Traditions and customs of the peoples of the world: what is it and what do we know about them?

Traditions and customs: differences and similarities of concepts

Customs are habits passed down from ancestors that a person repeats without thinking. What are traditions?.. They, one might say, are perceived by people more meaningfully and embrace all social norms received from previous generations. Customs are folk and territorial, while traditions are family and professional. They all demonstrate respect for their ancestors, but often the traditions and customs of peoples, in some way, hinder the development of society.

A custom passed on from generation to generation over many years becomes a tradition.

Culinary traditions of the Russian people

Russian culinary traditions are based on the territorial location of the country, climatic features, and the range of products available for growing and harvesting. Other nations neighboring Russia have left their mark on Russian cuisine. The menu of the Russian feast is so diverse that vegetarians and meat-eaters, people fasting and on diet, and those doing hard physical work will find dishes in it to suit the tastes of vegetarians and meat-eaters.

Cucumbers and cabbage, turnips and rutabaga, and radish were traditional for Russian cuisine. The cereals grown were wheat, rye, barley, oats and millet. They were used to cook porridge with both milk and water. But porridges were cooked not from grains, but from flour.

Honey was an everyday staple. Its taste and benefits have been valued by Russian people for a long time. Beekeeping was very developed, which made it possible to use honey for preparing food and drinks.

All the women living in the house were engaged in cooking. The eldest of them led the process. Simple Russian families did not have cooks; only representatives of the princely family could afford them.

The presence of a Russian stove in the huts dictated the methods of preparing food. Most often it was frying, boiling, stewing and baking. Several dishes were prepared at once in a Russian oven. The food smelled slightly of smoke, but this was an indescribable feature of traditional dishes. The heat retained by the oven for a long time made it possible to achieve a particularly delicate taste of first and meat courses. Large frying pans, clay pots, and cast iron pots were used for cooking. Open and closed pies, pies and kulebyaki, kurniks and bread - everything could be baked in a Russian oven.

Traditional dishes of Russian cuisine:

• Cabbage soup;
• Okroshka;
• Dumplings;
• Aspic;
• Telnoe;
• Pancakes;
• Pickled, salted, pickled vegetables and mushrooms.

The main differences between tradition and customs and the relationship of concepts

1. Traditions are all inherited norms and values. Customs are patterns of behavior in certain situations and during a certain period of time.
2. Customs are an established order, a mass habit, a pattern of action; they are shorter lasting than traditions.
3. Customs are followed without hesitation, people’s attitude towards them can be neutral; traditions are recognized, respected and supported by people.

Traditions are considered a broader concept that includes customs.

Common features between the concepts:

• continuity;
• repeatability;
• emotionality;
• sustainability.

Yuletide Traditions

Among the various types of Russian folk rituals, the so-called Yule rituals occupy a special place. Traditionally they take place from Christmas to Epiphany. The most popular among them are:

• Kolyada. Children and the younger generation dressed up and went from house to house, singing carols, and those they came to treated them to various sweets or gave them coins. Today the tradition is not so popular, but still has not outlived its usefulness.
• Christmas Eve. In the evening before January 7, it was customary to cook kutya, bake delicious pastries and slaughter cattle. In those days, it was believed that such actions would help to get a good harvest in the spring, as well as to become financially secure. Nowadays, it is customary to cook kutya and gather around the table with a large family.
• Christmas fortune telling. No Christmastide passed without traditional fortune-telling for the betrothed. During this magical time, girls and women of different ages cast spells on how many children they would have, what kind of husband they would get, and so on.

Nowadays, the culture of Yuletide fortune-telling has moved from real magic to entertainment, but many women claim that it was Yuletide that pointed them to their future spouse.

The concept of tradition: what is tradition?

This word comes from the Latin “traditio”, which translates as “transmission”. Traditions are the accumulated experience of ancestors, which is necessary for people to live more efficiently and allow them to make fewer mistakes. It includes ceremonies, rituals, rules of conduct; they belong to no one, they can either be followed or ignored. And although we say that these are, in some ways, our habits, it would be more correct to say, nevertheless, that this is the wisdom of our ancestors, imprinted in our historical memory. And don't forget about it.

Traditions can be strict, long-lasting and do not allow deviations from the norms, while others can change along with living conditions, be supplemented with new rules, and some traditions of countries can be completely forgotten and disappear.

Tradition 1. Joint family meal

Did you know that, according to Domostroy, the youngest was not supposed to start eating or trying this or that dish at the table before the head of the family (or the most noble of the guests) did? And what does the Apostle Paul recommend to the first Christians in his epistles: wait for each other for a joint meal, not pounce on food before everyone arrives, and not eat too much, thinking about what others will get?

