of school. “Til Ashar” awaits the student, then “Mushel Zhas” - the thirteenth birthday. Every 12 years, a new stage of life, a person becomes smarter from one “mushel” to another. In order to pass this year favorably, it is obligatory to give clothes from your shoulder to those younger than yourself. This means that you will get through the pain easily, and the younger one will support you in this. Youth comes, love...
Kazakh wedding rituals are now closely intertwined with Russian weddings. But what is unique, national, is preserved here too. These are primarily wedding songs: “Zhar-zhar”, “bet-ashar”, matchmaking. The daughter-in-law's first appearance in the house, her first treat to the guests. The daughter-in-law never calls her husband's relatives by name. From the first day of his stay in the new village, Kelin is under the watchful gaze of his relatives and is tested according to “at-tergeu”. Her resourcefulness, skill, and harmless jokes are all critically assessed. Coming up with names and nicknames that exactly match and reflect the characters and characteristics of everyone is an ability that is not given to everyone, an art of its own.
We can go on and on about the good customs of my people. But to summarize what has been said, we want to say: “We are glad that we were born Kazakhs!” Because we have such good traditions and customs. We are proud of such a rich spiritual heritage"
students 9 “a” Sailauova Zh, Kazhueva S
