Folk games of the Slavs. Slavic games
1. Introduction to the concept of “Slavic games”. Historical information.
Teacher. It is unlikely that we have ever seriously thought about who and when made the first snowball, who came up with the idea of sledding down a hill; or how old are the “Cossack robbers”. These games have lived with us since childhood and were taken for granted by us. But almost all active children’s games have their own history, which is closely intertwined with the history of our country, we just don’t pay attention to it. If you take a closer look at the emergence, history and development of folk games, you will notice that the games themselves did not originate empty space, and they served as a prototype real events both everyday and cultural-historical.
Already at the early stage of paganism during the formation of the Eastern Slavic tribes in the 4th - 7th centuries AD. e. there were folk games where tribes and clans met. Deifying the Sun, thunder, lightning, rivers, fire, stones, the Slavs worshiped them. At the games, the Slavs had fun and performed rituals to appease nature. These rituals were accompanied by games, round dances, dancing, singing and spells. The games were timed to coincide with calendar pagan holidays: Semik - a holiday associated with spring agricultural work - sowing; harvesting - the end of the harvest, harvesting; tausen - New Year, etc.
2. Components of games in Rus'.
Teacher. Games in Rus' began with barkers.The gameplay itself is unthinkable without prelude. Pre-game barkers as a method of gathering future participants cooperative game with the help of a special chant, has a long tradition. Barkers were used as a starting point, calling on potential participants to the game: Siskin-fawn sparrow, Jumping along the street, Girls gathering to play and dance, to show themselves….
Or: Tai-tai, come on! Who plays blind man's buff (hide and seek, tag, etc.)? The call to play was accompanied by jumping in place or in a circle,
and the one who pronounced them had to extend his hand forward with a bent thumb. Those who wanted to play had to grab the barker's finger with their fist and, in turn, bend theirs thumb. All this time, the barker pronounced a sentence indicating the name of the game. When a sufficient number of players were recruited, the barker finished the set: Tai-tai, fly in! Don't accept anyone!
Question: What kind of barkers do you know?
Since most games require a driver, the barker was often used at the same time to determine it: The last one to drive! In cases where the barker did not identify the driver or there was no driver in the game itself (for example, in team games), a lot or counting was used. Counting books Counting books are short rhymed verses used to determine the driver or to distribute roles in the game:
One, two, three, four, five, Six, seven, eight, nine, ten The red month has come out And behind it is the moon, lead one. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten The king decided to hang me, but the queen did not give it and hanged the king.
The counting table is an integral part of children's play at all times - a “mechanism for random distribution of roles.”
The barkers and lots are played.
3. teacher. Before the game starts, we need to pass a test to see if you are worthy of being in that historical time, we will prove this with your knowledge. Test - in Ancient Rus', hitting the target with darts, knives, snowballs was considered an important skill. You also have to try to hit the target. Have you noticed our target, there are numbers with tasks, the closer you get to the target, an easy task awaits you on the history of Kievan Rus. The further you go, the more difficult it becomes. We have already chosen the first one ready to go to the test.
4. Test of knowledge (application).
5. Teacher. M Folk games can be divided into several types:
games reflecting the relationship between man and Nature
games reflecting the daily activities and life of our ancestors
games based on religious and cult motives
games for resourcefulness, speed and coordination
games of strength and dexterity
war games.
Let us note that this division is very arbitrary and does not set itself the goal of necessarily driving all games into a certain classification framework. It is quite possible that some of the folk games presented below will fit into several categories at once.
6. Folk games reflecting the daily activities of our ancestors.
Question . What were the main types of occupations of the ancient Slavs?
Hunting, fishing, crafts, everyday scenes and much more that constituted the daily activities of people in the old days have survived to this day in numerous reflection games. Looking at them, it is not at all difficult to imagine what and how our ancestors lived. As an example below
The peculiar dialogue-sentences in games could be quite long and funny. Moreover, it was not forbidden to change the phrases in them during the game. On the contrary, it added interest and liveliness to the game.
Game "Fishing Rod"
7. Games based on religious and cult motives
Question. What was the name of the religion of the ancient Slavs before the adoption of Christianity? What gods existed? Who guarded the home? What fairy tale characters existed?
Similar motives can be clearly seen in folk entertainment. Mermen, mermaids, brownies, sorcerers, and evil spirits appear not only in fairy tales and rituals, but also appear in the plots of games. In general, childhood is characterized by a certain unique worldview that makes games on similar topics lively and vibrant.
Game "Water"
8.Games for strength and dexterity
The strong and dexterous have been respected at all times and in any society. A game is an activity in which children could demonstrate these qualities to their peers.
Game "Malechina-Kolechina"
"Arc", "Turnip"
9. War games
Military themes, of course, could not help but enter children's games. Over their long history, war games have not undergone any major modifications, and have come down to us in almost their original form. In the very general version the war game is a competition between two teams, in which folk tradition acceptable means and methods of confrontation and conditions for recognizing winners are determined.
In Rus', war games have long been the favorite pastime of most boys.
Game "Cockfight"
10. Round dance.
Dance is a special type of folk art. It is impossible to count how many different dances and dances existed in Rus' and still exist in modern Russia. They have a wide variety of names: sometimes by the song to which they dance ("Kamarinskaya", "Seni"), sometimes by the number of dancers ("Steam", "Four"), sometimes the name determines the picture of the dance ("Pleten", "Vorotsa" ). But in all these very different dances there is something in common, characteristic of Russian folk dance in general: this is the breadth of movement, prowess, special cheerfulness, poetry, a combination of modesty and simplicity with a great sense of self-esteem.R Russian round dances seem to be as ancient as our life. Whether our ancestors lived at home, they were engaged in games, dances, round dances; Whether they were at the massacre, they sang of their homeland in their epics. From Vladimir's merry feasts, songs spread throughout Rus' and passed from generation to generation. The history of round dances lies in legends; and all our folk legends speak of the past as of the present time, without indicating days and years; they say what our fathers and grandfathers did, without mentioning either the place of action or the persons themselves.
