Off to the tundra: how Nenets celebrate the wedding

Nenets now often travel around the tundra reindeer and snowmobile. Live in cities and towns, not in camps. With future wives get acquainted on the Internet and not through a matchmaker. However, to celebrate weddings prefer as their ancestors did. From this release, you will learn how to organize Nenets wedding in full compliance with traditions.

Times are changing: traditional Nenets wedding organized by all the canons and rules, now celebrate rare. Today, however, pre-registering at the registry office, a Nenets decide to celebrate the customs of their ancestors.

Of course, not, as did their great-great grandparents, and a simplified scenario. And yet the key elements of the ceremony remains — or a marriage blessing from the spirits not to, and without it, a young family can't be happy.

Tatiana Agne, mother of the bride from Tyumen.

A century ago the wedding ceremony was preceded by one year of courtship and determine the degree of relationship of the future spouses. Then would begin talks with the family about the amount of bride price, dowry preparation. Then, on a special train wedding groom carried the bride over hundreds and even thousands of miles from the other camp.

Sergey Sinelnikov, ethnographer.

Now everything is easier: decided to get married — assign a day of celebration. Sew special wedding gowns not necessarily possible to do without them. If you really want to emphasize commitment to the traditions of their ancestors, the bride could complement a special outfit headband beaded and groom — to wear a red woolen shirt over malitsa of deerskin. All you can invite guests.

By the way, the guests at the Nenets wedding invite a bit, and the celebration is celebrated only one day: life in the tundra has always been severe, to arrange a multi-day festival just once. Pre-install the tent in which to settle on the young. If the bride and groom live in a city, they will hold it for only one night, and then return to the modern well-equipped apartment. But for the tundra-dwellers working in traditional crafts, it's a temporary home, and now may well become permanent.

Nenets wedding tent — this element is required. You can do without matchmakers, foreclosure, festive attire, but without the plague of all. He is the center of the universe, a symbol of the world, and all the rites of initiation, one of which is marriage to be associated with him.

Before entering into a sacred dwelling, the newlyweds go through the rite of purification by fire. Pass in the most literal sense — over the fire at the entrance to the tent. And immediately after this, the bride throws himself first fire in your new house.

Sergey Sinelnikov, ethnographer.

Meanwhile, the bride ignites the first fire in the stove, watching carefully. The way he breaks out, it will be seen whether the blessing Khada this marriage. Lit at once — then all will be well. Fails to light — expect problems. Bright high flames, the crackle of logs — to the good, smoke — to misfortune.

Then it is time to sit at the festive table. The order and the ingredients are strictly regulated and cannot be changed. Main meal — soup venison.

Sergey Belousov, natural cook.

Before the bride and groom had to eat the heart and the language of the deer. But in modern weddings, they can live without eating these by-products is the same as the rest of the guests. In addition to soup, definitely invited treated to the Northern fish, pickled and salted. Especially popular with tender slices of fish or meat.

But drinks are not welcome categorically reindeer from an entire herd, in the morning he should be on his feet and with a clear head. Of course, modern realities brought about changes in these once-strict rules and the alcohol began to appear on the wedding tables, where previously it was not designated. But it is now believed that getting drunk at the wedding is a shame.

When the young and the guests enjoy the food, the time comes for the cultural program. In traditional weddings, the Nenets and entertainment to prefer the traditional.

Natalia Salinger, a recent bride.

The key point of the wedding fun is jumping on the past — the so-called Nenets kind of train composed of tied each other up the cliff. In the role of a steam locomotive are the deer. Argish to failure load of stuff, so they rise above the mountain sleds, and then several times chased around the place of the celebration. The task is to jump on any of the "trailers" and try to stay on it. If it breaks the rope connecting the sled between them is a very bad sign.

While the guests are having fun, the bride and groom are forbidden to join them. They had to act with restraint, to Express emotions — they are in the tundra are not welcome.

Andrey Salinger, in the recent past, the groom.

When the feast is over, the bride and groom can go to the tent. From this moment on it is considered that the tundra has a new family that will continue Nenets family. They will not ride on deer and vehicles to communicate via the Internet and to send their children to institutions, but will keep the traditions of their ancestors.