The Great Veles Christmastide began after the winter Solstice and continued until Vodokres. Our ancestors believed that at this time the line between the worlds becomes very fragile, and by performing certain rituals, we can ask the Grandfathers and Gods for help.
That is why Russian folk games and fun in winter were supplemented with special ritual games. They were called upon to appease powerful helpers and protect people from evil forces.
Folk games and fun of mummers carried a deep meaning
Modern masquerade costumes, which children and adults dress up for the New Year, are a tribute to ancient Slavic customs. Only then did the mummers take their attire much more seriously and attach deep meaning to it.
Frightening masks, faces smeared with soot, clothes turned inside out, and the strange behavior of the mummers were intended to quickly send the old year into the past, to make way for the birth of a new Sun.
Everyone, young and old, took part in the ceremony. Children in masks rushed around the villages during the day, young people had fun in the evenings, the most difficult burden fell on the adult mummers at night.
Ritual Russian folk games and entertainment were accompanied by the singing of carols and dancing. At this time, it was not forbidden to perform full-fledged performances and simply be mischievous.
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, developing special mentality traits, important personal qualities, and reflecting the social structure of a nation and worldview. Slavic folk games are 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 the cultural, social and spiritual values of the people. They combined entertainment, training, and the unique Russian culture of identifying and encouraging the strong in spirit and body, nurturing the readiness to accept a challenge, stand up for the weak, and overcome weakness in oneself. 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 day of work, adults gladly took part in children’s games, teaching them how to have fun and relax.” A.A. Taran, “Russian folk games and their classification” 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 it 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. 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 pillar back down to the laughter of the assembled people, having barely made it halfway... Capture of the town At the top of the hill, a funny fortification is being built from logs, branches, and in winter from snow (town). Women and girls, defenders of the town, are inside the “fortress”. The men, divided into “riders” and “horses,” begin an attack. Their task is to destroy the fortifications and, breaking through the ranks of defenders, capture the banner. At the same time, it is necessary to stay on the “horse”. If the “rider” falls from the “horse” or is pulled off, then he no longer takes part in the game. The women's task is to prevent the banner from being captured. To do this, they use very impressive means: sticks wrapped in skins, bags filled with straw, and in winter also snowballs. The game continues until the men capture the town, or give up the idea of doing so. If you look from a broader perspective, not only sports games, but also all folk pastimes, you will get something like this variety: Martial arts. Fist fight. Most fist fights were “proper”, i.e. carried out according to the rules. Here are their main provisions: fight “for love” - that is, do not have anger towards the enemy, do not hit a lying opponent, do not hit from behind, do not hide heavy objects in your fist, do not trip or grab the opponent’s clothes, do not kick (kick with a shoe). could cripple an opponent with his foot). Almost the entire male population, from boys (!) to adults, took part in wall-to-wall battles. The teenagers “started” the fight, 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... Dances and dances. For example, the essence of the famous 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! 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: a pancake, a round dance, a burning wheel - they are like the sun and, remembering it, people made images of it, asking them 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 native gods, and parts of ancient rituals, no, no, yes slip through into our everyday life. Mass games, for example: Lapta Towns (ryukhi, pigs) Taking the town Blinker Lizard By the way, many children's sports games have their ancient prototypes. And yet, at ethno-festivals they play these same folk games, sometimes calling them fancy names.
What the Slavs played from Kolyada to Vodokres
In ancient times, carols were not simple cheerful songs that helped collect holiday treats from fellow villagers. The mummers' festivities were accompanied by real performances.
The magic that Russian folk games and amusements carried within them promised a fruitful year, prosperity in the house and an addition to the family.
The goat and the bear often became symbols of the change of seasons and the renewal of nature. In them, young people transformed, putting horns on top of the mask for the first character and turning a sheepskin coat inside out for the second. The cheerful dance of this couple was unexpectedly interrupted by the fact that the “goat” unexpectedly “died”, falling to the floor. Her “resurrection” a few minutes later meant the return to life of the sun, which began to arrive every day.
The same meaning was attached to dressing a guy as an “umrun”. The main character was dressed in white clothes, flour was sprinkled on his face, and then “buried” in compliance with all rituals and chants. His unexpected resurrection first frightened everyone, and then became a reason for unbridled joy.
Slavic fairy tales tell about traditional holidays, about the 12 months of the year in the natural calendar, about folk traditions that pass before us in succession in a joyful round dance.
Read "Tales of the Northern Forest"
“Folk games as a means of spiritual and moral education of preschool children.”
“Folk games as a means of spiritual and moral education of preschool children.”
Currently, Russia is going through one of the difficult historical periods. And the biggest danger is the destruction of personality. Nowadays, material values dominate over spiritual ones, so children have distorted ideas about kindness, mercy, generosity, justice, citizenship and patriotism.
Considering the position of Russian psychology that play is the leading activity of a preschool child, it is believed that it is in it that it is possible to find reserves that make it possible to non-violently carry out adequate development of the child’s moral sphere.
In domestic pedagogy and psychology, the problem of play was given special attention by such teachers as P. D. Ushinsky, A. I. Sorokina, L. S. Vygotsky, A. S. Makarenko, D. B. Elkonin, A. P. Usova.
In recent years, many scientists and practitioners have spoken with alarm about the trend of games disappearing from the lives of children, especially in older preschool age.
Little time is devoted to plot-based creative games, and their content often does not correspond to the characteristics of the child’s subculture. The management of games for preschoolers in kindergarten bears the imprint of excessive didacticism, often with outdated and uninteresting content for children. Consequently, play activity does not become a source of self-realization of the child’s internal strengths. This leads to irreversible losses in the development of the preschooler’s psyche.
The relevance of the problem of the game, its social significance is considered in the Federal State Educational Standards of Preschool Education, as an important means of socializing the personality of a preschooler. The right to play is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 31).
Some of the main tasks of the spiritual and moral education of preschool children in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard for Education are: - the formation of a spiritual and moral attitude and a sense of belonging to the cultural heritage of their people; — understanding of one’s national characteristics; — formation of positive, friendly, collective relationships.
From the first years of a child’s life, introducing him to culture and universal human values helps lay in him the foundation of morality, patriotism, and forms the foundations of self-awareness and individuality. Folk games, as part of the traditional culture of every nation, have always occupied a significant place in the socialization of the child; they are a traditional means of pedagogy. From time immemorial, they clearly reflected the way of life of people, their way of life, work, national principles, ideas about honor, courage, courage, the desire to have strength, dexterity, endurance, speed and beauty of movements; show ingenuity, endurance, will and desire to win. Games contribute to the establishment of good relationships in the children's team, unobtrusively teach the child to be hardworking, love nature, be proud of his native land, and feel like a part of the Russian people.
Russian folk games and fun, fortune telling and predictions for Christmastide
In addition to performances marking the arrival of the new Sun, the Slavs (both children and adults) tirelessly indulged in fun.
Snowball fights and slide games were popular among people of all ages. Whoever managed to travel the furthest, having rolled down the hill, was preparing to become a hero in life (even if he was still very small).
A long walk down the hill could mean a good harvest for the following summer and long stalks of flax to be harvested in the coming year.
About the same meaning was put into horse racing. Whoever overtakes everyone will be happy all year. And if you happen to fall into a snowdrift, it will be a fun year.
What awaits you this fall? Prediction for 2021/7529.
