Kalmyk wedding. Material and spiritual culture of the Kalmyk ethnos How is the Kalmyk wedding with the bride

At the appointed time, guests gather in the foyer. A car with young people pulls up to the front door. The signal to start sounds - Fanfares. Lead exit.

Leading: Mendvt, kundtya urmud! Good evening, dear guests and invitees! Today, the Ozaev family cordially invites all of you to the wedding of Konstantin and Yulia, so that, according to the established good tradition, in a warm and friendly circle of people close and dear to them, to celebrate this unforgettable event! Dear guests! We invite everyone to rise and meet the bride and groom with applause!

Then the "Wedding March" by F. Mendelssohn sounds.
Spouses, accompanied by a responsible person, go to the entrance. Relatives of the young, guests, a support group are standing at the door. They form a solemn corridor for the young. At the entrance, two people fire crackers, showering confetti on the young, and in front of the passage, the young are met by children carrying baskets or bags of rose petals in their hands and showering them on the floor. Participants of the corridor shower young people with rice and coins (it symbolizes wealth and prosperity). At this time, the leader begins to read poetry.

Leading(per pass) :

By tradition, we throw grain under our feet,

so that it sprouts with health and happiness.

We throw copper coins under our feet,

never to be poor.

We throw the petals of the most beautiful of roses,

so that you do not know neither grief nor tears!

Presenter: Dear friends! Let's rejoice together at the birth of a new family, the Ozaev family, and this happy moment must be captured on video and photo for the family archive!

Applause. Support group and newlyweds are photographed. After taking pictures, the young people pass and take their places at the festive table.

Leading: Here they are the heroes of the occasion: Konstantin and Julia! Even their names mean very poetically. There are many coincidences in their horoscopes: this is warmth, compassion, respect for the people around them and a special affection for their loved ones. Konstantin is a bright personality with a mysterious power. Self-confident, reliable stronghold of the family. Julia is characterized by a sharp mind, creativity, a great sense of humor, observation and resourcefulness. Very good, friendly hostess. So that the bride with such a symbolic name, entering the house, will bring her special atmosphere of Kindness, Warmth and Reliability of the home rear into the new family! And the magical Melody of love will decorate your relationship and strengthen them even stronger! Let's greet our young ones again - Konstantin and Yulia!

Leading: According to the established good tradition, the right to be the first to congratulate the newly created family, the first to say a parting word to the young, is given to the oldest and most respected representatives of the family. The word for congratulations is given to the uncle of the groom Ozaev Valery Zergentievich and his wife Nadezhda Vasilievna!

Congratulations to the young.

Leading: Friends! This is the older generation of relatives and friends of Konstantin, and for their wise parting words, we offer to raise our glasses! The host invites all those present and guests to raise their glasses for a toast by V. Ozaev.

Leading: And we,
dear guests, we continue to congratulate the newlyweds, we continue to dignify the newlyweds, give them kind words, present gifts, and shout the traditional “Hashun - bitter!” to them.

Leading: The older generation in every family is care, comfort and security! And the love, life experience and wisdom of the elders in the family is another, the most important best support for a young family. The floor is given to the family of Konstantin's elder sister - Baira and her husband Vladimir !

Congratulations to the young. At the end, the leader should begin the ceremony of handing over the candle - a symbol of the family hearth.

Leading: Baira and Vladimir, for your words of good parting, it is worth raising a glass!

Leading: Dear guests! Unfortunately, today, Konstantin's closest and dearest people, his parents Polina Konstantinovna and Pavel Zergentievich, who lived together in love and harmony for more than 30 years, are not with us. But the family hearth continues to be supported by his older sister Baira, and therefore it is time for her, today, to pass the baton to the young from her good family hearth. Konstantin and Julia, light this candle and boldly make a wish. Try to keep the fire in your family, protect it and never forget about it!

To the melody of Arkady Mandzhiev "Green Tara" Baira and Volodya pass a candle. Young people light a candle.
It is desirable that the candle be thick, capable of burning for many hours, and spare candles should be placed next to it so that the fire on the table in front of the newlyweds does not go out throughout the entire wedding.

Leading: Here another family hearth is lit. Dear newlyweds! It has long been customary that a woman has always been the keeper of the hearth. Pay attention, young people, that the fire of a candle is alive and beautiful, like love itself, but it goes out easily. And in order to keep it for many years, you need to protect the light from drafts of resentment and rain of tears in time! By saving the fire, you will save your love! So let the fire of your love burn forever!

Leading: Friends! Let's raise a glass to our parents.

The host invites all guests and invitees, standing to support, a toast to the parents.

Leading: We propose to raise the congratulations

for those who raised this glorious couple.

Who in life knew neither sleep nor peace.

for those who saved great happiness for them!

And I will perform Polina Konstantinovna's favorite song "Gurvn almn".

Concert number.

Guest speech plan:

Leading: And now we give the floor from the older generation of the Valetov family, relatives of the groom's mother. Uncle moms are invited to congratulate the young VALETOV VASILY OCHIROVICH with his wife and his sister ELIZAVETA OCHIROVNA MANDZHIEVA.

Congratulations to the young.

Leading: the floor is given to my mother's uncle VYACHESLAV OCHIROVICH MANDZHIEV and his wife SVETLANA TIMOFEEVNA, the VASILYEV family.

Congratulations to the young.

Leading: On our impromptu stage are invited the Ozaev family's eaglets: GORIAEV, OCHELAEV, MANDZHIEV (Tsagan Aman village).

