The Wake among the North Caucasus Greeks: Looking for Piety

Abstract

The article examines the transformation of the wake traditions among the Greeks of the North Caucasus. It is based on the field research conducted in 2022–2024. The wake meal is understood not merely as an act of commemorating the deceased, but as a crucial mechanism for the reproduction of moral norms within the community. I pay special attention to the role of ritual in maintaining the Orthodox Christian identity and connections to the local identity, as reflected in the observance of fasting rules, the preparation of traditional dishes, and the structure of memorial toasts. I further address the tensions between the ideals of ritual austerity and the social expectations of hospitality. My aim is to show how the funeral food and the structure of the feast (a certain set of toasts) become markers of ethnic and religious identity, and how the image of the community is maintained for the outside viewer through the regulation of ritual.