Ceremonial Culture Research Articles

On the Structural and Semantic Features of Nanai Songs of the Agbaba Historical Region

The purpose of the research is to study the archaic features of the Nanai musical language, which is one of the genres of authentic musical folklore of the Agbaba historical region. Agbaba is one of the ethno-cultural zones of Azerbaijan, distinguished by its diverse genre system of musical folklore. It should be noted that the Agbaba region is now part of the Republic of Armenia and has been called Amasia since 1930. Historically, this region was inhabited by ancient Turkic tribes, which played a significant role in the ethnogenesis of Azerbaijan, and until the end of the twentieth century was famous for its cultural and ethnographic traditions. Research methodology. The article analyses from the semiotic point of view the samples of one of the genres of authentic folklore of the region – Nanai. According to the author, the use of semiotic methods of analysis can help to identify archetypal patterns of samples of the Nanai genre. Based on the analysis of the fretting and metro-rhythmic features of the musical language, the general typological model of the studied genre is determined. The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time in ethnomusicology, the semantic analysis of samples of the Nanai genre, which was an integral part of the ceremonial culture of ancient Azerbaijanis, is carried out in this article. Conclusions. Based on the collected musical and ethnographic material and the analysis, it was concluded that the peculiarities of the Nanai musical language played an important role in the semantic content of various rites, distinguished by their syncretic nature. Notably, signs of syncretism are also manifested in the peculiarities of the musical language of Nanai samples that have survived to this day. For example, some kinetic musical signs testify to the applied function of Nanai samples. This fact eloquently testifies to the fact that the Nanai genre is of considerable interest from the point of view of modern ethnomusicology.

ВЕЩЬ В ТРАДИЦИОННОЙ ОБРЯДОВОЙ КУЛЬТУРЕ КЫРГЫЗОВ

The article is devoted to the study of things in the traditional ceremonial culture of Kyrgyz as an integral component of their profane and sacred existence, expressed through ritual and ceremonial practices. The relevance of studying the material world is determined by the role it plays as a link between the historical experience of the past and the new realities of modern life, which allows us to reconstruct the worldview of traditional society through the prism of modern research. The object of the study is a thing as an integral component of the traditional ceremonial culture of Kyrgyz. The subject of the study is the functional (utilitarian), symbolic and ritual meanings of a thing in the traditional ceremonial culture of Kyrgyz. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to reveal the unity of the functional (utilitarian), symbolic and ritual meaning of a thing based on examples from the ritual and ceremonial practice of traditional Kyrgyz culture, such as maternity, wedding and funeral services, through which a person joins collective values, goes through the process of socialization, thereby establishing a connection between the profane and sacred worlds. The semiotic status, essence and meaning of each thing in ritual culture is determined by the way it functions in ritual as a symbol, a keeper of meanings and a carrier of cultural memory.

РЕГІОНАЛЬНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ВИШИВКИ: ІСТОРІОГРАФІЧНИЙ ОГЛЯД НАУКОВОГО ДОРОБКУ ВІТЧИЗНЯНИХ ДОСЛІДНИКІВ

The article provides a historiographic review of the scientific heritage of domestic researchers devoted to the study of regional features of Ukrainian embroidery (vyshyvka). It was found that this problem aroused scientific interest among researchers already in the 70s of the 19th century, in particular in the works of Khv. Vovk and O. Kosach. It is stated that it was O. Kosach (Olena Pchilka) who was one of the founders of the study of Ukrainian embroidery and ornamentation as an ethnographic phenomenon. The authors emphasize that for quite a long time the terms «vyshyvka» and «vyshyvanka» were ignored in encyclopedic editions, but the situation changed after the Orange Revolution and especially after the Revolution of Dignity. The main attention of the authors is focused on the informative and analytical material of the scientific work of different generations of researchers who studied the Ukrainian embroidered towel, as well as women’s and men’s vyshyvanka. It was concluded that the scientific output of researchers, which reveals various aspects of this problem, includes hundreds of articles and dozens of monographs. The authors found out that the regional peculiarities of Ukrainian embroidery relate not only to the technique of decoration, ornamentation, color range, but also to its role and significance as a talisman and place in the national ceremonial culture, however, at the same time it is claimed that, in addition to the already well-known factual and analytical information, today there are still many little-known and little-researched aspects of this multifaceted scientific problem that require both further study and generalization.