Congratulations to the young

Leading: The baton of holiday greetings is taken over by the nagtsnr Konstantin, the families: VALETOVS, SAMTANOVS, LOGAYEVS.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Dear friends, I would like to precede the next congratulations with a small digression - wedding events today began, as you understand, from the very early morning, one might say, from dawn. The relatives and friends of our bride Yulia met this wonderful day in pleasant chores in the distant, but now so close, village of Achinery.

Leading: Let's greet the guests of honor of our celebration - the Khudnr, who are headed by the most respected person in the bride's family ________________!

You have the floor, hudnr!

Leading: Konstantin and Julia, please accept congratulations and wishes of love and peace, harmony and well-being in your family on behalf of the bride's relatives and friends! And now there will be a gift for the matchmakers “Hud sheep dun”.

Concert number.

Leading: As they say, a tree is strong with branches, and a person with roots. Our fiancé Konstantin is rich not only in his roots, his ancestors, but also in his family and friends. We invite relatives of the pope: the families of the MANDZHIEVS, UTNASUNOVS, GUCHINOVS.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: And now the floor is given to a large group representing the closest circle of relatives, whom we have divided into subgroups, cousins ​​of the groom's mother. For congratulations, I invite the families: NAKTANOV, BOBRITSKII, DORJIEV, UBUSHAEV.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: The floor is given to cousins ​​and sisters of the groom's mother, families: MANDZHIEVS, SANJI-GORYAEVS, BASANGOVS from the village of KRASINSKOE.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: The floor is given to the cousins ​​of the groom's mother, families: ERDNI-GORYAEV, NIDZHIEV, MANDZHIEV, KAIBALDIEV, SARSENGALIEV, BADNAEV, SHOVGUROV.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: And we continue our festive celebration! The word is given to the SWAT of the Ozaev family. I invite aunt TAYA UBUSHAEVA, aunt POLINA MANDZHIEVA.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: I invite matchmakers to our stage - the families of the UBUSHIEVS, BASSANGOVS

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Friends! Let's join in the congratulations! Happiness and love to you, young people! Consent and family well-being! Let your house of failure and problems pass by! Keep always together, go through life together and happily, to the delight of family and friends!

Leading: We continue our congratulations: “GOLDEN YOUTH” – Konstantin's cousins ​​– is invited to the microphone.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: And now the floor is given to MOTHER'S COLLEAGUES - MEAT MARKET TEAM

Congratulations to the young

Leading: And we continue our festive celebration! The floor for congratulations is given to the SISTER'S COLLEAGUES - THE TEAM OF THE INTERDISTRICT IFTS No. 3 FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA (TAX INSPECTION).

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Who is even closer to relatives is next to us, to whom we can turn without leaving our own street. Of course, these are our beloved neighbors! Word to NEIGHBOR Ozaevs.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Let's support our guests! Their congratulations are very similar to real astrological forecasts! It remains to be added that a new family was born today on the festive evening! And the location of the stars promise her wisdom, artistry, balance and high fertility! Let's drink to the success of the newborn family! ( Toast).

Leading: And I invite FRIENDS OF THE Ozaev FAMILY to our impromptu stage. Greet the BOSHEV family with thunderous applause.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Family friend ”- such a title, you still need to earn it.

You gave us a dozen reasons to cherish this friendship.

Leading: And we pass our baton of congratulations to MOTHER'S CLASSONS.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: The word for congratulations is given to the TEACHERS AND PARENTS of Konstantin's classmates.

Congratulations to the young

Leading: Dear guests, Take a seat and hello,

Watch and participate

You don't have to be discouraged

We will present the class!

Our wedding marathon is being continued by KONSTANTIN'S CLASSONS AND FRIENDS!

The host announces a dance marathon. Dance melodies and songs sound.

Leading:
Take a look, dear guests, in what color clothes did you come to the wedding celebration. Who came in clothes of red color? These people are joyful, beautiful, independent, they appreciate the fullness of life. Always ready for love, in a sense, for a great feeling. They prefer to spend holidays and vacations in the south. Who is in clothes white? Often naive, honest people, with a spotless reputation, kind and decent. They prefer to rest among the snowy plains and polar bears. ( About the snow-white dress of the bride!).
Black color clothing suggests that we have talented people who are able to bewitch absolutely everyone. They love black caviar and black coffee. Sexually attractive, prolific in everything! They like to relax in the country house of countless people in love with them. Cloth of blue color guarantees their owners a noble origin, romance. These are faithful, glorious people, they literally worry about everything and everyone. They love to relax everywhere, just to fly by plane or sail on a ship. Green color The dress says that these are people overwhelmed with hope and dream. Always fresh and attractive. For recreation, they prefer the steppe expanses. Who came in clothes yellow color? These people are pleasant, warm, romantic, but… difficult. From jewelry prefer gold. They like to relax on the Golden Sands. They like to listen to “Golden Ring”, they like to be called “Golden Ring” (This applies to guests!).

Dear guests, all this is a joke, but as they say in every joke, share ... jokes!! And as a result of the joke, we became a little closer and more understandable to each other, at least in terms of colors!

