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Файл:Culturology. Educational manual
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There is a question in our time: what are ethnic and national cultures
perspectives like? Sometimes it is talked about disappearance of it. For example,
English philosopher Smith speaks about global culture and stressed its three features:
universality, technicality and timelessness. This means there is no any place for
ethnic and national culture in the future. But in the middle of XX century an
anthropologist and culturologist Arnold Toynbee wrote there are two lows in culture,
which complement each other. These are lows of cultural integration and cultural
differentiation. So, it is possible to conclude that global culture is impossible and
ethnic and national culture will never stop their existence!
Ethnic culture in our days
Different organization are related to ethnic culture are working in numbers of
Russian regions both in Soviet period of our history and in our days. But there is a
difference between these periods. There is just a little diversity between such
organizations in Soviet time. The most popular forms are ethnic choir, folk groups,
folk theaters. Art actions of these collectives, as a rule, are festivals that include
several levels from a regional one to a federal.
New forms of ethnic cultural organizations appeared in 2000-s. There are two
principles of appearance of ethnic cultural organizations — “from top” and “from
bottom”. “From top” means regional and federative official initiatives, “from bottom”
means citizens` initiative. Every region has its own situation in this sphere.
Initiatives “from top” are related to such official organizations as “House of
folks’ friendship”. There are a lot of ethnic and national organizations in it, for
example, there are Mordvin national-cultural center “Mastorava”, charity fund “Help
for Kirghiz folk “Manas-Ata”, local public organization “National-cultural autonomy
of Samaras` Chuvash”, public organization “Congress of Bashkirs” and other in
Samara. The organizations use resources of the “House of folks’ friendship” to
develop their activity in preserving of their ethnic and national cultures. Another
example is Samara historical-ethnographical museum of Peter Alabin where you can
find a permanent exhibition devoted to everyday life of Middle Volga ethnic groups.
Initiatives “from bottom” appear, as usual, within youth. They established
different unofficial organizations and create its groups in social nets. It indicates that
contemporary youth are interested in national and ethnic cultures. This situation in
youth sphere is related to contemporary mosaic cultural field, to postmodern situation
where a lot of different cultural norms and traditions exist at the same time. There is
no any culture of big style, and there are a lot of experiments with elements of ethnic
and national cultures in the contemporary world.
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In their activity youth organizations try to combine modern cultural tends and
traditional, ethnic ones. For example, there are bands that combine in their music
modern and traditional, ethnic music.
Ethnocultural stereotypes
Ethnocultural stereotype is a general concept of typical features of a nation.
Ethnocultural stereotypes not only describe the reality but can also give to it
some features that in fact don`t exist. Because of it the image of the reality can be
deform. But there are also right features of real social objects in stereotypes.
Stereotypes can be changed because of social, cultural, political or economic factors,
but changes are slow. Ethnopsycologists notice that a person learns stereotypes very
early and begins to use it before he or she gets their own experience.
There are autostereotypes and heterostereotypes. Autostereotipes represent
what people think about their own nation. Heterostereotypes represent what people
think about other nations.
As a rule, in autostereotypes people make their ideal, perfect image, emphasize
only their positive features. Heterostereotypes are more critical, then autostereotypes.
They often serve as a source of national prejudice. Communicating with
representatives of other nations people tend to evaluate them through the prism of
their own culture, they measure people with their own standards. Misunderstanding
of foreign language, gesture symbolic, symbolic of face expressions and so on lead to
the wrong understanding of an interlocutor. This situation can cause negative
emotions like alertness, contempt, hostility. People might think: “They are not like
us, they behave another way, it is strange and wrong”.
For example, Europeans don`t understand why Japanese speak about tragic
things with a smile, about cruel disease of a daughter, for example. This situation
causes an idea that Japanese are heartless, cruel, cynical people. But the reason of the
mistake of Europeans is the fact that they don`t know the meaning of a smile in
Japanese culture. It means that Japanese doesn`t want to disturb people with their
own problems.
There is an ethnostereotype about Italians that they are very emotional people,
they can speak very loudly and use active gesticulation. Active gesticulation in Italian
culture makes the communication more informative and understandable. There are
experimental evidences for the fact that it is difficult for Italians to understand an
interlocutor without his gesticulation. But people of other nations according to their
“cultural standards” tend to see Italians as very impulsive and temperamental ones.
For the comparison there is another fact. Some experiments showed that speaker`s
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active gesticulation and moving from place to place produce difficulties for Russian
and English audience, it is difficult for people of these nations to understand such
speaker. This circumstance makes Italians think that Russians and Englishmen think
too slowly.
