Paper short abstract:

My paper focuses on the importance and the variety the ritual processions have in many Apulian sites. They function as dramatic and symbolic practices aimed to dwell, for the time being, everyday spaces so as to make them special places where a shared sense of sacred and belonging is celebrated.

Paper long abstract:

This paper is based on a field work I carried out in the Apulian area between 2013 and 2014, for a research project intended to collect, catalogue and archive rites, traditions, practices, stories concerning the popular festivals of the ritual year. Among the several forms of commemorating and celebrating, I draw the attention to the (religious) processional practices, both because of their pervasiveness and of their central function as symbolic means of re-shaping and re-defining the urban space, above all the communal and everyday space par excellence, the street. The latter may be regarded as a liminal chronotope (M. Bakhtin) where the inhabitants meet, confront and live day by day, but it can be also transformed, on certain occasions (I think especially of the Holy Week), into a sort of open stage temporarily and exclusively dwelt and "managed" by certain individuals and groups, chiefly the confraternities, still widespread and very active everywhere. Along the streets, these people, acting as mediators between the secular and the sacred, the worldly and the otherworldly, alternately walk/perform and stop, pray/sing and remain silent, thus giving rise to a ritual performance, a social drama (V. Turner) by which the sacred, identifying symbols (i.e. the religious images) leave their ordinary static dimension (closed in a church) to acquire an extra-ordinary dynamic, living role. Nowadays, this is still one of the major and most heartfelt means through which local communities seek both to preserve/strengthen their identity and to promote (as a tourist attraction) their cultural heritage.

Paper short abstract:

After the fall of communism, the dynamic forces of orthodox religion reclaimed its place in the physical domain, and in cultural terms. This study focuses on past and present pilgrimages and processions in the orthodox ritual year within Bucharest.

Paper long abstract:

Communism left its mark on Bucharest's landscape. Once known for its numerous orthodox churches, the city is today associated with the House of the People, epitome of communist power. While building it, many churches were demolished or hidden behind socialist-realist apartment blocks. But destroying consecrated space did not destroy the faith. Only one year after the political turn, 94% of Romanians expressed belief in God. The average professed belief has since remained constant.

After the fall of communism, the dynamic forces of orthodox religion re-emerged and reclaimed its place both in the physical domain, and in cultural terms. A symbolic moment was marked in 2011 when, during the celebration of Saint Dimitrie the New, protector of Bucharest, the relics of Apostle Andrew, protector of Romania, arrived from Greece and were carried in a procession throughout the city to the site of the new Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation. Situated only a few hundred meters from the House of the People, the cathedral represents the Church's reclamation of the public sphere, its repossession of the urban territory. Coming down the boulevard formerly known as The Victory of Socialism, the procession proclaimed the triumph of Christianity over atheistic rule. The holy relics consecrated the city space, transforming the 'Chaos' generated by communism into the 'Cosmos', 'their' city into 'ours' (Eliade).

Fieldwork and archival sources focus on the increasing presence of religion in the public realm. Attention is given to past and present pilgrimages and processions in the orthodox ritual year.

Paper short abstract:

The report will focus on the comparison of the rituals in commemoration of the death performed in the cemetery and the previous home of the dead, comparing the current situation in Vilnius city and the beliefs recorded in various parts of Lithuania, Belarus and Poland in the previous times.

Paper long abstract:

According to Philippe Ariés, a cemetery is a place where people come to concentrate, think about the dead and renew their life in memories. Passing the cemeteries in Vilnius city one can often notice bright lights. They increase in number during various festivals, and before All Soul's Day the whole sea of lights can be visible here. The generalisation of the old Lithuanian sources made by Angelė Vyšniauskaitė prove that in some parts of Lithuania and Europe in the 19th century there existed a tradition to prepare dishes in the cemetery or at home and, thus, invite dead relatives.

On the basis of the data of the latest (2012-2016) research on the festivals in commemoration of the dead in Vilnius city, cemeteries are visited on, or several weekends before All Saintsʼ Day and during other days of various confessions in commemoration of the dead. Sometimes people eat dishes at the grave or leave some food and drinks. Further on, the dead are commemorated at home as well putting a candle on the window-sill in order the souls could find the way home. Also, at dinner some people put a plate for the dead on the table or leave some food on it.

