Article

Name: Wedding ceremony of Yakuts and the algys: tradition and modernity

Authors: О. N. Dmitrieva

In the section Обрядовый фольклор

Abstract: The article describes the traditional Yakut wedding and its blessing ceremony called “algys”. There are several periods in the research of Yakut wedding ceremonies and wedding poetry. The collection of Yakut blessing ceremonies – algys – and their first publications are dated back to the first half of the XVIII century. The second stage encompasses entirely the Soviet period. The third stage covers Post-Soviet period and proceeds till today. This article analyzes materials and publications on wedding traditions and its blessing ceremony – algys – from XIX century up to the present moment. Based on the studied materials the author claims that in the old times the traditional Yakut wedding consisted of four stages and of two main celebrations. The first wedding celebration occurred in the house of the bride after partial payment of the bridewealth. The second wedding celebration occurred in the house of the groom after the bride’s move to the groom\s house. The relatives on both sides took active part in the preparation of the wedding celebration. Each stage of the wedding celebration was accompanied by several kinds of blessing ceremony – algys – such as: algys for treating the spirit of fire, algys for the bride’s departure, algys of the bride\s parents, algys for treating the Patroness of Earth, algys at a horse standing, algys for treating the spirit of fire in a new house, algys of the matchmakers. In this article the wedding ceremonies, their structure and the functional value of algys are characterized. A blessing ceremony – algys – reflects traditional and mythological views of the Yakut people. The term algys in the Yakut folklore is indicated by different kinds of pieces of ceremonial poetry – wishes, bless-ings or incantations, hymns, votive chants performed during the rites. Handed down from generation to generation, algys preserved the most ancient patterns of language, mythological ideas and the poetic tradition of the people. Reflecting the popular philosophy, the invaluable evidence of the people\s worldview, the attitudes of ancestors to the nature, and attempts to influence it by the power of word, algyses play an important role in the life of the Yakut people. In recent years, many newlyweds wear wedding clothes with traditional elements. Also made is a feast, often the spirit-owner of fire is treated, and good wishes are said. Our observations show that the semantics of the traditional wedding good wishes has not undergone significant changes: the newlyweds are wished happiness, many children, and wealth.

Keywords: traditional Yakut wedding, algys, wedding ceremony, wedding stages, matchmaking, patron deity, spirit-hostess, wedding suit, treatment, treat, please

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