Contents
Introduction
1. Russian holidays:old and new traditions
1.1 Christmasand the guessing, New Year and old new year
1.2 Night ofIvan Kupala
1.3 Pancakeweek
1.4 Newtraditions: the Twenty Third of February and the Eighth of March
2. Representationsabout life cycle and the traditions connected to it
2.1. Ancientrepresentations about a birth, death and the introduction into a marriage
2.2 Weddingtraditions
3. Signs as apart of Russian culture
3.1 Role ofsigns in human life
3.2 Signsabout the house and about domestic spirits
3.3 Householdsigns
Conclusion
Literature
Introduction
In ordinary consciousness «culture» acts as the collectiveimage uniting art, religion, science, traditions, etc. But in a modern scienceone of leaders is the anthropological principle, therefore it is important toremember, that the concept of culture designates the universal attitude of theperson to the world through which the person creates the world. Each culture isthe unique universe created by the certain attitude of the person to the world.Studying various cultures, we investigate not simply books, cathedrals orarcheological finds, — we open for ourselves other human worlds in which peoplelived, though we lived differently. Each culture is a way of creativeself-realization of the person. Therefore comprehension of other cultures notonly gives us new knowledge, but also acquaints us with traditions, customs, world-outlook.
Tradition is that « that has passed from one generation to another thatis inherited from previous generations (e.g., ideas, sights, tastes, an imageof actions, customs) » (Ожегов, Шведова, 1998, p. 806), therefore, speakingabout Russian traditions, it is necessary to mention customs, ceremonies andtraditional representations of Russian people, too. That allows us to unit suchconcepts as both customs and ceremonies that have symbolical character anddiffer repeatability. Traditional representations are included in a circle ofcases in point as these representations have formed a basis for the givenceremonies and customs.
All over the world there is a danger that in the nearest future allcultures can appear similar. Movement to this featureless uniformity occursalready now. The preservation and observance of the Russian traditionsconnected to signs is not only practical advantage for a life and a life of themodern person, but also rescue of his cultural heritage.
The number of the traditions describing culture of the country includesboth traditional representations about the world and the ceremonies connectedto these representations, and holidays, both old and modern. Today manyresearchers pay attention to the Russian traditions, which are included innumber of the most interesting ones, such as national signs, traditions of lifecycle, Christmas and New Year and a number of other traditional holidays.
1. Russian holidays: old and new traditions
1.1 Christmas and the guessing, New Year and old new year
The beautiful and solemn holiday Christmas in Russia is closely connectedto a meeting of New year. In spite of the fact that Christmas celebrate and inall other Christian countries, in Russia the holiday differs special traditions,characteristic only for our country.
In Russia eve of Christmas is on the sixth of January. This day is thefinal one the Christmas post. The word Christmas Eve – Sochelnik — occurs froma word сочиво. This is a ceremonial,ritual dish, which was obligatory for this evening.
Centuries ago the table was strewed hay, laid a cloth, in the center of atable they put a dish with twelve ritual dishes which should be equal to thenumber of apostles. On a celebratory Russian table there were pancakes, aspic,a fish, a pig with porridge, hot, honey gingerbreads by opportunities offamily. On the Christmas Eve people did not eat all day long until the firstevening star rose, symbolizing the star which once told us about Christ’ birth.In temples at these celebratory evening hours there was a solemn divineservice… Despite of a church origin of a holiday, in Russia the custom ofsinging special songs called “kolyadki” under windows was kept.
Kolyada is a word of pagan origin. It symbolized worship the Sun givingfertility and pleasure, and in these songs people sang about natural phenomena:months, the sun, thunderstorms, wished a good crop, happy marriages.
Guessing is the important part of Christmas days. Priests, and thenSlavic magicians were engaged in guessing, calling supernatural forces to openthe future. Gradually this ceremony has firmly grown during a national life. Itwas possible to guess at any time, but as the real «true» wasconsidered to be on ” sacred days ” — 12 days from January, 7 tillJanuary, 19. This tradition can be explained by the importance of guessing,first, to what on crisis of time of old and New Year of the person especiallysharply interests the future. And second, during this period evil spirit — frights, banniks (special breed house, the malicious spirit settling in a bath)and others are most active and, hence, are more accessible to contact. In factit was possible to receive from «evil spirit» the answer to questionsduring a guessing, and here the main thing to observe special rules ofbehaviour. Otherwise it is possible and to be lost.