It can be rightly noted: now we live in a completely different rhythm than the people of the times of Domostroy. Right. But it’s still not worth writing off the tradition of a shared meal as “irrelevant.” During a common family feast, the most important mechanisms of interaction between family members are developed and consolidated. Which?

Photo by Vladimir Sokolov

Firstly, the ability to adapt to everyone close to you. “Sitting at a common table and sharing food with our loved ones, we overcome the selfishness that is natural for fallen man, and learn to share the most important thing: what is the basis of our life,” says priest Stefan Domuschi.

Secondly, the tradition of eating together teaches us to communicate, listen and hear each other not on the fly, meeting in a common corridor, but for at least 20 minutes. A trifle, it would seem, but worth a lot.

Thirdly, there is also an educational moment in a shared meal. Only, as psychologist Tatyana Vorobyova says, contrary to common practice, it assumes “not the teachings of a strict father and the constant beating of a child on the forehead with a spoon, but the fact that at the table the child learns good behavior, learns to care for others.”

But modern life introduces nuances: we come home from work at different times, everyone is in a different state, the wife is on a diet, the husband is not in the mood. What should I do?

According to Tatyana Vorobyova, a joint family meal today can be expressed in other, not entirely familiar forms. “There is a so-called “meal with everyone,” explains Tatyana Vladimirovna. “It’s less about the physical presence of all family members at the table, and more about what and how we prepared.” You need to find time to not just feed your family, but to please them, remember what they love, and take care of even the little things.

Types of traditions

Every culture has its own traditions. They cover all spheres of human life and are:

• folk;
• cultural;
• social;
• religious;
• family;
• household;
• age;
• professional.

Folk - they are also cultural traditions

The orders and norms of the peoples of the world differ and may not find understanding, and sometimes shock representatives of other cultures. For example:

• In Mauritania, plump women are valued and they are specially fattened before the wedding.
• In Norway, it is considered bad manners to give up your seat to older people on public transport.
• Residents of South Africa have borrowed an Italian ritual - throwing old furniture out of windows onto the street on New Year's Eve.
• In Norway and Japan, a bouquet must contain an even number of flowers.

The rituals of some peoples, such as neck stretching, leg deformation or female circumcision, amaze residents of other countries with their cruelty.

In tribes far from modern civilization, terrible rituals are performed. For example, the Matausa tribe in Papua New Guinea performs a painful initiation rite for growing boys - liberation from their mother's blood. Reed tubes are inserted down the boys' throats, causing violent vomiting of blood. The tubes are then inserted into the nose to expel the “bad mucus” from the body. Finally, a deep incision is made in the young man’s tongue.

Social traditions

They regulate social relations and correspond to the type of culture. They are approved by the majority of members of society, they do not allow norms to deviate, they are objective and do not depend on the desires of the individual.

Norms of social behavior began to emerge in the distant past, when people began to unite in groups. In order for a person to be accepted, he must comply with the laws established within the community. The traditions of peoples are, in fact, their calling card in our vast world.

What are national traditions?

The concept of what folk traditions are combines the rules and stereotypes of behavior, forms of communication between people of the same nationality, which have developed over a long period of time in the life of a nation and are rooted in the consciousness of a person belonging to it. Some national traditions can be enshrined at the legislative level. Failure to comply will result in both public censure and administrative or even criminal punishment.

A striking example of what the traditions of a people mean is the celebration of Maslenitsa among the Slavs or the wearing of a special scarf covering a woman’s head among Muslim peoples. Each nationality has its own unique and inimitable traditions. For example, in China it is customary to give a guest that thing in the house that aroused his delight and earned him praise. The greeting handshake is more typical among European peoples.

What are cultural traditions?

What is a cultural tradition includes the sociocultural heritage of generations, reproduced in certain social groups. This concept is similar, but not identical, to national customs, since culture can include the traditions of a particular country, science or style of thinking. All of them are accepted and interpreted by subsequent generations, being the basis for the development of new values.

Vivid examples of what the cultural tradition of a certain people is:

1. Solemn rituals associated with certain events in life: birth, death, creation of a family, and so on.
2. Folk games and fun.
3. Songs, dances, ritual actions.
4. Fairy tales, legends and legends.
5. Traditions of cooking and eating.

What are culinary traditions?

Having understood what the concept of tradition means, we can highlight its specific culinary orientation. It is strongly connected with national and cultural values, being a logical continuation of the territorial origin of its carriers, their religion and value systems. This concept is otherwise called the cuisine of the peoples of the world, which includes:

1. The choice of products for cooking, which differs depending on the climate and geography of the people.
2. The method of cooking and the use of certain seasonings. Here is an interesting example of the use of an abundance of hot spices in the cuisines of hot countries due to their ability to suppress pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
3. The principle of serving and serving dishes.
4. The culture of eating food or drinks. For example, using forks, chopsticks or just your own hands.

