The article is devoted to the study of food and its functions in the wedding rituals of the Germans of Siberia. Based on the materials of ethnographic expeditions to places of compact residence of Germans in the south of Western Siberia, the semantic content of many ritual dishes is revealed at all stages of the wedding ceremony-from matchmaking to the last day of the holiday. The main treat - bread-accompanies the entire wedding cycle, as a symbol of prosperity and well-being, as well as a sign of agreement and marriage union. Elements of producing, or protreptic, magic-grains, legumes symbolize health, wealth and childbearing. The power of fertility is also attributed to pork and chicken meat and dishes made from it.

Key words: Germans of Siberia, wedding food, symbol, sign, rite, ritual.

Introduction

The study of traditional nutrition and its components is one of the most relevant areas of modern ethnology. It is in food - the most important component of the life support system - that ethnic specificity is expressed to the greatest extent. This fully applies to the wedding food of the Germans of Siberia, which is characterized by conservatism, stability and signiness.

In the wedding food of the Germans of Siberia, as well as many other peoples, there is a whole system of symbols and signs; some of its types were popularly attributed supernatural properties - healing, producing, apotropaic. So, dishes made from legumes, grains of cereals were considered symbols of a rich harvest and, consequently, the prosperity of the family. Sauerkraut, which has healing properties, symbolized prosperity and prosperity. A symbol of wealth and prosperity was bread, which was present in all wedding ceremonies.

Following Yu. M. Lotman, under the category "symbol" we understand "some text that has a single closed meaning and a clearly defined border" [1996]. In our study, the concepts of "symbolic meaning" and "signiness" are synonymous.

The source base of this work is the materials of ethnographic expeditions to the southern regions of Western Siberia, places of compact residence of Germans. From 1989 to 2010, route expeditions were conducted to the German settlements of Topkinsky and Yurginsky districts of the Kemerovo region, Bagan, Karasuksky, Tatarsky, Chistoozerny districts of the Novosibirsk region, Azov German National, Gorky, Isilkulsky, Lyubinsky, Marianovsky, Moskalensky, Nizhneomsky, Russkopolyansky, Odessa, Omsk, Tarsky, Sherbakulsky districts of the Omsk region, Blagoveshchensk, Verkh-Suetsky, Kulundinsky, German National and Tabunsky districts of the Altai Territory.

Materials collected during the expeditions are kept in the archive of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Omsk State University named after F. M. Dostoevsky (MAE OmSU). They are organized into thematic blocks: the history of German settlements, family and family relations, religion, etc.-

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traditional rites, traditional economy, housing and outbuildings, clothing, food.

Matchmaking and inviting guests to a wedding

Symbolism is a characteristic feature of any ritual, including the wedding ceremony of the Siberian Germans. It was especially evident in the matchmaking ceremony: the dishes that were served on the table in the girl's house on this day had a significant meaning. So, if the bride's parents put bread and salt, pies and cheese on the table - this meant consent to the marriage, if they took out pumpkin and sandwiches - matchmaking is highly undesirable [Smirnova, 2002].

After the matchmaking, preparations for the wedding began. One of the most memorable moments of this stage is the invitation of guests, it was assigned to the managers of the celebration (Hochzeitsvater, Hochzeitsbitter, Hochzeitslader, Brautdiener) and took place on the eve of the wedding. So, in the Azov German National district of the Omsk region, the wedding planner, when inviting guests, uttered the following phrase:: "You are invited to a wedding, but the pies (Kuchen) are very hard and you need to bring an axe to cut them" (MAE OmGU F. I. 1998). Thus, guests were encouraged to bring their own dishes.

Among the Volhynian Germans of Siberia, the wedding planner invited guests sitting on a horse. The speech of the wedding planner (Brautdiener) in the village of Litkovka, Tarsky district, Omsk region, began with the words: "I left the black crow on the street, and I came here myself." This was followed by an invitation, jokes and comments, for example, " a hundred meters of sausage was prepared for the wedding. If you don't like her, let her bring something with her!". In each house, the wedding planner was treated to vodka, so when he reached the end of the village, he often could not climb on his horse. Old-timers note that this custom existed until the late 1970s and early 1980s (MAE OmSU, F. I. 2008).