The original meaning of the round dance seems to be lost forever. We do not have any sources directly pointing to its appearance in Russian soil, and therefore all assumptions remain insignificant. The round dance is known to all tribes and principalities.The Lithuanian-Russian round dance was renamedkorogod. Bohemians, Croats, Carpatho-Russians, Morlaks, Dalmatians turned him intokolo - circle. The Slavic kolo was also accompanied by songs, dances and games, just like the Russian round dance.
"Round dance game"
11. All Slavic games ended with dances and dances. Dance-competitions, dance-wrestling, dance-choosing the bride. The “Barynya” dance is a competition between young men for a bride. In the dance they must show their prowess, skill and attract the girl’s attention. But under no circumstances should you touch the girl or your opponent, you shouldn’t push him away.
But invariably in the spring and summer the games ended with a game of“Rucheek” is a game of unity, friendship and trust.
All people, since antiquity, have created various games for entertainment and leisure. The ancient Russian people, the Slavs, put a deeper meaning into games. They created them not only for entertainment, but also for training and education. After all, all games develop something. Agile ones - agility and flexibility, cultivate heroic and team spirit, and some even develop thought processes.
Let us turn to some of these games of the ancient Slavs.
A very popular game was a game called " Capture of the town" On the hills, people built fortifications from logs and branches; in winter, of course, these were snow buildings. These buildings were considered towns. All women were the defenders of this fortress and were inside it. Men were divided into riders and horses. After all the roles were distributed, the offensive began. The goal of this game was this: you had to penetrate the enemy’s town and get his banner. At first glance, the game is very simple and exciting, but there were many difficulties in it. Firstly, riders had to always be on their horse. If the horse loses its rider, or the rider loses its horse, then both of them are out of the game. The task of the ladies is to prevent the banner from being stolen. They fight him off and protect him in every possible way, using all available means. The game is considered over if the enemy's banner is captured. But such a competition can take a long time, because the prize for winning is very attractive. The horseman who captured the banner has the right to kiss all the female defenders in the enemy’s fortress.
Another equally fun game - "Blinkers". The game is to win the other player over to your side by winking at him. People stand in two circles, internal and external, and one person remains without a partner. He should stand in the middle and wink at the others in the inner circle. If a person from the outer circle did not notice that the driver was winking at his pair, then that player takes the place of the driver.
The bright and original features of the culture of any nation are best manifested in the games they create. For many centuries, Russian folk games have been a part of both everyday life and a mandatory highlight of any holiday for both children and adults. They acted not only as an excellent way to have fun and interesting time, but also as an excellent psychological relief, good remedy self-knowledge, unobtrusively teaching the younger generation dexterity, courage, bravery, kindness, mutual assistance, nobility and self-sacrifice in the name of the common good.
In the life of the Russian people, as historians have noted, folk games, reflecting the special features of the Slavic mentality, social structure and general worldview, have always occupied a very important place. They had enormous educational significance; they required from participants in games and amusements not only physical effort, but also a remarkable intelligence, dexterity, cunning, presence of mind in any situation, tirelessness and perseverance. Usually all games were played on fresh air and in an unlimited space, which undoubtedly contributed physical development the younger generation, its hardening and preparation for a difficult adult life.
Russian games were distinguished by their diversity, they were attended by both children and adults, who, on rare holidays due to hard work, could afford to have fun, competing in strength or dexterity, at least slightly throwing away the gray everyday life. Russian folk games can be divided into men's games (Babki, Lapta, Gorodki, Taking the Snow Town), children's games (Ladushki, Magpie-Crow), and collective games (Gorelki, Hide and Seek) , “Stream”, “Hide and Seek”, “Guide”).
Games and fun of the Russian people:
Grandmas
The equipment for the game “Babki” was the cleaned bones of the lower periosteal joints of hoofed domestic animals (cows, pigs, sheep) and one large bone used as a bat, usually filled with lead or cast iron for weight. From two to ten children could participate in the game, each with his own bat and several doughnuts. The playing field was drawn out on a flat surface, special window(kon line) the dice (knives) were placed in a certain sequence, each of which had to be knocked out with a bat in a certain way. This is an emotional and exciting ancient Russian game that improved throwing skills, developed strength, speed, eye, and cultivated endurance and attention.
Lapta
“Lapta” is a Russian folk team game that used a bat (it was spade-shaped, hence the name of the game) and a ball, and was played in an open natural space, divided into two sides: “city” and “kon”, occupied by different teams. The game was that a player of one team had to hit the ball with a bat harder in the direction belonging to the enemy so that it would fly further away and during this time run to the camp of the “enemy” and back, and so that you would not be “hit” with the ball caught by the team players enemy. A successful run earned the team a point, and whoever had the most won. This game contributed to the unity of people, developed in them a sense of strong camaraderie, mutual support, loyalty and, of course, developed attentiveness and dexterity.
Towns
“Towns” (otherwise known as “Ryuhi”, “Chushki”, “Pigs”). In this game, from a certain distance, with a special bat, arranged “towns” were knocked out on a marked area - figures from several wooden blocks made of birch, linden, beech, etc. The main task was to knock out 15 main figures, each of which had its own name, using the minimum number of throws. Competitions for knocking out figures can be either individual or team. The game is exciting and requires dexterity and strength, endurance, accuracy and excellent coordination of movements.
