Author:
Tatjana Steklova
Oral traditions and their expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage
Social practices, rituals and festive events
Music/performing arts
Title
The Traditional Wedding Ritual of the Pededze Parish Eastern Orthodox believers (2019)
Педедзская свадьба по старинному.
Geography
Pededze Parish of the Aluksne Municipality. Local variations of the wedding ritual described here were documented in the Aluksne Municipality. Until recently, the wedding ritual described here was widespread in the entire parish and familiar to almost everyone. In the Balvi Municipality (Balvi Parish), Vilaka Municipality (Vilaka, Skilbeni Parish), Baltinava Municipality (Baltinava Parish), Karsava Municipality (Goliseva, Merdzene Parish), and Ludza Municipality (Pilda Parish), the element was common only in specific places because these areas have a small Orthodox and Russian population.
The community comprises parish residents, members of a particular subethnic group, united by:
1. The local dialect which differs from dialects spoken by other groups (for example, nearby groups across the Russian border); vocabulary formed as a result of direct translation from Latvian, for example, žuravina (журавина)–kļukva (kлюква): dzērvene [cranberry], razoraļi (разорали)–raspohaļi (распохали): uzara [ploughed], burki (бурки)–banki (банки): burkas [jars], barkan (баркан)–morkovj (морковь): burkāns [carrot].
Several decades of historical, economic, and cultural change in the life of the community have not developed or changed the language. For example, the following words are still in use: korņevatka (корневатка)—koka lūku grozs [bark basket], drjanki (дянки)—dūraiņi [mittens], abrjažatsja (абряжатся)—apkopt lopus [tend livestock], tina (тина)—kartupeļu laksti [potato greens], srjašitsja (сряшиться)—neveikli pakrist [fall awkwardly] etc.
2. A distinctive sense of identity that is reflected in cultural realities, traditions, festivities, ritual, song, dance, and other forms of folklore.
3. Adherence to the Orthodox Church, which is reflected in both the social life of the community and its folklore.
Importance in Community Life
Historically, the Orthodox Church in Pededze included not only ethnic Russians and Setu but also a notable number of Latvian families. As a result, a unique wedding ritual along with a range of related activities came into being in the Pededze area.
Today, these wedding customs are of interest not only to parish residents but also to those who lived here in earlier times, and anyone who has ever participated in this kind of wedding.
Many residents of Pededze have partial familiarity with these wedding traditions; some elements of this ritual are still in use today.
Activities/Actions
The following elements continue to be used in many cases: the proposal (svatovstvo, сватовствo); the agreement (govor, сговор); and visits with the future relatives (smotrini, смотрины); altogether these are known as dimņičaņje (дымничанье). The marriage ceremony and a bridal dowry are almost mandatory.
Traditional wedding roles continue to be relevant at many weddings. These include the wedding hosts, the bride and bridegroom’s "družkas", the groom’s “brothers”, and the “girlfriends” or bride’s “sisters”.
The druškas, the brothers, and the hosts all wear wedding towels and belts crossed across their chests.
On some occasions, druškas still contribute their epigrams and adages, the bride and bridegroom receive blessings from their parents, (наделяют и благославляют), who recite a prayer while holding a round loaf of bread and an icon over the newlyweds’ heads. The bride is still often “purchased” from the bride’s sisters. As in ancient times, the newlyweds are guided to a rug and seated on cushions at the table.
The “wedding train” is not a procession of horse-drawn carriages but of automobiles. It is an ancient tradition that the wedding cortège never travels the same route (for example, they take one route to the church, another to the registry office, and return by yet another. They must also pass over one bridge).
This part of the tradition often involves setting up barriers to the “wedding train” and demanding ransoms.
In preparation for the couple’s return from the church, villagers erect and decorate a gate at the newlyweds’ home but block the path to the gate with a bench. The couple is sat down on the bench and lifted up with cries of "urā!". The groom’s parents greet them with bread and salt in outstretched arms. The bride is covered, then uncovered at the groom’s home with the groom’s mother removing the veil. If possible, the newlyweds approach the table by walking over benches and chairs.