Polterabend

An integral part of the German wedding was polterabend (lit. Polterabend). "evening of noise, rumble"), or poltervent (Poltervent), is an evening of farewell to single life, similar to the Russian hen party and bachelor party. If the wedding was held according to a religious rite, then on Saturday they arranged a half-weekend, and on Sunday-a wedding and a feast. If the wedding was performed according to folk customs, the half-weekend was organized on Friday, and on Saturday they registered or got married, and walked on Sunday [Rublevskaya and Smirnova, 1998].

On the eve of the wedding, young people gathered in the bride's house, brought treats with them. The bride and groom sat in the center of the table and were presented with dishes, clothes, fabrics, etc., as well as symbolic gifts, such as a rooster and a chicken. Young people sang, danced, had fun, broke dishes, and old, cracked, which they brought with them specially [Ibid.]. In this case, smashing dishes was a sign-wishing the young people happiness. This custom had an apotropaic meaning - to drive away evil spirits from the young with noise. Ceremonial breaking of dishes among Siberian Germans occurs at the present time and only at weddings.

Traditionally, on this evening, the bride treated guests to wine, tea and cake, or coffee and scones. In the past, there was a custom: on the eve of the wedding in polterabend, friends stole chickens from neighbors. The girls plucked and cooked the chickens stolen by the guys. Then the boys and girls shared a meal together, which had a symbolic meaning [Ibid.]. According to E. A. Bryukhnova, " ritual chicken food could be an echo of pagan sacrifices to the fire god Loki. Moreover, the rooster among the ancient Germans was a symbol of fertility, the spirit of vegetation and was closely associated with the pagan cult of the sun" [1998].

First day of the wedding

The wedding was usually held in the groom's house. Among the Volhynian Germans living mainly in the Lubinsky and Tarsky districts of the Omsk region, the wedding was celebrated in the bride's house. According to informants, the wedding, like matchmaking, should take place in the bride's home, because each stage of the wedding cycle is a continuation of the previous one (MAE OmSU F. I. 1995).

E. Zayb describes this time as follows: "Two days before the wedding, everything was "upside down"in the groom's house, where the celebration took place. From early morning until late at night, everyone was busy: the owners slaughtered cattle, butchered meat and prepared drinks; the housewives invited neighbors and friends to help. They cooked and baked, stewed and fried" [Seib, 1967, p. 147].

Relatives, friends, and neighbors took part in the preparation of the wedding. Among the faithful, the wedding was also a collective, communal event. If members of a religious community got married, she helped the young people financially. The creation of a new family was considered not only a personal matter for young people, but also a collective matter, since the family became part of the community.-

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new ones. Bread was a peculiar symbol of the consolidation of friendly relations. For example, the Mennonites had a custom of collective bread baking. On the eve of the wedding, the bride kneaded a pastry dough, which the groom carried to the guests ' homes. Guests came to the wedding with baked bread and rolls (Rublevskaya and Smirnova, 1998).

Elements of producing or protreptic magic played a significant role in the wedding rituals of the Germans. So, young people, upon their arrival at the house of the newlywed's father, were usually showered with grain. Depending on the place of residence, they were showered with wheat or rye grain, barley, coins, and flowers (MAE OmSU F. I. 1990, 2001). In this ritual, according to conventional wisdom, there are wishes for wealth and health, as well as childbearing.

Bread from the Germans played an important role at all stages of the wedding ceremony. The veneration of bread is also associated with the worship of the oven in which it was baked. The groom's mother took the bride by the hand and circled her around the stove 3 times (MAE OmSU F. I. 2001, 2007). It was with the hearth as a symbol of prosperity and well-being that moral ideas were associated.

After the ritual of introducing the young woman to the home, the wedding feast began. Among the Volga Germans, it was customary to hold a celebration in the groom's house, where a festive dinner was prepared. The old people gathered in the small (father's) room, the young people - in the big one. The bride sat between two groomsmen who were supposed to treat and protect her (Dietz, 1997).

In Siberia, young people were given a place in the center of the table, with friends sitting on either side. In some cases, young people and friends sat at a separate table. The place of the bride and groom at the table was decorated with flowers, the chairs were tied with ribbons. Everything was ordered by the" host " of the wedding (Hausvater). He seated the guests, made sure that everyone had food and drinks, made speeches, gave the floor to those invited, established the order of giving gifts, organized dances. Sometimes the "hostess" of the wedding was chosen, who mainly controlled the preparation and serving of dishes. Parents of young people sat on the edge, sometimes at a separate table (Rublevskaya and Smirnova, 1998).