After the establishment of the Soviet authority Christmas have ceased toplay such important role, as it was a holiday religious. Therefore New Yearreceived special popularity.
New year during pagan times was celebrated in Russia on March 22 – on theday of a spring equinox. With acceptance of Christianity in Russia theByzantine calendar started to supersede gradually old. Now a new year began onSeptember 1. And January 1 became a holiday in 1700 when tsar Peter I on theRed area has burnt a torch to the first New Year’s rocket, having given asignal to opening festival and the statement of new custom. ” On notablestreets at a gate to make some ornament from trees and branches pine, fur-tree…”Illumination, burned fires and other amusements proceeded seven days.
People didn’t got used to a new holiday at once. But the tsar steadilywatched that the holiday on January, 1 was celebrated diligently as in otherEuropean countries, and the annual calendar has fixed this transformation.
Was considered, that it will be the first day of the year. Therefore itwas necessary to put at the New Year eve all new clothes, to postpone cares andto have fun with all the heart all night long. The house was decorated with afur-tree. The custom to decorate a New Year tree is connected with thetradition of old Germanic tribes that spirits disappear in evergreen fur-trees,and that we should give them some gifts to make them kind. The first publicfur-tree in Russia has been lit in 1852 on Ekateringofskaya station inPetersburg. The traditional heroes of New Year are Grandfather the Frost, whosymbolizes generosity and kindness, and the Snow Maiden, a symbol of a youth,pleasure, fun.
And in connection with transition to new calendar style in Russia onemore holiday has appeared — old New Year, therefore Russian traditions give usa unique opportunity to celebrate New Year two times a year.
1.2 Night of Ivan Kupala
On 6 for July 7 (with 24 for June, 25 on old style) one of the mostancient and important holidays of a Slavic calendar — Ivan Kupala, or Ivanovday is celebrated. The tradition of celebrating of Ivan Kupala has come to usfrom paganism.
This day — ancient Slavs’ thanked day of Dazhd’bog, the god of the sun.But the name of a holiday occurs from a national variant of a name of John theBaptist. It was a way the Orthodox Church tried to overcome pre-Christiancustoms. Called Bathed, it is connected to verbs «to bathe”, » toboil”, because it was a holiday in honour of solar wedding, and one of theattributes of this wedding was bathing of the sun in water. According to theancient representations fire and water were a brother and у sister whose symbol was the darkyellow and blue flower known as Ivan-and-Maria, or the flower of Кupala.
On that day young girls collected Kupala’s flowers in woods and fields asgrass and flowers during the holiday served as the decoration of the village.Bouquets, wreaths, brooms were used also in guessing. They were put on waterand girls guessed about a marriage, about life and death or about the future:if the wreath will sink — to a trouble, will float — fortunately.
At night a huge fire was settled. As soon as its flame inflames, youngmen and girls, having joined hands, start to jump through him. After cheerfulround dances the youth was sent to bathe. Ivan Kupala’s celebrating wasnecessarily accompanied by bathing in the rivers and lakes, washing by water ordew, washing in baths. It was considered, that, washing with dew the face andhands, the person banishes illnesses.
Only at this night, once a year, fern begins to blossom, therefore it istraditional that on the night of Ivan Kupala people searched for a flower offern. Fern was considered to be one of the most mysterious and magic, magicalplants. It was considered, that blossoming fernnot only make all the desirescome true and also helps to find a treasure.
Also at this night it is possible to meet mermaids and witches. It isconsidered, that mermaids receive special force and can withdraw on a riverbedeverybody. Therefore the most beautiful girls to those mermaids were kind, didwreaths of field colors and started up them on water. Witches at night of IvanKupala gather on the Bald Mountain exactly at midnight. And they fly there on asweep.