Bride theft rituals are often employed, along with ransom demands for the return of the bride. On the second day, there is a purification ritual in the bathhouse; and, of course, the bride’s gifts to her new relatives.
Inheritance and Transfer
Although the traditional sequence is not always followed, many of these ancient wedding rituals continue to endure.
Even recently, pesnohorki singers (песнохорки), who know the tradition and the weddings songs, were still invited to many weddings.
At the moment, the most in-demand songs at a Pededze parish wedding are challenge songs, the baineičik song, circle dance songs, and congratulatory songs to the groom and bride after the ceremonial "urā!".
History
For centuries Pededze parish was almost never inside one territorial unit. Until 1782 it was divided between Russia, Poland, and Sweden; the Silenieki stone cross engraved with the date 1782 is evidence of this history.
From 1782 until 1917, the parish was part of the Russian Empire but divided between three provinces—Pskov, Livland (Vidzeme), and Vitebsk.
From 1920 until 1923, most of Pededze belonged to Estonia, while the rest was in Latvia.
The borders we know today were only established in 1924. These kinds of changes in borders and governmental affiliation left their mark on traditions, customs, and even social life, including the Orthodox wedding ritual.
Historically and culturally, the Orthodox wedding rituals of Latvia’s eastern region are closely related to wedding traditions in the Pechory region of Pskov province and those of the central Pskov region.
The wedding ritual with all of its forms of artistry, which includes speeches (prigovori, pričitaņija; приговоры, причитания), songs, and dances, has a predominant place in the traditional culture of the Russian Orthodox population of eastern Latvia.
Weddings, along with calendrical festivities like Christmas, Maļeņica, and Troica, through instrumental and choreographic culture, (gusli, accordions, fiddle; various men’s, women’s and mixed choreographic forms) are an important feature of Orthodox Russian subethnic uniqueness.
It is important to note that of all the traditions noted here, it is the wedding ritual that has endured with the least amount of change and many of its forms are still popular among the people of this region.
Additional Information
1. Women’s handicrafts are an integral part of the wedding ritual, including:
Woven fabrics (canvas, festive and everyday towels, rugs, belts).
Embroidered textiles (tablecloths, towels, women’s clothing, bed linens).
Knitted and crocheted fabrics (tablecloths, lace, mittens, gloves, socks, clothing).
Many of these function as ritual objects and as part of the dowry, etc.
2. There are also traditional wedding foods associated with the ritual, including special bread, beer, and moonshine.
3. The traditional tasks involved in preparing for the wedding were also important, including organizing the rooms, the horse and carriage, and constructing the wedding gate.
4. It was also important to know the rules and canons of the Orthodox Church.
5. Oral folklore. The entire process is led by the družka, in poetic language no less and in the local dialect, employing imaginative epigrams (e.g., ņevesta, utuška—невеста, утушка) and Orthodox scripture.
All of the rituals take place accompanied by songs or readings (pričeti—причеты). There is challenge singing and svadebnie veļičaļnie (свадебные величальные) chanting. Practically the entire ritual takes place accompanied by women’s circle dances. There is a large repertoire of circle dance chants and texts.
Traditional music. Accordion and balalaika players must definitely participate. Three-row accordions of the German type (pēterburģenes) were especially popular, as were the Ieviņš-type accordions (Петроградка, Ивушка).
6. Folk beliefs have always been an indispensable part of the wedding ritual.
It is a bad sign if someone walks between the newlyweds, steps on, or otherwise soils the bride’s dress or veil.
When the couple first meets, whoever first steps on the other’s toes will be right in their arguments.
As she enters the church, the bride must drag her heel across the threshold. To ensure successful childbirth, the bride must not tie a belt around her dress before the wedding.
During the marriage ceremony, looking at images of angels in the icons will make their children beautiful.
After entering the groom’s home and tasting the bread and salt, the bride must lay a pair of mittens across the bread as a gift for her mother-in-law to ensure her goodwill.
