ETHNOCULTURAL TRADITIONS IN THE MODERN CRIMEAN TATAR WEDDING

Abstract

In the article the changes and transformations of Crimean Tatar wedding traditions and customs are analyzed. Nowadays, people of nationalities live in Ukraine, Crimean Tatar are the original inhabitants of Ukraine. However, there is not much attention given to this particular nation, its ethnic culture and traditions. The weddings customs of any nation are first of all identical sign which is the base for future development of nation. Today, there are no many researches in which the modern and older weddings traditions are compered. By the end of XX-th cent. two main wedding celebration tendencies in the world have been kept, on the one hand, the wedding traditions became cosmopolitical under the influence of globalization, especially in interethnic, interconfessional, interracial and international marriages, on the other hand, the stable tendency exists concerning ethnic wedding and all related traditions.

Today, Crimean Tatars and their cultural selfhood takes one of the most important position in Ukraine.

Regarding the political situation Crimean Tatar have been known in the world, because they continue to fight for unity of their Motherland – glorious Ukraine. Recognizing the Crimean Tatar as the original inhabitants of Ukraine who have been living during long time on the territory of the Crimean peninsula, it should be mentioned about the specialities of their customs, especially about Crimean Tatar wedding. After many years of silence and prohibition to study ethnic heritage of deported nations we have a good opportunity to pay attention on issues of Crimean Tatar ritualism. During years of Crimean Tatar deportation to the countries of the Central Asia and predatory russification at Soviet times many wedding customs have been changed, but the basis of cultural heritage of Crimean Tatar wedding stayed thanks to the some modern cultural tendencies such as globalization, unification and culture urbanization. The distinct feature of ethnic cultural life was the constant coexistence of two elements of the Eastern and Western culture.

There are different types of Crimean Tatar marriage: mutual agreement, when groom takes home his bride by the permission of her parents;theft of bride – without permit of her parents. There are known marriages when parents

arrange about children’s wedding while they are still babies. The most popular marriage type that is fixed in ethnographical science, is a marriage by agreement with its numerous characteristic features and complex customs.

Crimean Tatar wedding has pre-wedding phase such as matchmaking (söz kesim). Matchmakers (kudlar) bring

presents and sweets and arrange about dowry (kalim) and this celebration ends with presents giving . Söz kesim

includes a meal (cemaat aşy) and mutual prayer (duva). Later on the engagement (nişan) takes place. Matchmakers

brings presents for all the family and the bride gets a knot (bagça) and jewellery. After engagement (nişan) both families started to prepare for the celebration. The next important step is Moslem marriage ceremony (nikah). According to the rules of Moslems the marriage ceremony (nikah) is based on the following: by presence of witnesses Mullah asks the bride three times whether she agrees to marry her future husband and says his name and than he asks the groom whether he agrees to marry his future wife and says her name and whose daughter she is. After getting positive answers from bride and groom proved by witnesses, Mullah announces about conclusion of marriage (nikah).

The solemn celebration is a final phase of wedding which lasts two days. In the morning bride kisses hands of

her parents and prepares coffee (kelin-kavesu), and mother of groom gives her daughter-in-law expensive presents.

It is proved that traditional rituals of Crimean Tatar at times of political victimizations are transformed and simplified and lost some ancient rituals. Crimean Tatar is a solid nation and they had an opportunity to preserve and to renew the ancient cultural traditions thanks to the modern tendencies of unifications.

Islam has made its imprint on all phases of wedding. We can say that such ritual as nikah has changed a bit, but

it is still the main ceremony in Islam. In Holy Book of Moslems – Koran it is made an accent on the rituals.

Islam is the base in future family life and daily routine on which newly wed rely and establish a strong family,

blessed by Allah.