In Mexican culture the distance between interlocutors is much less than in
American one. That is why talking to American polite Mexican tries to come closer
to him. But this distance is not comfortable for American and he tries to step back. As
a result, Mexicans complain that Americans are inhospitable and cold, Americans
complain that Mexicans are impolite and intrusive.
European geterostereotypes about Russians. German philosopher Shubart
wrote about Russian character: “Russian soul does not know a middle. Russians don`t
have any cushioning middle part, that connects opposite elements. There are
contrasting elements in Russians very close to each other, it is even hurt. There are
rudeness close to tenderness of the heart, cruelty close to fondness, sensuality close to
ascesis, wickedness to holiness”.
American anthropologist Klakhon believes that Russians are kind, humanistic,
depend on strong social contacts, have emotional instability, irrationality, power, the
need of obey authority.
There is a popular European theory that explain the Russian character with a
tradition of baby swaddling. Little babies were swaddling tightly in the first year of
their lives. Russian writer Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) wrote about his senses in early
years of his life: “I am tied, I want to make my hand free, but I can`t. I scream and
cry, and my scream in not pleasant for me but I can`t stop… I want to be free; my
freedom disturbs nobody but I am tormented. Adults feel sorry for me, they tie me,
and I am weak and they are strong”.
Russian-American sociologist Piterim Sorokin believes that long existence,
strong vitality, persistence, outstanding possibility to sacrifice themself for the
survival of the nation are the features of Russian Nation. There are also unusual
territorial, demographic, political, social and cultural development during its
historical life.
Considering all these features of Russian nation it is necessary to understand
that it belongs to all the ethnic groups that live on the territory of Russian Federation,
not only to Slavic ethnos. There are about 200 ethnic groups on the territory of our
country such as Russians, Tatars, Chuvash, Mordva, Bashkirs, Jews, Germans,
Chechens and other. And only within the country for its population Mordva, for
example, differs from Tatar or Bashkir and so on.
Ethnocultural stereotypes about some Russian ethnic groups. Research
about ethnocultural stereotypes of Mordva was conducted. According to it, Mordva
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are hardworking, stubborn people, they have open character and try to save their
ancestry tradition combining Christianity and pagan believes.
There are results of research conducted in Tatarstan:
- a stereotype created by Tatars about Russians: Russians are kind, generous
and open people;
- a stereotype created by Russians about Tatars: they are hardworking,
hospitable people, but Russians notice that Tatars have strong clan system. It is
Tartarian nature to have a closed culture. The image of the closed culture appeared
due to the Tatarian tradition to marry people of their own nation and to establish clan
system. Clan system has some reasons. Tatars for a long time were living in the
countryside and this fact influenced their culture and mentality. It is known that there
is more closely communication between people in villages then in cities. Many
people know and help each other.
According to another research Tatars are proud, self-confident, smart,
hardworking, cunning, quick-tempered and forgiving people. The reason of Tatar
cunning is the next: last centuries Tatars were very active involved in commercial
activity. It was because of the location of Volga Bulgaria (Tatarian state in the past)
which is situated on the crossroads of trade routes from Europe to Asia. And the
feature of trading is the connection between trade and trick. There is an antient
Russian phrase: “No trick, no sale”.
It is interesting to compare auto- and heterostereotypes about Tatars.
Autostereotype says that Tatars are hardworking, hardy, smart, communicative,
moral, determined, brave and witty.
There was research to identify a heterostereotype about Chuvash created by
Russians and Tatars. Chuvash seem to be hardworking, persistent, honest, kind hurt
but not very tidy people.
Questions
Elementary level:
1. What is ethnic culture?
2. What is national culture?
3. Where we can find examples of ethnic culture?
4. Where we can find examples of national culture?
5. Why is ethnic identity considered as a bio-social phenomenon?
6. What factor influences ethnic culture?
7. What factor influences national culture?
8. What is the role of cultural memory in emergence of a nation?
9. What is ethnocultural stereotypes?
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Intermediate level:
1. Why can concept of ethnic culture be identified as controversial?
2. Why are Russians considered not only as a nation but also as an ethnos?
3. Give examples of relationship between ethnic and national cultures.
4. What is the difference between autostereotype and heterostereotype?
5. Why is autostereotype much better then heterostereotype?
Advanced level:
1. What do you think about perspectives of ethnic and national cultures?
2. What is your opinion about global culture, it is possible?
3. Describe autostereotypes and heterostereotypes existing in your culture. Can
you explain reasons of such ethnostereotypes?