Brook
In ancient times, not a single holiday was complete among young people without the cheerful, wise and very meaningful game “Stream”, which intertwined such important feelings for young people as the choice of sympathy, the fight for their love, testing the strength of feelings, jealousy, and a magical touch on the hand your chosen one.
The participants of the game stood one after another in pairs, took hands and raised them high above their heads, forming long corridor from clasped hands. The player who did not get a pair walked inside a kind of stream-like corridor and, breaking up the pair, took his chosen one or chosen one to the end of the corridor. The man left alone went to the beginning, choosing a new mate. Thus, the “stream” is constantly in motion, than more people, the more fun and exciting the game is.
Burners
“Burners” is a fun, mischievous and active game that develops attention and speed. The players split into pairs and stood in columns, the selected driver stood with his back to them, without looking back. A line is drawn in front of him at some distance, the participants sang a cheerful song “Burn-burn clearly” and at the end of it, on the word “run” the couple opens their hands and runs to the line, and the driver must catch one of them before they close their hands behind the line . He becomes a pair with the one caught, and his partner, who is left alone, becomes the next driver.
Hide and seek
Game of Hide and Seek - popular children's entertainment, characterized by cheerfulness, excitement and mobility, it promotes the development of ingenuity, endurance and resourcefulness, and teaches teamwork. You can play it either alone or as a team. They choose a driver who stands facing the wall and closes his eyes, the rest run away and hide, the driver must find them and call them by name.
Ladushki
The favorite nursery rhyme game for very young children was the well-known “Ladushki”, designed to amuse the child and interest him with funny rhymes, accompanied by movements of the hands and head, clapping of hands, and fascinating facial expressions. This game develops well fine motor skills hands and coordination of movements, teaches communication skills and of course brings a lot of positive emotions to the baby.
Taking the snow town
“Capture of the Snow Town” is a traditional winter fun of the Russian people, which was part of the daring games on Maslenitsa. The “town” (represented two walls with a gate decorated with a figurine of a rooster, a bottle and a glass) was built from snow in an open space (in a field or square), doused with water to make it more inaccessible.
The game involved two teams, usually consisting of young, strong guys, some were “besieged”, they were inside a snow fortress, others were “besiegers”, they attacked with the goal of capturing the snowy town and destroying it (by the way, they were allowed to be on horses). The defenders of the town (they were on foot) defended themselves with branches and brooms, covered the attackers with snow with shovels and threw snowballs at them. The first one to break into the gates of the snow fortress was considered the winner. Such entertainment was characterized by unbridled daring, fun and desperate recklessness.
The Russian people came up with games and fun with care and love for their children, hoping that with their help they would not only have a fun and healthy time free time, and will also become fast, dexterous and strong, learn to communicate with each other, value friendship, come to the rescue, be honest and not be afraid of difficulties, firmly believing in their own strengths and the help of friends.
Playing is the most favorite pastime of children and adults. Game is the best and most effective form of acquiring new knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience. In games, a person learns everything he needs in life. That is why in Slavic tradition The entire process of teaching children was built in the form of a game. However, many adults now do not remember the games they played as children. And remembering them during the holidays, they have fun like children. Remember those games that you and your great-great-great...parents played. Many of them develop abilities: dexterity, attentiveness, endurance, ingenuity, etc. Who, if not you, will pass on these games to your children.
The merman (driver) sits in a circle with his eyes closed. The players dance around him with the words:
Grandfather of the water,
Why are you sitting under water?
Look out for a little bit
For one minute.
One, two, three - the merman don’t sleep!
The round dance stops, the “water man” gets up and, without opening his eyes, approaches one of the players.
The merman's task is to determine who is in front of him. If the merman guessed right, he changes role and now the one whose name was named becomes the driver. The "merman" can touch the player standing in front of him, but his eyes cannot be opened. For greater difficulty, the "merman" with last words the song unwinds towards the movement of the round dance.
P.S.
When they play for a long time, many are already recognized by their clothes, so our guys sometimes change scarves, or take off some piece of clothing to make it more difficult. Squat lower or stand on tiptoes. The game is very fun. As a rule, it is played the longest.
“Blind Man's Bluff” is an ancient game that has many varieties. Children of all ages play it. The number of participants is usually from 4 to 25 people. In all varieties, the essence is the same: the driver with his eyes closed - “blind man's buff” - must catch other players and guess who he caught.
All players, holding hands, form a circle. The driver (by lot) stands in the middle of the circle. He is blindfolded or has a cap placed on his head to cover his eyes. You can give the driver a stick, or you can play without it.
All players move in a circle in one direction until the driver stops with the command “Stop!” Then everyone stops, and the driver extends his hand forward. It should be taken up by the one playing at whom it is directed. The driver asks him to raise his voice, that is, to say something. The player calls the name of the driver or makes any sound by changing his voice. If the driver guesses who voted, he changes place and role with him. If he doesn’t guess correctly, he continues to drive.
Rules:
You can ask for a voice up to 3 times, after which the driver must say who is holding his hand (or wand).
If the driver fails to guess 3 times, he is replaced by a new driver by lot or choice.
When the driver asks for a voice, there must be complete silence.
FLOOR, BOW, CEILING
This game is also a good test of attentiveness. It is very simple, its rules are easy to explain. Right hand point to the floor and say: “Floor.” Then point to your nose (it will be better if you touch it), say: “Nose,” and then raise your hand up and say: “Ceiling.” Take your time. Let the guys show with you, and you will call. Your goal is to confuse the guys. Say: “Nose,” and at this time point to the ceiling. The guys must listen carefully and show correctly.
COSSACK FUN
SLAVIC COMPETITIVE GAMES
Definition
A striking feature of the culture of every nation is the games it creates.