XYRM - Kalmyk wedding In the old days, time passed measuredly, unhurriedly, and therefore they prepared for the wedding in detail, without haste. Today everything has changed, and customs are changing with it. If in the old days, matchmaking was traditionally carried out in three visits, now they are getting married only once. It is advisable to do this on the day indicated by the gelung (Lama), he also indicates the day when you can play the wedding. Matchmakers are usually appointed by the groom's parents and three relatives, two from the father's side, one from the mother's side. Before the road, matchmakers should drink Kalmyk tea at home and listen to good wishes with an order to successfully negotiate a future wedding. It is good if a lamp is lit in the house on such an occasion. According to custom, they go to woo not empty-handed, traditional gifts are prepared for this occasion: a box of vodka, lamb meat, 10-15 cakes (tsevg), sweets, cookies. In addition, one or two bottles of vodka should be given to the matchmakers, intended for acquaintance, a solemn event. In the bride's house, guests are invited to the table, where refreshments have already been prepared. Then the groom's father opens his bottle of vodka and explains what they came with: “I suppose you have already guessed for what purpose we came to you today. The fact is that our son (mu kovun) and your daughter (mu kuukn) decided to get married. This is a very serious decision: to start a new family. And our task is to help them bring this decision to life. I want to hope that you will agree with us and accept our gifts, and I hope that you will not reject our offer. And since we crossed the threshold of your house for the first time, I also want to wish that your house be a fortress in the name of happiness. And the well-being of your family. Long live you and raise your children in happiness and joy. The speech has been delivered. The gifts of the matchmakers are laid out on the table, the elders are the first to bring treats. And on this occasion they say yoryal: Kundtya hudnr! Keza chign iigҗ Ken neggәn medltsҗ Amn үgәn kelltsҗ Amr-tavar bәәҗ Tatҗ tasrshgo elgn-sadn bolҗ Neg-negndәn tүshg bolҗ Nәr-naadan keҗ Amrch, җirһҗ bәәtskhәy! Further, at the table, issues are resolved for which the matchmakers actually came: about the wedding day; about the number of people accompanying the wedding train; what colors of threads should be present in ҩлгц; about the ransom for the bride, in particular, about the refreshment; about dowry; about gifts (omskul) for matchmakers; about the pillow. Finally, all issues are settled, guests are served freshly brewed tea, which is called omskulin tsya, because at the same time guests are given omskul - gifts: shirts for men, a cut for a dress or a scarf for women. Separately, gifts are placed in the matchmaker's bag. And the guests go home. The wedding is also celebrated on the same day. In the morning they go (an odd number of people: 9 or 11) for the bride, in the afternoon they bring her to the groom's house, the matchmakers from the bride's side are escorted home before dusk. They leave for the bride in the morning, the eldest among the matchmakers should be a man, two women should go with him, the groom with a friend, male relatives. Departure from the house of the groom's parents should be according to the movement of the sun. As gifts, matchmakers take with them: vodka (in the amount agreed upon during the matchmaking), lamb meat, live sheep, tea (brewing), butter, sweets (sweets, cookies). Treats for daughters-in-law should be in a separate bag. The gifts are brought into the bride's house in the following order: first, a bag with gifts for the daughters-in-law (beryachudt), followed by tea with butter, and then everything else. By the way, among the gifts there must certainly be a ram's head intended for sacrifice. When the gifts are brought into the house, that is, they are favorably received by the bride's relatives, matchmakers from the groom's side enter the house. They are obliged to observe the following ritual: upon entering the house, they must rinse their mouth, pray to God, and only after that sit down at the table. At the same time, a certain ritual is again observed: the senior matchmaker sits first, an older woman follows him, a young woman follows her, and only after them do the rest. You need to sit in the direction of the sun. First of all, tea is brought to the matchmakers. And although it is clear to everyone and without words why the guests arrived, but, according to custom, the eldest of the matchmakers gets up and makes a speech in which he explains the reason for the arrival, and then he says yoryal. During the yoryal, young people put money on the table for arranging. Then the guests begin to be treated, while the owners first pour their vodka, and only then open the bags with the gifts from the groom's relatives, first of all they take the deeҗ from there, after which they put the gifts on the table. The meat brought by the matchmakers is put to boil, dismembered by the joints with a knife. This meat is treated to grandchildren and nephews from the mother's side. Guests at the bride's house do not stay too long, because the wedding train is waiting at the groom's house, and in the evening all wedding participants have to go to a restaurant or cafe for a celebration. Therefore, after a short time, the guests start a song: “Orsn boran giidg, irsn giich moordg” (If it rains, then time will pass and it will stop; If the wind blows, then the time will come when it subsides; If the guests are in the house, then it’s time for them and honor to know. ..) The meaning of the song is clear to everyone: it's time to see off the bride, because the bride is supposed to be brought into the groom's house before dinner, in extreme cases, at lunch. Guests are poured vodka into glasses, and while they are saying a farewell toast, they are presented with gifts from the bride's relatives. In turn, the hosts pronounce yoryal with a wish for the guests of the white road and happiness. But before heading back, the senior matchmaker must touch the bride's dowry with his hand and put money. Only after that dowry begin to take out and load on the car. The bride's relatives, according to tradition, should touch the guys accompanying the wedding train from the groom's side with their hands. At this time, the bride prays to God in her parents' house, then they put a scarf over her head and take her out of her parents' house. The bride has no right to give this scarf to anyone. The bride should be taken out by a young woman from among the matchmakers. The bride, leaving, should not look back at her parents' house. The bride gets into the groom's car. The bride's relatives chosen to accompany her follow. They drive up to the groom's house all together. If the wedding train moves from afar, say, from another settlement, then the groom's relatives leave to meet them, taking hot tea, vodka, and food with them. If the bride and groom are from the same locality, then they are met in front of the house. They are treated, they say good wishes. Matchmakers must go around the groom's house around, in the course of the sun. First, the bride's dowry is brought into the house, then the bride and groom enter, followed by the persons accompanying them. In the groom's house, guests from the bride's side are now seated in a place of honor. The best food is placed in front of them, they must be treated with all attention and respect. One of the most important and interesting rituals is the ceremony of accepting a bride into her husband's clan (ber mörgulgn) - worship of the young hearth and family of relatives, that is, the husband's ancestors. All his relatives are preparing for the performance of this rite. The young one sits down at the threshold, from the outside. The man who first touched the girl on the eve of taking her out of her parental tent made the young woman bow three times to the burkhans and, with a cry of “burkhnd morgmu”, bow three times to the yellow sun (shar narndan morgmu) - the source of light, warmth, life. The young woman bowed three times and towards the tibia of the sheep (step chimgnd morgmu), laid inside the wagon; these bows symbolized a prayer for granting her a son who would play alchiki. Then the young woman was forced to bow to the hearth (gal gulmatan mörmu) - the symbol of the family and the family hearth, happiness, without which the existence of the family was not conceivable. The same thing was repeated in honor of the spirits of the ancestors (ek-etskin sakusnd mөrgmu) and, finally, bows to the father and mother of the husband followed, while the men accompanying the girl threw pieces of bacon at them from a full bowl, placed in advance at the threshold. After all the ritual bows, those who were near the young woman loudly asked if the groom's parents wanted to accept their bride. Another custom is to gift the groom's mother with wide trousers as a token of gratitude to the womb of the mother who gave birth to a son. Guests from the side of the bride gather home in the evening, see them off, pronounce yoryal, bestow gifts (omskul). It's time for the guests to go home, but before they cross the threshold of the house, the bride's relatives give her a gift. Wedding fun in the groom's house, meanwhile, continues. Finally, the guests dispersed, everyone calmed down. But there are still some rituals to be observed. In the morning, the young daughter-in-law must cook Kalmyk tea and present it to the groom's parents and close relatives. During this ritual, the bride, according to the Kalmyk tradition, is given a new name. Seven days after the wedding, the parents come to visit their daughter, although now this period is not respected, the parents can come either on the same evening or the next day, they are obliged to come with their treat. This is how a new relationship is established. And only after observing all these rituals, the daughter can visit her parents' house with her young husband and his parents. The daughter, having entered her parents' house after marriage, sprinkles white flour on the road in front of her, that is, paves a white road for herself. Daughter's relatives give gifts to daughter, son-in-law, matchmakers. This is how Kalmyk weddings take place today.

