He was born, the boy's umbilical cord was cut with an ax or arrow, so that he would grow up as a hunter and artisan, for a girl, on a spindle, so that she would grow up as a needlewoman. The navel was tied with a linen thread woven with the hair of the mother and father. After the successful completion of childbirth, the midwife buried the baby's place in some corner of the hut, then washed the newborn with heated water, in which silver coins were usually placed, wishing the baby wealth in the future.
The grandmother brought the born baby into the house and handed it over to his father, who himself put him in the cradle and, as it were, officially recognized the baby as his son or daughter.
To keep the child calm, after birth, he was wrapped in his father's ports or when swaddling, they used thick threads, the so-called twigs, and covered them with green cloth on top.
Signs and customs for the birth of a child
If a child was born on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, he was predicted to have a long, happy life.
A boy who looked like a mother and a girl who looked like a father was considered happy.
Fortunately for the child, if on the day he is born, there is some profit in the house, and unfortunately, if there is some loss, loss in the house, or when something is given to another house permanently or on loan.
It's not very good if the baby was born at the end of the month.
After the baby is born
Warm mash or fish pies were prepared for the mother. In the first days after giving birth, relatives, neighbors, mostly of childbearing age, came to visit the woman in labor and brought various food - bread, rolls, pies, cookies. Later, especially in cities, this custom was transformed into a gift of money to the newborn "for a tooth", "for washing the legs" - hence the modern custom of giving the baby toys, baby clothes, etc.
Useful tips for expectant and young mothers
❧ If a pregnant woman gets scared, it can severely damage the unborn baby. To avoid trouble, her husband must pour water through a sieve, and a woman must wash herself with this water.
❧ If a pregnant woman gets scared of something and at the same time grabs her stomach, then her child may subsequently have red spots on her body. To avoid this, say:
Jesus, be signified by the light of Thy face
On my baby
And be with him
Till the end of time.
❧ It has long been noticed: if a pregnant woman picks up a rope, then her baby can be born wrapped in an umbilical cord. To chastise the mistake, the woman's husband has to buy a new rope and throw it in the street with the words:
Judas took the rope
Judas weaved a noose
But not my wife.
Amen. Amen.
❧ A pregnant woman should not step over a pregnant cat, otherwise her baby will be moody and noisy.
❧ A pregnant woman should never give the remains of her food to the dog, otherwise the child will be born stupid.
❧ Pregnant women should not wear tight and short skirts, because by doing so they shorten the life of their child.
❧ If a pregnant woman chokes and starts coughing, she must immediately say:
I cough from a crumb
Not my baby.
If this is not done, then the child is likely to suffer from coughing in the future. In addition, there is a sign according to which, if a pregnant woman chokes, then in old age she will suffer from the rudeness and inattention of her child.
❧ A pregnant woman should not throw her head back when she drinks, otherwise her child runs the risk of being addicted to alcohol in the future.
❧ A pregnant woman should not pick up bread crumbs from the table, otherwise her child will live a life in poverty.
❧ Don't let strangers touch your belly.
If this happens, immediately say:
My angel, close my child
Save, save him and me.
❧ A pregnant woman should not say phrases such as "Get out!" Otherwise, she risks not delivering the child before the due date.
❧ It has long been noticed: if a pregnant woman commits theft, then her child will not live to be thirty-three years old. If you nevertheless committed a similar sin, then you need to turn to the master.
❧ A pregnant woman should not look at the deceased or go to the cemetery. The fact is that there she can pick up damage or become a victim of spirits from another world, and since a child at this age is still very weak, he will take on all the negative of his mother and will hardly live a long and happy life.
❧ Ask your relatives and friends women not to come to meet you at the hospital if they have periods on that day, otherwise your child may develop skin problems later.
❧ A pregnant woman should not go to funerals and cemeteries, or the baby may die early.
❧ If you had suicides in your family, then do not call your child by the same name, otherwise the child will repeat the life of the one who died not a natural death, but a demonic one.
❧ A person born on August 2, on Ilya's day, should not be called Ilya, otherwise he will be gloomy, angry and hot-tempered. A person born on Ilyin's day is hardworking and very frugal, you cannot spoil him and you won’t take money in vain (he’s sorry to spend money even on himself).
❧ If a girl is not cut until she is seven years old, then she will grow up smart and talented and live a long life.
❧ A boy under seven years old cannot be cut baldly, otherwise he will have weak offspring (hair can only be trimmed).
❧ Until the child is one year old, you should not sell his things.
❧ Until the child is one year old, do not sew him clothes from your old things, otherwise you will condemn him to poverty. If a mistake has already been made, then buy a new piece of fabric, take it to the church and give it to the beggar who stands closest to the corner of the church fence. Then submit your child's health note for the entire year.
❧ You should not paint a portrait of a child until he is seven years old (before this age he is still considered an infant).
❧ Those who have a baby in their home should not lend bread and salt, so as not to give away the happy share of the child.
❧ When bathing a child, do not let strangers into the house.
❧ Bathing the child for the first time should be in a diaper, which then needs to be taken with you to the christening, and after the ceremony, hide in a secluded place. Such a diaper will give parents longevity.
❧ Never burn your baby's first bed. Better sell or donate to friends. However, the crib should not be given to the family where the third child was born.