For centuries, these games have accompanied the everyday life of children and adults,
develop special mentality traits that are important personal qualities, reflect the social structure of the nation and views on the world.
Slavic folk games represent a conscious initiative activity,
aimed at achieving a certain goal established by the rules of the game,
Which is formed on the basis of Slavic national traditions and takes into account cultural,
social and spiritual values of the people.
They combined entertainment, training, and the unique Russian culture itself.
identifying and encouraging those who are strong in spirit and body, fostering readiness to take on challenges,
stand up for the weak, overcome weakness in yourself.
Quote:
“Games have long served as a means of self-knowledge, here they showed their best qualities: kindness,
nobility, mutual assistance, self-sacrifice for the sake of others.
After a hard time working day adults took part in children’s games with pleasure,
teaching them how to have fun and relax.”
A.A. Taran, "Russian folk games and their classification"
What is it?
In this article we will look at the main types similar games- from the simple entertainment of common people,
to royal amusements, from forgotten amusements to disciplines that have become sports today
And crossed the borders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Antiquity was not particularly rich in entertainment, but it was truly massive -
everyone, young and old, took part in the festivities and celebrations.
On the holiday, a rare day free from work, people sought to take a break from hard everyday work by playing,
Competing or simply participating in the fun as spectators. But games served our ancestors not only as fun and entertainment,
And also military training before battles with opponents, of which the Slavs always had a great variety.
The very word “fun” among the Slavs did not have a completely “entertaining” meaning, but a broader one: “mass event”.
Most often, the mass event was one of the games listed here.
The duel between the monk Peresvet and the Tatar Kochubey is symbolic - Rus' constantly attracted foreign conquerors from all over the world
Martial arts
Fist fight. Throughout History, the Slavs waged constant wars, and military exercises and games
became an integral part of ancient Slavic culture, firmly entering everyday life and being reflected in traditional “fun”.
Russian fist fighting (“fist fun”) is a vivid example of this.
Historical background
The first chronicle mentions of fist fighting are found at the beginning of the 13th century. Grand Duke Kyiv, Mstislav III,
and the Prince of Pskov, Vladimir, encouraging his soldiers before the battle, presented them with freedom: to fight on horseback or on foot.
And he received the answer: “We don’t want to go on horseback, but we will fight, following the example of our ancestors, on foot and with fists.”
At first glance, fist fighting may seem like a rather barbaric form of entertainment.
But, remembering that in Rus' there was rarely a year without war, it is quite natural that for the common people
(which at any moment could be called upon as a militia) it became a historical tradition.
And for the state as a whole - a useful school in which the population learned the art of war “on the job.”
Typically poorly armed militias sought to compensate this disadvantage quick response and skillful,
unexpected use of the situation, and this is what fistfight taught them.
Fist fights were carried out one on one or “wall to wall” (group fight).
Fist fights have always attracted many spectators, hungry for the spectacle of uncompromising struggle
One-on-one fights (“self-on-sam”) were mainly carried out before mass battles, or were used to resolve disputes,
And also in judicial practice. In the latter case, such a duel was called “field”
and was used as judicial evidence: it served to definitively confirm the defendant’s correctness in a court case.
The most outstanding single fighters were willingly taken by the boyars “under their wing” -
they fed from the master's table and were showered with all sorts of favors, and the boyars made bets, bringing them together in fights for their amusement.
“Wide” places were chosen as places for fighting in the summer - city squares, clearings.
In winter, “fun” most often took place on the ice of rivers or lakes. The battles took place during Russian folk holidays,
Most of which in Rus' are used for the winter. They went out to fights in felt boots and short fur coats,
which left a certain imprint on the fighting technique.
The blows were applied in such a way as to pierce warm clothing - using the weight of the entire body.
“Fists” of all ages and classes gathered on the ice of a frozen river
Most fist fights were “proper”, i.e. carried out according to the rules.
Here are their main provisions:
· fight “for love” - that is, have no anger towards the enemy,
· do not hit a lying opponent,
· do not hit from behind,
· don't hide in your fist heavy objects,
· do not trip or grab the opponent’s clothes,
· do not kick (a kick with a shod foot could cripple the opponent).
Almost the entire male population, from boys (!) to adults, took part in wall-to-wall battles.
The teenagers “started” the battle, then the men came together, and at the end the strongest “reliable” fighters joined in.
Each wall could have two, three, four or more rows of fighters. They fought street to street, village to village, settlement to settlement.
Group combat taught me to stand shoulder to shoulder, allowing me to practice joint actions.
A sense of comradeship and mutual assistance developed - skills that are indispensable in battle.
The fist fight continued until one of the parties took flight.
At the end of the “fun”, the most distinguished fighters were honored -
they were given wine to drink and led through the streets with songs glorifying their exploits.
However, no uniform rules were used and often the battles were limited to
Only unchanged - “don’t beat someone who is lying down” and “don’t kill them to death.”
There was also a very tough type of battle, “dump-clutch”, more reminiscent of a massacre -
it used everything from kicks to flails, sticks and knives. After such dumps, people were often left injured and even killed.
Before the battle, obligatory cleansing rituals were carried out
From the fact that even children were allowed to engage in fist fights, it is clear that
Which the Slavs had to cultivate the strength of the body and spirit from childhood. To modern man it's wild to imagine
how a mother would let her child go into a 50/50 fight, senseless and yet quite brutal.
However, for our ancestors this was a completely meaningful and acceptable lesson,
A kind of school for a man, as concrete as possible, “on living material”, teaching not just fighting skills and tricks -
but much more important is the spirit of joint competition, mutual support and unity. Hardened from childhood for life.
