Memoirs of Russian Peasants. Life Cycle Rituals – from Birth to Death

This edition includes authentic stories of peasants, in which—through personal narratives, ethnographic notes, and old records—rituals connected with birth, weddings, and funerals come alive. From baptism ceremonies to childbirth traditions, from youth amusements to mourning laments— you will be immersed in the full cycle of traditional life familiar to our ancestors. The author of the book, Lyubov Shvetsova, a specialist in folk culture, a writer, and a well-known blogger, studies traditions and customs of the Russian people. She regularly works with archives, libraries, and primary sources. Even though many consider peasants illiterate, many of their memoirs and recollections have survived. The book presents materials from ethnographic research, notes from old newspapers and magazines, works by ethnographers, and personal records of the peasants themselves. The author pays attention to a person’s life path and describes the rituals that accompany it. The edition includes information about traditions related to birth, baptism, and the first year of children’s life, youth gatherings, as well as wedding, childbirth, and funeral rites.