Family traditions

This is where almost every person begins his adaptation to society. A family tradition could be a gathering of relatives for Christmas, a shared hobby, or a family weekend program. This is the way of life of a family, habits, rituals that bring relatives together and distinguish families from each other.

Family traditions of the Russian people

• The Russian people have retained the habit of celebrating holidays with their families.
• At Easter, believers boil and color eggs.
• It is customary to bake pancakes on Maslenitsa.
• Important matters in Rus' were decided at the family council.
• An interesting ritual that is sometimes followed today: in honor of the birth of a child, the father plants a tree.
• Before the wedding, the newlyweds await the blessing of their parents, and a symbolic ransom is required for the bride.

Russian folk holidays

In the modern, rapidly changing world, despite a highly developed culture and the rapid development of advanced scientific technologies, ancient holidays are carefully preserved. They go back centuries, sometimes being a memory of pagan rites and rituals. Many of the folk holidays arose with the advent of Christianity in Rus'. Compliance with these traditions, the celebration of church dates, is spiritual support, a moral core, the basis of morality of the Russian people.

Main Russian folk holidays:

• Christmas (January 7 – birth of Jesus Christ);
• Christmastide (January 6 - 19 - glorification of Christ, the future harvest, congratulations on the New Year);
• Baptism (January 19 - baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River; blessing of water);
• Maslenitsa (the last week before Lent; in the folk calendar it marks the boundary between winter and spring);
• Forgiveness Sunday (the Sunday before Lent; Christians ask each other for forgiveness. This makes it possible to begin fasting with a pure soul and focus on spiritual life);
• Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter; marks the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the entry of Jesus onto the path of suffering on the cross);
• Easter (the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurs no earlier than the vernal equinox on March 21; a holiday in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ);
• Red Hill (first Sunday after Easter; holiday of the beginning of spring);
• Trinity (50th day after Easter; the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles);
• Ivan Kupala (July 7 - summer solstice);
• Peter and Fevronia Day (July 8 - the day of family, love and fidelity);
• Elijah's Day (August 2 - honoring Elijah the Prophet);
• Honey Savior (August 14 - the beginning of the use of honey, the small blessing of water);
• Apple Savior (August 19 – the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated; the beginning of eating apples);
• Bread Savior (August 29 - transfer of the Image of Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands from Edessa to Constantinople; end of harvest);
• Intercession Day (October 14 - Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary; meeting of autumn with winter, the beginning of girls' gatherings).

The concept of custom: what are customs?

A custom is a mass habit that arises as a result of people performing the same actions. Customs include rules formed in a certain field of human activity. They are mandatory, and informal social sanctions are provided for failure to comply with them. Customs are based on the desire to follow established and accepted examples in society, and are aimed at improving the standard of living.

Types of customs:

• moral customs based on morality;
• business customs formed as a result of commercial or economic activities;
• rituals and ceremonies - symbolic actions that accompany important moments in people’s lives;
• legal customs supported by laws;
• aesthetic – rules of good manners, requirements for appearance.

Russian loaf

One of the most famous Russian flour dishes, which was prepared for holidays (for example, for a wedding) exclusively by married women and placed on the table by men, is the loaf, which was considered a symbol of fertility, wealth and family well-being. The loaf is decorated with various dough figures and baked in the oven; it is distinguished by its rich taste and attractive appearance, worthy of being considered a real work of culinary art.

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Wedding customs

• In Kenya, it is customary for a young husband to dress up in women's clothing, which he is forced to wear for a month.
• In Norway, an indispensable treat at the wedding table is the bride's wheat porridge with cream. There are a lot of fun and jokes associated with porridge in Norway; a cauldron with it can be stolen and a ransom demanded for it.
• In the Nicobar Islands, a guy who decides to marry a girl must become a “slave” in her house for a period of six months to a year. During this time, the bride decides whether such a husband is suitable for her or not.
• A few weeks before a German wedding, guests bring dishes with them and break them in the home of the bride and groom.

Wedding in India

In India, a third marriage is prohibited, but a fourth marriage is allowed. Therefore, men marry for the third time on a tree (!), and at the same time all traditional wedding rituals are observed. After the wedding, the guests cut down the tree, the man becomes a widower and - oh joy! - Now he has the right to marry for the fourth time.

An Indian woman can also marry a tree, but for a different purpose - to drive away evil spirits from herself and her groom. This is usually done by brides who were born in an unfavorable astrological period. Indians are sure that such a girl can bring trouble to her chosen one, and therefore no one wants to marry her.

