Where and when will the gerbera appear? National Udmurt holiday of gerberas

Diana Chaynikova

The national Udmurt holiday Gerber was once celebrated in every corner of Udmurtia. Since 1992, it has acquired the status of an all-republican event, which attracts not only residents of the region, but also guests from neighboring regions and from all over the country.

The holiday comes from various narrow local traditions of the Udmurts, Galina Glukhova, deputy director for academic affairs at the Institute of Udmurt Philology, Finno-Ugric Studies and Journalism of Udmurt State University, told IA Udmurtia. If for the northern Udmurts it is Gerber, then for the southern ones it is Gershid. Among the southern Udmurts it lasted several days - almost a week, and each day was dedicated to praying to some deity, while among the northern ones it was combined with haymaking, and the celebration took place over the course of one day. Beautifully and smartly dressed Udmurts went out into the meadows with a scythe. They chose a person who was “easy on hand,” for whom everything was going smoothly, and he started mowing. They mowed just a little, and then the common meal began.

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How did Gerber originate and when was it celebrated?

According to Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Alexei Zagrebin, from time immemorial the inhabitants of Udmurtia were hunters, and the transition to agriculture took place through borrowing actions and vocabulary from their neighbors.

“If you look into agricultural vocabulary, it is very complex in its composition. There are also Iranian components ( everything related to the horse - editor's note.), Slavic, because many agricultural technologies were borrowed from the Slavs, Turkic components associated with a number of agricultural tools, such as the saban ( plow - editor's note). Hence Sabantuy among the Tatars. This suggests that we were open to each other all the time and adopted different features culture, but at the same time, everyone still had something individual. AND Udmurt Gerber became a national holiday from the moment of the formation of ethnic self-awareness,” explained Alexey Zagrebin.

According to him, Gerber originated in the 19th century as a celebration of the completion of sowing work. Galina Glukhova also notes that Gerber is an opportunity to turn to God, thanking for successful agricultural work, and asking for a good harvest.

Why didn’t they pick flowers before Gerber?

“Previously, Gerbers were counted not according to the calendar, but locally, focusing on the weather, stars, condition of the grass, etc. Today it is celebrated on July 12, but before it could have taken place on another day, the time frame was very unsteady,” says Galina Glukhova.

According to her, it was celebrated around the second week of Invozho - the summer solstice.

Before Gerber, the Udmurts did not break branches in the forest, did not tear leaves or berries from the time when the buds swell until Gerber himself. They prepared firewood in advance so that there would be enough from May to the end of June.

“Because at that time Invozho-muma (the mistress of heavenly moisture in the traditional system of the Udmurt worldview - descended from the heavens - editor's note) and settled in the grass so that it would be filled with juice, and just before Gerber and before going to the hayfield to her it was impossible to touch,” explained the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs of the Institute of Udmurt Philology, Finno-Ugric Studies and Journalism of Udmurt State University.

Why did they “throw eggs” into the first furrow?

Photo: Andrey Krasnov © vk.com

On the day of the Gerber celebration, the Udmurts dressed up in their most festive clothes, prepared national pastries and went out into the fields with hope for the future.

According to Alexei Zagrebin, pagan prayers were dedicated to joy and anticipation of a large harvest.

“Therefore, when they plowed, eggs were thrown into the first furrow so that the same large grain would be born. Everything was aimed at increasing the fertility of the land,” he said.

Galina Glukhova clarified that the offering to God, buried in the first furrow, could include not only eggs, but also bread and pastries.

Ritual porridge - what it was cooked from and what it symbolized

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According to the stories of Galina Glukhova, at first the adult residents of the Udmurt village chose a sacrificial lamb. For those who were suitable, a test was arranged: they threw the animal into the water, and if it shook itself after bathing, it was believed that the victim was accepted by God. They cut it, boiled it in a cauldron, and made barley porridge using this broth.

“Every grain is a derivative of grain. Porridge is the combined desire for a large harvest,” Alexey Zagrebin explained the deep meaning of the traditional dish.

They brought baked goods and loaves of bread with them to the festive meal. Before eating, all dishes must be illuminated. Kumyshka (Udmurt moonshine - editor's note), alcoholic drink on Gerbera, according to Galina Glukhova, appeared at a later time. Before this, women brewed festive sur (beer).