Культ святых и паломнические традиции у народов Волго-Уральского региона в досоветское время

The history and culture of the holy sites in the Volga-Ural region remains an underdeveloped topic in ethnological science. The introduction of new written sources into scientific circulation and a secondary analysis of the works of Russian and foreign researchers can help in solving this problem. The article aims to systematise and analyse information about the cult of saints and pilgrimage traditions among the peoples of the Volga-Ural region in the pre-Soviet period. The belonging of holy sites to certain peoples has become the main principle of the distribution of information. Its use showed the need to single out a separate group of data that reveals the syncretism of holy sites among the Volga-Ural peoples. The collected corpus of materials made it possible to identify the main places of worship in the region, pilgrimage traditions, the attitude of national and religious elites towards sacred objects, and the nature of public discussions. The authors believe that when studying the cult of saints, it is important to take into account the essence of "holiness" and the ideas about it among individual peoples, the system of its maintenance – oral and written heritage, ritual and ceremonial culture. The nature of the worship of holy sites in the context of intercultural contacts in the Volga-Ural region is of great importance.

Bolivian “Music of the Wind” in guitar works: aspects of artistic implementation

The relevance of the article is to consider Bolivian guitar music as an important component of the modern South American repertoire. On the example of the works of famous composers and performers Alfredo Domínguez, Fernando Arduz, and Jilberto Rojas, connections with the folklore traditions of the country, the poetics of Bolivian "wind music", and its timbre specificity have been revealed.
 Main objective of the study is to reveal aspects of the artistic embodiment of Bolivian «music of the wind» in academic guitar work. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the introduction of materials about Bolivian musical culture and guitar creativity into domestic musicological circulation.
 The methodology includes methods of historical, comparative, phenomenological, structural and functional analysis to study: genre and style elements of Bolivian folk music of Indian and Creole origin in academic guitar work; organology of traditional instruments and timbre characteristics of sound; phenomena of imitation of the voices of nature, the timbres of Bolivian wind, percussion, and string-plucked instruments by modern guitar means of sound production; genealogy of rhythmic structures and their manifestations in the researched works; decorative and visual ritual attribution; correlation of associative-figurative series with timbre connotations, specific genres and intonation and chord patterns; anthropological connections of the sound space of «music of the wind» with the surrounding natural and landscape environment and the state of metaphysical dialogue of man with the surrounding world.
 Results and conclusions. In the analyzed compositions («Feria», «Por la Quebrada» by A. Dominguez, «Despedida de Los Chunchos» by F. Arduz, «Guadalquivir» by J. Rojas) various resources of performing guitar technique used to imitate the voices of nature, authentic timbres of ancient Bolivian aerophones quena, erke, сaña, membranophones caja, local chordophones charango, relevant in modern conditions of collective ritual music-making practice. Sound and image connotations are correlated with the voices of Bolivian folk instruments, ritual decorations, plasticity of dance movements, visualization of natural landscapes and attribution of totemic cultures. In the process of defining genre components, the contrasts of juxtapositions were demonstrated: takirari, tonada and Andean huayño, ceremonial Indian ceremonies and sardana dance of Iberian origin, metric fluctuations of Creole and Indian rhythms, melodic movements of pentatonic nature with melismatic ornaments of the Andean type. Linguistic and genre characteristics of guitar works were investigated taking into account the anthropological experience of Bolivian scientists studying their musical and ceremonial culture, which in particular determined the search for the historical roots of musical phenomena among the exhibits of archaeological museums, exhibits of musical instruments, and artifacts of the life of indigenous peoples.