1.3 Pancake week
Pancake week is one of a few ancient pagan holidays of wires of winterkept in Russia and after acceptance of Christianity in X century. The pancakeweek falls at the week previous to the Great post. Its beginning falls at theperiod from February 3 (on January, 21 on old style) till March 14 (on March, 1on old style).
The pancake week has been perceived by Christian church actually as areligious holiday and has received the name Cheese, but it has not changed itsinternal essence. During a pancake week the person allocates soul before aheavy and long Great post.
The pancake week is famous for plentiful and nourishing food. Thereforethere is nothing bad in at this time to regale, try the diversified dishes andto not refuse in anything. In a traditional life it was always considered, thatthe person, badly and boringly lead this week, would be unlucky within allyear. All the fun events are considered to be a magic presage of the futurewell-being, prosperity and success in all business, domestic and economicundertakings.
From numerous rules and recommendations that should be observed duringthis holiday, it is possible to name the basic. First, on a pancake week it isimpossible to eat meat. The Myasojed (the period of eating much meat,separating a winter, Christmas post from spring, Great) comes to an end, andSunday before a pancake week starts in last afternoon when meat is allowed toeat. On a pancake week it is possible to eat dairy products and fish. Howeverthe basic dish on a pancake week is, as is known, pancakes, which are madeevery day since Monday. This time refers to as a wide pancake week.
The second rule tells that the meal on a pancake week becomes the mostimportant form of a life. That is why people say, that at this time it isnecessary to eat as many times as often the dog will wave a tail. On thepancake week people do not only eat much at home, but also frequently visitfriends and relatives and invite guests.
But it’s not only the meal that makes sense of a pancake week. Thepancake week allows dances, singing, driving from mountains (on special trays),amusing fights (types of a capture of a snow small town), burning ofscarecrows: earlier from straw, and later from a snow on manners of«snowmen», fires and many other things.
Driving in sledge was rather popular, horses and a harness were decoratedaccording to the special image: under arches of horses suspend hand bells, andin tails and a mane intertwine with tapes. This driving on horses was not onlya way to show the brave and fine horses, but also a traditionally female way tobrag of new things. The driving had special value for girls who wanted toattract attention of grooms and the main thing — of their parents.
Pancake week is not a one-day holiday. It is the whole week when theperson should not think of work or any household chores and affairs. It isnecessary to have fun, walk and eat, having postponed affairs up to the Greatpost.
On a pancake week it is necessary not to forget and about a newly marriedcouple as at this time it is accepted to congratulate all pairs, which have gotmarried during last year. People had to give them gifts, play a trick on them,drag in a snow, force to kiss publicly, visit them unexpectedly. And a newlymarried couple had to take part in the festival and visit parents, leave«to the public», etc.
However the time of a holiday sooner or later comes to the end. The lastday a holiday refers to Forgiven Sunday. This day it is accepted to beg pardonto teach other for all insults caused during the year and by that to be clearedof all sinful, to what the person got used during the pancake week. This«pardon» passes usually in such a way: first the most younger aresorry about grown-ups, in reply grown-ups are sorry about the younger.
The pardon between native and familiar occurs in the evening, upontermination of all the entertainments. People say to each other: «Forgive me ifI did anything wrong to you». The tradition to be sorry is distributed and ondead when on Sunday many people are sent on a cemetery, leave on the tombs oftheir relatives and friends pancakes.
1.4 New traditions: the Twenty Third of February and the Eighth of March
In XX century suchholidays, as on February 23 and on March 8, by tradition considered man’s andfemale in the days became popular. But the history of these holidays now isalmost forgotten by people.
The day of defenders of Fatherland started to be celebrated in 1918 asthe birthday of Red Army in commemoration of a victory near Narva and Pskov inthe war against the German conquerors. Here it is necessary to remember, thatInternational’s authority in Russia has been connected to the change of acalendar, therefore the eighth of March according to the new style is theFebruary, 23, the old style. When European International members markedcelebrated the eighth of March “, in Russia this day referred to 23 ofFebruary. Therefore in pre-Revolutionary years the members of the party havegot used to celebrate the holiday on February 23. Then the calendar hadchanged, but there was a reflex to celebrate something revolutionary onFebruary 23. In some years the holiday that was called ” Day of Red Army” was created.