In the 18th century, in family and marriage relations, there were remnants of the maternal family, for example, native brides gave her a wagon as a dowry. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries, only echoes of this tradition survived. Native girls prepared as dowries only some accessories for young tents: braid and ropes, which were used to attach koshme coverings to the wooden frame of the tent, as well as chests, carpets, bedding, sets of clothes on some years. Giving a girl in marriage was not only a matter of her parents. All relatives were directly involved in equipping the dowry, each of whom had to invest his share in it.

The marriage took place through courtship. A respected relative of the groom went to the girl's relatives, while the consent of the young people was not asked. They usually didn't see each other until after the wedding. The betrothed girl strictly observed the custom of "avoidance": she was not supposed to show herself to the groom and his relatives before the wedding.
According to the epic "Dzhangar", Kalmyks did not have kalym. But in the Mongol-Oirat laws, a certain norm was established, which was introduced by the groom's relatives, depending on their wealth and social status. In the late XIX - early XX centuries, remnants of this tradition were preserved as a tribute to antiquity. Native brides demanded from the groom's relatives the horse or valuable thing they liked, but often they did not take anything. The girl's relatives gave their son-in-law one or more horses or valuables.

Wedding ceremonies among the Kalmyks were quite complex and were observed consistently and strictly. Before the final consolidation of the marriage agreement, the groom's relatives came to the bride's relatives three times. Having agreed on marriage, the groom's relatives had to visit the girl's parents several more times, bringing gifts and, in turn, receiving gifts from the girl's relatives. The main rite was persimmon - actually a wedding, the day of which was appointed by zurkhachi - a lamaist astrologer. For this important event there were many days of preparations in both families. The bridegroom arrived at persimmons with a group of men, led by an experienced relative, who brought treats for the wedding feast, which began in the bride's hoton. The rituals were accompanied by the removal of the dowry and the separation of the bride from her parents' house.

In the khoton of the groom, the bride was accompanied by relatives, headed by a close relative. Upon arrival, they were met by the groom's relatives, and the ceremony of accepting the bride into the "kind" of her husband was performed: the young woman had to bow to the hearths of all the groom's older relatives, hosts and mistresses. The wedding feast was accompanied by blessings, congratulations and good wishes, singing, dancing to the dombra; the girl's relatives gave valuable gifts to the groom's relatives, and gifts to the youth. In the evening, the women divided the girl's braid into two and put them into shiverligs.

Hello curious readers! Today we have to look into the southeastern corner of the European part of Russia, where Kalmykia lies between the Don and Volga rivers. This is the only country in Europe where they profess. This religion strongly influenced Kalmyk customs and traditions.

We will talk about them.

Historical past

Kalmyks, descendants of the Western Mongolian Oirats, moved to the lower reaches of the Volga in the middle of the 17th century, when they had disagreements with other inhabitants of the Dzungar Khanate.

The Kalmyk Khanate was formed in the new place. Later it was abolished by the Russian sovereigns.

The Kalmyk people had to endure the most difficult misfortunes during their existence as part of the USSR. They lost their autonomy, were deported, as a result of which they lost more than half of their population.