Crimean Tableaux of Catherine II’s Court as the Visual Record of the Russian Empire’s Southern Expansion

This article analyzes celebrations of Russian military victories over the Ottoman Turks during Catherine II’s reign on the examples of pictures (tableaux) featured in fireworks, illuminations, triumphal arches, processions, and instances of live theater. Performing the Crimean conquest via these artistic displays, from the early 1770s—the time when Crimea first begins to appear in them—and until Catherine’s final years, served as a way of incorporating the peninsula as a part of the imperial design and of announcing the Crimean Tatar as the latest member of the Russian Empire’s supporting cast. This paper argues that Crimea’s changing status in the ceremonial culture of Catherine’s court is reflected in these tableaux with their focus on the territory (Crimea) as opposed to its people (Crimean Tatars).

Laughter as Initiation: The Functioning of the Elements of Laughter Culture in Yakut Texts

The purpose of the article is to study the representation of the initial function of laughter in Yakut folklore texts. The range of research tasks was determined by the semantics of laughter and its functioning in Yakut texts. Folklore and ethnographic sources which served as the material for this study reflect the unique qualities of the Yakut laughing discourse. Special attention was paid to the actualization of the archaic laughter in the Yakut ritual and ceremonial culture (in particular, in the collective rituals Ayyyyyty ataaryy tuoma (farewell ceremony for the goddess Ayyysyt) and Dyalyng ylyytyn tuoma (evoking sexual passion). The author highlights the elements of the laughing culture widely used in the military epic discourse (songs-squabbles of heroes, songs of bloodshed ilbis yryata, songs-curses of heroes kyrys yryata)—abusive language, swearing, profanity, banter. Within the framework of this article, the peculiarities of functioning of laughter, considered as one of the most important components of the rite of passage—initiation—are investigated. The author argues that in the folklore world (fairy tales, legends of nomoh, the olonkho epic), laughter seems to be an analogue of psychological initiation, in which the life-affirming power of laughter finds actualization, purifying and protecting, aimed at distinguishing the living and the dead world. Therefore, the paper also includes the issues of self-identification, specificity of mental landscape, and the definition of marginality in the Yakut cultural space.

THE DOOR OF THE YURT AS A SIGN SYSTEM AND CULTURAL CODE

Yurt as a model of the universe and the symbolic space of the traditional Turkic-Mongolian dwelling is the object of many scientific studies. However, some of its elements are less studied. In particular, the key details of the yurt - the door. It is known that the space symbolic of a yurt is a system of codes constructed by various sociocultural experience, which makes it possible to show the semantics of its structural elements. For example, the door, which is a whole semiotically object. Not only the door and its structural elements are the structures of the sacred system of the yurt, but also the material and production techniques of the door, its decor, installation rules, etc., due to connection with some traditional taboos, superstitions, rituals and customs. It can be assumed that the material and plastic basis of the yurt’s door and its structural elements, representing a holistic artistic image, consistent with the aesthetic picture of the nomadic Turkic-Mongolian people’s world, at the same time are the structural components of the ritual and ceremonial culture. In this article we tried to study the door of the yurt as a symbolic system and cultural code, based on the Turkic-Mongolian culture (Kazakhs, Tuvans, Kyrgyz and others). The article was prepared within the project of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan AR09259280 “Languages of Kazakh culture as the basis of ethnic identity: semiotics and semantics”. Key words: door, yurt, Turkic-Mongolian culture, semantics, symbolism

RUDAT DANCE SHOW PROMOTES MANDALIKA ON MOTO GP

Rudat dance used to perform in traditional Sasak culture called Begawe, roah-thankful ceremonial culture based on primitif way. This nowadays left by millenial and Zillenial. Then pursued to state the problem that how to utilization of the Rudat Dance for the Mandalika Moto GP Event. This research find that Rudat can be perform to be useful Dance for this International event. This research finding indicated two types of Rudat can be used to be shown in tourism persfective. Therefore Rudat can be developed to be one of the target traditional culture to utilized by all stakeholders those who envolved to promote rudat as one of attractive for tourism event.