But it is a myth because on February 23, 1918 was not Red Army yet, andthere were no its victories. Newspapers of the end of February 1918 do notcontain any victorious notes. And February newspapers of 1919 do not exultconcerning first anniversary of ” a great victory “. Only in 1922 onFebruary 23 it has been declared “the Day of Red Army “. However, one yearon February 23, 1918 «the Truth» writes that this day is a holiday:” Long before war proletarian International has appointed on February, 23the international female holiday “.
However, to think up to celebrating on February 23 covering it wasnecessary also because ” February revolution ” on February 23, 1917began. As Bolsheviks did not play the leading role, but nevertheless haveaccepted it, they were welcomed and brought to the calendar; it was necessaryto give other name to the day of ” overthrow of autocracy. It became” the day of Red army “, and in due course day on February 23 –nowadays the Day of the defender of Fatherland — became a holiday of all men ofRussia.
The international women’s day was primary a political holiday too.Everybody knows, that on March 8 the international women’s day is, though it iscelebrated only on the territory of the former USSR. The history of thisholiday is traditionally connected to Clara Tsetkin who has created therevolutionary group consisting of women, so to say has decided to useuncontrollable energy of women on struggle against exploiters. And though itscreation was business of not one day, it has been solved to choose a day whichcould be considered the Birthday of female proletariat. The choice of datebelonged to Clara Tsetkin who has managed to link births of the new groupstruggling against injustice with the history of Jewish people. They haverescued from a tyrant a lot of centuries ago. The annual and most cheerfulholiday of Jewish people is the holiday is devoted to it. It is celebrated oncrisis from winter by the spring. Probably, that year when the decision tostart to celebrate ” the International women’s day ” was accepted,this Jewish holiday had fallen on March 8. And the date got accustomed. It wasprobably inconvenient to change date every year. In the Soviet state thisholiday was transformed all over again to day of the revolutionary woman, andnow it is celebrated simply as the beginning of spring, as day of worship thewoman, her beauty, her wisdom and everything, that is identified withfemininity.
The holidays existing in modern Russia not only emphasize one of thebrightest features of Russian culture – the connection of pagan and Christiantraditions, but also reflect the mentality of Russian people.
2. Representations about life cycle and the traditions connected to it
2.1. Ancientrepresentations about a birth, death and the introduction into a marriage
The concept of life cycle includes the most important stages of humanlife, such as birth and childhood, marriage and death, and traditions of lifecycle are understood as the traditions directly connected to these events. In abasis of the majority of traditions the idea of transition between the worldsthat is made by the person being born, dying or marrying. The feature of theseRussian traditions synthesis of pagan and Christian elements is a specific one.
The birth is represented as arrival of the child to the terrestrial worldand is considered to be the beginning of a new life in another world.
Circumstances of a birth of the child allow defining his destiny,therefore frequently speaking, that the child was born under the lucky star, asstars were perceived as a receptacle of souls died, but at the same time and asa symbol of the female beginning, and also contacted a prediction of thefuture. But the most known are the representations, connected to unusualcircumstances of coming of the baby into the world, for example, so called“birth in a shirt”.
There are some versions of an origin of these representations. The firstis connected to the fact that sometimes children are born « in a shirt » — withthe bubble that covers a body or a head of a newborn child. The Russian callthis environment «a shirt». It is considered, that the person who hasbeen born in «a shirt» will be very happy and successful all hislife. It is connected to that that in an antiquity people saw magic linksbetween the person and his clothes, and the word «clothes» ishistorically connected to such concepts, as hope and destiny.
Besides the social factor also takes place here, because 1) adult peoplewear clothes, therefore the child who has been given birth « in a shirt », isnot a usual child, but one from the world of ancestors; 2) a newborn child willbe successful, as he was born not naked, as all children, but already inclothes (as in poor families not all children had a clothes, «shirt»was considered a symbol of well-being).