The report will aim at the analysis of the differences in this ritual dinner in time perspectives as well as their ethnic and confessional peculiarities comparing the data in Vilnius city and the beliefs recorded in various parts of Lithuania, Belarus and Poland in the previous times.

Paper short abstract:

In the calendric cycle, along with temporal terms, another important entity is the spatial order and sequence which draw great attention. In ritual periods, the spatial structure of a house plays significant role and there is need in maintenance the space regulations.

Paper long abstract:

Ritual is in need to keep order and follow some regulations, otherwise it vanishes itself. In the calendric cycle, along with temporal terms, another important entity is the spatial order and sequence which draw great attention.

Increasing focus on the spatial structure and maintenance the norms of the house space is functioning parallelly with ritual periods. There are three main sections in a house which represent symbolic locuses: a stove occupied and still occupies the central position; a "female side" is a significant part; the foremost corner is the most important place of honour. These three sections become more "active" in the ritual periods, and a family strictly follows to compliance the boundaries between them and to correspond to the requirements.

The paper proposes to examine what causes and what motives are for existence and function for those rules.

Paper short abstract:

The paper explores the dynamic of the wedding ritual in Maramures region (Northern Romania), stressing the changes that occur in the ritual while the spaces where the rites occures have changed.

Paper long abstract:

Based on a research conducted in three communities on Iza Valley (Maramures region, Northern Romania; research conducted between 2001-2009), the paper presents the meanings of space and the way it is used during wedding festivities in rural areas. Starting with the exploration of the "good room", the festive space of the peasant house and the way this chamber is configured during weddings, and then the contemporary communal spaces, such as cultural houses, looking at the way these spaces are used during weddings, the presentation is examining the changes that occur in the ritual as well.

Paper short abstract:

This paper focuses on the transformation of a homeland calendric ritual through the lens of dwelling and massive Western European labour migration. The paper shows, how has changed a traditional year-end fertility ritual in a Moldavian Csango village, Arini, Bacău County, Romania.

Paper long abstract:

The paper focuses on the transformation of a homeland calendric ritual semantically based on the folktale type ATU 401 through the lens of dwelling and massive Western European labour migration in the 21st century. The paper based on current field research data (interviews and records) collected in 2015 and 2016, as well as theoretical bases of social and cultural anthropology and folkloristics. After the collapse of Communism (and of the Soviet Union) has started a massive Western European work migration, and these processes have a strong influence on the traditional customs and rituals, and on the social structure in general as well. The paper shows through the methods of structural folkloristics and ritual analysis, how has changed a traditional year-end fertility ritual in a Moldavian Csango village, Arini, Bacău County, Romania. According to the folklore data the members of this calendric ritual were until 1989 predominantly village bachelors, but the age-group has drastically changed lately. Because of massive Western European work migration, schoolchildren have taken over their role. The majority of local manhood dwells for the whole year far away and they come home just once a year for the major holidays at the recent time.

The members of the local communities have different strategies in surviving crises effected by acculturation and structural changes of the homeland culture. A community has been defined as a group of interacting people living in a common location, but this definition raises a number of questions of homeland, dwelling, traditional roles and others.

Paper short abstract:

In this paper, a typology of the inhabited and non-inhabited places significant for the Cossack and peasant versions of winter ritual processions will be presented; I will also trace the changes of the participants’ ritual behaviour, symbolism and the places of the performing activity in time.

Paper long abstract:

Up to now, the winter calendric processions are among the most preserved elements of the ritual year in the South of Russia.

The specificity of the local variants of the traditional culture in this area depends not only on the ethnic origin of the inhabitants but also on their social status (two main social groups there were Cossacks (predominantly warriors) and peasants (predominantly farmers and artisans)). The elements of the value systems of these groups are reflected in their calendric rituals.

