Hearing the question of what a village is, a man represents big-headed Cossacks with sabers, women in long dresses with loafs on embroidered towels, horses and Cossack smokers. We will try to find out how justified this idea of life in the village.
Meaning of the word "village", etymology
The word "village" began to be actively used in speech in the sixteenth century. Then so-called Cossack units defending the borders. And by the eighteenth century a new meaning appeared - the settlement of the Cossacks. So what does "page" mean?
This word came from the pro-Slavic noun "camp" - a settlement. A rural administrative unit called the "village" usually consisted of several settlements of Cossacks (for example, farms or villages). In the Russian Empire, the stanitsa yurt was called the districts located around the villages.
History and traditions
The granting and deprivation of Cossack status, the distribution of land - all this was done by the stanitsky board led by the chieftain. The latter, by the way, had an assistant, a clerk and a treasurer. Representatives of the stanitsa Krug, dressed in a uniform prescribed by law, listened to the regular report of the chieftain, discussed it. In addition, Cossacks who had reached the age of eighteen took the oath at these meetings. The center of the Cossack village has always been an Orthodox church. His abbot traditionally blessed the activities of the stanitsa Council. Administrative institutions of both military and civilian nature were usually located on the territory of the villages.
Village life
Cossacks and their families lived in huts. When erecting a new house in the wall of the front corner, a wooden cross was necessarily laid out. They asked for God's blessing.
When the construction work came to an end, everyone who took part in the construction was generously treated, because it was not supposed to charge for help. By the way, the inhabitants of the villages served on the table lush wheat bread, borsch with beans, sauerkraut and lard. Among the favorite dishes were dumplings and dumplings, fish - dried, salted and boiled! Thanks to the warm climate, various fruits were grown in the villages. For the winter they were dried, stewed compotes and jam, prepared pastille, watermelon honey. The stanitsa residents made strong drinks from honey and grapes.
Forms of communication in the pages
Cossacks not only worked hard and defended the country's borders. They knew how to relax well! Church festivals and Sundays were held by the stanitsi in the church. In their free time, people just talked. Three forms of communication prevailed in the villages: “gatherings, ” “conversations, ” and “streets.” Married and elderly passed the time in “conversations”: here they discussed news, current issues, shared memories, sang. Unmarried and unmarried people preferred the "streets." After all, it was here that made new acquaintances, sang songs. Young people combined games and dances. With the onset of cold weather, "streets" turned into "gatherings" - street companies moved to the homes of young spouses or girls.