Only by the 1960s were the Kalmyks rehabilitated. Now their state is part of the Russian Federation under the name of the Republic of Kalmykia.

It has two official languages ​​- Russian and Kalmyk.

Kalmyks and lotus

Despite the hardships experienced, the Kalmyks do not lose optimism. Perhaps, following the ancient Buddhist teachings helps them in this.

Kalmykia is the only state in the world that has a lotus on both its coat of arms and its flag. In Kalmyk, it is "badm". And in Sanskrit - "padma", in the Tibetan language - "pad-ma".

The Kalmyk people revere the bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara, who is depicted as carrying this flower. It is to him that they turn their prayer “Om mani padme hum”, which means “Oh, treasure, in the core of a lotus!”

Of the three types of lotus, one, Indian, grows on the banks of the Volga. Further, to the north of this place, you will no longer meet him, and in all of Europe he is found only here. Kalmyks are proud that they can enjoy its flowering in natural conditions.

They believe that their people have received a special right to live near the place of growth of this miracle and have it on their state symbols. A common Kalmyk name is Badma, there are many surnames derived from this root: Badmakhalgaev, Badmaev, Badminov, etc.

Everyday life

Since the Kalmyks were nomads, they also had mobile housing, called a "kibitka" - a kind of insulated with felt. It was cool in summer, warm in winter.

More prosperous nomads lived in the wagons, as they were covered with a fleece felt, and for this it was necessary to have livestock.

Poor Kalmyks could not afford this in everyday life. Their dwellings were called jolum and were built from sheaves of reeds, installed in a circle and tied tightly at the top.

They had no windows and it was dark inside. For insulation, clay was used, with which the jolum was coated inside and out. It was very cold in it, which sometimes even caused the death of the tenants.

By the way, earlier among the Kalmyks it was not customary to bury the dead. They were left in the steppe to be eaten by predators. Now a lama is invited to the funeral, who “points” the way to the departed in the other world.

Symbolic dishes

The most favorite delicacy of the locals are wrestlers. Previously, only the rich could afford them, due to the high cost and inaccessibility of wheat flour.

There are over ten varieties of these cakes, and each type has a deep meaning and purpose.

• in the form of the sun are obligatory for holidays;
• in the form of a donut symbolizes the infinity of the wheel of life - samsara, they certainly eat at the table during the celebration of Zul;
• how a bagel resembles the upper part of a cow and is presented with parting words to increase the number of cattle;
• resembling a part or a whole lamb in shape, they are given so that the owner has more sheep, symbolically represent the ancient slaughter of animals;
• similar to a horse's insides - a whale - symbolize an abundance of food;
• small size - horkha - are presented so that there are more children or livestock;
• shor belg, like bayonets, show determination to defend against enemies;
• shovun, in the form of birds, announce the arrival of spring.

This is not a complete list of such flour products, which, according to the Kalmyks, indicate the interconnection of all life in the world, its cause-dependent origin in accordance with one of the Buddhist provisions.

Major celebrations

Among the main holidays in Kalmyk culture, it is necessary to note Zul, which means "lamp". Initially, it was dedicated to the birth of the Universe, and then it became a national birthday, on which every Kalmyk becomes a year older. The same day symbolizes the onset of the beginning of the next year.

There is a month of the Cow in the local calendar, and this holiday is celebrated on its 25th day. Since the universe came into being because of an explosion, there should be a lot of fire during the celebration. This significant day is also associated with the parinirvana of Tsongkhapa, who founded the Buddhist school.

Another famous holiday is Tsagan Sar. During it, they celebrate the arrival of spring. It lasts a whole month, during which they visit each other, give gifts, and treat them deliciously.

Both in Zul and in Tsagan Sar it is supposed to make an offering to the Burkhans (sculptural figurines of the Buddhas) - deezh, and light a lamp in front of them.

folk ethics

The Kalmyks have an original system of moral and ethical rules, passed down from generation to generation and strictly observed.

Seniors are given respect and honor. They are the first to be let through and supported at the entrance, they help to prepare the horse for the journey, they offer the best food and tea before others.

After moving to a new pasture, the elderly are treated to bless the new place. When the elders are talking, they are not interrupted, they are not interrupted, they listen to their advice, they never raise their voice in their presence.

During the holidays, saying yoryals - good wishes - is also given to those who are older. They also use strong drinks, young people are not allowed to do this.

All the age-old wisdom of the Kalmyk people is collected in his heroic epic called "Dzhangar". He describes the exploits of the heroes who live in the non-existent country of Bumba.

The epic is about a thousand years old, and it has survived to this day thanks to the inhabitants, who knew all his songs by heart and passed them on orally to the next generations.

It is not customary for Kalmyks to praise their wives, but to strengthen the spirit and raise authority, men are everywhere praised. There is even a proverb "Without praise there is no hero."

Family ties

In the old days, the Kalmyks lived in clans - khotons. Each hoton was named after the head of the clan.

It was considered very important to know one's relatives up to the seventh generation. The paternal line has always dominated the house, since the mother came to the family from a different clan.

Until about the fourth generation, relatives were close, and from the fifth to the seventh, they were considered distant. Paternal relatives were not allowed to marry among themselves, since the offspring were born sick in this case, and the family weakened.

wedding sacrament

In a more distant time, matchmaking in Kalmykia took place in three stages:

• met families in the bride's house;
• they wooed with a discussion at the table of the menu of the future wedding, gifts and the composition of the wedding train;
• agreed on the day of the ceremony.

Everything is happening faster these days. Gelung (Buddhist monk) determines one auspicious day for matchmaking and the second for the ceremony itself.