❧ Until the child is one year old, ask your friends women not to come to visit you during your period, otherwise the child may become loud. If this has already happened, you need to read the following conspiracy:
Eve's blood stopped - the child was born.
Eve was born - blood appeared.
How you blood come and go
So that any trouble is gone.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
❧ Of course, children need to be praised, but all the time, with or without reason, this should not be done, otherwise you risk jinxing the child. If this happened and after your irrepressible praise the child became capricious and stopped sleeping at night, then you need to urgently reprimand this. To do this, pour water from glass into glass, saying: Water will wash away with water.
❧ If a child breaks his nose, lip or eyebrow, never wipe his face with the hem, otherwise the child will live a very difficult life. If this still happened, then take the child by the hand, three times in a row, move him through the threshold of the front door (back and forth), while reading this conspiracy:
People come and go
So that every misfortune
She moved away from my child.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and forever and ever.
❧ If you have a dog, be careful that the child does not allow him to bite off his food. Healers have long noticed that if a child then eats such food, he will become an outcast for the rest of his life: people will not recognize him. If this does happen, you should contact the healer.
❧ Do not let your child sit on the newly dug garden bed, or he may get sick. If you overlooked, then you should immediately say:
Not to the ground, not to the ground,
And on the ground.
❧ If you see bees circling over the stroller, then this portends a serious illness or even the death of a child within a year. In this case, you must immediately say:
Body, bone, blood, resin,
It's a pity, the bee, yourself, and not God's servant (name).
Defend, Lord, my baby,
His soul and body.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and forever and ever.
❧ Even as a joke, never blow a child in the face - this is how you blow away his happy share. If you made a mistake, then read the following conspiracy:
Do not bring, Lord, to mature
Any trouble for the servant of God (name),
Autumn him with a cross safe from all evil.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
❧ You should not tickle your child often, or he may grow up stupid.
❧ After sunset, you should not play with your child, throwing him over his head, otherwise he will often get sick.
❧ Explain to your children that neither wedding nor game should be played. funeral, otherwise it can leave a negative imprint on the rest of your life. If this still happened, then seek help from a healer.
❧ Ask your child not to jump on the bed, otherwise it will be difficult for him to fall asleep.
❧ People born in a leap year are more likely to die from violent deaths. In early childhood, they can have dangerous illnesses or serious injuries. People born in leap years often have an unrequited fate. Fortunately, there are strong magical conspiracies that can be used to talk to these people.
❧ On the third day after the baby is baptized, the mother looks to see if the baby is long or not. To do this, she takes the baby's hair and, rolling it up in wax, lowers it into holy water. If the wax sinks, then the child is not a tenant. Wasting no time, you need to talk to the baby for longevity. If you do not know how to do this, you need to contact an experienced master.
❧ When the firstborn is born and baptized, this baptismal shirt is removed until the next birth and christening. Because if in a family all the children are baptized in one shirt, then they will always love each other very much and will never quarrel.
❧ At christenings, do not put a lot of food on the plates. If the guests leave leftovers, the newly baptized will be unlucky.
❧ During christening do not allow lighting another candle from their own candle.
❧ On the day of christening, they do not sew, knit, spin, do not wash, do not salt pickles, do not chop knots on trees and firewood, do not dig the ground and plant nothing, do not kick animals and do not shear sheep, do not pinch chickens and do not slaughter livestock. Any work is done in advance or postponed until another day.
❧ It is customary not to open doors to anyone until they return from church after baptism.
❧ Do not allow guests to drink on the day of christening, especially for godfathers, otherwise the child will be a drunkard.
❧ There should be no quarrels on the day of christening.
❧ People of another faith cannot become receivers of your child, because the main duty of godparents is to teach the child the basics of the Orthodox faith, take him to church and pray for him, in accordance with the Orthodox tradition.
❧ Do not invite people leading a dissolute life as godparents: this is especially true for those suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction. Remember, no matter how you treat someone or feel sorry for someone, we are talking about the life of your child, for whom you are still responsible. Think about what example such godparents will set him, although they promise you now to repent and take up your mind. Of course, people need to be trusted and helped, but in such a case it is better to be insured once again.
❧ It is better when the child has both a godfather and a godmother. If for one reason or another you cannot invite two receivers at once, then the boy should be baptized by a man, and the girl by a woman. Sometimes the church allows you to do without godparents at all, but these are extreme cases. In addition, the child's recipients will take care and protect him if, God forbid, something happens to the baby's parents.
❧ Do not invite a pregnant woman to be godparents, thereby you can shorten the life of the child.
❧ Do not invite your siblings to be godparents.
❧ Spouses should not be godparents, because after the ceremony they will be bound by spiritual kinship, which does not imply a carnal relationship. For the same reasons, one of the child's parents cannot marry or marry one of his godparents.
❧ An unmarried woman should not baptize a girl, otherwise she will then have problems in her personal life.
❧ Do not invite a widowed person as godfather, otherwise your child may become a widow in the future.
❧ Do not invite a person with the same name as the child's to become godfather.
For example, the Avars say: the birth of a daughter is like a stone that will decorate someone else's wall, and the birth of a son is a glorification for the whole family. The Kumyks even have a name - Gistamam (Kistaman), which means enough girls. But this does not mean that women were more humiliated and oppressed by men. It was just that with the birth of girls they said that kindness, mercy, compassion entered the family, and with the birth of a boy they associated glory, military valor, honor and strength of the clan.
