Symbols of Time in Russian Wedding Folklore of Udmurtia

The article is devoted to the study of the system of artistic images of Russian wedding folklore of the modern Udmurt Republic. The relevance of the work is due to the fact that the temporal processes of the wedding ritual itself, as well as family-clan and natural rhythms are first considered on the example of wedding folklore that exists in the territory of the modern republic. Particular attention is paid to the images of heavenly bodies, the kingdom of plants, zooand ornithomorphic images, the symbolism of sound signals. The sun is shown to be the central artistic image associated with the display of time. As a result of the analysis, it was found that semantically, the images of evening dawn, morning dawn and night have significant similarities. The question of the possible division of the night into two time periods is considered — a dark one, which does not correspond to a wedding situation, and a light one, which regulates the course of ritual time. It is shown that the image of the night is a symbol of the first conjugal intercourse. It has been established that the mention of the trumpet and the bell in the songs emphasizes the sacred status of the wedding ceremony. It is noted that in wedding songs, the symbolism of the sound of the bell and trumpet merges with the symbolism of the sun. It was revealed that in the description of emporal processes there may be categories of morality.

Lībiskā dialekta un vidus dialekta kursisko izlokšņu atspoguļojuma problemātika akadēmiskajā izdevumā „Latviešu tautasdziesmas”: 11. sējuma piemērs

The first volume of the academic edition entitled “Latvian Folksongs” was published in 1979, thus starting the publication of the largest collection of Latvian folksongs. Until now, eleven volumes have been arranged and published. The newest volume consists of wedding songs, and it was published in 2018. The publishing of the twelfth volume is currently in progress. The twelfth volume will continue the previous one, adding wedding customs songs, including naughty folk songs. In the academic edition of Latvian folksongs, the texts in High Latvian dialect are especially separated from Standard Latvian, thus creating their own unique set of texts. However, there are other dialects different from Standard Latvian – Livonian dialect and Curonian variety of Central dialect, which have been represented significantly less frequently. Based on the research of academic publications and questionnaires for the compilers of “Latvian Folksongs”, the research analyses why the situation with the representation of Livonian dialect and Curonian variety of Central dialect is so different from the representation of High Latvian – is it because there are fewer texts in these two dialects that are available or maybe there are more complicated reasons.

Biyanaam: A unique element of Assamese Culture; Understanding, Discussion and Preservation

Folk literature has come to be identified as one of the priceless resources of an indigenous community. Folk literature is an important carrier of culture, heritage and tradition of a particular cultural or linguistic community. In this context, Assamese „Biyanaam‟ are one type of Folk literature which falls into this mentioned description. The biyanam presented during such ceremonies reflect the socio-cultural life of the Assamese community. This trend showcases the myths, outfits, jewellery, food habits, the cultural ethos etc. This folk songs are called ‘Biyanaam’ (Marriage songs) as they are sung or played only on occasions of marriage ceremony. Rather it is the reflection of collective emotions as well as collective consciousness of Assamese people surfacing as or in the form of oral literature. It transforms and travels along with the changing currents of time. The „biyanaam‟ or “wedding songs” sung in a traditional Assamese wedding ceremony is an integral part of Assamese culture. An Assamese wedding household is practically incomplete without these wedding songs that are sung throughout various ceremonies by the ladies present there.