There must be enough mittens and socks in the dowry to last for ten years because in the early years after the wedding, children will be born and there won’t be time for knitting.
Wedding guests must try to not take the same routes, so the couple won’t tire of each other. Similarly, they must also drive over a bridge because as they do so, the bride must throw a belt into the river to ensure that she won’t need to weep during her marriage.
Masters
1. Tatjana Steklova (b. 1966) from Pededze,
2. Antoņina Girs (b. 1953) from Pededze,
3. Yevgenia Rozina (b. 1926) from Rīga
4. Yevgenia Illarionova (b. 1944) from Pededze,
5. Zinaida Kručkova (b. 1939) from Pededze,
6. Marija Pavlova (b. 1935) from Pededze,
7. Inese Volšteina (b. 1969) from Pededze,
8. Ludmila Uglovska (b. 1970) from Pededze,
9. Tatjana Krutina (b. 1969) from Pededze,
10. Antoņina Kaminskaja (b. 1944) from Pededze,
11. Inta Ņikitina (b. 1950) from Pededze.
Many people in Pededze are at least partially familiar with these wedding traditions.
Agencies and Institutions
Alūksne municipality Pededze People's House;
“FPC "Tradīcija"”.
Strengthening
in 2014, a research work of the municipality “Russian wedding traditions in Pededze parish in late 19 th and early 20 th centuries” was developed with the support of the Alūksne municipality Pededze People's House (Tatjana Steklova) and the Pededzes Museum of the Alūksne municipality (Inese Volšteine). As part of the study, ancient wedding photos were collected, memories told by old residents were recorded, a wedding dress of the early 20 th century was found and restored, a groom's shirt and other clothing, belts, towels, gloves, other ancient household items of the Pededze area, which are in the Pededze People's House exhibition “The Ancient Daily life of Pededze” and photo exposure “100 years for Latvia.”
In 2014, the association “The Future of Pededze” and the Pededze People's House organized a traditional Pededze wedding celebration as part of the project “Historical Wedding traditions in Pededze. Past and Nowadays” supported by the Valmiera municipality Foundation and the Ministry of Culture. The wedding ceremony played at the event was recorded on DVD, the recording is at the disposal of the association, and was given to the project's collaborators.
In 2015, the Pededze Library and the Pededze People's House (T. Steklova, A. Girs) created a dictionary of the most peculiar words of the local speech (the copy can be found in People's House).
The association “FPC tradition” “(Chairman of the Board of Directors S. Olenkins) has conducted several folklore expeditions in Pededze Parish. The collected materials are included in the “FPC” tradition “audio, video archive. During the expedition, folklore material was discovered and documented, including the wedding folklore of said parishes, which has been partially preserved to the present day. The materials of the expedition have been published in part in Mr Olenkin's book 'Russian and Belarusian folkora in Latvia at the turn of the millennium'. (“Русский и белорусский фольклор в Латвии на рубеже тысячелетий”).
The documentary film “Russian wedding in Latgale. Reet in the bride's house” has been taken. Screenwriter S. Olenkin, director N. Stratanovic. The documentary footage was taken in the Pededze Parish of the Aluksne Municipality.
The folklore ensemble “Iljinskaya pjatņica” has accumulated considerable experience in reconstructing, learning, and performing the traditional wedding folklore described in the ritual.
What has been done over the last five years to ensure the existence of the element.
2019/2020 - exhibitions at the Pededzes People's House:
• “Orthodox wedding in Pededzé”;
• “Ancient musical instruments”;
• “From Grandma's dowry chest”.
2020 - Forum at the Pededzes People's House “Oh, this Pededzes wedding...” (partially withdrawn due to the emergency).
2020 - introductions and training (masterclasses) at the Pededzes People's House “workshop for the soul - weaving of scarves” (used as ritual objects as part of dowry).
2020 - “Tell me about yourself” project - Intercultural dialogue in Vidzeme 2020. A tablet-sign has been installed on the wall of the parish management building. The project is being implemented by the society “future of Pededzes”, the Valmiera municipality Foundation and the Ministry of Culture.