In this paper, a typology of the inhabited and non-inhabited places significant for the Cossack and peasant versions of winter ritual processions will be presented; I will also trace the changes of the participants' ritual behaviour, symbolism and the places of the performing activity in time.

I will provide the profound analysis of the following points:

- Military symbolism of the Cossack ritual calendric processions;

- The role of the places of commemoration in the topography of the Cossack ritual processions;

- Nature, vegetation, and providing of a good harvest in the symbolism of the peasant ritual processions;

- Transformation of these rituals in the 20th century, with narrowing of the territory included in the ritual, reducing the amount and diversity of participants, the oblivion of the military symbolic elements and actions, and preserving of the fertility symbolism.

Paper short abstract:

The paper depicts major church, domestic and outdoor rituals on one of the biggest Christian Orthodox holidays dedicated to the Cross (14/27.09) in Russia and Bulgaria and reveals historical, cultural and natural reasons for the differences in the two folk calendars’ beliefs and practices.

Paper long abstract:

The presentation scrutinizes the Russian and Bulgarian celebration of Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross in the folk Christian Orthodox calendars (14/27.09) regarding dwelling ritual practices, movement/static ideas and cultural/natural beliefs. Apart from similarities (strict fasting, construction of crosses on the cross-roads, finalizing and sanctifying of the sacred buildings), there are many differences, mostly of folk traditional origin. Many of them are tightly connected with the terminology of the holiday, exemplifying the symbiosis of language and (folk) culture. In Russian tradition, out from the Church Slavonic term for the holiday one word (and idea) is extracted and simplified - that of Exaltation (Russian Воздвижение turns into движение, 'motion'). In Bulgarian tradition, the idea of the Cross dominates (Кръстовден), which brings to life specific ritual complexes and legendary beliefs performed in specially constructed places, such as the Cross Mountain in Rhodopes and others. In both traditions, the holiday marks the beginning of autumn, but due to the geographical and agricultural differences, vegetative and zoological beliefs are not similar (in Russia, the cabbage is the main object of celebration, while in Bulgaria grapes dominate). The concept of motion on the day of Exaltation in Russia is linked with the changes in the animals' behavior (snakes, bears, etc.) which generate a bunch of bans for the people to leave the domestic space and to go to the woods. Commemorative practices also differ, being in Bulgaria typical for the Balkan cultural continuum.

Paper short abstract:

Burning Man is an annual gathering of 70,000 participants in the desert of Nevada. The lives of ‘burners’ and the ‘DPW’ are marked with ‘rituals’ that affirm not only a division between the two but also their mutual dependence towards the perpetuation of what is called ‘Home’.

Paper long abstract:

The DPW (Department of Public Works) which varies within the season from 150 to 500 members live within Black Rock City (BRC) perimeter one month prior to 'Burning Man' while building the city infrastructure. They stay on site one month after the event for strike and cleanup. The regular participants 'burners' live for a week in specific 'Theme Camps' within assigned location in the city.

The division of DPW from the 'burners' is well marked by a set of distinct social norms such as the following stereotypes: black clothing versus fur and glitter, tough behavior versus loving and cuddling, and subculture affiliation which is punk rock versus "New-agey", neo-hippy.

Diverse forms of dwellings and territory appropriation occur within the DPW and the 'burners' in terms of what marks the own -- "one of us" and "our space" -- from the alien. Marks of identity are actively rehearsed through DPW's only ritual such as the 'early Burn' or '4:20 Spire', and publicly performed at the 'DPW parade', cortege of pride which occurs during the event's week.

Even though the DPW and 'burners' do not identify with each other, they rely on each other for the perpetuation of Burning Man which is invested as a 'sacred place' they call or relate to as a Home. They both have the representation of Black Rock City or Burning Man as 'another world' with an autonomous structure, which stands versus the 'Default World'. The paper will use the lens of the rituals that mark their lives to analyze "what home means" to them.

Paper short abstract:

The report analyses calendar festivals celebrated in public and private areas in Soviet Lithuania. The conclusion is deduced that the festival that was celebrated in a family, in a private area was perceived as “one‘s own“, transferred from generation to generation and has survived till present.