There is also an explanation connected to ancient religiousrepresentations about the spirit-keeper. When the soul descends on the groundto take up human shape, it is followed by its spirit-keeper; in the beginningit stays in a shirt sometimes it happens that it is twisted around a head of anewborn child.
Mention of an essence assisting to the child to proceed in our world,have found reflection and in a traditional explanation of where children comefrom (the stork has brought).
The marriage was also considered to be a transition from one world intoanother, as a new birth of the girl for a life in the other world. Earlierpre-wedding traditions, such as the offer and engagement had great value. So,before the introduction into a marriage it was necessary to ask the parents ofthe bride for a hand of the daughter and sometimes the bride herself for heragreement.
Funeral traditions also reflect representations about transition of soulof the dead into another world and are connected to various aspects of thistransition. For example, it is accepted to bear the dead from a house legsforward so that it could not find the way home, put a wineglass of vodka andbread because 40 more days the soul is on the ground.
2.2 Wedding traditions
It was accepted to marry to Russia quite early. It happened, that the ageof the groom was from 12 till 13 years. In an early marriage it was perfectnatural, that the groom and the bride did not know each other up to a marriage.The general moral concepts of that time did not allow young people of bothsexes to see each other and talk. The relatives solved all this. Usuallyfathers and mothers of the groom personally chose a girl, informing the sonabout it when wedding was already prepared.
But sometimes parents of the bride did the first step. Wishing to marrythe daughter, parents sent to the groom a person close to them, the matchmaker,if parents of the groom agreed started courtship by usual order.
First they looked, whether the bride is good, whether is clever. Thegroom could not see the bride before wedding. If subsequently the deceit withthe bride opened, the marriage could be terminated, but it happened veryseldom.
Sometimes the groom insisted on the right to see the bride himself butthen it was already almost impossible to cancel the wedding.
After that there was an arrangement — the first part of a marriageholiday or the introduction to a celebration. The parents of the brideappointed a special day. Parents sat down against each other and kept silencefor some minutes, so it was accepted. The arrangement was made, the specialnote where was written, that during such time wedding will take place, and forthe bride will get a concrete sum of money.
The money or some useful things, such as a bed, a dress, domesticutensils and ornaments, people, money, the real estate were always theimportant condition of Russian wedding. Nothing was required from the groom.This arrangement had legal value. If the bride was from a poor family and couldnot bring anything to the new house the groom himself transferred parents thebride some sum of money — the ancient custom did not allow to take the bridewithout anything given.
On the day of a celebration (on the eve or in the morning) the matchmakerof the bride was sent in the house of the groom to prepare marriage to a box.There was a belief, those valiant sorcerers and witches can bring a spoil andto overtake malicious spirits in that house, where wedding is being prepared.Different things were done to prevent it. It was necessary, that on a ceilingof the room for the newly married there was no ground that, thus, the marriagebedroom did not resemble anything a tomb. In the room chests with grain, flankswere brought.
Before the wedding in the church visitors and a newly-married couple wereinvited to the table, but sitting next the future spouse the groom did not seethe face of the bride as she was wearing a dense coverlet — a prototype of atoday’s veil.
After wedding a feast was arranged, the bride’s face was already open,and she should cry, and women and maidens sang sad songs. Before leaving awedding feast the husband, as a token of the authority, struck the wife’s back.It symbolized that the young woman was given from one «owner» toanother.
After that in due time the young husband withdrew the young wife. Havingremained alone, the young should execute one more ancient custom: a ceremony oftaking off the shoes. It is a very ancient ceremony, which has reached toRussian from pagan times. It was, that the wife, as a token of humility, shouldtake off the husband boots. In one of a boot there was put a coin. If shemanaged first to take off that boot in which there was a coin, it meant, thatthere will be a happiness for the young family, otherwise it meant, that sheshould please the husband and obey him all her life.
After wedding during several days (sometimes about a month, depending ona solvency of families and local customs) celebrating took place.
In modern Russia church wedding has began popular again, but it is not anobligatory part of wedding. But modern wedding ceremony consists of a plenty oftraditional actions, starting from old custom to transfer the bride through athreshold and finishing with different games and competitions. There arespecific traditions in every city, too. So, in Petersburg there’s a traditionto come on the wedding day to the quay of the Neva and to some famousmonuments, to leave flowers there, to take photos and drink champagne.