2021 - Project “Pededze wedding materials.” The project is implemented by the association FPC tradition, the State Culture capital Foundation.
2022-2023 - Project "Transformation of the wedding ritual of Orthodox residents of Pededzes civil parish in the contemporary Community Theatre staging “weddings, когда-то” (changed name to “Sateka”). The project is implemented by the society “future of Pededzes”, the foundation “INITIUM” and “Eguilibrium Group”, supported by “British Council Latvia”, Vidzeme planning Region, Latvian State Forests, State Culture Capital Foundation and the Aluksne Municipality Self-government.
2023 - singing at the Pededzes Folk House “wedding songs at the Table.”
Activities have fueled interest among parish residents in their parish folklore and wedding ritual. For the preservation of cultural intangible heritage, participants of the event, especially young people, have received new knowledge and skills in the acquisition of ancient traditions, customs. The development and promotion of unique forms of folk fiction with a view to transferring them to future generations has been promoted. Through the exploration of the culture and history of his parish, his county, a sense of pride has been formed for the youth about “the little homeland.”
Support received and planned so far from State and local government institutions or other persons.
2019/2020
Exhibitions at the Pededzes Folk House:
• “Orthodox wedding in Pededzé”
• “Vintage musical instruments”
• “From Grandma's dowry chest”
€20.00 Pededze People's House budget
2020
Forum at Pededze People's House “Oh this Pededze wedding...” (partially withdrawn due to emergency)
EUR 700,00 Aluksne Municipality Self-government of the municipality of Aluke
2020
Introduction and training (masterclasses) at the Pededzes People's House “workshop for the soul - the weaving of scarves” (used as ritual objects, as part of dowry.)
€70.00 budget for Pesparia People's House
2020
Project “Tell me about yourself - intercultural dialogue in Vidzeme 2020”. A tablet-sign has been installed on the wall Ministry of the parish administration building.
EUR 1300,00 society “future of Peration”, Valmiera Municipality Fund and Ministry of Culture
2021
Project “Pededze wedding materials”
EUR 5000.00 society FPC tradition, Culture Capital Foundation
2022-2023
Project "Transformation of the wedding ritual of Orthodox residents of Pededzes civil parish in the contemporary Community Theatre staging “weddings, когда-то” (changed to “Sateka”).
EUR 6000.00 society “future of Peration”, foundation “INITIUM” and “Eguilibrium Group”, “British Council Latvia”, Vidzeme planning Region, Latvian State Forests, State Culture Capital Foundation and Aluksne Municipality Self-government of the municipality of Aloksnes
2023
Chanting at the Pededze Folk House “wedding songs at the Table”
€100.00 budget for Pesparia People's House
Continuity/Development
Measures planned for documentation and research of the element.
create a structured document and material accounting system in 2025 that is simple and transparent using new technologies. Budget of the Pededze People's House.
in 2026-2027, on the basis of the originators' materials and documents:
• planning;
• further develop the documents themselves;
• publish in material social networks and on the local government portal of the municipality of Aloksnes;
• Create booklets and brochures.
Organisation of masterclasses:
• production of video and photographic material based on masterclass events;
• Publish and promote videos and photos to social networks.
Budget of Pededzes People's House, State Culture Capital Foundation
in 2027-2030, acquisition of interactive and multimedia technologies for the introduction of educational games.
State Culture Capital Foundation.
Measure planned for the safeguarding and developing of the element.
in 2025, a three-day seminar called “Oh, this Pededze wedding...”
Introduction to traditional folk performing arts and training (masterclasses) in the following fields of fiction:
• People's songs: masterclass “right wedding singing,” with S. Olenkin and folklore ensemble “Iljinskaja pieatnica.”
• People's Dance: a masterclass in “local dancing of Pesparia,” with L. Uglovska and L. Bundzena and the dance collective “the Kaimins.”
• People's moving games (including traditional games and competitions).