Tradition regulated the behavior of young people during the festive feast. At the beginning of the meal, the bride and groom were forbidden to eat much and drink alcohol. So there were plates filled with bones, glasses turned upside down, and spoons with holes in them. And only after giving them gifts were they given normal dishes. In the village of Novoskatovka, Sherbakulsky district, Omsk region, during the feast, the bride and groom did not eat anything at all. It was believed that young people are the objects of attention of evil forces, and during eating they are most vulnerable (MAE OmSU F. I. 2007).

Similar customs are known among many peoples. For example, according to the materials of N. F. Sumtsov, " among the Little Russians and Serbs of Sirmia, or Srem, young people do not eat anything at the wedding table; among the Poles of Krakow, on the wedding day, they do not eat only meat ("so that animals do not die", according to a modern folk explanation). Kalmyks have a similar custom, and young people abstain from drinking on the wedding day" [1998, p. 64].

After the second stack or when the first courses were eaten, the tables were moved and a place for dancing was prepared, the gift began. During the donation, the newlyweds shook hands with each of the guests, and the bride gave them a glass of wine (Rublevskaya and Smirnova, 1998). The most common gift was a rooster, less often - a chicken. Catholics of D. Osipovka, Gorky district, Omsk region. they believed that the bird should not be given as it "sweeps" bad things into the house. Only after the donation, the newlyweds were allowed to eat (MAE OmSU F. I. 2007).

The wedding table was served a variety of dishes, the preparation of which was associated with significant physical and financial costs. There was a mandatory set of wedding dishes. The main treat and key symbol of the wedding ceremony in general was bread. On the table, he was given a place of honor - in the center or next to the bride and groom. It just lay on the table or in a wicker plate. Salt was placed next to bread (MAE OmSU F. I. 1997, 2001). Wedding bread served as a symbol of the bride and groom, a symbol of the marriage union.

In the past, wheat, millet or barley porridge was always present on the wedding table. Millet porridge made with milk was an ancient attribute of a peasant wedding. Previously, it was also served at dukes ' weddings in Germany (Filimonova, 1989). The significance of the ritual preparation and eating of porridge consisted in expressing a wish for a harvest or fertility. Currently, there is no porridge as a ritual dish at the wedding, instead it is served rice porridge with meat.

The wedding menu shows both local differences and a general one - a lot of meat dishes and pastries. At German weddings, the ritual use of pork and sauerkraut is widespread (MAE OmSU F. I. 2001,2007). According to the Germans, pork symbolizes happiness and well-being, and cabbage-health.

A mandatory component of the wedding meal was dough products: various pies (Kuchen), mainly a pie with a sprinkling of sugar and butter (Riewelkuche), as well as "double" buns (Zwieback),

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cookies (Prezel), gingerbread (Prenig), Krabbel (Krabbel, Kroppeln), cakes. Pastries were placed on the table only after midnight, after the ritual of "ochepleniya" - removing the wreath from the bride. Coffee was also served at the same time (MAE OmSU F. I. 1998, 2001, 2008).

For young women, they baked a shaped loaf. It was baked from pastry dough with the addition of raisins, sprinkled with marmalade on top. Smartly dressed women carried a loaf on a tray covered with a beautiful embroidered towel and always sang wedding songs. The newlyweds cut the loaf into pieces and distributed it to the guests during the donation. The same was done with the wedding cake (MAE OmSU F. I. 1997, 1998).

From soft drinks on the wedding table there were coffee, jelly, compote. Coffee was plentiful. For example, in the village of Aleksandrovka in the Azov German National district of the Omsk region for 80-100 people. brewed up to 40 liters of coffee. Alcoholic beverages included vodka, moonshine and beer, which the guests drank in large quantities (MAE OmSU F. I. 2007, 2009). The consumption of alcoholic beverages is typical mainly for Lutherans.

The wedding table was prepared by the bride and groom's parents, relatives, neighbors, and friends. The bride did not take part in this. Food was prepared in the groom's house. In some villages of Western Siberia, wedding dishes were prepared by specially invited women. In the village of Aleksandrovka there were six or eight of them, and in the village of Novoskatovka - three or four. These women received money for their work, sometimes a table was set specially for them, and the wedding festivities were extended for another day (MAE OmSU F. I. 1998, 2007).

Second wedding day

The wedding continued on the second day. The second day was based on entertainment and game elements. Unlike the first day, when guests were served mainly by young unmarried girls who had to show their diligence and diligence, on the second day, a young husband and wife acted as hosts. The bride put on an apron given by her godfather, specially sewn for this day, and set the tables. Lunch, consisting of hot dishes and appetizers (pies, pickles, cabbage, sausages, cheeses), was prepared by the owners, vodka and drinks were brought by the guests (MAE OmSU. F. I. 2001, 2007).