Preparing for the wedding includes interesting rituals. A strand of hair and nails are cut off for the bride so that she does not take the happiness of her family out of the house. The groom prepares the wedding train, which was supposed to consist of an odd number, 9 or 11, of married men.

Before the celebration, it is supposed to wash the hands and rinse the mouth and pray before the burkhan. It does not last long, as the bride must be delivered to the groom's house by lunchtime.

After the feast, the bride puts on a scarf, prays to the Burkhans, drinks milk and leaves her father's house. Her dowry is loaded onto the wedding train, and the young people leave.

Conclusion

Kalmyks are an amazing people who have a rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Its representatives are distinguished by high morality, wisdom and simplicity.

T. I. Sharaeva

"VIEW OF THE GROOM" IN A TRADITIONAL KALMYK WEDDING

(according to literature data)

The work is presented by the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Scientific adviser - Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor N. L. Zhukovskaya

The article deals with the rituals of the bridegroom's bridegroom, which in the XIX - early XX centuries. in the structure of the Kalmyk wedding were an independent stage. Reconstruction of the rites and rituals of the groom's show according to literary

Based on the available data, it is possible to assert the matrilocal nature of marital relations in the past among the Kalmyks.

Key words: groom, rituals, Kalmyks, reconstruction.

"VIEWING OF THE GROOM" IN THE KALMYK WEDDING STRUCTURE

(based on literary data)

The article covers the ceremonies of viewing of the groom, which were an independent stage in the Kalmyk wedding structure in the 19th - early 2nd centuries. Reconstruction of the ceremonies and rituals according to the literary data makes it possible to speak about the matrilocal character of marriage relations among the Kalmyks in the past.

Key words: groom, ceremonies, Kalmyks, reconstruction.

A traditional wedding is a complex set of customs and rituals that incorporate the worldview, social, legal norms and aesthetic ideas of the people. In the wedding cycle of the Kalmyks, researchers distinguish three main stages: pre-wedding, the actual wedding and post-wedding. Over the past century, the structure of Kalmyk wedding rituals has undergone significant changes caused by the transition from a nomadic to a settled way of life, the influence of the culture of neighboring peoples, as well as the consequences of being in a foreign ethnic environment and under strict supervision during the period of illegal deportation of Kalmyks to the eastern regions of the country (1943-1957). BC), etc. From the structure of the Kalmyk wedding, many stages completely disappeared, due in the past to the specifics of nomadic life, the traditional worldview, the form of marriage, for example, the bridegroom's bride.

The description of the wedding stage of the groom's show in the Kalmyk studies literature is fragmentary. Therefore, the purpose of this article is an attempt to generalize and reconstruct the full cycle of rituals of the groom's show, as well as to study the functions and roles of the participants and the semantic significant moments of the stage in the traditional Kalmyk wedding rituals.

In modern rituals, a “test” of the economic abilities and personal qualities of the groom (bride) is carried out during the wedding itself, although in the past the bride

niha (kyurg uzyulgn) represented an independent stage of the pre-wedding cycle, along with the bride’s bride (khadmud hya-yalgn), preliminary agreement, matchmaking (gurvn borkh), cutting and sewing of bedding and clothes (khuld ishklgn / ed ishklgn).

Groom's bridegroom (kyurg uzyullgn) in the late 19th - early 20th century. represented the fourth visit of the pre-wedding cycle, while it was carried out by representatives of two sub-ethnic groups of Kalmyks (Torguts and Derbets), and in the culture of the third sub-ethnos - Khoshuts - there was no ceremony of watching as an independent cycle, since the entire wedding cycle took place on the side of the bride. Various names for this stage (the bridegroom’s bridegroom kyurg uzyulgn or “kurgen zaligan” (lit. show of the groom); “four borkhi” - according to the number of vessels of alcohol brought with him; sending mutton höyonya mah egelgen - the groom had to carry a whole carcass of a ram, “ kurg kurgh" (lit. to bring, deliver the groom)), reflect the main action - showing the groom to the bride's family and introducing him to the bride's family. In this article, the general term "bride groom" will be used.

The special stage of the bridegroom's show was regulated by traditional settings that determined the composition of the participants, the exchange of gifts, etc. The groom himself came to the show with a large group of relatives and

friends numbering "at least four, but always more and even several dozen" . For representatives of the subethnic group of the Torguts, the groom was accompanied by his mother or daughter-in-law ber (the wife of his brother or uncle). The guest “train” of the groom was headed by the eldest of the groom’s close relatives (akhlachi), most often the father’s brother (avga), who had the gift of eloquence, ingenuity, and was well aware of traditional rituals and folklore. The time and day of the train departure was determined by an astrologer (zurkhachi).

The amount of treats brought by the groom depended on the material condition of his family. In addition to the obligatory four leather vessels of borkh with milk vodka, the participants of the visit brought a certain amount of alcohol to treat all the guests, their number varied among different sub-ethnic groups of Kalmyks. According to tradition, the groom and his retinue also brought boiled meat of several rams, “... drying, sweets, gingerbread, grape wine”, sour-milk drink Tsagan Idyan, in addition, “. one board of Kalmyk tea, a white handkerchief (with a silver coin tied in it). Wealthy families brought a well-fed horse to be slaughtered upon arrival for a treat. A groom from a wealthy family brought a horse to his bride as a gift, brought expensive items of national clothing (fur coats, robes), as well as money; poor Kalmyks were limited to simple gifts in the form of clothes and pieces of cloth.

