The Komi people are the people of the North. Traditions, culture, customs

Komi is a people living in the endless forests in the northeast of the European part of Russia. Its main ethnographic groups are the vymci, the upper chevrons, Pechorians, Izhtemians, udopcy, Sysolites. The forerunner of the Komi Republic is Perm Vychegodskaya.

Traditional crafts

Since ancient times, the crafts associated with the processing of wood have become the most widespread among this people. In the villages it was impossible to find a peasant who could not make any household item out of this material. Izhma Komi people, who, in addition, had a very good development of a housewife. Dressing the skin was done in specially built for this purpose houses - "suede huts." In Sysolskaya and Nizhny Vychegodskaya regions, once such a craft was widely spread as the dressing of felt boots.

Another ancient occupation of Komi was pottery. They were engaged in making dishes for the house, mostly women. The potter's wheel was practically not used at all. He appeared at the Komi in the 15th century, but did not receive much distribution. The dishes were made by the oldest ribbon-flagellar method. They fired molded billets in a Russian oven.

Traditional food

The traditions of the Komi people, who for centuries lived close to the Russians, are similar to ours in relation to food. The main meal of the peasants was porridge. As for the first dishes, most often the hostess prepared soups and all sorts of soups, including meat. Liquid food is eaten mostly in the summer. Very varied in Komi had a fish menu. Fish cooked, fried, salted, baked with her pies. The northern peoples on the table often could see the roast of game. As for vegetables, then turnips, radishes, onions, and swede were grown in the gardens. Since the XIX century. Potatoes were widely distributed.

Very popular with Komi was pastry, for which mainly barley and rye flour was used. Round bread was served daily. On holidays, the hostess was baked, kalachi, pies, pancakes, etc. Very popular were also barley flour pancakes.

Agriculture

Agricultural customs of the Komi people are also very closely related to the Russians. However, the most common grain crop was not wheat, but barley. Until the eleventh century, the land was hand-worked. In the XII century. Plow and harrow began with the use of draft animals. The plowing at the Komi was mainly done by men. Boronit as forced, like the North Russian people, most often teenagers. The barley was burning in early August. This work was considered female. Often because of early frosts, the bread was still green.

We milled the harvest using a special tool - a chain. Its design was extremely simple: a long wooden handle and a rawhide strap connected to it short beat.

Livestock raising

Komi is a people with ancient traditions in terms of livestock breeding. The fact that settled livestock breeding existed in the Kama region already in the II-I millennium BC. E., Show the archaeological sites discovered here . In the basin of the Vychegda River, livestock began to breed, most likely, a little later - in the I millennium AD. Scientists have discovered the bones of domestic animals in the monuments of Vym culture XI-XII centuries. Komi was cultivated in antiquity, mainly cattle. Also in the households, sheep and horses were kept. Wool, milk and meat were not sold, but used personally for themselves.

Culture and ceremonies

The culture of the Komi people, apart from everything else, which is unusually interesting for its ritual, is distinguished by its uniqueness and uniqueness. The latter can be divided into three main varieties:

1. Maternity. The ritual of this species was directed mainly at the safe appearance of the child to the light. Newborns were called the unusual word "churka". The word is derived from "daemon". This indicates that the Komi sacredly believed that children come to this world from the world of their ancestors. The symbol of fertility was saturated with many of the rituals of the Komi. For example, the bride and the groom at the wedding stole a sheepskin coat in order that in the future they had many children. In addition, before the wedding, the bride was put on the knee of the child for the same purpose. Komi was very concerned about the health of future children. Before the wedding, the relatives of the parties carefully checked whether there was a mentally retarded or sick family in the family with whom they were going to get married.
2. Wedding. The Komi had only three forms of marriage: with a kalym, with a dowry and with kidnapping. Weddings at Komi were characterized by a large number of very different compulsory ceremonies.
3. Funeral and funeral. Funeral rites were very difficult for this people. After the death of a man, all the windows, paintings, icons, objects with glossy surfaces were hung in the house. The deceased was washed and put in a spruce or pine coffin. The rite of breaking bread was very widespread.

Komi is a people with a rich culture, very original. Some of his rituals and traditions are similar to our Russians. However, there are many differences. Today the Komi are making a lot of efforts to ensure that the traditions of their ancestors were not forgotten by arranging different kinds of national festivals and festivals.