Photo: Grigory Fomin © https://site

Young wives put on all available elegant dresses, skirts and hats

In some regions of Udmurtia, a young wife, going out for haymaking (Gerber) for the first time after marriage, put on all her outfits, including all the available hats, which were quite heavy even individually.

“This shows how difficult and difficult the fate of a woman and mother is,” explained Galina Glukhova.

Why were young wives thrown into the river, and who saved them?

“While they were sitting and having a meal, the young women who got married this year seemed to be accidentally thrown into the river, and the husband had to save his wife, after which the rescued woman gave gifts to everyone present,” said Galina Glukhova.

According to her, today throwing young women into the water is perceived as fun, but the action had a sacred ritual overtones:

“Previously, a wedding was celebrated not only for the sake of, as they say now, two loving hearts uniting. Now the bride and groom dance together with the guests, but previously the newlyweds had to remain silent during the celebration, because in this ritual there was a transition to another status - that of wife and husband. During the transition period they were considered temporarily dead. The veil not only protected from the evil eye. It was believed that the girl at that moment was a faceless, familyless, temporarily deceased person.”

Galina Glukhova explained that from the day of her wedding, the young Udmurt girl was considered a stranger to her family:

“During the bathing of the bride, on the one hand, purification from the now alien family and acceptance into a new family took place. After being rescued by her husband, it was believed that she was now accepted into his family.”

She added that young women were not thrown into the water everywhere. For example, in the Malopurginsky district, a young woman was tied to a tree, and one of her new relatives asked her what she would call her mother-in-law, father-in-law and other relatives of her family. If she did not want to answer or answered incorrectly, the rope was tightened and the question was repeated.

On Gerbera they sang quietly and danced in circles

Alexey Zagrebin associates Gerber with a mysterious element of expectation: “how will God perceive our work.”

“Hence all the songs and actions that were performed quietly, with the least noise and with a certain reverent fear: so as not to scare them away,” he said.

Galina Glukhova explained that the Udmurts are not characterized by loud chants. In some locations, women sang melodies with interjections; in others, lyrical songs were sung. Singing with strain and changes in tonality is more typical of performers of Russian folk compositions.

How Udmurt girls proved their readiness to become a bride

Another Gerber tradition is the so-called field wedding. It took place in a rye field, near a pond. In some areas, this was an imitation of the real union of a girl and a boy, who were dressed up like a young couple.

“The main idea of ​​the ceremony is that girls show their coming of age, their readiness to become a bride. When the bride and groom were dressed up, they were given the opportunity to arrange their family in the future,” explained Galina Glukhova.

According to her story, the festively dressed “bride and groom” with their young “guests” sang round dance songs, holding hands. Then they returned to the village, where they walked, without releasing their arms, the entire width of the street, and the adult population came out and treated them.

Young girls showed their ability to sing, dance, behave in a group, and cook, because in front of Gerber they also prepared cooking, sur.

“Only those who went through the coming of age ceremony took part in the wedding of the field, mostly girls from about 15 years old. Moreover, those who stayed too long as a girl were not accepted to games and gatherings,” added the UdGU employee.

After walking along the street at the end of the village, they organized ritual games, which today are perceived as children’s (for example, “ring”), and round dances.

Alexey Zagrebin interprets the wedding ceremony of the field as a meeting of the farmer with the field:

“This is a combination of labor, mind, will and desire of a person and fertile land. The bride is mother earth, the feminine, and the farmer is the man.”

Photo: Mikhail Shustov © https://site

Gerber today

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Alexey Zagrebin explained that in the 21st century, Gerber has grown into a form of national holiday, which has become interesting to the outside world.

At the festival for Muscovites and guests of the capital wedding ceremonies Udmurtia, master classes on needlework and handicrafts, national dishes and much more.

In addition to the national flavor, guests will also be able to see the industrial and investment potential of Udmurtia: spectators of the drone race and the latest developments of the republic’s entrepreneurs.

