HUTSULʼS MASCULINE INITIATION PRACTICES

Abstract

Summary. The purpose of the study is to analyse the rituals and actions performed by the Hutsuls to manifest the changes in age or social status of a male, to describe the structure and age sequence of the rituals and to identify the main ritual elements related to the changes of male’s status. The research is conducted on the basis of available sources. The research methodology is based on principles of systematicity and objectivity, as well as on comparative-historical method, structural-semantic and typological analysis and the field research method. The term «initiation» refers solely to the rites of male’s transition from an infant to an adolescent and from an adolescent to an adult. The scientific novelty of the research is establishing the correlation between different initiation practices and age and social markers. The structure of the initiation practices as well as their influence on the appearance of a person, his/her place in the community, social rights and responsibilities has been described. Conclusions. The initiations Hutsuls performed were meant to empower a new member of the community with rights and responsibilities, and more importantly, to extend his lifespan. Several rituals were important to young men in different periods of their life as they had initiation significance. According to the typical scheme of transition by A. van Gennep, we can distinguish two main groups of initiations – those that contain the liminal phase and those that do not.The main markers of status change for men (in the studied rituals and ceremonies) are the change of hairstyle (cutting hair), «misbehaving» within the fellow community, showing required physical qualities and military service.Meanwhile, we must admit the lack of solid source base for this study. Therefore the structure, the nature and the significance of Hutsulʼs masculine initiation practices cannot be fully revealed. The way of gaining special statuses by Hutsul males requires further scientific research.