Tatjana Steklow, a labor specialist at Aluksne KC New Jaunaluksne and Pededzes civil parish
lecture-concert “stage wedding Song” in 2025 (promotion and preservation of traditions, interests and respectful relations).
Tatjana Steklow, a labor specialist at Aluksne KC New Jaunaluksne and Pededzes civil parish
in 2026, the forum-seminar “Oh, this wedding...” debuts the “Etnofashion” view with a folk suit included in the program (familiarisation with the wedding traditions and folk uniforms of the Aluksnes municipality and Latvian nationalities and minorities, application of elements of national costumes in modern fashion with the aim of attracting youth attention, synergy of national cultures).
Tatjana Steklow, a labor specialist at Aluksne KC New Jaunaluksne and Pededzes civil parish
in 2027-2029, publication of the brochure “historic wedding of Pededze” - for advertising, introduction, information and business purposes.
Tatjana Steklow, a labor specialist at Aluksne KC New Jaunaluksne and Pededzes civil parish
in 2027-2029, the acquisition of interactive and multimedia technologies for the introduction of educational games. The information will be presented to a variety of audiences, especially young people in an exciting form, making it easier to memorize.
Tatjana Steklow, a labor specialist at Aluksne KC New Jaunaluksne and Pededzes civil parish
The objectives of the above measures shall be the preservation and promotion of intangible and tangible cultural heritage through the following tasks:
• involve the youth and middle generation of the Pededzes civil parish and cultivating traditions;
• promote traditions, interests and respect for peoples' culture;
• strengthen the importance of revitalising cultural heritage as a value;
• to develop tourism in the parish as an aesthetic and artistic value that has been known in the past.
Threats
At this time, safeguarding the traditional wedding rituals of Pededze parish will not be possible without academic research, the support of researchers, an organization that would be interested in safeguarding this intangible cultural heritage, and financial support.
The absence of this kind of support will pose a threat to the survival of this traditional wedding ritual and its ability to be passed on to future generations.
It is important to note that people are constantly moving away from rural areas resulting in a decline in cultural activity for the remaining community. Additional efforts are, therefore, needed to facilitate cultural life in the parish, organize traditional festivities, folk group concerts, etc.
We are convinced that by researching and introducing these traditions to the people in the parish, the song repertoire demanded at weddings would increase considerably.
Unfortunately, local residents who are fluent singers are no longer able to participate in weddings because of their advanced age.
There are women of the middle and younger generation who would like to study the wedding traditions and acquire the singing skills needed for traditional weddings.
The director of the FPC Tradīcija [Tradition] Centre Sergejs Oļenkins and members of the authentic folklore studio and folklore group "Iļjinskaja pjatņica" are prepared to organise training sessions on wedding customs and masterclasses to teach traditional wedding singing skills.
Applicant
"Pededzes Nākotne" [The future of Pededze] Society, reg. no. 40008051202
Image Gallery
Audio Materials
Video Materials
Text Materials
Publications
Народная традиционная культура Псковской области: Обзор экспедиционных материалов из научных фондов Фольклорно–этнографического центра: В 2 т./Сост., науч. ред. А. М. Мехнецов. – СПб.; Псков: Изд–во Псковск. обл. центра народного творчества, 2002. Т. 1. – 688 с.; Т. 2. – 816 с.: нот.
Фридрих И. Д. Фольклор русских крестьян Яунлатгальского уезда. Кн. 1. Песни: Детские, хороводные, беседные, обрядовые, заговоры и духовные стихи и др./Собраны И. Д. Фридрихом; под ред. П. Шмита; фоногр. записи мелодий на ноты переложены М. Гривским – Riga: issued cultural foundation, 1936 – 527 с.
И.Д.Фридрих “Русский фольклор в Латвии: песни, обряды, детский фольклор”. Рига. “Лиесма”. 1972 г. 485 стр
М.Шпис “Свадебные песни и обряды”. Собственное издание. 1936 год
С.А.Оленкин “Русский и белорусский фольклор в Латвии на рубеже тысячелетий”. Рига. “Golden autumn”. 2017 г. 300 стр. нот.