Traditional rite culture in the context of natural and social cataclysms (on the example of Trans-Kama Udmurts)

This paper, based on published, archival and field ethnographic materials, considers the state of ritual and ceremonial sphere of ethnic culture under the conditions of natural and social cataclysms on the example of the Trans-Kama Udmurts living in the Republic of Bashkortostan and Perm Krai, who didn’t undergo baptism and preserved their traditional religious rites. It is shown that the calendar of agrarian ceremonies implied rituals aimed at preventing emergency situations (frost, strong thunderstorms and wind, hail, drought, etc.), preventing crop failure and the onset of famine. There were also special rituals to ward off epizootics and epidemics, which often occurred in the past due to unsanitary conditions and almost complete absence of veterinary and medical care. At the onset of natural calamities, the occasional rituals were actualized to eliminate or minimize their consequences. The harvest and the very life of the members of the rural community depended on their exact and timely execution. In this connection, rites to «expel insects», «call for rain», etc., were conducted. Epidemics were curbed through propitiatory sacrifices or their «expulsion» of diseases. Social disasters, such as famine and wars, due to the scarcity of vital resources, led to the minimization of rituals. At the same time various magical practices (fortune-telling) became more active. Extreme situations of the last years (pandemic COVID-19 and drought) have led to the development of new forms of carrying out rites and customs or have revitalized obsolete ones.