Gerber... hmm... what is Gerber? Come on, let's roll this word around on the tongue - ger-ber! Like pebbles rattling. And what comes to mind is either a herbarium, or a gerbera with Herbalife, or the generally terrible Kerber, and to whom human rights activist Alla Gerber, who is no better than Kerber). But don’t be alarmed, this is just the name of one of the holidays, very popular in the Udmurt region. And it’s good that we didn’t have to pronounce other words of the Udmurt language, because without skill, many of them are very difficult to pronounce. Well, let's get to the point...

Many centuries ago, when the survival of human communities directly depended on how zealously they sowed, plowed or cast nets, human holidays were increasingly tied to the agricultural calendar. The Udmurt or Votyak people, who lived comfortably in the Kama region and the Urals, were no exception. Like many other surrounding ethnic groups, the Udmurts were mainly engaged in arable farming and attached great importance to the plowing procedure - so much so that they dedicated one of their holidays - Gerber - to it.

The name Gerber comes from the Votyak words “gery” - plow, and “bere” - after, behind, which already makes it clear in what period of time this festival was held. In the old days, Gerber was celebrated in the spring, immediately after plowing and sowing; it did not have a strict date. Local residents had a belief that the land after cultivation was pregnant, and it should not be wounded before its term with either a hoe or a plow. These days, the tiller had a very short rest before haymaking, which was dedicated to celebrations and sacred events.

In the old days, in different regions of Udmurtia the holiday was called differently. He was called Gyron Bydton, and Kuarsur, and Guzhom Yuon, and even, God forgive me, Pinal Mudor. But in all places the action was approximately the same - community members, under the rites of the local pagan clergyman, walked around the fields in a crowd and performed kuriskon - they prayed to the creator god Inmar and his deputy for fertility, Kylchyn, for a rich harvest. After which they made a sacrifice - they slaughtered a well-fed calf in the field and made a ritual multi-grain kulesh with its meat from different types grains

After the sacred snack, the people began to dance, sing, choose brides and organize various entertainments. The girls dressed up, and the guys organized competitions, wanting to find their favor. The fun was greatly enhanced by the fact that each housewife was obliged to bring a flask of local homemade vodka-kumyshka to the festivities. This item in the festival program was given great importance. It is even known that when Mother Catherine the Great introduced a state monopoly on vodka and prohibited private distillation, an exception was made for the Votyaks in their tearful petition for the sake of the holiday.

Years passed, and gradually the celebration of Gerber moved to a more convenient time for mass celebrations - the end of the summer solstice. Ethnographic scientists still do not have a common opinion on how and when spring holiday became summer, there is a version that there were originally two Gerbers - an early large one and a late small one. It is only known that at the end of the 19th century it was clearly associated with Peter’s Day, Orthodox priests appeared at the festival, and Christ and the saints were already mentioned in the texts of the kuriskons. Probably, there was a characteristic of pagan traditions linking them to Christian holidays.

After the revolution, the tradition of celebrating Gerbers, of course, was interrupted - it did not fit into the new ideology. And only in 1992 the celebration resumed. True, there are no religious motives in ceremonial events no longer observed. They do not have a fixed date. On one of the June weekends, competitions for the best national costume and exhibitions of various small folk arts are held in the meadow at the Ludorvai ethnographic museum-reserve. Products made from birch bark are especially abundantly represented - the Udmurts are great masters of them. Ritual porridge is still cooked in huge cauldrons over fires. During the ceremonial meeting, the best grain growers are awarded.

The President of Udmurtia personally attends the festival and visits all the craft shops, never leaving without making a purchase. On this day, the local population has a rare opportunity to directly communicate with their beloved leader and other retinue officials of various ranks. Several thousand people gather for the holiday, guests come from different regions of Russia and from abroad. Everyone willingly tastes local cuisine, attends master classes on making Udmurt national whistles and straw weaving, learns national dances and artistic modeling from clay. People walking are delighted by folk song and dance ensembles. An ancient folk custom continues to live a new life...

On Saturday there was another mass National holiday in Udmurtia - Gerber. Gerber is translated from the Udmurt language - “after the plow”. In other words, it is a holiday associated with the end of spring plowing in the fields. Today we will see how this beautiful national holiday is celebrated in its homeland in Udmurtia.

Gerber has been officially held in Udmurtia since 1992. To the main thing republican holiday Small gerberas are carried out at the level of villages and regional centers of Udmurtia. The main holiday falls at the end of June and attracts a huge number of people from all over Udmurtia and even Russia. Every year the main Gerber is organized in different places of Udmurtia. This year it is Kezsky district. From Izhevsk to Kez it is approximately 170 km. and I left early in the morning to catch the beginning of the holiday.