Wedding in Greece

Greece has its own interesting wedding rituals. While dancing, a young wife tries to step on her husband's foot. It is believed that this will allow her to become the head of the family. And children are first allowed into the newlyweds’ bed. According to legend, if babies run and jump in the bed of the newlyweds, then the husband and wife will be happy in their marriage.

Baby Jumping in Spain

In Spain there is an equally strange family custom. The city of Castillo de Murcia hosts the El Colacho festival once a year. Men dress up in yellow and red devil costumes and jump over babies lying on mattresses. The “devils” hold castanets and horsehair whips. The babies are then showered with flower petals and the bishop sprinkles them with holy water. It is believed that the ritual protects children from evil spirits, protects them from illness and guarantees them a happy, carefree future.

What is Russianness

Today, more than ever, the issue of Russianness is relevant, and for all members of our society without exception - from the common man in the street to the statesman. Russianness is nothing more than love for one’s land, one’s people and one’s history. We absorb Russianness with our mother’s milk, we learn it from the relationships of our parents and deservedly value it. It is the innate instinct of every Russian person, thanks to which he survives in difficult times and overcomes any difficulties. But, unfortunately, like any feeling, Russianness can be pathological. At the same time, innate love for the Russian land and people can take the form of national egoism, in which a person begins to defend his selfish interests, thereby trampling on the spiritual values ​​of his soul and people.

But perhaps the most important problem of our Russianness is a distorted perception of reality and the events taking place in it. It is often associated with a certain infantilism and sentimentality of a person, in which he is embarrassed to express his feelings towards the Fatherland and his native land. And undergoing religious metamorphoses, it acquires the scale of “universal love”, which tells us to love all historical nations “native” to us. Thus, for a Russian person, the concept of a nation includes all peoples close in faith, and Russian nationalism is nothing more than a fiction, since we are talking about universal Russian love for mankind, according to which every living creature on earth has one Father and Creator, deserves our understanding and love.

At its core, Russianness, which is frivolously called Russian nationalism, is the eternal desire of the Russian soul for truth, justice and the desire to live according to conscience. This means that this desire for God is everything in God, everything is from Him and nothing without Him.

It is thanks to our Orthodox mentality, the eternal desire for love and justice that the Russian people are continually subjected to unprecedented aggression from the West and its allies. But even the soul of a Russian person, cruelly “robbed and abandoned” at a crossroads, does not lose its moral values ​​and strives for the triumph of justice.

Today we must be able not only to revive the spiritual values ​​of the Russian soul and society, but also to preserve our statehood. And the spiritual call “Russian, help the Russian!” - this is a kind of battle cry that will help us all rise from our knees, strengthen our faith and unite for a good cause. Only by uniting, becoming united, can we win and can count on the triumph of justice - on the bright future of our people.

Religious traditions or religious customs?

Religious traditions are the professing of a certain religion, baptism, wedding, funeral service. But celebrating a religious holiday is already a custom.

A ritual or rite is a set of symbolic actions that accompany a religious act. Examples of religious rituals:

• blessing of water for baptism;
• Muslim circumcision;
• funeral rites.

Some rituals are quite creepy. In Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, on the tenth day of mourning in Shiite Islam, believers flagellate themselves with chains to which knives and razors are attached.

The emergence and disappearance of customs

Customs were originally formed by people for the sake of their survival. Then customs appeared aimed at improving the quality of life. Time passes, society develops, and the need for some customs disappears. However, often people continue to follow them without even thinking about the reasons for their occurrence. For example, at French train stations it is forbidden to kiss, because once upon a time the platforms were very narrow and hugging people disturbed the people around them. Now the stations have been rebuilt, but the law still remains, and for its violation there is a fine.

Sustainable development of society is impossible without maintaining social continuity and without certain updates. And as a result -

Customs in Rus' that are no longer followed:

• Jumping over the fire on Maslenitsa.
• “Bridesmaids” of the bride, when after the matchmaking the groom and his relatives again visited the house of the future wife.
• Wearing a headdress by a married woman after the wedding.

Sign up at work

Birthday, wedding, promotion?
You definitely need to cover the clearing for your colleagues. Are you going on vacation? Give up! Are you back from vacation? Especially. Have you decided to quit? It would be a sin not to have a farewell feast. Otherwise, everyone will be offended and will discuss behind your back what a miser and a bad person you are. A similar situation, by the way, is observed with mandatory collections for birthdays, weddings, the birth of children and gender holidays: often a person is simply presented with the fact that he needs to hand over money. And if he has the courage to refuse, he may even survive from work.

However, any informal relationships between colleagues should be voluntary. If you want to chip in for someone’s envelope or celebrate a birthday at work, that’s great. If you don’t want to, that’s also completely normal. Otherwise it looks like tyranny.

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