“Ritual” mushrooms in the traditional culture of the Ob Ugrians

Introduction. In the traditional culture of the Ob Ugrians, certain types of mushrooms have received a special mythological “status” that reveals their place in the traditional picture of the world and explains the power of their impact on humans. The purpose of the study is to present the role of mushrooms in folk medicine and ritual practices of the Khanty and Mansi. These interconnected areas have not been sufficiently studied at the moment, which reflects the relevance of the work. Materials and Methods. The article uses the published data and field materials of the author, as well as folklore sources. The study was carried out on the basis of an interdisciplinary and systematic approach using the structural-functional method. Results and Discussion. In the treatment and cleansing rituals of the Khanty and Mansi, the use of birch tinder fungi has become widespread. Their healing properties have been known since antiquity, since image of the Tree of Life was associated with this tree. Another representative of the mushroom kingdom, the fly agaric, was used sporadically, primarily as a hallucinogenic agent used in ritual practices. The properties of this mushroom allow researchers to make an ambiguous conclusion that the secret of soma, the drink of the gods, lies in the portion made from the fly agaric. Conclusion. Changes in living conditions led to the gradual disappearance of the traditions of folk medicine and ritual practices of the Ob Ugrians, which significantly complicates their study at the present period.

The Ancient Varieties of Mountain Maize: The Inheritance of the Pointed Character and Its Effect on the Natural Drying Process

The introduction of mechanized agricultural practices after the Second World War and the use of productive hybrids led to a gradual disappearance of local maize varieties. However, 13 landraces are still cultivated in North-Western Italy, in the Lombardy region; those that are cultivated in mountainous areas (roughly up to 1200 m in altitude) are often characterized by the pointed shape of their seeds (i.e., “Nero Spinoso”, “Rostrato Rosso di Rovetta”, “Spinato di Gandino” and “Scagliolo di Carenno”) and the presence of pigments (i.e., “Nero Spinoso”, “Rostrato Rosso di Rovetta”). The pointed shape of the seeds is an ancient characteristic of maize-ancestors, which negatively affects the yield by not allowing optimal “filling” of the ear. This study reports work on four different Italian varieties of pointed maize in order to assess the genetic bases of the “pointed character” and to try to explain the reasons for this adaptation to the mountain environment. The data obtained by genetic analysis, seed air-drying modeling and thermographic camera observations demonstrated that the “pointed trait” is controlled by the same genes across the different varieties studied and suggested that this peculiar shape has been selected in mountainous areas because it promotes faster drying of the seed, with the presence of pigments implementing this effect.

Impact of rural tourism on residents’ well-being in traditional ancient villages: a case of North Guangxi

The impact of tourism on traditional Chinese villages is a topical issue; there are enough studies on this subject showing different views of the researchers. The recent trend towards cultural mutation and gradual disappearance of ancient traditions in rural areas is evident in developing countries. The study aims to examine the impact of rural tourism development on Chinese villagers’ welfare. The research data were collected in 2010 and 2020 by a survey method. Since the survey relies heavily on respondents’ perceptions, the survey results are somewhat subjective. However, the pretest–posttest study design partially solved this problem. Statistical processing was performed using the Student’s t-test; all data sets were checked for the normality of the distribution. The study concluded that there has been a significant socio-economic improvement in rural areas in the last decade (expansion of population’s purchasing power, enrichment of the cultural sphere), but despite this there is a tendency of migration from the villages to the cities, which is explained by gaps in regional policy.

DEVELOPMENT OF ALGORITHMIC THINKING AND SOFT SKILLS BY PROGRAMMING OF SCHOOL ROBOT

The gradual disappearance of traditional professions and the introduction of new ones determines the need for digitally competent people. In a time of digitalization, digital skills are not just a necessity for people working with hardware and software but for others too. Digitalization has entered all аspects of our lives – art, science, medicine, education, etc. This makes the possession of digital skills a mandatory factor for the successful realization of the individual. The article presents the results of a pedagogical survey conducted among students in primary school. The focus of this material is on the forming an algorithmic thinking and soft skills in children aged 9–10 years.

ETHNOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF DEPOPULATION OF MOUNTAIN TERRITORIES: DAGESTAN AND NORTH OSSETIA

Unlike the transboundary regions of Mountain ecosystems in Europe (Alps) with high population density and the integration of the rural economy into the regional and World markets, most of the Mountainous regions of the Russian Federation are characterized by the stability of traditional forms of nature management and life support, which determine, on the one hand, natural (or "old") distinctiveness of the economy of rural enclaves and, on the other hand, the preservation of social institutions based on family and relative ties, the solidarity of fellow villagers, on the cohesion of the rural community and the viability of traditional culture and ethnic identification. Regarding the general trends and consequences of the migration of inhabitants of Mountainous regions of Dagestan and North Ossetia to the lowland, it can be concluded that the prospects of ethnocultural dynamics in these republics are determined not only by the factors of urbanization, the growth of the absolute number and proportion of the population of predominantly Russian-speaking lowland urban and rural settlements and by the functional stagnation of local languages, but also by the demographic depression, depopulation of Mountainous territories, the gradual disappearance of Mountain villages, which can be considered almost the only mono-ethnic enclaves and social environments that ensure the reproduction of ethnolinguistic and ethnocultural identity in generations. In this regard, the importance of regional and federal social policy courses aimed at sustainable socio-economic and environmental development of Mountainous territories, preserving their demographic potential and ethnocultural particularities is emphasized.

Ecosystem Changes in Shola Forest-Grassland Mosaic of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR)

The Shola grasslands are tropical montane forests found in the high altitudes of Western Ghats separated by rolling grasslands. These unique ecosystems act as the home for many of the floral and faunal endemic species and also serve as the water reservoir for the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The grassland let the rainwater to flow through the sholas into the stream and provide water to the region throughout the year. The region once covered with tropical montane forest and grassland was transformed into a land of plantation over the centuries. As the grasslands are easy to clear off, tea estates, coffee estates and timber plantations were established by the British and later by the Indian forest department to satisfy the various need of the growing economy. Majority of this region are being replaced by the invasive tree species and agricultural plantations. This led to the loss of major proportion of the shola forest and grassland. Many developmental works have been carried out in the region and these developmental activities results in the gradual disappearance of the ecosystem. These ecosystem need to be conserved and hence, identifying the knowledge gap and application of current state of knowledge is necessary.

The failed amnesty of the ‘years of lead’ in Italy: Continuity and transformations between (de)politicization and punitiveness

The ‘years of lead’ commonly refer in Italy to the decade of the 1970s, characterized by widespread conflictuality, the use of violence for political aims and harsh state repression of political activism. Political violence has been primarily handled with both normal and exceptional means of criminal justice, yet debates on amnesty and reconciliation have been recurrent over the years. This article traces the history of the debates on amnesty and pardon for politically motivated offences to show how they have been shaped by changing national and international contexts. On the one hand, the ‘failed amnesty’ reflects the long-lasting repressive approach adopted by the Italian state to address the question of the political violence in the 1970s and the reluctance to acknowledge its collective and political character. On the other hand, this article argues that, beyond the apparent continuity of a punitive approach, the gradual disappearance of amnesty from political debates in the 1990s–2000s is symptomatic of a more paradigmatic shift resulting from the combination of different factors and trends, such as the transformation of the Italian political landscape in the early 1990s, the emergence and affirmation of a new punitive discourse, as well as the increasing delegitimation of amnesties in transitional settings. Thus, through a specific case-study, this article draws links between criminal justice and penal trends, political transformations and developments in transitional justice, and consequently intends to contribute to the discussion of the concept of punitiveness and the effects of the expanding international criminal law on the treatment of politically motivated offences.