The traditions connected to life cycle are one of elements that arecharacteristic for all cultures. Thus, distinctions in these traditions allowseeing the national originality of customs of the country.
culture christmas russian
3. Signs as a part of Russian culture
3.1 Role of signs in human life
Wу can’t make a step withoutsigns. So popular proverb says. And the word sign occurs from a word «tonotice», i.e. to observe. As a result of supervision of what occurs in theworld around us people collect life experience. This knowledge comes fromgeneration to generation who carefully stored them and trusted them as to thesacred book.
The most part of sighs came up to us from immemorial time, not havinglost the knowledge. Everything, that is connected to signs, incorporatedsomewhere deeply in our sub consciousness. Frequently we recollect themmechanically, unconsciously or simply for fun. But, undoubtedly, in signs a setof exact knowledge and practical wisdom of our ancestors is saved. They coverthe characteristic, the natural phenomena that often take place and otherdetails of our everyday life. In signs it was kept much, that were in oldnational holidays and customs, they help to forecast weather, to bring up acrop. Except all it in signs there is a unique poetry in which we can see thevery mind, heart, an outlook of the Russian people, their vital way, theiroriginality.
Some signs, which are considered Russian, have appeared not in Russia.Many of them have remained since olden days, as the inheritance of ourancestors, people with whom we had to find common ways of living and exchangecustoms with other peoples. Till now there are the signs similar with Romanones. These are such signs as usage to wish health when the person sneezes,ringing in ears, belief to that to spill out salt on a table – not for better,etc. All this is identical with former Roman customs.
3.2 Signs about the house and about domestic spirits
The house is the most sacred and expensive, that each person has in hislife. He who will construct the house is the owner, but also in any way wecannot mention some mystical forces, which faithfully and truly preserve thehouse and is the true owner and even a member of family. First of all this isknown for every one since the childhood the spirit of the house — Domovoj.Nobody knows where exactly he lives, but everyone knows, that it can turn intoany animal. Sometimes Domovoj is described as a small little man with unusuallythick hands and legs, all in wool. According to the appearance of that housespirit people can judge prosperity in the house. If his paw is naked it meanspoverty. There exists a belief, that the cat — the relative of the house spiritand replaces it when that leaves on affairs. That is why the peasant, getting akitten, chooses it carefully, selecting such painting which corresponds tocolor of hair of the owner of a house. This spirit can play tricks on people:to confuse hair on the head of the sleeping person, to throw tools, to hidethings. It is also considered, that Domovoj becomes seen before coming nearermisfortune. And sometimes leans on the owner at night and starts to oppress,warning of fast changes in life. For rescue it is necessary to read a pray.
It’s known that Domovoj has a wife. She can bitterly cry at night to atrouble. And they have many sisters and the brothers living in the house andaround of him. They are spirits of bath, of a barn, of the fields and someothers.
Whence all these spirits have undertaken, the ancient legend tells us.The first people, Adam and Eve, after their fall gave birth to the children whowere so ugly. Adam wanted to throw them into the Euphrates River; Eveinterceded for the children and asked the husband not to kill them and to hideso that no one could see them. Since that time all these children werescattered all over the world. They are hidden from people, and onlyoccasionally they play some dirty tricks. But if the person is kind to them andreckons with their presence they help them.
The spirit of a wood who misdirects people in a wood and frightens them,and the spirit of water, lakes and rivers, and mermaids, eternally young andbeautiful girls with long hair who lived in palaces at the bottom of the rivers– they all are such spirits and each of them is very interesting in its ownway, therefore it is possible to speak about them very much. That’s why all thespirits and the mermaid have become heroes of Russian national fairy tales.