Looking back at the traditions of Russian fist fighting, it becomes easier to understand that unprecedented resilience
and the self-sacrifice that the Slavs from time immemorial have shown in wars for their homeland.
With the development of firearms, fist fights lost their practical significance for the state
(Christianity played a significant role here, striving to eradicate pagan customs) and it declared them “harmful fun.”
In 1274, Metropolitan Kirill convened a council in Vladimir, at which, among other rules, it was decided:
“excommunicate from the church those involved in fist fights and stake fights, and do not perform funeral services for those killed.”
Fist fights were prohibited with enviable consistency, but even after the decree of Nicholas I (in 1832)
“On the universal and complete prohibition of fist fights” (“Fist fights, as harmful fun, are completely prohibited”) -
they did not cease to exist and continued to be preserved in folk life:
“In Moscow there was a factory worker named Semyon, a strong fighter
Contagion from the stove tile
Knocked out with his iron finger,
When in battle he appeared before the wall
He overturned everything and drove it in front of him.
Fear, horror of him,
And cries of joy and praise follow him...”
A.E. Izmailov
The outcome of this fight is familiar to us from school. "Song
about
merchant
Kalashnikov" M Yu.Lermontova illustrated by Vasnetsov
Historical background
After 1917, fist fighting was included in the “rotten legacy of the damned tsarism”
and did not find its place among wrestling sports. The ideology of fist fighting, based on religiosity and community cohesion,
It went against the party ideology, which extols completely different values, and fist fighting did not receive any development during the years of Soviet Power.
All attempts to introduce folk fighting techniques into the training program for border guards and police were unsuccessful.
The revival of fist fighting is already happening in our time - numerous schools and styles of Slavic
combat
arts,
Based on the traditions of fist fighting or using its elements.
Professional communities of Slavic martial arts:
Dances and dances
It is now difficult for us to discern and understand the roots of modern Slavic
dancing while watching her on TV
Or at festivities and holidays performed by folklore groups. And it was not created as entertainment at all,
but as a specific system of game training for Slavic warriors, helping to develop
combat motor skills, endurance develop agility and strength.
Gopak, trepak, “Cossack”, “lady”, sailor’s “apple” and other dances contain residual elements of foot combat and martial arts.
Cossacks are big fans of dancing the hopak. And there are still legends about how they fought in other countries
For example, the essence of the most famous Russian dance “Barynya” was not just to dance with a woman.
It’s about fighting for a partner with other dancers, and fighting not with force, not with rudeness, but with dancing skill!
They danced with the woman, trying not to let their rival get close to her.
He, in turn, tried to fight off the dancer, brushing off his opponent with a skillful movement and continuing the dance himself.
Therefore, the real “Lady” is very difficult - careful control over complex combat transitions is required.
It was considered unacceptable not only to touch a partner with a blow, but even to frighten her with a dangerous movement.
It turns out that it’s not a dance, but a duel – but not a fight, but an art!
Since ancient times, dancing competitions have been held in Rus'. They danced both alone and in pairs with an opponent.
The competition most often took place at fairs. They “bet” on the dancers and placed bets, and the winners received prizes: gifts, money or wine.
The dancers constantly trained, inventing new combinations of “knocks” unknown to their opponents and spectators.
Before the competition, the developments were kept in big secret. This constantly replenished and enriched the technique of Russian dance.
“Lady” is only a peaceful dance at first glance. The struggle for a girl is relevant between young people at all times. It was this confrontation that formed the basis of the dance
There were pair and single dances. In the first case, one of the dancers showed some kind of movement or connection,
the opponent had to repeat them exactly, then show his own. In the second, the competitors alternately showed their movements,
however, the previous ones could not be repeated. The loser was the one who ran out of tricks first.
Historical background
One of the variants of the combat dance “skobar” (or, as it was also called, “breaking the merry”)
provided for direct contact with the enemy during execution.
They “performed” it to the rhythmic and simple playing of an accordion.
The fight-dance took place according to various agreements, for example, until the first blood or until the first fall.
The fight could be stopped by an accordion player (in older times - a guslar) by stopping playing.
Before the “breaking” began, the dancer shook his head, ruffling his hair.
These actions, coupled with certain exclamations and stamping, belonged to the elements of ancient folk magic.
By performing them, a person left the usual everyday space, moving into a different layer of existence,
where time flowed differently and the senses worked differently.
The relaxed body of the squire reacted not only to the actions of his opponent, but even to the breath of the breeze.
This state is similar to the trance into which the warriors of the East put themselves.
In addition to military dances, there were also numerous peaceful dances and games,
ritual and simply entertainment purposes. The most “Slavic” of which is the round dance (kolo, korogod, tank).
Games-rites
Ritual games in Rus' are somewhat akin to modern role-playing games.
The players dressed up (“dressed up”) in various clothes - taking on the images of animals or higher powers.
Such games were based on the natural magic of similarity: pancake, round dance, burning wheel -
are like the sun and, remembering him, people make his images, asking him to return as soon as possible after the winter cold.
They believed that they were really helping spring come faster.
Christianity was never able to completely eradicate the belief in pagan gods,
and parts of ancient rituals, no, no, yes slip through in our everyday life.
Rus' did not immediately accept the new faith. Clashes between pagans and Christians shook the country for a long time
Round dances throughout Rus' were used as a festive ritual dance, mainly in the spring.
The circle among the Slavs was a symbol of the sun, and the dance symbolized the approaching blossoming of nature
and sought to help her awaken after winter. The round dance was accompanied by a song asking for the future harvest.
People brought a large loaf of bread baked the day before to the field and “fed” the earth with it.
They also used dance to ward off supposed trouble from the village -
one peasant on a horse plowed the land along the edge of the entire village, and the rest, holding hands, followed him in a chain and sang.