Self-Devotion as a Cultural Value in the Consciousness of Young Russians

The article reflects the dynamics of key values of the Russian linguocultural community. The research presents a comprehensive analysis of the data of a psycholinguistic experiment aimed at explicating the real content of the value of self-devotion marked by precedent names. Actual content modeling of the value of self-devotion was carried out with the help of semantic gestalt method and then compared with the semantic gestalt constructed in compliance with dictionary data.The research suggested that the minds of young people possess that meaning of self-devotion stands that contrasts the traditional one. According to the majority of respondents, self-devotion is not considered a moral law, moreover, a significant part of participants (25%) defines such an action as stupidity.The change in the list of precedent names that personify this value in the linguistic consciousness of a modern person was experimentally proven. It was revealed that one of the main factors determined by changes in the cultural code are history textbooks used today in the educational process. In the course of psycholinguistic text analysis of these textbooks, it was proved that they do not meet the main criteria that enable a directed transmission of cultural meanings. As a result, there is a gradual disappearance of precedent names traditional for culture, and there is also a tendency of including the values of Western culture into the content of the cognitive base of the Russian linguocultural community.

Edible insects in the Adamawa and eastern regions of Cameroon: collection, processing and consumption

The exploitation of non-timber forest products including edible insects plays an important role in the food habits of the Cameroon population and in particular those of the Adamawa and eastern regions. Although the consumption of insects in these areas is an ancient practice, there is a dearth of information concerning their diversity, availability and their modes of consumption. In order to develop the potential of insects as food and feed, a descriptive survey was carried out with 584 people in nine divisions of the two regions, to collect quantitative and qualitative information on their knowledge and different uses of insects. Thirty-one regularly consumed insect species belonging to the order of Isoptera (19.35%), Orthoptera (19.35%), Lepidoptera (54.90%) and Coleoptera (6.45%) were recorded. Inadequate harvesting practices such as slash-and-burn agriculture, destruction of termite mounds, logging and cutting down host trees when capturing caterpillars were recognised as the main causes of the scarcity of insects currently observed in these regions. The consumption of insects depends on religion and ethnic. It is a taboo among Muslims. Apart from 1.11% of insects consumed raw, boiling (15.74%), sun drying (17.79%), frying (29.95%), grilling (28.88%), roasting on coals (6.53%) are the different culinary treatments commonly used by women who constitute the main actors (75%) in this sector. This diversity of edible insects in these areas could be a potential to develop in the fight against malnutrition, but the harvesting techniques applied contribute to their gradual disappearance.

New Value to Wool: Innovative Garments for Preservation of Sheep Landraces in Italy

In Basilicata, southern Italy, a sheep landrace jeopardized of extinction is Gentile di Puglia due to low production levels, low market values of milk and meat, and replacement of wool with synthetic fibers. Due to these dynamics farmers progressively resort to intensive breeding systems, hence causing the gradual disappearance of the ovine sector, the withering of traditional breeding culture and the abandonment of internal and marginal territories. However, in changing climate, traditional agriculture is getting increased attention worldwide by the consumers who are embracing emerging sustainable food production. Thus, in the light of a possible conservation strategy, the study investigates the prospective market for a garment (pullover) produced with wool from Gentile di Puglia, and woven through traditional techniques. An integrated methodological approach based on choice experiments and Bass diffusion model was carried out in order to analyze the consumers’ preferences, the penetration market of this innovative product and the new wool value for farmers. The results pointed out a potential demand focused on women aged 50 years and more and a recognized wool value to farmers of 55 € animal−1 (22 € kg−1). This new revenue could allow the reduction of the difference in gross margin between the Gentile di Puglia and the non-autochthonous intensively-farmed Comisana from 57% to 3%. The production of further wool garments for a wider demand could increase the economic sustainability of Gentile di Puglia, making it even more preferable than other highly productive breeds.