Paper long abstract:

Anna Lubeckaʼs analysis of Polish ritual year of the post-communist period of time has proved the existence of a double life. At home, traditional Polish values were cherished and religious and patriotic rituals were celebrated, while in the public new holidays and celebrations enacting the communist ideology were observed. A gap between festivals celebrated in private and public areas was distinct in Soviet Lithuania as well.

Soviet, nonreligious festivals celebration in a private area was excluded. A festival had to be public and, thus, proper conditions for controlling the content of the festival were established. Time has showed that public and massive festivals, celebrated not at home, did not become popular.

On the other hand, constant ritual year of the family was present. There was no doubt that Christmas and Easter were celebrated in a family even in the Soviet period of time. The fact can be proved by the reminiscences of people: "In my childhood, Christmas Eve was celebrated with the curtains drawn down, but it was a festival which united all the family. Our relatives used to come, dishes were prepared as well as presents and all this is still alive in my memory". Such reminiscences are told by quite a lot of respondents who took a responsible post in Soviet period. Festivals "at home" preserved their ritual value even in a secular society and were transferred from generation to generation. This process will be analysed in my report on the ground of the personal fieldwork data.

Paper short abstract:

The contribution deals with symbolic appropriations that transform a secular space into a sacred space. The ethnographic example is Prešeren Square in Ljubljana, which is defined by two elements: its central position in the city and the monument to the iconic Slovenian poet, France Prešeren.

Paper long abstract:

Prešeren Square in Ljubljana is an interesting ethnographic example that allows us to reflect on the relationship between secular and sacred spaces from the perspective of cultural statics and dynamics. We will observe the central square as a space of urban rituals with the departure point that rituals are always located; their framework is created by space, time, social actors, specific motifs, and practices. This space (as a physical, relatively static context), in addition to being a crossing point - which has, among other things, an esoteric interpretation as the square is located on so-called "dragon lines" or energy grids - is also defined by the monument to the iconic Slovenian poet France Prešeren (1800-1849).

The discussion takes as its departure point the thesis that we only notice monuments when they are erected or demolished (R. Musil), and juxtaposes it with the lively rituals that take place around the monument. Ritual practices from the time the monument was erected (1905) address a cultural process that is heterogeneous, hybrid, polyphonic, heteronomous, contested, official and alternative, monocultural and multicultural. All of this is an effect of the multiple uses and practices in the space: on the one hand, there are the relatively static elements connected to national history and identity (the importance of language, poetry, art, and culture), and, on the other hand, the square is the location of dynamic activities, profane and sacred, more or less related to ritualized dialogues with the fundamental symbolism of the space.

Paper short abstract:

The paper focuses on symbols which organize the ritual of Lithuanian Independence Day performance space outside the dwellings and inside. Similarities and differences of symbols will be revealed as well as transformations of ritual from dynamic to static nature and vice versa in time perspective.

Paper long abstract:

The paper focuses on symbols which organize the ritual of Lithuanian Independence Day performance space outside the dwellings and inside in the perspective of time.

From the first Independence anniversary in 1919 the ritual was dynamic and dedicated for the space outside the dwellings, which has been organized by certain symbols (state emblem, flag, Lithuanian rulers' portraits etc.). 10th anniversary of Independence in 1928 made some adjustments to this ritual. Several hundred ornate monuments (Independence Monuments) were built throughout Lithuania in this year. They immediately became the main signs indicating the place of ritual space and symbolized a new way of dwelling in a free state. Meanwhile, inside the dwellings the celebration of the Day had a static nature and was not significant. Home as a "safe" and "own" place became significant in the Soviet era, when the festival was forced to move into a private space of the dwellings as under the Soviet occupation all Lithuanian national holidays were banned. Today ritual and symbols of this celebration are concentrated outside the dwellings. Home space remains important for passive participants of the festival.

The report will reveal how symbols help organize ritual space and will show similarities and differences of symbols used in the ritual outside the dwellings and inside. It will be revealed the importance of them in the interwar period and how much they are still relevant. Also transformations of ritual from dynamic to static nature and vice versa in time perspective will be discussed.