Aspects of the Traditional Culture of the Samara Povolzhie Mordovians

Abstract

The article focuses on the cultural traditions and worldview aspects that are distinctive to the Mordovians, or Mordvins, of the Samara-Volga region (Samara Povolzhie). I examine the history of studying this ethnic group, as well as the principal cultural traits that this group has in common and shares with Mordovians elsewhere. I further discuss the particularities of their agricultural planting rites and the springtime celebrations of Vatazi chi and Tundon’ il’tiamo that are observed in a number of Erzya villages, describe the cultural specificities of the Samara Bend (Samarskaia Luka) Moksha-Mordovians, and point attention to peculiarities of rain prayers as practiced by Mordovians in the Samara region. I argue that these aspects of the culture of Samara Povolzhie Mordovians had most likely stemmed from the same roots, common to all ethnic groups of Mordovians; however, it appears that they must have undergone substantial changes after the group under consideration had settled in the geographical area of Samara Povolzhie.