On the occasion of the boy's birth, it was customary (observing the aqikah - Sunnah of the Prophet) to slaughter two rams, spend mawlid and celebrate for 2-3 days. And on the occasion of the birth of the girls, they made ritual porridge and limited themselves to reading the suras of the Koran (although, according to the Sunnah of the Prophet, one ram is required to be slaughtered). On the seventh day, relatives gathered with gifts at the house of the newborn and on that day they named the child the name of the child. On the same day, the child was placed in a traditional cradle, which was prepared in advance by the grandmother with the "dowry".
After preparing the treats, they called the mullah or a revered relative to give a name to the child. He had to know necessarily the prayer and the verses of the Koran. Take the child in your arms, turn to Allagu with a request to give happiness, good luck and health to the child and his parents. The child was named after one of the famous ancestors of the parents, perhaps a grandfather or grandmother. Most often, among Muslims, the name of the Prophet MuhIammad (gI.w.), his companions or other prophets is found. And among female names, the names of the wives of the Prophet MuhIammad (rI.w.), his daughters, and mother are frequent. This is a tribute to the Prophet (rI.w.).
After criticizing the name, they began to put the child in the cradle. This process was entrusted to the most successful woman in the family. Be sure to put the Koran, bread and sweets under the child's head. Koran - for the child to be God-fearing; bread - for his life to be satisfying; sweets - so that there is no grief in life. Then the children took apart the sweets. The more children come, the more authority the child will have.
From the first days of the child's life, lullabies were accompanied by the ideals of good, the first lessons of poetic perception of the world. An obligatory attribute of a lullaby is "La ilagya illa llag". This is dhikr - a formula for remembering and confirming monotheism. The monotonous repetition of dhikr by the mother in a pacifying mood calmed the child.
Ethical, aesthetic and even religious education of the child's personality begins with a cradle and lullabies. They contain many historical information from the life of the people, from its social and moral attitudes; aspirations and hopes, hard work, love for the land, relatives and religion.
A woman - a mother, is the creator of a lullaby and good wishes. Through them, the mother reveals to the child a complex world with his joys and concerns. With the help of such songs from childhood, poetic images are strengthened in the imagination of children, which become more complicated with the age of the child. With the help of lullabies, kindness and love for people and the world around were awakened in the mind of the child. In them, one could often see instructions for a child.
Thus, from lullabies, the child received the first lessons of humanity. Decency, honesty, the ability to honor the elders, help and support the younger, a caring attitude towards the surrounding flora and fauna, the mother inspired the child through lullabies. Word, song, good wishes are inevitable companions of a child from the first days of life, through which the process of his upbringing takes place.
On the fortieth day, it was customary to shave the child's head. This ceremony was performed by the most respected, revered and religious man. He gave the child silver coins, and the child's mother gave him gifts. When a child's first tooth erupted, it was customary to distribute cereal porridge and read a prayer asking Allagh to make the process painless and easy.
The first steps of the child were also celebrated solemnly. Nuts were thrown under their feet so that the bones were strong and the step was firm. Throwing nuts at their feet, they pronounced dua. Turning to Allag, the people asked that the child grow up happy, honest, decent, kind, healthy, and this was the desire of any parent.
Today, when life values have changed their criteria, perhaps many are asking for a child to become a big boss or a wealthy businessman. But everyone wants to remind everyone that the basis of true happiness in both worlds is a person's faith and piety, and it is necessary to educate these main qualities from an early age.
The wishes of the parents paint the future image of the ideal of a person. In them we see what a person should be like, what he should strive for, what he should strive for.
With the help of Allagya, the people believe in prosperity, luck and that their wishes will come true. Indeed, the doer of good wishes is the Merciful Allag, and the people believe that He will help them.
Tradition(from Lat. traditio - transmission) - a set of ideas, customs, habits and skills of practical activity, transmitted from generation to generation and preserved in certain societies and social groups for a long time, acting as regulators of social relations.
Custom- a rule or form of behavior in which what has developed as a result of long-term social practice is enshrined.
Let us remind ourselves that the traditions of each nation have always had an esoteric meaning and helped to survive in any conditions.
A people that does not use positive experience, the resource of previous generations (ancestors) is doomed. And this is a well-known truth. It's like a tree with rotten roots - no good fruit, no growth.
How was it in Ukraine?
The famous researcher of the ethnography of the Eastern Slavs D. Zelenin identified three components in the ceremonies associated with the birth of a child:
- ceremonies associated with the birth of a child;
- rituals that symbolized the introduction of the child to the family;
- cleansing rites.
The birth of a child in the family has always been welcome. This is also evidenced by some of the ritual activities during the wedding. Infertility was perceived among our people as a misfortune. They said "Hata with children is a bazaar, and without them - tsvintar."
Already during the preparation for the wedding, the young took care of the health of the unborn child - they fasted before the wedding, and did not drink alcohol during the wedding.
A pregnant woman was treated with special respect and trepidation, both from the family and from the fellow villagers. In her presence, they did not swear, did not quarrel. She was never denied a request.
In order to give birth to a healthy child, the expectant mother had to adhere to certain norms of behavior, to know a number of signs.