The Lemko Wedding Song (Ukrainian, Polish, Slovak): Peculiarity and Usage

The article analyzes Lemko’s wedding and post-wedding songs in comparison with Polish and Slovak ones. As an integral part of all-Ukrainian ceremonial song fund, Lemky wedding song ritualism is distinguished by some specificity due to Polish and Slovak close proximity. Naturally, Lemko song specificity are best revealed when compared with the similar song traditions of the Western Slavs. The similarity of certain elements is better traced in the wedding song ritualism of the East Slovakian, Ukrainians and Slovaks sons, as compared to the Lemky-Polish neighbourhood. While preserving a lot of archaic forms and elements, the Lemko version of the Ukrainian wedding is characterized by some differences, which reflect Lemko’s continuous ethnocultural contacts with neighbouring nations. The wedding song repertory of the three neighbouring nations has been found to impressively reflect its origin from the Proto-Slavic marriage ritualism, based on the monogamous marriage, husbandry lifestyle, close worldview (similar meaning of fire, water, bread, Eden tree, sun-worship, etc.), as well as on the similarity of ritual acts (garlanding, blessing, roundabout the table and dough trough, breaking wedding loaf, etc.). All mentioned above together with the similar dramatization of the wedding ceremony make ethnonational versions of traditional family ritualism – a so-called “Carpathian cycle”. The Lemko wedding song content has been found to preserve archaic motives and images of relict Ukrainian repertory with its typical ample song/choral expression of the content of wedding rituals, young couple’s and their families’ moral and mental state, varied poetic symbolism and stylistics. Long-term endosmosis of cultural, economic, and sociopolitical contacts between neighbouring ethnoses has conditioned the interchange of the elements of wedding song and ritual dramatization with marked Lemko dominant regarding Slovakian wedding song repertory, as well as with regard to the repertory of Polish Gorals, long-standing song strata in particular.

Stylistic symmetry of the Methodius's translation of the Song of Songs

The article is devoted to the analysis of stylistic symmetry in Methodius' translation of the Song of Songs. The study was conducted from a rather unexpected position, namely – using the linguo-folkloristic approach. The rationale for this approach is that it's subject is a folklore text, a collection of wedding songs, which later underwent exquisite literary and book processing. It is concluded that the realizations of the poetic technique of stylistic symmetry found here are based on the same syntactic construction of the members that make it up. Parts of this construction are presented as semantic additions to each other. Adjacent constructions similar in syntactic structure were found with sublime depictions and chants of brides, their beauty and perfection, love. Based on the studied material, it was found that, although in all found examples the components of stylistic symmetry are not identical as required by the logic of reception, but in some of them at least a third of the verbal material of the first. Naturally, in such a poetic text as the Song of Songs, one could expect to come across a significant number of tropes and as part of the verbal embodiment of a stylistic device based on semantic parallelism. In fact, in the vast majority of examples they were recorded in both parts of stylistic symmetry. These are comparisons, metaphors, epithets, allegories, hyperboles, highly artistic paraphrases, etc. Twice stylistic symmetry was built on the antithesis, in particular it was found in the praise of the bride. It has been found that the stylistic symmetry in the Song of Songs is productively explored in terms of ways to express the expressiveness of syntax: how, by what means similar or identical human emotions are reflected in related syntactic constructions. As for the reproduction of this Middle Eastern stylistic device in the Methodist translation of the Song of Songs, it demonstrates unsurpassed harmonious examples of expressive expressiveness and original variation of thought.

Fur as a feature of Russian traditional wedding ceremony

Fur is a significant feature of many ritual actions in traditional Russian culture. Although there is a lot of material on this subject it continues to escape a closer scientific attention. This paper looks at filling this gap and showing the role of fur in Russian wedding rituals. The author gives examples related to the use of fur at a wedding and analyzes wedding songs and additional material. Results obtained led to conclusions that the fur in the wedding ritual was of dual importance. It was used as a magical item endowed with the function of fertility and procreation. It was associated with fertilizing (carpogonia) magic. This magic was intended to provide fertility, wealth and prosperity for a family. The perceptions of the connection between fur and fertility was also manifested in other ritual activities, for example, in spells related to family and household. It is important to note that the inverted fur was considered a sign of another world, and with its help they depicted its inhabitants, late ancestors. In this case, the fur should be considered in the context of imitative magic associated with imitation of desired events. Wanting to receive the help of deceased ancestors, participants of the wedding ceremony wore an inverted fur coat to simulate the spirit and to simulate the participation of the spirit in the wedding ceremony. This dual meaning of fur determined its wide distribution in traditional Russian wedding rituals.

