Chapter 6. Manifestation of Various Values in Traditional Udmurt Feasts Tatiana Minniyakhmetova ABSTRACT: A traditional feast is the basis for keeping together a family, a kinship group, and a community. There are many important values and symbols manifested in the feast. This applies to Udmurt communities. Traditionally, the Udmurt economy was mostly based on agriculture and cattle breeding, and therefore the significant rituals and feasts were, and still are, devoted to activities connected with them. There are feasts directly aimed at honoring domestic animals. One of them is called “eating beestings” (eating the first milk from a cow) and takes place after a cow gives birth to a calf. Another feast, called “treats with soup-porridge-meat,” is organized after domestic animals are slaughtered for meat. The main feast food consists of dishes made from the first milk and meat, with porridge, respectively. Numerous guests are invited to the feasts. These feasts have not received enough scholarly attention. I intend to present them highlighting various values that are manifested in them, as well as the changes they have undergone. The study is based on my field research carried out in 1980–2017, and published materials on the subject using the method of component analysis. KEYWORDS: “beestings,” feast, porridge-meat, symbols, Udmurts Introduction A small community such as a village is a good example for observing ongoing developments, its members’ aspirations, and satisfaction with life. However, even such small societies develop in the general flow of processes that change internally and externally, taking and adapting new features for themselves and losing their own values. Nevertheless, even today, there are certain obvious traits from old traditions and phenomena that exist in hidden forms. In particular, these nonevidential elements are the main basis of ethnicity that supports its stability and favors survival. One of the hidden forms is a traditional feast that is oriented to keep together and support the values and concerns of a family, a kinship group, and if necessary—to promote the priority
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