Before starting the report, I want to make a small digression.
Although I have lived in Udmurtia since birth, I am not very familiar with national traditions, because... my parents do not have Udmurt roots and came to Izhevsk through the Soviet distribution system after studying. Therefore, please forgive me for some inaccuracies.

1. The first meeting with the holiday awaited me already at the entrance to the village of Kez, several kilometers before the main site of the holiday. At the entrance, all guests are greeted by the hosts of the holiday in national clothes, which sets the appropriate mood:

3. Gerber is celebrated this year in an open field near the village of Yuski, a few kilometers from the village of Kez. A small section follows a dirt road. It was very nice to see a machine that watered the primer with water. Thereby preventing the raising of dust:

4. Parking for guest cars is also organized in an open field:

5. A huge number of guests came to the holiday:

6. Gerber is somewhat reminiscent of the Tatar Sabantuy, or vice versa. But there is definitely something in common. An open field with a slight slope for better review. The main stage is located at the bottom of the slope:

7. I arrived just in time for the opening of the holiday:

9. The beginning of the holiday resembles a demonstration or opening olympic games. First they pass by the spectators small groups representatives of Udmurtia districts:

10. At first glance, this may seem pretentious, but we must not forget that it is the countryside that feeds the whole of Udmurtia:

11. National costumes create a special flavor. As far as I know, they have their own characteristics in each region:

13. Everyone is greeted and accompanied by applause:

14. The Izhevsk group completes the representatives of Udmurtia:

15. I can’t help but mention this lady. Pay attention to manicure, jewelry and glasses. I think the wig is clearly visible. We'll see her again later:

16. Udmurtia is followed by representatives of other regions where Udmurts also live. The fact is that the total population of Udmurts in the Russian Federation is 552 thousand people, of which 410 thousand live in the territory of Udmurtia, the rest in other regions. The most numerous are represented on Gerbera:

18. Well, Moscow actually brings up the rear of the column:

19. Meanwhile, the performance of various groups begins on stage:

20. The sound is not bad, but rental. With such large-scale festivals held annually in Udmurtia, it’s time to buy your own device, and not “feed” the distributors. This is what the inner voice of a person who is directly involved in professional audio equipment in Izhevsk speaks to me:

21. Well, we continue:

22. The artists change on stage:

23. Everything is fun and playful. Guests really like:

24. Next to the stage there is a prize for the winner of the competition for the best village worker. By the way, I saw the same tractor two weeks ago at:

Here he is:

25. Let's see what they do to entertain guests besides the stage. Along the perimeter of the entire field you can find a lot of entertainment for both adults and children:

26. For example, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations offers to take part in the competition:

27. Two participants must temporarily put on combat equipment and hit the target with a stream from a fire hose:

28. Children also have something to do next to the fire truck:

29. In general, a lot has been done for children at Gerbera. Various attractions, games:

30. Swing:

31. There are such signs throughout Gerbera. The truth is in the Udmurt language, because the holiday is Udmurt. In general, it seems to me that I was the only guest at this holiday who did not speak the Udmurt language, and this did not bother me at all:

32. There was also quite a bit of entertainment provided for adults:

34. National Udmurt fun - who will throw a huge log further. I'll tell you - it's impressive. They throw an average of 4-5 meters:

35. Learning to play a special whistle-pipe:

36. Weaving masters:

37. The artists reminded me:

38. Master classes on national Udmurt dances:

39. Many handmade souvenirs are offered. This is not some kind of China, as it is sold everywhere in the world:

41. We went to have a snack:

42. And here is our friend, giving an interview to the press:

43. They feed you porridge cooked over a fire in the old Udmurt way:

44. And this is a tangyra. An ancient Udmurt percussion instrument, with the help of which the ancestors of modern Udmurts called the people for a holiday or military campaign:

45. In general, I personally liked the organization of the holiday itself. Everything is very convenient, clear and accessible:

46. ​​It is worth adding that Gerber 2015 was accompanied by intense heat. The temperature rose to 35 degrees by lunchtime:

47. It didn’t stop people from spending this Saturday with pleasure:

48. I think I’ll finish the report with this shot, because, in my opinion, it completely conveys the atmosphere of the Gerber holiday:

That's all!