Round dances are a favorite pastime of rural youth. You can choose the bride and look after the groom
The round dance also served as youth entertainment and included not only the circular dance itself,
But also much more: the walkers played on musical instruments, within the round dance itself, everyday scenes and pantomimes were played out.
Komoeditsy (March 23) – “holiday of eating komos,” special pancakes dedicated to the bear. Better known as Maslenitsa.
People jumped over fires, washed themselves with melt water or snow,
after which they solemnly burned the effigy of Winter Madder at the stake, throwing garbage, straw and old things into the fire.
Historical background
Usually Maslenitsa (Madder) was represented in the form of a huge effeminate figure made from straw,
they dressed him up in an absurd way, put him in a sleigh and drove him around the villages.
The carnival train could consist of a dozen sleighs in which mummers rode around.
After completing the festive ritual, the doll was burned, saying goodbye to it:
“Goodbye, goodbye,
Our Maslenitsa.
Goodbye, goodbye
Our wide...”
The image of Maslenitsa combined the deadly (winter) and life-giving (spring) principles:
people seemed to be entering into new life, said goodbye to the old one.
With the adoption of Christianity, the image of Maslenitsa underwent significant changes,
although he did not completely lose his pagan features.
Nothing can replace the living spirit of the holiday. Not many people in our time have managed to ride a troika like that while playing an accordion.
After this they went to “wake up the bear” (“wake up”). In a pit-den, covered with dead wood, lay a mummer,
Depicting a sleeping bear. They danced around the den, shouting and trying to wake up the clubfoot.
Then they started throwing branches, snowballs, and twigs at him. “The Bear” didn’t wake up until
until one of the girls sat on his back and bounced on it.
Then the girl ran away, taking with her a piece of the bear's outfit.
The mummer got up and began to dance, imitating the awakening of the bear, and went to look for his loss, leaning on a crutch:
“Creak your leg, creak your linden leg!
And the water is sleeping, and the earth is sleeping.
And they sleep in the villages, they sleep in the villages.
One woman does not sleep, she sits on my skin.
He spins my fur, cooks my meat.
It’s drying out my skin.”
Having caught his offender, the “bear” tried to “strangle” her in his arms.
After the “awakenings” it was the turn of the rest of the Maslenitsa games:
Town, fists, horses, swing and horse riding and climbing a pole for a gift.
Maslenitsa pillar. A tall, absolutely smooth pillar was installed in the square, and in addition, it was also rubbed with oil or lard.
A prize (for example, a pair of boots) was hung at the top of the pole, and anyone could try their luck to remove the prize.
The task was not an easy one - often daredevils slid down the pole back down to the laughter of the assembled people, having barely completed half the journey.
Often a wheel was installed at the top of the post, with ropes or chains attached to it - a prototype of modern “giant steps”.
Are there any more heroes left...? Or did they spare oil on the pole...? Although not everyone can handle such a pole without oil
Kolyada (Christmastide) begins on December 29 - at the time when the day gradually begins to arrive, “turning towards spring.”
Before the festival, the magician howled like a wolf, driving away evil spirits - another element of pagan natural magic.
On Kolyada there was a custom to dress up in animal dress and walk around the courtyards singing,
begging the owners for food - caroling.
This mischievous goat went to carol during Christmas time
The head of the mummers was a goat, followed by her retinue - a cat, a fox, a crane, a pig:
“Oh, I’m dancing, I’m dancing for my dear
Maybe it will give half a gold.
Oh, not enough, not enough, that’s it!
Oh, I'm galloping, galloping, I want silver!
Since you have a son, give me a wheel of cheese
Since you have a daughter, give me a barrel of honey
If you're not rich, kick me out of the house
Be it with a log, or a broom, or a crooked poker.”
The “animals” sang along:
“Our goat is an old dereza
She walked from Kyiv and went around all of Rus'”….
People threw gifts into the carolers' bags: sausage, lard, gingerbread, cookies - who was rich in what.
Having collected a full bag of gifts, they set off to feast.
The holiday ended with games - you need to roll a burning wheel up the mountain with the words:
“Roll up the hill, come back with spring.”
The sun is the main symbol of pagan faith. Natural power received from the Sun emanates from this Slavic sorcerer. Painting by V. Korolkova, “The Magus”
Trizna. With the advent of a new memorial and cult element in the burial ritual -
mound, a new funeral rite arose - a funeral feast. Trizna is a military tradition,
consisting of a sacrifice, a memorial rite, a feast and military games in honor of the deceased (fallen) warriors.
Such games among the Slavs included competitions in archery, throwing knives, axes and sulits at a target, horse racing and martial arts.
“The fighters remembered days gone by…”. There are many such mounds in Rus' to this day.
Mass Games
At fairs and festivities, strongman competitions in lifting stones and other heavy objects were popular.
pushing logs; beam fighting: when two participants sat in front of each other on a high-mounted beam
And they tried to knock each other to the ground with blows from bags of sawdust or sticks wrapped in rags.
Children competed with each other in a “running” race, that is, a race.
Mass games included tug of war (net), snowballs, sledding,
Running on stilts is a well-known game even now. We'll take a closer look at some of the games.
Tug-of-war is enjoyed by both adults and children even today
Capture of the town. On the hillock, an amusing fortification was erected from logs and branches, and in winter from snow (a town).
Women and girls, the defenders of the town, were inside the “fortress”.
The guys, divided into “riders” and “horses,” began an attack. Their task was to destroy the fortifications and,
having broken through the ranks of defenders, capture the banner. At the same time, it was necessary to sit on the “horse”.
If the “rider” fell from the “horse” or was pulled off, then he no longer took part in the game.