Символічні чинники державної ідентичності

Symbolic aspects of the formation of state identity in independent Ukraine are described in the article. Post-socialist transformations of the late 20th – early 21st century in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe have been drawing increasing attention to the problems of a new state identity formation. The latter is an effect generated by the collective self-awareness of all ethnocultural communities involved in the political nation creation. In a particular context of Ukraine, the democratic institutions and values are strengthened in public life simultaneously with the overcoming of the heritage of the totalitarian past. The decommunization process has been lasting for more than a decade. Its actual results can be seen in the changed names of many settlements, squares, streets, enterprises, institutions, etc. The Leninfall is a striking indicator of the Soviet worldview matrix negotiation. It is the removal of monuments to V. Lenin and the other characters of the ideological pantheon of the USSR from the civic space. Traditional and professional cultures should be involved in a positive image of the state identity building. The system of new state holidays and rituals is aimed at the people inspiration and unification. Throughout the post-Soviet and post-socialist space the fundamental transformations of recent decades have taken place under the slogans of liberation from the totalitarian past and de-ideologization of all spheres of spiritual and social life. In post-totalitarian Ukraine the Independence Day has largely taken over the former functions of the October Revolution holiday. Neither military threats from Russia nor significant economic difficulties have prevented the bright and solemn celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine Independence. This festival has become a significant indicator of the Ukrainian political nation maturity. The country has chosen the path of formation of a democratic society of the European type. The generally accepted system of holiday traditions forms the backbone of culture and spirituality of each nation. The satisfactory condition of this system influences all spheres of the general state body’s life. The task is to ensure the active importance of festive and ceremonial culture in the processes of Ukrainian independence strengthening, the political nation consolidation and establishment of the civil society with high humanistic values. The state identity of the Ukrainian nation today is at the formation stage. The ethnologists should study this process at the level of collective and individual consciousness.

PEWARISAN MAKNA NONVERBAL UPACARA CHENG BENG PADA MASYARAKAT TIONGHOA PONTIANAK DI JABODETABEK

Indonesia has various types of ethnicities and cultures. However, not everyone understands their own culture. This then raises concerns about the possibility of extinction will occur in the future. So, it is necessary to carry out the cultural inheritance. Cultural inheritance is not only centered on verbal meanings but also nonverbal meanings. The meaning of each person can be the same as well as different because everyone interacts different backgrounds people, this explanation can be related to the symbolic interactionism theory proposed by Herbert Blumer. When interacting with people from another region, people may experience culture shock because of differences that they are not used to experiencing. With this problem, the researcher wants to find out how the previous generation of Pontianak Chinese people who live in Jabodetabek pass the nonverbal meaning of the cheng beng ceremony to their successors. This research uses phenomenological methods and constructivist paradigms. The data from this study were obtained from structured interviews which were then coded into words. The results of this study indicate that there are two ways of inheriting the cheng beng ceremonial culture, namely by telling and bringing directly to the ancestral graves so that future generations can experience it firsthand.

Art and Culture in the Diplomatic Ceremonial as the Basis of International Relations

Currently, there is an increased interest in ceremonial culture. A ceremonial is a kind of cultural message from one social group of people to another. The basic idea of behaviour, the inner meaning of secular ceremonial is laid down in church rituals, and external forms of behaviour can be borrowed from the traditions of everyday secular life. Diplomacy as one of the spheres of applied politics is a very complex and responsible type of human activity, which has always had a pronounced ritual character. The conclusion of contracts and alliances took place according to a certain scenario plan, according to which the ceremonial action developed. During the preparation and holding of the ceremony, the exchange of diplomatic letters and embassies continued, solemn meetings were arranged for the honored guests, feasts, theatrical performances, games, and festivities were given in their honor. the purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive study of the communicative functions of diplomatic ceremonial in international communication based on the analysis and generalisation of new facts with the involvement of archival materials and other sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. In this study, art is considered for the first time from the point of view of the communicative factor of a diplomatic ceremony. A ceremonial is an event in the life of society that has a symbolic meaning. The norms of ceremonial reflect not only ideology but also the social psychology of society, without an adequate interpretation of which it is impossible to correctly understand the behavior of statesmen in specific situations related to their official status.