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My other travels, plans, thoughts and photo reports.

Location: Moscow, Hermitage Garden

Starts at 10.00.

Dishes from the oven, ancient rituals, ethnic costumes and folk festivals.

Unique kaleidoscope national Moscow residents and guests of the capital will be able to see the cultures, music, songs, dances, and costumes of the Udmurt people.

The Udmurts are a Finno-Ugric people in Russia who carefully preserve their identity, traditions and language.

Holiday "Gerber"(translated as “after the plow”) is carried out after the sowing season. It is believed that the brighter and more interesting this day is, the richer the harvest. The organizers of the event prepared an educational and entertaining quest game for guests "Get to know Udmurtia" in which you can take part throughout the entire day of the holiday, from 10.00 to 21.00.

“Try Udmurtia.” From the heat of a real oven, Udmurt hostesses will treat you to legendary baked goods. The unbreakable rule of the old recipe is cooking in the oven. Hence the name – perepechi, “before the stove”. The fillings are very varied. Tourists call the dish “Udmurt-style pizza.”

"Touch Udmurtia." Craftswomen will teach weaving craft and help in the nationwide weaving of the Friendship Belt. In the Udmurt tradition, weaving was compared to the act of creating the world. The interweaving of threads was considered a symbol of maintaining harmony in the Universe. Therefore, this process is still taken seriously, choosing favorable days calendar

There will also be master classes on making twisted dolls, straw weaving, and making handicrafts from birch bark.

Young designers will present their ethnic-themed products at the fashion show. The hosts of the holiday create a special color and mood in national costumes. Each region of Udmurtia has its own clothing characteristics.

"Udmurt colloquial". Learn the basics of the language in 30 minutes. According to the latest census, 324 thousand people speak the Udmurt language in Russia. There are 38 letters in the alphabet. Linguistic teachers will teach you memorable lessons. For example, at the lecture you will be able to learn such unusual words as SHURDON (the feeling when “butterflies appear in the stomach”). There are no analogues to this word in the Russian language.

"Greetings from Izhevsk" you can pass it on to your family and friends by sending the most unusual postcards with augmented reality, your own photo and fantastic stories.

"Get to know Udmurtia" or rather with its fairy-tale heroes - Lopsho Pedun and Tol Babai. Udmurt Father Frost Tol Babai, a descendant of the Udmurt giants and demigods-alangasars, will tell you about how he lives in the summer.

“Discover Udmurtia” - competition site for collecting the spils map of Udmurtia. During the celebration, presentations and exhibitions of tourist routes around the republic will be held, and exhibition stands of sanatoriums and holiday homes will be open. And most importantly, there will be a drawing for the tourist trip “Fall in Love with Udmurtia.”

CALENDAR OF UDMURT HOLIDAYS FOR 2017

In Russia New Year It has long acquired the character of a purely secular holiday, devoid of any elements of religiosity, and has absorbed many signs and customs of other peoples.

New Year is a family holiday, so don't forget to invite your parents or visit them yourself. You can go with your whole family to the residence of the Udmurt Father Frost - Tol Babai. Tol Babai lives in a picturesque corner called “Udmurt Switzerland”, in the village of Sharkan, located 90 kilometers from the city of Izhevsk and 30 kilometers from the nearest city of Votkinsk.

The place where the Udmurt Father Frost lives is called the Tol Babai Estate cultural and tourist center.

Tol Babai is the Udmurt Father Frost, a kind and fair fairy-tale character who promotes traditional family values and respect for the environment. According to legend, Tol Babai is the only survivor of the Alangasars who lived before the appearance of people. He wandered around the world for a long time, learned the language of birds and animals, learned healing properties plants. One winter, Alangasar met children. They were not afraid of him, but began to play with him. As a token of gratitude, Alangasar decided to give gifts to the children. The kids were delighted and nicknamed him Tol Babai. Udmurt Father Frost wears a purple fur coat. In his hands he has a bent staff, and on his shoulder is a traditional Udmurt birch bark box, a pester. Tol Babai has an assistant - Lymy Nyl (snow girl).

