The Social Conditions of Preservation of Traditional Rituals and Antiques in Rural Communities of North Udmurtia

Abstract

This article deals with the perception of folk traditions among modern rural residents. In the last few years, the interest in ethnic culture is represented by changes in attitude towards the material culture and rituals, which are perceived as the manifestation of tradition. Following the change in modern country lifestyle, the practices which regulate the everyday routine change as well. The main research goal was to specify how rural residents incorporate things and rituals they see as traditional into their modern way of life. The empiric base of the research consists of survey data (n = 453) and semi-structured interviews (n = 36) from Debyosy, Igra and Kez districts of the Udmurt Republic. Results showed that traditional goods are preserved as the part of family memorial practices, and they are being recognized as things connected to the Udmurt culture in families with Udmurt ethnic identity. The drive to preserve the rituals develops in villages where the ethnic celebrations ensure the legacy transfer between generations. The pivotal role in preservation of rituals belongs to the replication of traditional rural activities, and their disappearance leads to abandonment of rituals. It also leads to the abandonment of ritualistic actions in daily life and communication. The activities of cultural centers where the folk rites become the part of scene performance help to inform about the ethnic traditions in their "invented" form. Such actions aren't fictional in their nature because they serve as a basis for familial, friendly, and neighborly communication. Traditional rituals and household things in their modernized form then become the foundation of ethnic identity.