For example, a pregnant woman should never have:
- deceive and steal;
- be rude and disrespectful to others;
- to ask anyone for something that is very difficult to do;
- not going where you can get scared;
- chewing on something while walking;
- kick pets;
- work on holidays;
- attend a funeral;
- agree to be a godfather.
In many regions of Ukraine, it was customary not to speak aloud about pregnancy at all. The pregnant woman was called "taka", "wona taka walk" so as not to attract grief and evil eye to the child. Our ancestors knew that the physical and mental health of the child mainly depends on the mother... So, for example, they believed that if a pregnant woman was frightened of something and at the same time touched some part of her body, then the child will have a birthmark there.
Many pregnant women were wary of walking in the beds with cucumbers and pumpkins so that the child would not get entangled in the umbilical cord. You couldn't even hold a needle and thread in your hands on holidays. There was even a Transnistrian fairy tale, in which they rescued a woman dying in childbirth by ripping the seam in her shirt that she made for the holiday.
They gave birth in their own house. It was believed that the less people know about pregnancy and childbirth, the better. Women giving birth were called "childbirth", "childbirth". The birth was taken by a grandmother - a midwife, an experienced woman in these matters, as a rule, a widow. In different parts of Ukraine she was called differently: "baba-branka", "baba-pupova", "puporizka", "navel'yazka", "pedigree baba", "grandmother".
In the Ukrainian tradition, the midwife is one of the most respected persons. The outcome of childbirth depended on her ability to use a huge arsenal of traditional medicine.
The midwife called the woman in labor "parent", "polyzhnitsa", "onukoyu", and the baby - "onuchkom" or "onuchkoyu".
To facilitate childbirth, the midwife, for example, cooked oats in a bag, put it on the woman's back and stomach. Or she would wind her hair around her finger and order her to untie all the knots in the house, to open all the locks. On special occasions, she sent to the priest in the church with a request to open the "royal gates":
“The Royal Gates, to be at odds.
And you, horses, humble, grow up.
Chi baby, chi young woman, it's time to be born already on the day ... "
I also read "Theotokos to the Virgin", "The Dream of the Most Holy Theotokos".
Sometimes the husband of a woman giving birth to her first child would lie on the floor, and the midwife stepped over him three times. And in some regions the husband "voiced" during childbirth, to "share" the pain of childbirth with his wife.
Particular importance was attached to the umbilical cord and placenta. For example, the midwife cut the umbilical cord of a boy on a piece of wood, an ax or a book - "so that he was a good master, master, competent." And to the girl - on the comb, "to spin and weave."
The umbilical cord was tied with linseed or hemp thread - "matirkoyu", "children were growing in the mothers", "the children were growing fertile." The action was accompanied by good wishes:
"I will start you happy and healthy,
і vіk dovgy, і good mind ".
A withered and fallen off piece of the umbilical cord was placed in a cradle or behind an icon. After 6-7 years, and in some regions at the age of 10, they gave it to a teenager to be untied: “as the navel is loose, then the mind is loose, as if it’s not going to be tormented”.
The placenta was not supposed to be eaten by either cats or dogs. It was buried where the child was born: either right in the hut under the threshold, under the stove, or in the barn, in a remote place in the yard where no one walks. Sometimes bread and salt, grain were buried along with the placenta, or buried under a fruit tree.
To protect the child from evil forces, the midwife made the sign of the cross over the child and sprinkled it with holy water, baptized with a consecrated knife and recited prayers, calling the child a Christian name - Ivan, Adam or Mary, Eve. For the same purpose, they put something iron (knife, scissors) in the cradle, a coal from the stove, a small piece of bread and salt, garlic, and charmed herbs.
Sometimes these objects had a different meaning: bread - so that there was always bread, a knife (for boys) - so that he was skilled, a comb (for a girl) - so that she knew how to spin. If a girl was born, she was put on her father's shirt for a while; if a boy - on my mother's skirt.
The midwife mediated between the family and the church for another 40 days after giving birth. In most regions of Ukraine, she took part in the choice of the name. Having finished with childbirth, she went to the priest's home to take the name and prayer for the newborn. At the same time, she brought him chicken, bread, millet or bacon, vodka, money. She came back and congratulated the parents "with a name." If the parents did not like the name, the midwife went to the priest again. Sometimes the name was given at baptism.
The most dangerous for mom and baby was considered 40 days postpartum. It was believed that until the child was baptized, he seemed to be not quite a human being, but a “maniac”. He can easily be possessed by evil spirits, he is more easily susceptible to various diseases and sudden death. Therefore, with the onset of childbirth in the hut, they constantly kept fire, closed or curtained the windows.
Great importance in Ukrainian traditions was attached rituals of purification. There were rules and restrictions here.
A woman who gave birth 40 days after childbirth was considered "unclean" and "a lot of people in front of her there was a hole", at this time, "evil forces" could affect her.
The bed of the woman who gave birth was curtained with a linen. During this period, she should not have:
- take nothing out of the hut, borrow;
- take water from a well;
- leaving the house in the evening;
- leave the diapers outside to dry overnight;
- move away from home more than 35 steps;
- go out of the gate;
- cross the road ("the evil spirits did not wear it,"
To cleanse herself after childbirth, the young mother first cleansed herself with water at home, and after 40 days - in church with prayer and blessing.
Ritual cleansing with water took place early in the morning on the second or third day after childbirth. This ritual symbolized ablution from everything that was associated with childbirth and was called "wrinkle hands", "squeeze a woman's hands", "get angry on the hands of a child", "zlivka".