Before appearing in the settlement (ho-ton) of the bride, they sent a messenger with a notification of arrival. The approach to the wagon of the bride's parents was carried out in the direction of the sun (zev ergyad - literally turning right) in the following order: two or three horsemen led by the elder rode ahead, bringing the tergn with gifts and refreshments, then the rest of the riders. According to I. Bentkovsky, “the guests were met by all the men of the khoton, from young to old, only the owner with the most honored guests who had gathered for a feast, and the women did not go out

to a meeting - etiquette does not allow this. The custom of meeting all guests with all the male relatives of the bride is also confirmed by other ethnographers.

The entry of guests into the tent of the bride's parents was preceded by a mandatory check of all the gifts brought, "and special attention is paid to ensuring that the boiled ram contains all the edible parts: the lack of one of them can cause a refusal or a delay" . According to etiquette, they entered the kibitka according to seniority and according to the order approved by traditions: the head of the delegation (akhlachi) and the youngest participant who brought in the fermented milk product (tsagan idyan) were the first to enter, then the rest of the delegation members. The groom was the last to enter. Men sat in the right, male part of the wagon, and women in the left. The arriving guests themselves (except for the groom and the head of the akhlachi train) brought in the brought treats and alcohol, which they left in the left ("female") part of the wagon. The specified ritual of receiving the groom with his delegation in modern wedding rituals is performed, as a rule, during the arrival of the wedding cortege for the bride. The groom had to perform an obligatory ritual of offering his sacred tribal markers in the form of threads (ribbons) of a certain amount and color and a piece of white fabric to the family patrons of the bride's clan. The symbolism of communion is typical for the ritual of feeding all participants with a fermented milk product (tsagan idyan) brought by the groom before the general meal. The movement of the bowl with a drink was certainly carried out in the direction of the sun.

During the ritual meal, the rules of table etiquette were strictly observed: first, freshly brewed milk tea was always served, then alcohol and meat brought by guests, after which the hosts displayed their alcohol and refreshments. In both cases, a small part stood out - the first of all types of treats as an offering to the spirits of ancestors (deeji) and the family hearth; mandatory sprinkling (tsatsal) was made with alcohol. This is the order

The wedding meal has largely survived to the present day. Traditionally among Kalmyks, after sprinkling, the first portion of alcohol is poured according to seniority by young people from the side of the owners. However, I. Bentkovsky, the only one of the researchers who at the end of the 19th century. fixed a completely different version of table etiquette. So, the groom personally brought the first portion of alcohol to the future father-in-law, who, after sprinkling, said good wishes and drank. Then, observing seniority, the groom treated all relatives and guests from the side of the bride. After that, tea and other refreshments were served, i.e., the actual ritual meal began. At the beginning of the XX century. at the bridegroom's bridegroom, the ritual "hosh erya-hyu" was performed in a special wagon, which the guests brought with them and installed in the bride's hoton. After the official reception, the guests left the tent and settled in it. As U. Dushan noted, “... after some time, several people came to the guests with brewed Kalmyk tea and alcoholic drinks. This arrival from the side of the bride to the guests is called "hosh eryakhu" - "to pronounce good wishes to the guests' premises." Guests, together with those who came, drink everything brought. At this time, the owners invite all their relatives and friends and treat them.

In the future, guests and participants of the show were conditionally divided into two age groups, which were accommodated in different tents: young people feasted in one, and representatives of the older generation in the other. The feast at the groom's bride with plentiful refreshments and dancing lasted several days. On the first day, the groom and his friends had to constantly stay in the wagon with the guests and the bride's parents, smoke and bring pipes to them, treat the guests with strict observance of all the rules of traditional etiquette. The groom tried to strictly observe etiquette, behaved sedately, modestly, refrained from drinking. The location of the groom during the show is indicated differently in the sources: with the youth, together with the bride's relatives in the kibitka of her parents, near the future father-in-law in the honorary part of the kibitka. Finding a fiancé with young people can be seen as joining the same age group. According to traditional etiquette, being with the bride's family, he sits at the doorstep. Here, his role as a participant is veiled, he undergoes a kind of initiation, as he fulfills all the requirements and sits in a place of honor. The location of the groom next to the father-in-law emphasizes his high status as a participant in the show. This can be explained by the fact that he joins as a new member of the family and already receives the status of a close relative, here the emphasis is on establishing and recognizing kinship.

Throughout the feast, the native brides tried to determine the personal qualities of the groom: his ingenuity, dexterity, skill and knowledge on various issues of economic activity. In some cases, to test the groom's economic abilities, the bride's relatives instructed him to slaughter and butcher a sheep. If it was impossible for the groom to butcher the sheep, the participation of his friends was allowed on his own. One of the elderly relatives of the bride gave the groom a boiled lamb leg (shiir), an indispensable attribute of the “ze bjarlgn” ritual. The groom had to cut the meat from it, finely chop it and serve it to the old people. By how finely and quickly the groom cuts the meat, not only the economic abilities of the groom, but also the future life of the young family were evaluated. The sign meant that they would be large and wealthy. In the wedding rituals of the Kalmyks, the presentation of a leg of lamb to the bridegroom on the bride indicates the preserved features of the institution of the avankulata. The term "ze" among the Kalmyks is called maternal nephews. Among the Kalmyks, the mother's clan takes an active position, almost on a par with the paternal clan. Maternal kinship in na-khtshnr is considered especially close. The Kalmyks had a strict ban on marriage with paternal relatives up to the 7th-9th generation. More often chose brides from distant

Khotons or other sub-ethnic group. Preference in choosing a bride for marriage was given to relatives on the mother's side. Such a marriage was even encouraged and considered the most desirable and durable. On this occasion, the Kalmyks have a proverb: "A man who marries a relative on his mother's side will be happy all his life." Mother's brother Nakhkh acted as the "second" head during the ceremonies of the wedding complex. The duties of the mother's brother of the Nagz included constant financial assistance to nephews, the allocation of a share of livestock, etc.