The task of women is to prevent the banner from being captured. To do this, they used very impressive means:
sticks wrapped in skins, bags filled with straw, and in winter also snowballs.
The game continued until the men captured the town or abandoned this idea.
The player who managed to capture the banner had the right to kiss all the defenders.
Participants in the game were not forbidden to sit on a real horse
Horses. The players were divided into two “armies”. Each “army,” in turn, consisted of “horses” and “horses.”
The riders were usually girls who climbed onto the backs of boys.
The players' task was simple - to unbalance the other pair.
The couple that stayed on their feet the longest won.
Sports games
Such games include rounders and towns. Having lived to this day, they have acquired uniform rules,
without losing its characteristic features - excitement, enthusiasm, originality.
Lapta in ancient times was a popular pastime among the Slavs.
There are numerous references to this folk game in Russian chronicles.
During excavations of ancient Novgorod, among other items,
A lot of balls were discovered, as well as the lapta (stick-bat) itself, which gave the name to the game.
Lapta was also popular with the Vikings, who, apparently, adopted it from the Slavs -
Norwegian archaeologists have repeatedly found bits for playing lapta.
Russian writers also paid attention to the game. U A.AND .
We find Kuprin:
“This folk game is one of the most interesting and useful games.
Lapta requires resourcefulness, deep breathing, attentiveness, resourcefulness, fast running,
a keen eye, the firmness of a hand strike and the eternal confidence that you will not be defeated.
There is no place for cowards and lazy people in this game. I heartily recommend this native Russian game...”
Historical background
The first attempt to create unified official rules according to Russian lapta was undertaken in 1926.
However, rounders on state level It was never recognized then.
And only in 1957, thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, the first official competition took place.
Other peoples of the world also have games similar to lapta:
The British have cricket, the Americans have baseball, the Cubans have pelota, the Finns have pesa pallo, the Germans have a barrier.
Historical background
The first championship of the Russian Federation was held in 1958, and in 1959 lapta was included in the program of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the RSFSR.
In the 60-70s. the development of lapta is suspended, and the original game is dying out.
Lapta was saved from oblivion by the resolution of the USSR State Sports Committee “On the development of baseball, softball and Russian lapta,” adopted in 1987.
By the beginning of 1988, lapta was already cultivated in 344 physical culture groups of the RSFSR, Ukraine, and Belarus.
In 1990, the first official Russian championship took place in Rostov.
In 1994, the game was included in the Unified All-Russian Sports Classification.
In 1995, new competition rules were developed.
Lapta is played on a flat area approximately 30 by 70 m. two teams of 5-12 people.
One team is considered to be “hitting”, the other is considered to be “driving”. After successfully hitting the ball with a bat, a player of the batting team
tries to run to the end of the field, where the “home” is located, and then return back.
Each player who makes such a successful run earns the team one point.
If he is hit with the ball, then the kicking team goes to the field.
Towns (ryukhi, pigs). The history of this game goes back several centuries -
it is almost as old as lapta.
Mention of towns can be found in fairy tales and ancient legends,
And in documents relating to the history of Ancient Rus'.
It is not at all necessary to know History to understand what is happening in the picture. Towns have changed little over the centuries
The point of the game was to knock out the target figure with a wooden bat throw
(made up of wooden posts - “towns”) beyond the line of the playing field - “cities”.
The rules of the game, the size of the field, the pieces themselves, the number and distance of throws in different areas varied greatly,
And to “ common denominator“The towns were built after the Revolution, in 1923.
Historical background
As a sport with uniform rules, towns were formed by 1923,
When the first All-Union competitions were held in Moscow.
The towns were included in the program of the first All-Union Olympics in 1928.
In 1933, new rules were issued, in which 15 figures were defined,
And the game was largely regulated. Essentially these rules still apply today.
IN Soviet era the game was extremely popular and it was rare that a stadium or factory did not have its own site.
Now the popularity of the towns has decreased somewhat, although in 2001 the first world championship in this sport was held in St. Petersburg.
The game itself is very simple and even self-production equipment for it does not require special skill -
whittling out a bat-stick and heels of wooden cylinders is not a tricky task, especially for a Russian peasant.
So the game received widespread love and recognition among the people. Although it served as entertainment not only for ordinary people:
Peter the Great, Suvorov, Lenin, Stalin and other notable figures were avid city dwellers.
But the Slavs also had entertainment, although inaccessible to the people, but without which the History of our state is unthinkable.
Royal fun
This is how dog hunting and falconry were called in Rus' since ancient times. These hobbies came to us from the East.
But in Rus' they received so many typically Slavic features that now we can talk about them as national.
“Hound hunting is a dashing pastime of our ancestors, even today
pleases the hearts of Russian hunters who treasure the legacy of antiquity,”
He wrote in his book “Pershinskaya hunting” D.P. Valtsov.
Even the picture exudes excitement and conveys the joyful excitement of the hunters
Dog hunting in Rus' dates back more than one century - in the chronicles of the 12th century there are references to
that even under the Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh, “animals were poisoned by dogs,”
And on one of the frescoes of Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv (built in the 11th century) depicts a pointy-eared dog chasing a deer.
Initially, hunting dogs were used in hunting, which were distinguished not so much by their speed,
no matter how much force and malice, but later, a unique breed of fast hunting dogs was bred in Rus' - Russian greyhounds.
Historical background
The word “greyhound” before the 15th century. characterized exclusively by the agility of the horses.
In the 17th century Russian breed
Greyhounds are formed as a national one.
In 1600 Boris Godunov sent a pair of greyhounds as a gift to Shah Abbas of Iran.
And this was truly a royal gift, since the price of these dogs was incredibly high, but the Shah’s dogs were not interested.