Словесно-поэтический репертуар башкирской свадьбы: прошлое и настоящее

Introduction. Bashkir wedding is one of the most striking forms of traditional culture. Over centuries of evolution, a complex set of ideological and functional related ritual songs, actions, myths and rituals has formed as an integral festive and theatrical performance. This surprisingly unique performance (drama) reflects the worldview of the people, their poetic and musical culture, including peculiarities of social, everyday and social development. The ideology of caring for the welfare of the family and happy family future has been developed and vividly captured in the wedding rituals. Genotypic plans for the continuation of life, creating a sustainable family in order to ensure continuity and fertility of the new family member ― sister–in–law ― is a major determining code of the Bashkir wedding manifested in the complicated mytho-ritual complex tui (wedding, feast). In it, a large role is given to verbal and song contests (Bash. әйтеш), lamentations (сеңләү), good wishes (теләк, алғыш), ‘yar-yar’ chants, magnificence and farewell songs (takmaks) which are organically woven into the course of the wedding to create a festive atmosphere, give special importance to everything that happens. These work of art have various and rather complex functions, since they not only accompany various moments of the wedding celebration, but also reflect ancient mythological ideas, belief in the power of words and actions. The verbal, song and action creative complex acts as a single syncretic whole with what is happening. Goals. The article examines the role of verbal and poetic works in various parts of the wedding ceremony. They are distinguished by a variety of texts and tunes dedicated to various moments of the wedding and ritual actions addressed to the bride and groom (mostly). Results. The ritual of good wishes goes back to the magic of a kind word, which in general in all types of rituals involves the structuring of events in the name of blessings and the consolidation of a happy future. The article traces the reflection of the emotional state of the bride in various poetic texts, which determines the importance of the moment of the girl’s transition to a qualitatively different state of marriage; the importance of the special semantic load of the songs of the Bashkir wedding for the future family life is noted. In all cultures, edification, parting words generalize the prescriptions and rules of behavior for young people. There are two main places of well-wishes in the wedding drama: in front of the wires from the father’s house (girdling) and in the groom’s house (opening the face). Good wishes and edifications, pronounced in the rites of transitional meaning, represent a kind of collection of etiquette, everyday life and traditions of the people. This is the poeticized wisdom and life experience of people who want the well-being of a girl who goes into a ‘foreign’ environment. In a Bashkir wedding, songs of a greatness, entertaining or humorous nature are performed, which are organically included in the drama of the wedding action and become an integral part of the ceremony as a whole.

Song genres of traditional folklore of the Dargin people: ideological-aesthetic and artistic uniqueness

The subject of this research is the key genres of song folklore of the Dargin people – one of the ethnoses of Dagestan, which includes such Akushin, Kaitag, Kubachin, Mekegin, Tsudakhar, and others. An attempt is made to examine genre diversity of the Dargin people traditional poetic folklore, describe the forms of existence of specific genres, determine their ideological-aesthetic and artistic content, trace their evolution and transformation, as well as characterize the poetics. The goal of this work consists in demonstration of genre diversity of the song folklore of the Dargin people, its national specificity, artistic uniqueness and forms of existence. In the course of this research, the author applies the method of scientific analysis of theoretical literature on the topic, comparative-typological and descriptive-analytical methods, including observation, interpretation and comparison, which allows giving philological assessment of the text, reveal folk poetic means of expression. The scientific novelty lies in establishment of the fact that some of the genres under consideration still exist, but have undergone transformation. In a number the Dargin Districts, such as the rural localities of Harbuk, Urkarah, Madzhalis, Kubachi, Usisha, etc., texts of ritual poetry that have been previously performed by the adults, now shifted into the repertoire of children's folklore; multiple wedding songs – from ritual folklore to the category of love lyricism, and are performed mostly at youth parties and festivities. Lamentations were subjected to the influenced of Muslim religion, and now often feature the appeals to Allah to bless with patience and mercy, etc. Ballades in the folklore of the Dargin people also experiences certain genre changes: tragedy and drama of the situation fade away, and the ballades grow into the type of lyrical song of family, life or love content.