Joyful smiles of children, words of gratitude - the most best gifts! And Tol Babai’s assistants do everything to ensure that every guest leaves the Estate in a good mood!”

And www.astromeridian.ru "

The winter cycle of the calendar rituals of the Udmurts began on the days of the winter solstice, called Vozhodyr. First winter holiday in honor of the entire harvest, establishing subsequent prosperity - Tolsur. Over time, it was timed to coincide with Christmas, celebrated on January 7th. Therefore, there were other names for the holiday - Ymuston (Christmas), Tolsur kezyytls (Christmas frosts).

On this day, they tried to clean the house, prepared food, brewed beer and kumyshka (Votsky moonshine), invited guests and scheduled weddings. From the day of Tolsur, Christmastide (Vozhodyr) began with the participation of young people. The ritual customs of the holiday include dressing up (portmascon) to scare away evil spirits, as well as evenings of riddles (madiskon zhyt) and sayings (vizkyl), where they played blind man's buff (chimali), sang and danced. Under the influence of Christianity, elements of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, united by the traditional name Vozhodyr, which began to be called the period from Christmas to baptism, became established in the life of the Udmurts. Characteristic elements of this period were mummering and fortune telling.

It was possible to work only during the day and late in the evening. The obligatory ritual dish on this day were dumplings, perepechi, and egg cakes. Having agreed in advance, from the entire village they brought a plate of flour to one house and baked kuarnyan - unleavened flatbread. In the evening, having blessed them, they ate. From January 7, dressing began - portmascon, penoascon, vozhoyascon, chokmorskon, which lasted until January 19. Each mummer had to dress up for three days in a row. One of the obligatory aspects of mummery was dressing up men as women, and women as men. The mummers walked through the village from the upper houses down the river. They walked along the street with terrible screams, howls, and hit the corners of houses with sticks. For Christmas games, young people looked for a separate house (an old uninhabited house or a new one, but not yet inhabited), where they could spend the evenings. There during these days they told fairy tales, made riddles, acted out comic scenes, sang, danced

The full name of the holiday, which is celebrated on January 19, is Epiphany or Epiphany. Once upon a time, Epiphany was the main holiday, even more important than Christmas. This is due to the fact that during the ritual the human soul is reborn, which for believers is more important than the birth of the body. Then Christmas gradually separated from Epiphany. According to the Bible, on January 19, Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. The people who gathered for this event heard God, who told them that Jesus is the blessed son of God. That is why the second name of the holiday is Epiphany.

Epiphany in 2016, as in other years, is celebrated on January 19. This holiday has a constant date. The holiday begins with evening services in churches. After the service, water is blessed, which can be collected starting at midnight.

After the service, a religious procession is held to the river or any other body of water. Here the second consecration of water takes place and a prayer service is performed.

On the eve of Epiphany, as before Christmas, the Udmurts kept their houses clean and tidy and prepared to receive guests. All work on this day was prohibited.

In the morning they went to the river, drew a cross on the ice with an ax and cut an ice hole at this place: according to popular belief, on this day all evil spirits went under the water. After the completion of the official ritual part, the adult population of the village walked, grouped according to kinship, family characteristics; Moving from house to house, we visited everyone a little. Between treats, the time was spent in conversations, conversations about the household, family matters, telling stories about their experiences, and, of course, they sang, mainly drinking songs, as well as dance songs.

Howl of holes - last holiday in the winter season calendar year. Since “howl” (oil) and “holes” (time), then “howl of holes” means “oil time”. March was called “howl of Tolez”. Consequently, among the Udmurts, like the Russians, Maslenitsa was held at the end of February - beginning of March for a week (Maslenaya Week).

The holiday began on nyrysetu nunal (Monday) - howl pyron (meeting Maslenitsa) and ended on arnya nunal (Sunday) - howl kelyan (farewell to Maslenitsa). By folk custom During Shrovetide week, they baked pancakes (milyim), invited relatives to visit and went themselves, organized festivities from house to house, and celebrated weddings.

Young people and children had fun with games on Maslenitsa. The most joyful entertainment for young people was riding dressed up horses. And the women and girls wondered how much the woman would spin the tows. We tried to ride a spinning wheel so that the flax would grow tall.