Diplomatic Ceremonial as the Basis of the Culture of International Relations

Currently, there is an increased interest in the ceremonial culture in general, and in etiquette as a component of the ceremonial, in particular. This phenomenon is largely explained by their special role in the processes of communication in society, as well as a new understanding of the processes of communication and behaviour themselves. A ceremonial is a kind of cultural message from one social group of people to another. The basic idea of behaviour, the inner meaning of secular ceremonial is laid down in church rituals, and external forms of behaviour can be borrowed from the traditions of everyday secular life. The relevance of the study is determined by insufficient knowledge of diplomatic ceremonies of The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the fact that knowledge of the laws of their functioning expands the understanding of domestic politics and international relations of the era, the cultural component of the life of Soviet society. The socio-cultural aspect of the topic is also relevant in scientific terms. This research can contribute to the study of the history of the organisational culture of Soviet society. Taking into account the absence of a special study devoted to the problem in historiography, the purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive study of the communicative functions of diplomatic ceremonial in international communication based on the analysis and generalisation of new facts with the involvement of archival materials and other sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. In this study, art is considered for the first time from the point of view of the communicative factor of diplomatic ceremonial. For the first time, such a term as "diplomatic counterculture" is introduced into circulation.

“Firearm art” in honor of the Russian State abroad: to the question of Russia’s representation in Europe during the time of Peter the Great

This article determines the key principles of designing fireworks and illumination compositions created in honor of the Russian State in foreign territories in the late XVII – early XVIII centuries. The analysis of themes and images contained therein in conducted in the context of the problematic of representative culture of that time. The article is first to attract the preserved graphic sources and published written archival materials discovered in recent years, including by the author of this research. Special attention is given to fireworks and illuminations on the occasion of the Treaty of Nystad, which did not receive due coverage within the scientific literature. Due to the peculiarities of “firearm art”, the research methodology relies on the scientific reconstruction with the use of art history, historical-cultural, as well as elements of iconographic and iconological analysis. It is revealed the firework festivities were one of the remarkable form of Russia’s representation abroad during the time of Peter the Great. In allegorical interpretation, they not only glorified the Russian State, but also reflected far-reaching plans of the monarch aimed at obtaining the imperial status of the country. Most of the fireworks and illumination compositions were based on the traditional for ambassadorial ceremonial culture of that time motif of the triumphal arch, and the arsenal of themes and images resembled the Russian festive complexes. The fire paintings were created in accordance with the principles similar to heraldic images: centerpoint, vertical and horizontal hierarchy, and laws of symmetry. As far back as his first trip to Europe, Peter the Great knew that fire performances is a source of creating awareness and excellent opportunity to make the country know to the world.

Contemporary Religious Practices of the Orthodox Chuvash in the Samara Trans-Volga region

The paper focuses on contemporary religious practices of the Orthodox Chuvash living in the Trans-Volga areas of the Samara Region. The author describes features of the ritual calendar, funeral and memorial customs and rituals, forms of social activity of the Chuvash within the framework of religious life; reveals the ratio of Orthodox and the so-called pagan elements in religious practices; traces the process of formation of Orthodox-pagan syncretism as the basis of contemporary religiosity of the Samara Chuvash. The results of the study showed their noticeable shift towards Orthodox religiosity in the last two decades. Orthodoxy acts as the basis of the confessional identity of the Samara Chuvash and today it determines activity in the formation of the sacred landscape of Chuvash villages. Orthodoxy is at the heart of festive and ceremonial culture, religious actions and experience. However, in contemporary religious practices, especially in funeral, memorial and calendar rituality, rituals and behavioral models that go back to the Chuvash religion are manifested. At the same time, there is a high degree of syncretization of Orthodox and Chuvash folk traditions, due to the long history of their coexistence in the culture of the rural community. Local churches and involvement of villagers in the confessional environment both at the local, regional and national levels play a significant role in the formation and development of religious practices.

Drinking, eating and dancing: Swiss merchants’ lobbying in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Lyon

Abstract At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Swiss formed the most important and numerous foreign merchant community in Lyon. As a result of centuries-old treaties, Swiss nationals benefited from several privileges in France. However, these privileges were increasingly threatened by French protectionist policies. In order to defend their rights, Swiss merchants adopted various strategies. In this article, the focus is on a particular form of lobbying: dinners and parties. The merchants themselves documented such events in their own writings. In general terms these sources offer an original research perspective on early modern urban food, drinking and ceremonial culture. More specifically, this article reveals not only the different facets of a foreign community’s agency in a protectionist context, but it also contributes to a better understanding of the internal relations within this merchant community, such as between its Protestant and Catholic members.