It was believed that the midwife during childbirth touched something unclean (blood got on her hands), and so that she would not carry this "sin" to the next house and the next birth, and she needed this ritual of purification. The woman who gave birth also went through a ceremony, so that nothing later would prevent her from feeding the child.
“Vodo-vodice, vodice Ulyanitsa!
Ti cleansing gori, stone, meadows, shore.
Obliy, cleanse the soul (іm'ya breedіllі)
One of all the filthiness, all the misfortunes! "
“The water of Jordan, on іm'ya Ulyana, the land of Tetyano!
Ty cleans meadows, banks, flint, rivers, sands.
Cleanse (іm'ya) from evil people, cursed eyes. "
“On the other side of the line, the water arrives,
So the youngsters were getting fed up. "
For the ritual, in addition to water ("not a drink", "taken before the sun", holy water was added), they used oats, hemp seeds, and a collection of various herbs. They took an ax and a broom (or scythe, sickle), which the young mother had to step on. At the same time, it was washed or sprayed with water three times. In some villages she drank water, a piece of bread was put in her bosom, or grain and money were poured into her bosom. Then the midwife was well treated and presented with gifts. In many villages, they said: "If a woman is not ill-fated, then it is impossible to do it." After the "angry" the young mother could already communicate with the neighbors.
On the 40th day, a young mother with her child went to church, accompanied by a midwife. It was Saturday night. They brought bread and money to the church, wrapped in a kerchief. At the entrance, it was given to the headman and stopped near the threshold.
The father put two long towels on the head of the birthing woman, held the Gospel and read a prayer. Then he took the young mother by the apron and led her to the altar. If a girl was brought, he would bring her up to the icon, if a boy, he would bring her behind the altar. At the end of the ceremony, he blessed the mother and child.
The people believed that after this ceremony, a woman could fulfill marital duties, go everywhere, agree to be a godmother.
The first bathing of the newborn was also ritualistic. Water was taken before sunrise and placed in it symbolic objects previously consecrated in the church: herbs, bread, grain, apple, egg, etc. At the same time, we read a lot of good wishes.
So, for example, a lovage was put in a boy's font - "they loved him"; a twig of oak - "schob bouv mitsny, yak oak"; periwinkle, tuyu - "schob dovgo lived", chornobrivets - "schob buv chornobrivy". For a girl - a chamomile, a cherry twig - "schob garna bula"; viburnum - "schob is red (beautiful) bull"; lovage - "lovable bull."
In some regions, they put bread in the water - "schob with khlibi bulo", "schob healthy '," schob mitsnim bulo "or money -" schob bagatim bulo ". And also added "holy Jordanian water", honey or sugar - "schob liquorice bulo".
Water from the font was poured into a hut under a stove, threshold or in the yard under a fruit-bearing tree. We strictly adhered to the rule - do not pour out water after sunset.
After the ritual of “pouring hands”, “vidvidini” began (“odvidki” “odvadki” “go home”). In most regions of Ukraine, only women came to visit - relatives, neighbors, girlfriends, without any invitations.
The custom had moral, psychological and practical meaning: rejoice with her, support morally, provide all possible help with the housework, bring food.
Conducting was considered a righteous deed - "the woman will be in her homeland, the style in paradise." It was impossible only to visit pregnant women and women with menstruation - "the little child didn’t get sick", "the little girl’s hawkish and the little slug didn’t bully".
They brought gifts, bread and salt, a variety of food: dough products (dumplings, pies, cakes, donuts), cereals, honey, fruits, etc. When giving away gifts they said:
“Uzh, I'll feed the bulo kids,
Sob baby is not hungry. "
"Uzh, I was blowing, the strength is small,
the little girl got up on the way. "
“Oh, put the barrels,
de bouly blue daughters. "
"Yak dumpling povniy schob bully breed" -
what happened to her, then it changed. "
All the guests wished the newborn health and happiness:
"Let me give birth to a year, happiness and share you got -
to the daddy to the utter, to the people for the service ”.
"Schhob ditina bula bagata, yak earth,
healthy, yak water,
in comrades and in the back of the whole bunch of widows. "
"Schob orav, mowing and worshiping the earth."
In the first days after birth, the child was very vulnerable to any "evil spirit" and "evil eye". Therefore, a red thread was tied to the baby's handle on the handle, and a red cloth was hung over the cradle, since the red color was considered magical, averted the "evil eye".
Until the child was baptized, the diapers were dried in the hut. In front of the door they put “worms mashlik” (a red ribbon) so that strangers would know that there was a small child in the hut. Seeing such a sign, the neighbors called the owners outside, but did not go into the hut.
Any stranger entering the hut where there was a small child, had to first look at the ceiling - "abi eyes wereted strength" (so as not to jinx it). From such a hut after sunset it was impossible to give anything. If the young mother needed to go somewhere for a short while, a knife, a broom, and an ax were placed near the cradle. These objects were believed to drive away all "unclean".
Lullabies also served as protection from the evil eye; these are, in a way, magic incantations, conspiracies.
"On the dog,
On the cat, skip,
And Mironchik spunnya
Until the next day. "
Lullabies sent troubles, anxiety to animals, more often to a cat ("ah-ah, to a cat, a mutter to a child ..."), invited, called to sleep in a hut, a nap.