The celebrations of Maslyanitsa were of a mass entertainment nature. At the send-off, they performed mummers and organized a gondyrton (bear dance). After Maslenitsa, before Easter, the seven-week Great Lent began, during which farmers prepared for spring field work.

Udmurt villages were divided into two groups. In the villages of the first, the beginning of Maslenitsa was celebrated, in the villages of the second, its farewell.

Yo Keyan (Seeing Off Ice)

It is carried out during the spring flood, ice drift (the date is movable, associated with a specific event - the opening of the river). The festively dressed villagers walked to the river, carrying with them the ritual dishes and drinks due. Each housewife placed them on a tablecloth laid on the bridge. The director of rituals in the family sanctuary cut off a small loaf of bread from each loaf and lowered it into the river with a prayer-spell. They sacrificed pieces of all dishes and poured some of the drinks into the river.

After the sacrifice, mutual refreshments and fun began, accompanied by songs and dances on the bridge. The basis of the celebration and sacrifice is the propitiation of the spirit of the river with the wishes of giving water to people and livestock, irrigating fields and meadows, protecting them from drought and crop failure, fires and pestilence. The young people on the bridge were having fun, singing, dancing to the accordion. From the shore they pushed the ice with hooks, chopped it with an ax, burned straw on it, thus seeing off the ice.

Miscon short

A notable event in peasant life was the completion of yarn harvesting, which also fell in February - early March. We organized a general celebration of miscon shorts - washing yarn, with walking from house to house. Women carried spinning wheels with them as a symbol of this holiday.

Women washed yarn for about two weeks, taking turns making pomochi (weme). Women and girls harnessed the horse and tied bells to the arc. Pots and tubs of yarn were placed on sleighs and they went to the ice hole singing. Before starting work, one of the older women performed a prayer with a sacrifice: whispering a prayer (kuriskon), poured a little kumyshka into the hole and threw a piece of bread. After that, everyone got down to business, accompanying it with jokes and songs.

Having finished work, the hostesses returned to the yard singing, hung up the spools of yarn and went home to have dinner with the organizer. The next day we gathered at the next hostess. Among the northern Udmurts, after completing the washing of yarn in all families, women held a festival of shorts tui, i.e. a festival of yarn. Its difference from other village holidays was that women, when walking from house to house, carried spinning wheels with them and, entering the next house, sat down, as if to spin, on a spinning wheel, which was an attribute of this holiday.

The beginning of a new agricultural cycle was accompanied by rituals of expelling Shaitan, so as not to spoil the holiday, and protecting the house from evil spirits on the night of Maundy Thursday.

Akayashka is a spring holiday in honor of the beginning of sowing spring crops. Akashka has many popular names: Akashka (first furrow), Gery potton (removing the plow) and Gyron poton (going out to plow). Field work was carried out on windy, dry and clear days in late April or early May. On the eve of the Akayas, they had a bath (bath) and put on white shirts; they prepared food, brewed beer, kumyshka; they killed a bird (usually a duck) for sacrifice to Vorshud (the keeper of the hearth) in a kuala (hut) for the purpose of “blessing bread and drink.” Each family (clan) went to its own plot (between) of land and began to plow the land with a plow. Having plowed part of the ground, making a small depression, they buried the provisions they had brought (a cake, an egg, etc.) “in honor of their ancestors,” sprinkling it with kumysh. After manual sowing of the spring wedge using a basket (kuda), the seeded area was covered with a rake (mazhes).

The holiday lasted three days. The first day was the removal of the plow, the second day was seeing off the ice, the third day was the celebration of the plow and merged with Easter - Akashka uy (literally - Easter night). On the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday), women lashed their sheep with willow twigs, saying wishes for great health and offspring. On Easter they ate cheese, cottage cheese and eggs blessed during prayer.

Lude lezen

Lude Lezen contained many different forms of the cult of domestic animals. It had no set date and was held during the first drive of livestock for summer grazing. Subsequently merged with the Christian day of St. Egorius - April 23 (old style). On this day, animals were driven along the street. On Yegoria, as well as on Maundy Thursday, magical actions associated with the beginning of the calendar year were performed. So, on the eve of Maundy Thursday in the evening, the men of the village drove away wolves and other predatory animals from the nearest forest with knocking, shots and loud cries. Then they performed protective actions on the estate aimed at protecting people and livestock from the “evil actions of werewolves and sorcerers”: they stuck juniper or rowan branches into the doors of the hut and barn, drew a circle with a sharp iron object (sickle, scythe), and drew Christian crosses with soot. Family members and animals were fumigated with the smoke of a small fire built in the yard or with juniper branches.