The Russian model of the European Castrum doloris. Decoration of the Imperial Funeral halls in 18th-century Russia

This article discusses the main decorative principles of Castrum doloris for the Russian emperors in the 18th century. The author applies a complex method, which is based on the academic reconstruction of the once-grandiose mourning ensembles. In preparation for the burial of Peter the Great, a certain model of funeral decoration was created and was preserved in Russia throughout the 18th century. The design of mourning ensembles followed the general laws of the ceremonial culture of that period, and corresponded to the stylistic development of art. The article introduces new materials and factual data, and clarifies certain issues of terminology.

СОЦІАЛЬНО-КУЛЬТУРНА ТА ЕКОНОМІЧНА СФЕРИ ЖИТТЯ ВОЯКІВ ТРЕТЬОГО ГАЙДАМАЦЬКОГО ПОЛКУ В 1918 РОЦІ (ЗА МЕМУАРАМИ ВОЛОДИМИРА СІКЕВИЧА)

The article, based on the information provided in the memoirs of V. Sikevych, highlights various aspects of the daily life of the soldiers of the Third Haydamak Regiment, the relationships between them, reveals their mental features and examines the festive leisure and ceremonial culture of the regiment.

Sorrowful processions Peter the Great: principles of decoration and their evolution in the imperial funeral ceremonies of the XVIII century

This research reveals the basic principles of the mourning decorations created for the burial of Peter the Great, and traces their fate in the Russian imperial sorrowful processions throughout the XVIII century. Decorative arrangement of state ceremonies is viewed in the context of the panegyric culture of that time. Ceremonial decoration was of temporary (occasional) nature and have been scarcely preserved; other than certain artifacts. The research is based on examination of a wide variety of written and graphic sources that allow reconstructing the image of funeral processions of that time. It is demonstrated that that in preparation for the funerals of Peter the Great, were developed certain patterns of mourning decoration preserved throughout the entire XVIII century. The principles of decorative arrangement of Russian imperial sorrowful processions were based on the European examples, and in many ways by inviting the foreign inventors and masters. The system of creation of mourning ensembles (as well as festive) obeyed the general laws inherent to the court ceremonial culture of Modern Age. The artistic solution of memorial halls and hearses corresponded to the stylistic evolution of art. The author introduces new materials and previously unknown facts into the scientific discourse, as well as clarifies the questions of terminology.

Celebrations at the Royal Court and Their Reception in the Festive Life of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The author traces the transition of the royal court of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to the Western European model of court ceremonies, which lasted for almost two centuries, from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. Initially, they followed the ceremonial models of the House of Habsburg and, starting in the 1640s, the French ceremonial, refined at the Versailles of Louis XIV. Meant to extol the monarch in the eyes of subjects, such ceremonies became widespread under kings of the House of Vasa, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, Jan III Sobieski, and the House of Wettin. Many etiquette elements and ceremonial patterns were borrowed and adapted to the needs of the wealthy Polish and Lithuanian nobility, who followed the example of the royal court in Krakow and Warsaw. The author concludes that the borrowed cultural models had a significant influence on the everyday life of residences and palaces and on the theatricalisation of private aristocratic ceremonies, which was reflected in the way nobles dressed, moved, the style of music they played, and in illumination and the use of fireworks. Balls grew considerably more important; in the eighteenth century, opera and play productions attracted more interest. These elements are the most significant borrowings from the ceremonial practices of the Western European and local royal courts of the Warsaw-Dresden House of Wettin. However, the ceremonial culture of the Polish-Lithuanian aristocracy retained a number of traditional elements, which is especially noticeable in the organisation of weddings, funerals, and religious rituals. The author maintains that in magnate and aristocratic courts, they followed a ceremonial pattern which united elements of both traditional and new types of ceremonies. A similar tendency was characteristic of Russia, where in the eighteenth century, traditional customs were integrated into a new system of organising celebrations borrowed from Western Europe while retaining a number of unique elements.