3.3. Householdsigns
There is a set of signs connected to household duties. It is well known,that a broom with the brush turned upwards frightens off wicked spirits, andthe door that suddenly begins to creak brings misfortune, the curtain has torn- to be to quarrel between girlfriends, the icon — to death; if the roomflowers grow well it means that the family will live in peace, but fadingflowers bring troubles into the house; a piece of soap on the bosom under theshirt rescues from damage. One shouldn’t throw dust through a window or pourout slops because there is an angel under the window. If one spit in the ovenfire he’ll get bubbles on his tongue. If the girl likes to sit on a windowsillshe won’t get married in the nearest future. The keys put on a table, do not bringanything good, stopped hours promises some changes in one’s life, and a furcoat fallen from a hanger is the beginning of a large quarrel in family.
But the most interesting thing is the mirror. Since the ancient times themirror was considered to be one of the riddles of human inventions. In opinionof conservatives, the mirror in the house is a sin. Nowadays everybody knowsthat leaving home you should look into it, pretending to create a double toguard the house. That rule is especially important if you had to come back homein the very beginning of the day.
Popular signs give us some advise about cooking and arrival of visitorsand behaviour behind a table, too. Bread should be cut on the table, otherwisefamine come into the house. If there’re some small bubbles in a cup it meansthat you will get some money soon. But if you want the sign will come true youshould collect all these small bubbles with a spoon and pour it out on yourhead… This list of signs is never-ending.
Many signs are connected to insects that can be found in the house. Forexample, red cockroaches bring grief, but black ones mean getting a gift. Ratsbring unfortunate events in the house, and the fly appeared in the winter — tothe dead man.
Many signs are connected to New Year. It’s considered that if on the eveof New Year in the house there’s enough money and they are not lent, you willnot have no need in them all next year. If on New Year you put on something newthe coming year will be successful. He, whose pockets are empty on New Year,will live in need. On a New Year’s table there should be much meal and drinksso that in the next year the prosperity was in the house. It is impossible toborrow money before New Year under any conditions otherwise all next year you’llget debts. If the first who comes into the house in the New Year morning is aman the coming year will bring happiness, but if it’s a woman — on thecontrary. On a new year’s eve it is impossible to quarrel, swear or cry, or togo to bed early, as there is a sign: as you meet New year so you will live allthe year. Last wineglass before New Year, juicy of a bottle, will bring successto the one who will drink it. Before New Year it is not necessary to bear dustfrom your house, otherwise in the coming year there will be no happiness.
National signs are a bright featureof national culture, and in Russia ancient traditional representations aboutlive are reflected in signs, so they are significant and actual for themajority of people till nowadays.
Conclusion
The culture is a universal way of creative self-realization of theperson, aspiration to find sense of a human life. The culture appears at theperson as the semantic world, which inspires people and rallies them in somecommunity (the nation, religious or professional group, etc.). This semanticworld reflected in traditions and folklore is transferred from generation togeneration and defines a way of life and attitude to other people.
In a basis of such a semantic world the dominating sense, a semanticdominant of culture lays. The semantic dominant of culture is that main sense,the general attitude of the person to the world, which defines character of allother senses and attitudes. These attitudes are also underlined by nationaltraditions. They can be realized differently, but the presence of semanticunity gives integrity to everything, that and that people do in their lives.Uniting and inspiring people, traditions give them not only the general way ofcomprehension of the world, but also a way of mutual understanding and empathy,a language for expression of the most delicate movements of soul. It isimpossible to study culture in all its aspects at once, but it is possible toallocate, understand and analyze dominating sense, its basic components. Andfurther it is necessary to study various ways of its realization, to address tothe details and concrete forms of its embodiment, to national creativity, toart, to traditions.
Today scientists pay much attention to studying of dialogue of cultures.But such a dialogue is possible because the source of all cultures is a personwith his universality and freedom. The person can differently realize thecreative beginning, and completeness of his creative self-expression is reachedby creation and use of various cultural forms. And traditions represent theforms of spiritual culture, and in which of them the essence of human life isexpressed in specific way. This dialogue is not between cultures themselves,but between people for which the corresponding cultures are outlined specificsemantic and symbolical borders with the help of traditions. Each culture isunique, and each culture has its true. Studying of the culture of a native landwill help not only to understand better its own traditions, but also to analyzethe features of cultures of other countries more deeply.
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