At the request of the bride's relatives, the groom performed solo dances, which were designed to show his skill and dexterity of the groom, the plasticity of his body, his lack of physical disabilities, sang or played the dombra, which was also a test of his personal qualities, while he did not have the right to refuse the actions required of him. The merits and demerits of the groom were also judged by the companions accompanying him. Characteristic for such cases is the dance “Khavchur” performed by two young men (lit. vise, clamp), which consisted of a complex of sports and acrobatic techniques that required great strength and dexterity. So, “... one stood on the shoulders of the other at full height or sat on his shoulders, hanging his legs over his chest. In another figure of the dance "Khavchur", the most dexterous young man wrapped his legs around the waist of his comrade, after which, approaching the elder matchmaker "akhlachi", he took the pipe, the pouch from him and, hanging head down, stuffed the pipe with tobacco, lit it and then returned it to the owner » . The performance of this dance by the groom was especially praised. In modern Kalmyk wedding rituals, the groom must perform a solo dance during the wedding itself.

The interest of all the participants of the show was caused by songs accompanied by an offering (sengin dong), which were performed by the participants of the show from both sides, “in order to publicly express the deepest respect to someone and testify to their gratitude.

ness and special location ". The choice of the song was given to the singers. Having finished singing the song, the performer offered the cup to the person to whom the song was intended. The addressee drank the drink, said good wishes and returned the bowl, putting money in it. If the groom performed the song with the offering, then this was regarded as a manifestation of the highest respect for the guests. The groom brought the cup to the father-in-law, dropping to one knee. At present, the practice of performing songs with offerings has been partially lost.

On the first day of the visit, the groom presented gifts to the bride's parents and close relatives. He presented the bride with a gift on the evening of the first day in a wagon where young people walked, and according to traditional etiquette “standing in front of her on her left knee, bowing her head, holding gifts in her right hand, and supporting her right elbow with her left hand.” According to I. Zhitetsky, the bride always received a fur coat or dressing gown. The bride carefully examined the gifts brought with her friends, so as not only to evaluate the groom's gifts, but to show them to everyone present. In return, she gave the groom some gift, for example, a pouch embroidered with her own hands.

On the second day, the groom and his retinue visited the houses of the bride's relatives on the paternal side, where they were plentifully treated. On this day, he was allowed to be in a wagon with young people, where he was again forced to dance and sing by the bridesmaids. At the same time, they tried in every possible way to “harm” the guests: they took away and hid items of horse harness, interfered with them in carrying out certain actions, painfully beat their backs with their palms, etc. As Zhitetsky noted, “. the groom is seated on pillows, and between dances the girls attack him and beat him with their hands, whips and whatever they had to. The groom and all his attendants had to endure everything without resistance, ". they had to be silent and endure this and try not to bring the matter to a misunderstanding.

Among the Kalmyks, in the cycles of wedding rituals, an important role was assigned to youth games. On the bride's show, young people also played games to test each other's dexterity and abilities. For example, in the comic game “Checking on the chest”, young people, more often from the side of the groom, were seated on the chest on their knees and offered to pick up money or a handkerchief from the ground with their mouths. Most often, the subject fell from the chest to the general laughter. For an unfulfilled task, the bridesmaids forced him to dance. If the guy managed to complete the task, then the girls praised him, brought milk in a cup and presented him with handkerchiefs, pouches and purses. In the game "Weaving buttons from a string", young people were offered to unravel a specially woven and pre-wetted button from dombra strings, which was quite difficult to do. Such attempts were usually unsuccessful, so young people were forced to sing, dance, and tell stories.

In the structure of a traditional Kalmyk wedding, the groom's bride had another term - "kurg kurgh", which means "to bring, deliver the groom." The term kyurgn in the Kalmyk language denotes both the groom and the son-in-law. The bride before the wedding ceremony is called kuyukn (lit. girl), after - daughter-in-law ber. The change in social status indicates, in our opinion, that in the past the groom was delivered to

the bride's family and received the status of a son-in-law, while the term kyurgn was a household name. Participants of the wedding train accompanying the groom are marked with the expression kyurgu-lin uls (literally, those who deliver / people who deliver). A similar expression denotes the relatives of the bride, accompanying her to the side of the groom. In our opinion, this indicates the matrilocal features of marriage among the Kalmyks in the past, which is also confirmed by the ritual of offering ancestral markers performed by the groom. References to the existence of such a custom are reflected in the folklore of the Kalmyks and the heroic epic "Dzhangar".

Thus, numerous data on the bridegroom bridegroom among the Kalmyks allow us to assert that some rites and rituals have been preserved in a transformed form in the modern Kalmyk wedding rituals. The ritual functions of the bridegroom's bridegroom in the wedding complex among the Kalmyks suggest the matrilocal nature of marital relations among the Kalmyks in the past. This is also evidenced by the term “smorin of the groom” “kurg kurgh”, which suggested that the groom would move to the bride’s parents. The groom and his friends were met only by men, which indicates that the bride's side joined the male community. Numerous tests conducted by the bride's family were designed to facilitate the process of integrating the stranger/new member into the bride's society.

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