"Come, sleepy, in a colison,
Sleep my child.
Shchebi slept - did not cry,
Schabi grew - did not hurt
Little head and everything just,
It’s not bad for me personally. ”
The most important thing that every woman knew was the prayers with which she protected all living things in her yard. “With a thought-prayer, as if you were carrying love, you were skinning your child and the most powerful, capturing from evil.”
Based on materials from the book “Ukrainian Homeland. Rodinny i hromadsky pobut "
The birth of a baby is the most exciting moment in the life of his parents, for which they prepare with special trepidation and thoroughness. Throughout the history of mankind, the birth of a child was accompanied by certain traditions and rituals. The arrival of a new person in the world is a joyful and solemn event, each nation gives it a special meaning and has its own customs. Each country has its own traditions associated with the birth of a baby, some of them are very touching, and some are strange ...
By the 21st century, many of them have become obsolete and have left the everyday life of newly-made parents and their loved ones, and some, having changed a little, continue to accompany the born little man from the first days of his life.
In Russia, they try not to show the baby to anyone except the closest relatives immediately after birth and save the little things associated with his birth and the first year of life, such as a tag from the hospital, the first curl, the first dummy ...
The existing traditions at the birth of a child in Russia are associated with the pagan beliefs of the Slavs. The Slavs believed that with the birth of a child, a new star lights up in the sky just above the place where the baby appeared, and goes out on the day of his death. To keep the baby healthy, bread was baked in the oven. And if a child was born weak and frail, the rite of "baking" was performed over him: he was placed in a warm oven with a corresponding sentence.
It is with the tradition of "baking" that many stories of folk tales are connected: when children are put in a Russian oven or they themselves hide there.
Congratulations on the birth of a child were not accepted earlier than on the 10th day after the birth of the baby. The water after the first bathing of the girl was poured into the raspberry bushes - for the beauty of the baby, and the water after bathing the boy on the road - for a happy life.
The Crimean Tatars were also rich in customs.
The one who was the first to report the news of the birth of a baby to his father, grandparents, was given money or a gift, especially valuable if a boy was born.
The custom of "chille", analogs of which existed in many Asian, Arab and even European nations, required the observance of the period of isolation of mother and baby from prying "evil" eyes. It lasted 40 days.
When a child was one year old, he was cut bald, and his hair was kept forever.
Nails were not cut until the baby could squeeze small coins in his fist - moreover, the larger the coin, the better for future welfare.
The one who first saw the baby's teeth had to give the baby a gift.
The names of the children were usually given on the 10th day, but it was impossible to call the babies by the names of close relatives.
Cradle inherited
The Georgians had a very interesting and old custom, which was associated with the birth of a baby. For many generations, these people have cherished the cradle in the family. And then they passed it on by inheritance. So the Georgians believed that their family would not pass away, and that the friendship between dads and grandfathers would be strong, sincere and durable.
Predicting the future in Armenia
As soon as the baby's first tooth erupts, his parents arrange the Agra Khadinu holiday. During this event, the baby is seated on the floor, and a variety of objects are laid out around him: keys, coins, a tape measure, a stethoscope, a book, and the baby is asked to choose something. Depending on the choice of the kid, the future is predicted for him, for example, a kid who chooses a roulette wheel in adult life is likely to be associated with construction.
Gypsy happiness
The birth of a child was rejoiced in a gypsy family, no matter how poor and large it was. Only after the birth of the first child, especially if it was a boy, did the young woman become a full member of her husband's family.
As for the behavior of a woman expecting a child, then there were customs, or rather superstitions - about the same type as that of all the peoples of Europe. They were magical in nature. For example, a pregnant woman was forbidden to look at a fire - otherwise, birthmarks may appear on the child's face. You cannot step over a stretched rope, over a fence - otherwise the umbilical cord can strangle the child. Do not kick the dog away - otherwise the child may grow stubble on the body. The gypsies also had quite rational, sound customs dictated by the concern for the health of the mother and the newborn. For example, it was considered impossible to deny a pregnant woman the food she wanted.
Under no circumstances would a gypsy woman expecting a child come up to the men who were talking. Especially strict was the law forbidding her to cross the road of a gypsy man, as well as a harnessed horse.
However, she still went to fortune-telling, and when she returned, she took up her daily duties in the tent.
In order to inform fellow tribesmen about the sex of a newborn, for example, the Kelderari had the following custom: the next morning after giving birth, one of the close relatives went with a bucket of clean water taken from a well. The bucket should have contained an icon. A gypsy woman walked on tents and sprinkled water on people and household utensils. When she entered the tent, she greeted the hosts in the form of a toast, for example: "Te aven saste tai bakhtale" (literally: "So that you are healthy and happy"). The owners asked who was born, and those who wished threw silver and gold coins into the bucket, which were then given to the parents of the newborn as a gift.
For the first six weeks, the mother and child were especially carefully guarded from evil spirits. The child was tied with a red ribbon so that he would not be jinxed. The old women hung a small bag on the children’s neck, in which lay various herbs, the bark of a tree struck by lightning, incense, a piece of the body of a bat. It was a talisman.