It is not for nothing that hound hunting was considered one of the “royal pastimes” - maintaining a kennel, training dogs and the dogs themselves
they cost a lot of money and were affordable only by the wealthy part of the population, princes, boyars, etc.
The heads of the hunt, the hunters, were endowed with great powers and had considerable power in society.
Historical background
Since hound hunting was the lot of aristocrats, during the years of Soviet Power
The country has practically lost Russian greyhounds - the dogs with which hunting was traditionally carried out.
Even now in Russia there are only about 1.5 thousand dogs of this breed, and then mostly in “decorative” form.
That is, dogs live outside the pack and are not adapted to hunting, but serve only as home decoration for their owners.
For comparison: in Germany the population of Russian greyhounds numbers 15 thousand individuals, in the USA - 45 thousand.
Fields with islands of forest or bushes and deep ravines - places where animals spend their days - were most suitable for hound hunting.
Horse hunters with greyhounds were located in places where animals were likely to emerge.
A pack of hounds was launched into islands or ravines. The hounds drove the raised beast into open fields,
where the greyhounds released from the packs with a sharp rush overtook him and took him.
Historical background
In the XVIII - XIX centuries. in hound hunts of Romadanovsky, Sheremetevsky, Razumovsky, Orlov, Panin, Baryatinsky
and others there were 150 - 200 and even 300 dogs, and in the hunt of Peter II in 1729.
There were 420 dogs and dozens of hunting servants - hunters, chasers, greyhound keepers, vzhlyatniks, korytniks, grooms, cooks.
They most often hunted hares and foxes, but wolf hunts were especially highly valued.
However, hunting served not only as entertainment for the rich - its significance was also great from a political point of view.
Important state issues and problems were resolved during hunts.
Often, hunts were organized specifically for foreign ambassadors and diplomats -
and the fate of the state could depend on its successful implementation.
Falconry. “Russia is a large country, right up to the ocean, and on this ocean they have several islands,
where falcons and gyrfalcons are found,” Marco once described our country Polo.
And in Russian songs, fairy tales and epics, the clear falcon is a frequent guest, a “noble bird.”
Falconry preceded canine hunting in Rus' and was subsequently gradually replaced by it.
It arose around the 8th century and reached its peak in the 17th century under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
However, by the end of the 19th century, only a few small nobles continued to hunt with birds of prey,
and after the Revolution, centuries-old hunting traditions were lost, and hunting itself was forgotten.
Falconry is quiet - no dogs barking, no beaters screaming, no gunshots. But this makes the swift flight of a falcon no less fascinating, and the prey in its claws
With a falcon (gyrfalcon, hawk, golden eagle) they hunted birds (quail, black grouse, herons) and animals (hares, foxes).
Like canines, falconry was a privilege of the nobility, since keeping and caring for birds was very expensive.
Falconry was valued primarily for its beauty and aristocracy - experts enjoyed the spectacle of a bird attacking its prey.
However, the fashion for this activity has turned hunting from a sport into something between an obligatory ritual
For nobles and balls, where you can “look at others and show yourself off.”
Historical background
According to legend, one of the Moscow churches is dedicated to the patron saint of all falconers, St. Tryphon and it was erected by the falconer of Ivan the Terrible,
In gratitude to the saint for appearing to him in a dream and telling him where the missing white gyrfalcon, the king’s favorite, was located.
Currently, enthusiasts are uniting in falconry clubs with the goal of reviving this ancient pastime.
Conclusion
Cinema, television, computers and other technical benefits of civilization, with all their advantages
have one significant disadvantage - they alienate people from each other, bringing entertainment,
For which you don’t have to leave the house, meet and communicate with other people.
But folk games and celebrations continue to unite people: New Year, Maslenitsa,
Easter and other holidays still bring people out into the streets and allow them to remember half-forgotten traditions.
It remains to wish that the original Russian customs do not fade away, do not degenerate,
but were preserved for our children and grandchildren so that the connection of times would not be interrupted.
A hero is not a profession, but a calling. AND Slavic culture, based on mass games and rituals, raised warrior-defenders
Folk games and fun- Site about Russians folk games- http://www.glee.ru/
Slavyanskaya Sloboda- Games, customs and holidays of the Slavs - http://slavyans.narod.ru/index.html
Struggle- Website about national types of wrestling of peoples former USSR- http://ussrwrestling.narod.ru /
Orthodoxy- Library, Slavic dictionary, history, holidays http://www.pravoslavie.by/
Slavic paganism- Photo gallery of pagan holidays - http://www.paganism.ru/photos.htm
Book of Veles- Photo illustrations and text of the famous Veles Book - http://svterem.narod.ru/files/dop.htm
Yes, we are Scythians!- Gallery of Slavic paintings by A. Klimenko - http://www.kurgan.kiev.ua/klim.html
Symbols- Website on ornaments, symbols, runes of the Slavs - http://ornament.narod.ru/
Dictionary- Dictionary of obsolete and dialect words - http://www.telegraph.ru/misc/day/dis.htm
ABC- Slavic alphabet - http://heathen.narod.ru/az/azbuka.htm
History of Rus'– A brief guide to history - http://www.lants.tellur.ru/history/istrus.htm
Warrior– Russian fighting styles - http://warriors.newmail.ru/russtyle.htm
Russian armor- Site about Russian armor of the 10th – 14th centuries. - http://rusarmor.chat.ru/
Russian Vedas– Bibliography of works on paganism - http://apknvart.chat.ru/d_l.htm
IFGS- Website of the International Gorodki Sports Federation - http://www.gorodki.com.ru/IFGS/index.htm
Taken from the site http://ludology.ru/45321?SELQUANT=1
