ISSN 2078-9823 (Print), ISSN 2587-7879 (Online)

DOI: 10.15507/2078-9823.050.020.202002.145-153

Elena N. Mokshina1, Mikhail I. Svyatkin2

1 National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University  (Saransk, Russia),

e-mail: enm2112@mail.ru

2 National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University  (Saransk, Russia),

e-mail: mihail_svyatkin@mail.ru

 

Religious Rites and Holidays of Mordovian-Erzya, Related to Housing and Economic Buildings

 

Introduction. The article discusses the religious rites and holidays of the Mordovian-Erzya associated with housing and outbuildings. The venue for a large number of them was the house (kudo). Currently, many of these traditions have been lost or transformed under the influence of Christianity. The authors pay attention to the relics of the ordinary culture of the Mordva-Erzya surviving at the present stage. Materials and Methods. The research is based on traditional methods of ethnographic science, such as field observation, questioning and interviews, and an integrated approach. Of the methods of historical science, comparative-historical, historical-genetic, problem-chronological, structural-system were used. Among the general scientific research methods, logical, descriptive-narrative, generalization, classification and systematization were involved. To achieve the results of the study, we mainly used materials collected by the authors during field surveys conducted in Erzya-Mordovian villages. Results and Discussion. In the traditional rituals of the Mordovian-Erzya, housing and outbuildings play an important role. They are not only the venue for many ceremonies and festivals, but also have their divine patrons, so people have endowed many buildings with sacred and magical properties. Structural and architectural details of the home have always tried to decorate. At the same time, the traditional decor bore a sacred and protective meaning. Since ancient times, Mordovian has been in contact with many peoples, which has affected its material and spiritual culture. Currently, many Mordovian-Erzya traditions have transformed, but have not completely disappeared. Co-stored, for example, are some wedding and, especially, funeral and memorial rites. The desire to bury and commemorate relatives according to the rules established in the popular milieu became the reason for the existence and passing on of this ritual to subsequent generations. Conclusion. Basically, the dwelling was the venue for maternity, wedding and funeral ceremonies. Therefore, the Mordovian-Erzya especially appreciated and protected her house (kudo) from evil spirits. On holidays, they sought to decorate the house, and ozks prayers were dedicated to the housekeepers, which often ended in offering them sacrificial food. Currently, many rituals and traditions are forgotten, others exist in a transformed form. However, housing and farm buildings play an important role in the life and culture of the Mordovian people.

Keywords: Mordovian-Erzya, spiritual culture, dwelling, outbuildings, ceremonies, religious beliefs, prayers, holidays, traditions

For citation: Mokshina Е. N., Svyatkin M. I. Religious Rites and Holidays of Mordovian-Erzya, Related to Housing and Economic Buildings. Gumanitarian : aktual’nye problemy gumanitarnoi nauki i obrazovaniia = Russian Journal of the Humanities. 2020; 20(2): 145-153 (In Russ.). DOI: 10.15507/2078-9823.050.020.202002.145-153

 

Download article in PDF