The woman was isolated from the members of the camp, and, if possible, from her family members. She shouldn't even touch the common utensils. She ate separately, and the utensils that she used at that time were then thrown away. No one, except the mother, took the newborn in his arms. These limits were respected for six weeks. It is clear that such customs allowed observing basic hygiene standards and minimizing the likelihood of infection.
There were a number of magical customs specifically aimed at preserving the life of a child. Many people imagine a gypsy with an earring in his ear - and this was not just a piece of jewelry. The earring was inserted into the ear as a talisman. If earlier children died in the family, then the newborn was given magical protection.
In a gypsy family that had lost several children, it was forbidden to eat chicken eggs.
An interesting custom is the ransom of a dying or sick child by a stranger in order to heal him. A gypsy (not a relative) previously chosen by the parents would enter the tent where the child was ill and said:
- Lem les ande drom, kindem les pe dui kopeychi te trail manga, sar muro shchav te avel zuralo. - Literally translated, it means: "I took it out of the way, bought it for two kopecks, so that he could live for me and be healthy like my son."
The guest gave the parents of the sick child money or some thing for the child, for example, a belt or a shirt. The value of the ransom did not matter, it could have been 2 kopecks or 100 rubles. At the same time, the child remained to live with his parents, that is, the custom was symbolic.
Adygea
When a child is born in the family, a flag is hung on the roof of the house in honor of the birth of the child. If a girl was born, then the flag is made of variegated fabric, and if a boy, then the fabric is plain, as a rule, red. The flag symbolizes that the child is alive, the mother is alive, that everything is fine. Everyone is celebrating the birth of man. This is the price of a person's birth when he is born. In honor of the birth of the child, a tree is planted throughout the year. The tree is planted by the paternal grandfather, in the paternal yard of the house. The child will water the tree, take care of it, rejoice when it blooms, bears fruit, showered the foliage. And raising a child grows with the tree, as part of this nature. The child is not someone else's phenomenon, but a single whole with nature. Man is part of the environment.
Only after birth is a cradle made of wood, in which the child is rocked. The Circassians do not prepare anything in advance before the child is born. Bedding is prepared by the mother's parents, they say, if the bed linen is prepared by the father's family, then she or he will not be happily married. The cat is put first in the cradle, not the child, so that the baby sleeps just as soundly. As a rule, the child is laid in the cradle by the paternal grandmother two weeks after his birth.
Everything in the life of the Circassians is sung from birth to death. In the lullaby, images of the future are sung. Grandma rocks the cradle and sings a song about how brave he will be, how generous he will be, what a good hunter he will become. They sing to the girl, what a beauty she will be, a clever, a needlewoman, what a kind mother she will be. It is sung in a highly poetic form.
When the baby begins to walk, the family arranges the First Step ceremony. Many guests are invited to this solemn event, a festive table is being prepared, games and dances are arranged. The baby's legs are tied with a ribbon, and the oldest representative of the family cuts it with scissors with the words: "Grow strong and healthy, baby." This is done so that in the future nothing prevents the baby from going forward.
Followed by a ceremony to determine the future profession of the baby. Various objects are placed on the table - books, pens, money and various tools. Then the baby is brought to the table three times, and if in all cases he takes the same object, then this is a sign when choosing his profession.
Round, sweet, hard bread is baked in milk, but not yeast bread - this is a symbol of earthly firmament. This bread is placed on a round ritual Adyghe table with three legs, and the child is placed with one leg and cut out neatly around the leg. This piece of bread is given to the baby to eat, and the rest of the bread is divided into small pieces by children and adults. Everyone should taste a piece of this bread to support the confident life of the baby, so that he does not stumble in life.
"Shave a child for the first time"
This holiday is held by the parents of the father. Until a year, girls and boys do not cut their hair. The hair with which the child was born is called "Mouse Hair". After a year, you should officially shave your hair. An agreeable and businesslike person is invited. They put a rope around the lap of the grandmother and put the child on this rope. If shaved according to the rite, it is believed that wavy hair will grow. A person who shaves is further considered to be in charge of the child's life and accompany him through life.
"The first tooth fell out"
Until all milk teeth fall out, they cannot be thrown away just like that. The fallen tooth and one piece of charcoal are wrapped in a white plain cloth and thrown over the roof of the house. No one is watching the bag, hitting the roof or flying over the roof.
It is customary among many peoples to give other gifts to a young mother as well.
Gifts and Gifts for Mom
According to the Chuvash tradition, after the birth of the baby, the husband gave his wife expensive gifts: jewelry, clothes. And in Ukrainian Polissya there was a different custom. When a child was born, the husband planted a tree.
Azerbaijan
During pregnancy, an Azerbaijani woman tries to be friendly and courteous all the time, more often to keep her eyes on the beauties of nature: flowers, water, sky. It is believed that this will contribute to the birth of a beautiful and healthy child.
After giving birth and cutting the umbilical cord, the baby is bathed. Salt was added to the water when bathing: so that the child was truthful, distinguished by courage and ingenuity. The mother does not approach the newborn while bathing. The baby is brought to her after bathing, so that from that moment on it will no longer be separated.
The addition of newlyweds to the family turns into a great family holiday. A special role belongs to the mother of the bride, who prepares the bed for her first grandson or granddaughter. As soon as the child is born, the grandmother begins the holiday preparations: she prepares a silk bed, buys a cradle, and all this is decorated with scarlet ribbons. They come to visit their grandson or granddaughter 40 days after birth: the child is given gifts, and money is put in the cradle.