FOLKLORE TRADITIONS OF KANASHSKY, YANTIKOVSKY AND URMARSKY DISTRICTS OF THE CHUVASH REPUBLIC: GENRE COMPOSITION

В статье рассматривается жанровое разнообразие песен некоторых деревень Канашского, Янтиковского и Урмарского районов Чувашской Республики. Рассмотрение выбранных нами автохтонных локальных традиций продиктовано тем, что именно из этих районов в разное время произошло переселение чувашей в Сибирь. Нами планируется сравнительное изучение фольклора переселенцев на новых территориях, которое будет проведено позже. Изучение локальных традиций позволит нам провести дальнейшее исследование. Фольклор рассматриваемых районов чрезвычайно богат и сложен. В ходе работы выявлены песни, исполняемые в этих районах в обрядовой и необрядовой сфере жизни чувашей. К обрядовой песне принято относить песни, исполняемые во время календарных праздников, и семейно-бытовые песни. Широко бытовали и бытуют в указанных районах календарные песни. Записаны здесь песни новогоднего цикла Шерни / Кăшарни / Кĕшерни юррисем, çăварни (масленичные), рет юррисем (букв. ‘песни родни’), исполняемые во время Мункун. Из семейно-бытовых песен широко распространенными являются туй (свадебные) юррисем, салтак юррисем (рекрутские песни и причитания). В ходе исследования не обнаружены записи пытару/пумилкке/асăну юррисем (похоронно-поминальных песен). Неполно представлен детский фольклор. Судя по материалу, активно исполнялись в этом ареале молодежные лирические песни. Вăйă юррисем (хороводные песни) схожи с улах (посиделочными) песнями, которые сопровождались ташă такмакĕсем, шÿтлĕ (шуточными) и игровыми песнями. Тăлăх-турат юррисем (сиротские песни) по мотиву расставания схожи с песнями хĕр йĕрри - плачами невесты, рекрута и çĕн çĕре каякансен юрри (переселенцев). Ĕç юррисем (трудовые песни) представлены пока неполно. В песенном творчестве указанных районов имеется множество сюжетных песен пейĕт, для которых характерными являются событийное изображение фактов жизни и психологическое переживание героя. Многочисленными являются записи ĕçкĕ-çикĕ юррисем (пирушечные песни) с разновидностями: кĕреке (застольные), хăна (гостевые) юррисем. The article considers the genre diversity of the songs in a number of villages Kanashsky, Yantikovsky, Urmarsky districts of the Chuvash Republic. The authors have chosen these autochthonous local traditions because the Chuvash people migrated to Siberia from these particular districts at different times. The authors are planning to make a comparative analysis of the folklore of the Chuvash migrants. The study of the local traditions will allow the authors to make further research. The folklore of the considered districts is very rich and complicated. The research revealed the songs related to ritual and non-ritual spheres life of the Chuvash people in those districts. Ritual songs are considered to be family and genre songs and the ones, which were used during calendar festivals. Calendar songs were widely performed in the mentioned districts and are still being performed at the moment. The authors have recorded the songs related to the New Year’s season - Sherni/Kesharni/Kesherni songs, shchevarni (Maslenitsa songs), ret yurresem songs (lit. songs of family and relatives) that were performed on Munkun. As for the family and genre songs, tuy yurrisem (wedding songs) and saltak yurrisem (recruitment songs and lamentation) are widely spread. During the research the records of pytaru/pumilkke/asanu yurissem (funeral songs) have not been found. Child folklore is partially presented. According to the material, youth lyric songs were actively performed in this area. Vaiyayurrisem (round songs) resemble ulakh (gathering songs) and accompanied by shutle / tasha takmakesem (humorous songs) and playing songs. Talakh-turat yurrisem (orphan’s songs) resemble kher yerri (bride lamentation), recruit and schen schere kayakansen (migrants’ songs) in terms of the theme. Esch yurrisem (labour songs) are partially presented. There are a lot of peyet (narrative songs) among the songs of the considered districts, which represent life events and emotions of the literary character. There are also a lot of records of eschke-schike yurrisem (feast songs) and its variations: kereke (drinking songs), khana yurrisem (guest songs).