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2. HISTORY OF CULTURE
2.1. ETHNIC GROUPS OF RUSSIA AND THEIR HERITAGE
Content of the topic:
Ethnic groups of the Volga region. Ethnic groups of Caucasus. Ethnic groups
of Russian North. Ethnic groups of Asia, living in Russia. Folklore and folk crafts of
Russian ethnic groups. A museum Grand-maket in Saint Petersburg.
After the topic completion students should:
1) know:
- main characteristics of Russian ethnic groups;
- about folklore as a phenomenon of culture;
- examples of the folklore of Russian ethnic groups;
2) be able to:
- search and critically use the literature necessary for the explaining of the
topic;
- evaluate cultural achievements through the historical context of their creation;
- use the knowledge gained in the course to assess the phenomena of the
cultural life of modern society;
- understand the role of cultural heritage in self-improvement and self-
development of the individual;
- propose ideas and develop a project within the collective work, achieve the
required results;
- show respect for representatives of another culture;
- find common patterns inherent in ethnic culture in specific manifestations of
spiritual, material and artistic culture;
3) have:
- skills of studying and analyzing texts with cultural content;
- methods of discussion and polemics;
- skills of public speech and reasoned presentation of their own point of view.
Main notions
Folklore is an oral and musical folk art.
Folk crafts are special artistic traditions that have evolved over the centuries in
different regions. They are based on the art of processing wood, clay, stone, metal
and other natural materials.
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Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions
to non-human entities. This is considered an innate tendency of human psychology.
Sociomorphism is a transfer of relationship that exist between people in society
to the interactions of anthropomorphic fictional creatures and non-human ones.
Ethnic groups of Russia
The culture of the ethnic groups of Russia is one of the most diverse in the
world. More than 190 ethnic groups live on its territory, each of them has its own
unique culture. The greater the number of representatives of an ethnic group, the
more noticeable the contribution of this people to the culture of the whole country.
Task: conduct an oral report about one of Russian ethnic group. Describe
such traits:
- natural environment the culture has originated
- their religion
- traditional clothes and materials they are made from
- traditional dishes
- their traditional holidays.
Make an electronic presentation that helps you to introduce your report. Use
the links below your look for other sources in Internet.
Ethnic groups of the Volga region
1. Chuvash culture // Encyclopedia.com : [website]. — URL: https://www.encyclo
pedia.com/history/modern-europe/russian-soviet-and-cis-history/chuvash.
2. Mordovian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/wc/Norway-to-Russia/Mordvins.html.
3. Russian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Russia.html.
4. Tatarian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/anthropology-and-archaeology/
people/tatars.
5. Tatarian culture // Russia-InfoCentre : [website]. — URL: http://russiaic.com/culture_art/cuisine/5009/#.XlWOGfZuJMt.
6. Tatarian culture // Официальный Татарстан : [сайт]. — URL:
http://tatarstan.ru/eng/about/human.htm.
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Ethnic groups of Caucasus
1. Chechen culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/wc/Norway-to-Russia/Chechens.html.
2. Chechen culture // ReliefWeb : [website]. — URL: https://reliefweb.int/
report/russian-federation/chechen-society-and-mentality.
3. Armenian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Armenia.html,
4. Georgian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Georgia.html.
Ethnic groups of Russian North
1. Yakut culture // Russia Beyond : [website]. — URL: https://www.rbth.com/
travel/335237-yakut-people-russia
2. Culture of Evenki // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/russian-soviet-and-cis-history/
evenki.
3. Culture of Chukchi // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/russian-soviet-and-cishistory/chukchi.
4. Culture of Chukchi // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/wc/Norway-to-Russia/Chukchi.html
Ethnic groups of Asia, living in Russia
1. Mongolian culture : https://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html.
2. Azerbaijanian culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Azerbaijan.html.
3. Tadjik culture // World Culture Encyclopedia : [website]. — URL:
https://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Tajikistan.html.
Folk arts: Folklore
Slavic mythology
A legend about city of Kitezh
“There is a legend under which the city of Kitezh resisted a Tatar invasion by
submerging itself in Svetloyar lake. The lake is in the Nizhny Novgorod Region
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north-east of Moscow. According to legend, Prince Georgy of Vladimir as he
traveled about the Trans-Volga Region in the 13th century took a particular liking of
a picturesque area on the Lyunda River and built there a city with a large number of
white-stone golden-domed churches, boyar chambers and trading quarters. That was
a fortress city, a monastic city and it was called Kitezh. The population was mostly
believers, so the city was a sort of Slavic spiritual center and was considered holy.