When a child's first teeth erupt, food is prepared and a ceremony is performed at home from seven types of grain crops. According to the belief, thanks to this, the baby's teeth erupt faster and painlessly.
Only after the child reaches the age of one, his nails are cut and his hair is cut for the first time.
Estonia
If they wanted a boy to be born, an ax was placed under the mattress, if a girl - a needle. The day and time of birth was considered important. Monday, Wednesday and Friday were considered unlucky days when no jobs were started. They were also unhappy for the beginning of life. The child born on Sunday was especially happy, and this belief persists to this day. The evening child was happy, and the morning child had to work hard all his life to make ends meet. All over Estonia there is a tradition when a newborn was taken in clothes of the opposite sex, a boy in a woman's shirt and vice versa. This was done in order to protect him from evil forces and so that the child must marry.
For a child, the period from birth to baptism was the most dangerous. The child was never left alone and the lights were on all night. The name of the child was usually given in honor of grandparents or the church calendar was used. The child could not be given the name of the father or mother. The child was baptized at the age of 2-3 weeks at home or in a church. There are many small skeletons and remote villages and farms in Estonia, which the pastor visited only a few times a year, so all church rituals were held there together, from baptism to the funeral service for the dead.
Kyrgyz
The birth of a child was considered by the Kirghiz the most important and joyful event in the life of a family and clan. He was blessed for a long and happy life by gray-bearded aksakals, wise by experience and having great respect among the village residents, elderly women. A child in a family is the continuer of the clan and its traditions, it is a symbol of the immortality of the people. Therefore, even before the birth of a child, a pregnant woman was protected in every possible way from heavy household chores, it was forbidden to go outside the ail without an escort, various magical actions were protected from unclean forces and evil spirits. To protect against them, a pregnant woman resorted to various amulets. She always hung to her clothes an amulet \ "tumar \" with a saying from the Koran sewn into it, as well as an amulet from the claws of a bear \ "ayu tyrmagy \", the paws of an owl \ "ukunun tyrmagy \", protecting from \ "punishment \" and \ "albarsty \". The amulet was worn on the left side of the chest, near the shoulder. To protect a woman in labor from evil spirits during childbirth, a fire burned in the yurt day and night. Near the hearth, a knife was laid with a sharp edge to the door. On the lattice skeleton of the yurt - \ "kerege \", a loaded gun was hung over the woman's head. These objects, according to legend, scared away and drove away evil spirits and harmful forces.
According to custom, the first food for a newborn was ghee - "Sarah May", which he was given to suck, then put on the first shirt - "it koynok" - a dog's shirt. It was sewn from scraps of white cloth taken from the linen of an old man or a respected old woman with many children. This shirt was sometimes first put on a dog (by touching its torso), and then on a child, hence its name. All these actions are associated with the belief \ "yrym \": to live a long and happy life, to be healthy and hardy ...
On the occasion of the birth of a baby, there was a whole series of activities filled with unusual joy. This is \ "suyunchu \" - an alert in order to receive a gift for the message of good news, \ "corundum \" - gifts for the right to see the newborn for the first time, \ "zhentek \" or \ "beshik toi \" - a feast that is arranged in honor of the newborn to all relatives. Particular importance was attached to the naming of the name - \ "at koyuu \". According to custom, the woman did not give a name to the child. This mission was given to a respected person in the ail or \ "azanchi \", invited by that time or to the one who first saw the newborn. When giving the name of the newborn, they carefully examined, paid attention to the characteristic features and then gave a name that should correspond to the child.
Special actions were accompanied by the ceremony of putting the child in the cradle - \ "beshik \". The old woman, laying the child in the cradle, said: \ "Menin kolum emes, Umai-ene, Batma, Zuuranyn kolu \", - \ "Not my hand, but the hand of mother Umai, Fatima, Zukhra; \" , beshik eesi bek sakta \ "- \" Give a sound sleep, mother Umai, keep the owner of the cradle tightly. \ " \ ", cut the uterine hair - \" karyn chach \ ", instead of \" it koinok \ "put on another shirt - \" kyrk keyok \ " On this day, ritual forty cakes were baked in butter - \ "may tokoch \" or small pancakes on bacon - \ "kyrk chelpek \" and handed them out to forty children.
According to custom, children were protected from evil spirits and bad eyes. This purpose was served by various amulets that were hung on the cradle of a child or sewn to clothes. Amulets were different parts of animals and birds, beads. If the boys did not survive in the family, they would put a bracelet on the boy's leg, put one earring in his ear, braid a braid and dress him like a girl before circumcision.
Ritual acts in relation to a newborn baby are replete with the presence of a variety of actions of a magical, animistic nature. All this suggests that the preservation and multiplication of offspring was considered by the Kyrgyz to be the main concern, the meaning of existence. A family with ten or more children was considered to be prosperous. \ "Balaluu uy-bazaar, balasyz uy-mazar \" - \ "A house with children is a bazaar (in the sense of a cheerful, happy family), a house without children is a grave, \" the Kyrgyz said. The custom of having numerous offspring originated in ancient times, when a populous family successfully coped with external dangers. In the conditions of patriarchal-feudal relations, when the patriarchal family was the main economic unit of society, a family with many children, side relatives (large inseparable family) existed much more prosperously than a small one.