The obligatory dish of the second day, typical for all ethno-local and ethno-confessional groups of the German population, was chicken soup with homemade noodles (Nudelsupp, Hinnersupp). It was made from poultry that guests brought with them. In the past, there was a custom of stealing chickens from those who were invited to the wedding. In the village of Grishkovka in the German National District of Altai Krai, a few days before the wedding, the bride and groom took a chicken from each of the guests. Up to fifty birds were collected, from which nudelsup was cooked (MAE OmGU, F. I. 1997, 1998, 2001). German weddings are characterized by the ritual use of chicken meat. Everything left over from the first day's celebration was also served at the table. On this day, young people treated guests to pancakes (MAE OmSU F. I. 2001, 2009). And the guests "freaked out": they tried to smear the newcomers with soot, demanding a ransom, dressed up as the bride and groom. Among Russian Germans, this element of the rite is called a "Maslenitsa wedding".

In Siberia, on the second day of the wedding, it was customary to bring a rooster to the house where the celebration took place and "drink" it so that it would emit a cry "for the happiness of the young". This is a custom that exists only among Lutherans. Germans who lived in the Tarsky district of the Omsk region brought a chicken with a rooster and gave it vodka or wine to drink, fooling around in every possible way (MAE OmSU F. I. 2007, 2008). Thus, not only the chicken meal, but also the bird itself was a symbol of the German wedding ceremony.

Third day of the wedding

The third day of the wedding (yor die Koch) - the day of the hangover-was usually celebrated on Monday evening. It was the end of the wedding. It was mostly attended by close relatives and cooks who helped prepare treats for the wedding table. However, in some villages, lovers of walking went to visit all week. Previously, in Germany, the Rhineland, such a feast was arranged on the first Sunday after the celebration, it was called" after the wedding " (Nach-Hochzeit). It was attended only by those who helped during the wedding [Filimonova, 1989]. In the village of Zvonarev Kut in the Azov German National District of the Omsk region, the so-called kokhvecher was held one to two weeks after the wedding. In some places, the last day was called "tail", "tail" (Schwanz, Schwunzchen), because the wedding was usually finished when the last chicken "tail" was eaten (MAE OmGU F. I. 2001, 2008, 2009).

Conclusion

Analysis of the field material confirms the thesis that food consistently expresses ethnic specifics; traditional character is preserved.-

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traditional dishes of the Irtysh region Germans. They are given the meaning of ethnic symbols.

The main thing in terms of significance and from the dishes of a German wedding is bread. It accompanies young people at all stages of ritual and symbolizes prosperity and marriage. The Germans attribute magical significance to dishes made from chicken and porridge (a symbol of fertility), pork-a symbol of prosperity, happiness and well-being, etc.

List of literature

Bryukhnova E. A. Kalendarnaya obryadnost ' u nemtsev v XIX - nachale XX v. [Calendar ritual among Germans in the 19th and early 20th centuries].

Dietz Y. E. Istoriya povolzhskikh nemtsev-kolonistov [History of Volga Germans-Colonists]. Moscow: Gotika Publ., 1997, 496 p. (in Russian)

Lotman Yu. M. Inside thinking worlds. Man-text-semiosphere-History, Moscow: Languages of Russian Culture, 1996, 464 p.

Rublevskaya S. A., Smirnova T. B. Traditional ritual of the Germans of Siberia. Omsk: Publishing House of Omsk State Pedagogical University. univ., 1998, 154 p. (in Russian)

Smirnova T. B. Germans of Siberia: Ethnic processes. Omsk: Rusinko Research Center, 2002, 210 p. (in Russian)

Sumtsov N. F. Simvolika slavyanskikh obryadov: Izbr. tr. - Moscow: Vostochny lit., 1998. - 296 p.

Filimonova T. D. Nemtsy // Brak u narodov Zapadnoy i Yuzhnoy Evropy [Marriage among the peoples of Western and Southern Europe], Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1989, pp. 5-43.

Seib E. Der Wolgadeutsche im Spiegel seines Brauchtums // Heimatbuch. - Stuttgart: Webwer-Verlag, 1967. - S. 145 - 209.

The article was submitted to the Editorial Board on 13.01.14, and the final version was published on 14.01.14.

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