The Beauty and Tradition of the Russian Village

Smithsonian Journeys: Waterways of Russia

Resources for Further Study

I. Principal Terms:

1. Русский Дух – Russkii dukh – Russian Spirit/Soul 
2. The word “rod” and some significant words that result:

род rod kind/type
родить rodit’ to give birth (to)
родина rodina native land
народ narod the people

 

II.  The Russian изба (izba, traditional Russian wooden house)

Izba
House of Poor Peasant – (cc) EugeneZelenko

There is so much tradition associated with the traditional Russian izba and Russian village life. Begin here and you can follow the links.

More Traditional Items and Features of Russian Life

Samovar – (cc) Benito Bonito

1. Самовар / Samovar

This wonderful pot is for boiling water, not tea. Hot water is poured into a small tea ceramic or china pot which can sit right on top to keep warm. A strong tea is brewed in the little pot, a small amount of the tea is put in a cup (or bowl, in traditional Russian practice), and then boiling hot water is added to the cup to make a proper strength of tea. Samovars were fired up outside, traditionally, and then carried inside to be set on a table for service.

See the wonderful painting by Boris Kustodiev called The Merchant’s Wife (1918) below.

Kustodiev
Kustodiev, The Merchant’s Wife

 

2.  Pech’ Печь  Traditional Russian Stove

The Russian stove provided the centerpiece for the house, the internal piping was cleverly designed and highly efficient as a source of heat for cooking and heating the house. At night, people would sleep on top of it for the warmth. Nothing was more important in a Russian household than the stove.

John Augustus Atkinson, Izba, 1803
Samovar in Goritsy Izba © 2013 Carol Reynolds
Samovar in Goritsy Izba © 2013 Carol Reynolds

 

3. Баня  Banya

The Russian “banya” (baths) are a tradition common in many northern countries (Scandanavia, for example). The entire experience of the dry bath, the “beating” with the birch branches, the camaraderie, and the leisurely period of relaxation. Part of having a good banya involves storing up enough firewood! (Also think about the massive amount of wood needed for the household.)

Sauna
Mandrogi Sauna – © Carol Reynolds 2013

 

banya
Typical Russian Banya

4. Берёзки   Beryozki                 Birch Trees

You can start here to learn about Russian birch trees, their meaning, their importance in Russian culture.

Here’s a clip that presents nice images of birch trees to accompany the most famous Russian folk song about them: Vo pole beryozka stoyala.