In 1238 North Eastern Russia was invaded by Tatar hordes under the leadership
of Khan Baty. Baty besieged the capital of the Suzdal principality — Vladimir. Despite
fierce resistance from the population and army, Vladimir fell to the enemy and was
plundered and burnt. Other cities of the principality were captured and burnt too.
Prince Yuri of Vladimir and Suzdal retreated with the remaining troops to the woods
and took shelter in Kitezh. Baty rushed to trace him but failed. He then ordered to
torture all imprisoned Russians so that they would tell the hidden routes leading to
Kitezh. The warriors kept silent, for they knew letting out the secret of the holy city of
Kitezh would inflict an eternal curse on them and their descendants. Eventually the
Tatars found a traitor, Grishka Kuterma by name, who led the enemy to the holy place.
On seeing Baty’s hordes by Kitezh’s walls, the prince and his armed force started to
pray to God ardently. God heard their heartfelt prayers, took a pity on them and saved
the city from devastation. Khan Baty and his army watched in dismay the city of
Kitezh submerge itself in Lake Svetloyar and disappear in its waters.
In folk tales the city of Kitezh exists to this day but is invisible. The occasional
church bells coming from the lake’s depths in the dead of the night suggest the city is
alive. In the old days the pilgrims used to spend nights on end on Svetloyar in the
hope to hear the bells. They prayed to the hills for they saw them as buried churches,
set sail wood chips with candles attached to them and left alms for the city’s dwellers
in a belief that their prayer to God was a strong one. Mothers arrived to the lake all
the time during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 to pray on their knees for their
sons who fought on the fronts. The water of Svetloyar is healing and clears the body
of disease and sin and the herbs that grow on its banks are medicinal too.”
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Mordovian mythology
Creation of the world.
“Mythologies of the majority of Indo-European and Siberian people reflect
their beliefs concerning the creation of the world and universe. There are few
cosmogonic myths of the creation of the world in Mordvin mythology, probably
15
The Legend of city of Kitezh // Life in Russia: website. URL:
https://hague6185.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/the-legend-of-city-of-kitezh/.
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because they had no concept of the creation of the world; the Mordvins believed that
the world came into being by itself. The idea of the formation of the world is
generally associated with the formation of the Earth, or steady order. The Mordvin
worldview used to be apocryphal; the world was created by Skai (the Time God, the
Sun God and the Superior God) or Chipaz and Shiaitan (the Evil Spirit, the Devil). In
the oldest world creation myth of the Volga-Finnish people it is the demiurge who
transforms into a duck and dives for a piece of land which it spits out and from which
a mainland forms; the Evil One repeats the procedure, creating mountains.
In a similar Moksha myth, the Supreme God Viarde Skai boats on the ocean
and tells Shiatan to turn into a goldeneye and dive for sand. The Evil One manages to
bring up sand from the bottom at the third try. The creation of the world goes through
several stages: first the Devil dives for the ‘building material’, moistens it in his
mouth and spits it out. The spat piece grows into a plain, which the Devil makes
uneven by creating holes, chasms, mountains.
In another Erza legend Chipaz boats in the ocean sitting on a stone. He ejects a
clot of spittle and creates the Devil with a stroke of a crook, and then tells the Devil
to dive for sand. Chipaz spreads the sand over the water, it swells and becomes the
land. In a modified version of the myth God tells the evil spirit to turn into a scaup
and dive for the land.
Less known is the motif of the universal bird Ine Narmun’ (‘great bird’), who
lays the world egg. The egg yolk turns into the round earth, the eggshell into heaven
and the underworld.
There is also a Mordvin world creation legend that concerns with the tree of
life. The Erza demiurge Chipaz rests under the tree of life (in later versions also in the
tree top) twice for thirty years before the creation of the world. While he sleeps, the
tree grows and its branches cover the sun. The tree’s roots draw moisture from the
soil: the water fills chasms created by Idemevs’. The place where he slept turned into
a deep hollow, which became the bed of the Sura River”16.
Uzbek mythology
Legend about Uzbekistan
“By the ancient legend, the Lord allotted lands of the created world to all
nations. Being kind and friendly, Uzbek made the way for everyone in the crowd:
“Please, pass. Markhamat.”
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Deviatkina T. Some aspects of Mordvin mythology // Folklore. Electronic Journal of Folklore. 2001. Vol. 17.
P. 96–106.
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