Early in the morning the bathhouse was heated. Women poured some of the water brought from the river into a special tub and heated it. Warmed water was used to drink and feed oats or barn to all domestic animals and birds. They carried ashes into the chicken coop, covered the cattle with anthills, and let midges into the barn so that there would be a lot of livestock. A very important action on this day, as well as during the herding of livestock to pasture, was considered to be counting all livestock and poultry into a chimney window or chimney before sunrise. After completing these and other actions on the day of Lude Lezyon, they sat down at the family holiday table.

The state emblem of the Udmurt Republic is a round red-black shield with a white swan with open wings depicted on it. The circumference of the shield is framed by a red-white-black ribbon. The red half of the shield is at the top of the circle.

The wings of the bird fit into a circle, the diameter of which is equal to the distance from the top points of the inner lines of the tail to the highest point of the circle of the ribbon framing the shield. The upper feathers of the bird's wings touch the line drawn along the highest points of the small solar signs and extend beyond the shield, reaching the middle of the white stripe of the ribbon framing the shield. The angle formed by the upper lines of the wings is 90 degrees. Its apex is in the center of the bird's head. There are 26 feathers on the wings of the bird, and 8 in the tail. The angle formed by the outer lines of the plumage is 36 degrees. Its top is the center of the shield.

On the chest of the bird there is an eight-pointed solar sign - a red amulet that fits into a circle, the diameter of which is 4.5 times less than the diameter of the shield. The width of the stripes of a solar sign is equal to 1/3 of the diameter of its circumference. Each stripe ends with two symmetrical teeth, the inner sides of which form an angle of 90 degrees with the apex recessed towards the center of the sign by 1/2 the width of the stripe. The center of the solar sign is below the center of the shield by 1/10 of the diameter of the shield. There is a solar sign above each wing of the swan. white, fitting into a circle whose diameter is half the diameter of the circle of the large solar sign.

The centers of the three solar signs are the vertices of an isosceles triangle, the height of which is equal to half the diameter of the shield, and the upper horizontal side is 2.5 times less than its diameter. The width of the tape framing the shield is 1/10 of the diameter of the shield. The ribbon consists of equal stripes of black, white and red (towards the center of the circle) colors. There is a gap between the red stripe of the ribbon and the circumference of the shield, the width of which is equal to 1/12 of the width of the three-color ribbon. At the top of the shield, the ends of the tape do not meet. Each of them ends with two symmetrical teeth, the inner sides of which form an angle of 90 degrees with the apex recessed into the tape itself by 1/2 of its width. The distance between the vertices of these angles is equal to the diameter of the circle describing the major solar sign.

At the bottom of the shield the tape forms a fold. On the red stripe of the fold there is a black inscription “Udmurt Republic”, on a white one - “Udmurt Republic”.

Tulys of Gera - a rite of spring work

The ritual of the beginning of spring field work. The timing of its holding was determined at the village meeting.

Gerber, Gyron Bydton, Gershid

This is one of the significant holidays - prayers (kuriskon) of the Udmurts for the upcoming harvest. The holiday is known to almost all ethnic groups of the Udmurts, although the names may be different: Gerber (i.e. after the plow), Gershid (literally: geri shid, i.e. soup (porridge) in honor of the plow), Gyron bydton (completion of plowing) .

Gyron bydton is carried out in the meadow during the flowering period. According to the beliefs of the Udmurts, their God Vos flies from the prayer temple of Kupala to the meadows on June 1 and returns back on Peter’s Day (July 12). Therefore, during this period they pray not in the temple, but in nature.

Gyron bydton continues for several days, young people lead round dances and games. Competitions and horse races are held, and the winners were given embroidered towels and pouches as prizes. They were prepared in advance married women(young people). On this day, weddings were played and youth celebrations were held. The celebration, as a rule, ended with a short prayer for the future harvest.