Setu calls his land the best on earth. The Seto people belong to the small Finno-Ugric tribes. They absorbed the features of Russian and Estonian culture, which influenced life and became the reason for the inclusion of Seto traditions in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Where they live (territory), number

Setu distribution is uneven. In Estonia there are about 10 thousand of them, and in the Russian Federation there are only 200–300 people. Many call the Pskov region their homeland, although they prefer to live in another country.

Story

Many scholars argue about the origins of the Seto people. Some believe that the Setos are descendants of the Estonians who fled from the Livonians to the Pskov land. Others put forward a version about the formation of the people as descendants of the Chuds, who were joined by Estonian settlers who converted to Orthodoxy in the 19th century. Still others put forward the version of the formation of the Setos as an exclusively independent ethnic group, which later underwent partial assimilation. The most common version remains the origin of the ancient Chud, which is confirmed by the pagan elements characteristic of this people. At the same time, no elements of Lutheranism have yet been discovered. The study of Seto began in the 19th century. Then, as a result of the census, they were able to count 9,000 people, most of whom lived in the Pskov province. When the official census of the entire population was carried out in 1897 Russian Empire, it turned out that the Seto population had grown to 16.5 thousand people. The Russian people and the Setos got along well with each other thanks to the activities of the Holy Dormition Monastery. Orthodoxy was accepted with love, although many of the Setos did not know Russian. Close contacts with the Russians led to gradual assimilation. Many of the Russian people could speak the Seto dialect, although the Setos themselves believed that it was easier to communicate with each other in Russian. At the same time, the limited vocabulary was noted.
Historians know that the Setos were not serfs, but lived modestly, but were always free.
During Soviet rule, thousands of Setos went to the Estonian SSR, many had relatives there, and some sought more high level life. The Estonian language, which was closer, also played a role. Receiving an education in Estonian contributed to rapid assimilation, and they themselves Soviet authorities The Setos were indicated in the census as Estonians.
On the territory of Estonia, the majority of Setos identify themselves with their people, and the residents of the Russian part of Setum do the same - that’s what the people call their native land. Now Russian authorities actively contribute to the preservation of Seto cultural heritage. The Varvarian Church conducts services in Russian and Seto languages. So far, the Setu people are officially small in number. Estonians equate the Seto language with the Võru dialect. Võru are a people living in Estonia. Their language is similar to the Seto language, so the latter study it more often in school. The language is considered part of the cultural heritage and is included in the UNESCO Atlas of Endangered Languages.

Traditions

One of the main Setu traditions is the performance of songs. It is believed that they should be performed by those with “silver” voices. Such girls are called mothers of song. Their work can be called quite hard, because they have to learn thousands of poems, and they need to improvise on the go. The mother performs the song she has memorized and gives out new song depending on current events. Singing can also be choral, and during the process the vocalist takes the lead, and after him the choir takes over. The voices in the choir are divided into upper and lower. The first ones are distinguished by their sonority and are called “killo”, and the second ones are drawn out - “torro”. The chants themselves are called lelo - this is not just folk art, but a whole language. Setu do not perceive singing as something that is unique to talented person. Even without vocal abilities you can sing songs. During the performance of lelo, girls and adult women most often tell epic stories. Their songs are needed to demonstrate the spiritual world and are compared to the shimmer of silver.
It is customary for the Sets to celebrate weddings over 3 days. During a wedding, it is customary to arrange a ritual symbolizing the departure of the bride from family of origin and moving to her husband's house. This ritual has a clear resemblance to a funeral, because it represents the death of girlhood. The girl is placed on a chair and carried, demonstrating the transition to another world. Relatives and guests must approach the girl, drink to her health and put money to help the future family on a special dish that is placed next to her.

Meanwhile, the husband and friends arrive for the ceremony. One of the friends must lead the bride out of the house, holding a whip and a staff, and the girl herself must be covered with a sheet. Then she was escorted all the way to the church, carried on a sleigh or cart. The bride could travel with her parents, but after the wedding she had to go on the road only with her husband. Setu usually celebrates the wedding on Sunday and the wedding ceremony is performed on Friday. The bride should also give gifts to the groom's relatives to confirm her entry into the rights of a wife. At the end of the wedding ceremony, the guests escorted the newlyweds to a special bed, which was located in a cage. They wake up the newlyweds in the morning and style the bride's hair. in a special way- as it should be for a married woman. She was supposed to wear a headdress and receive items that accentuated her new status. Then it was time to bathe in the bathhouse, and only after that the festive festivities began. Song groups would certainly prepare for the wedding, telling in their songs about the holiday, the newlyweds and wishing them a happy life together.
Attitude to funeral rite Over the years, the Seto has not changed. Traditions equate physical death with important event, symbolizing the transition to another world. After burial, a tablecloth is laid out at the site of the deceased’s grave, on which all ritual dishes are laid out. Those mourning the deceased prepare food themselves, bringing it from home. Many years ago, the main ritual dish became kutia - peas mixed with honey. Boiled eggs are placed on the tablecloth. You need to leave the cemetery as quickly as possible, looking for roundabout routes. Such flight symbolizes the desire to avoid death, which tends to overtake every person. The funeral is held in the house where the deceased lived. The ritual meal is modest and includes fried fish or meat, cheese, kutya, and jelly.

Culture

Fairy tales and legends play an important role in Seto culture. They have survived to this day. Most stories are about sacred places, for example, chapels, burial grounds, as well as the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery and its numerous collection of icons. The popularity of fairy tales is associated not only with their content, but also with the ability of the speakers to read them beautifully.
Museums, dedicated to culture setu, quite a bit. The only state museum is located in Sigovo. There is also a private museum, which was created by a music teacher from St. Petersburg. The author's museum contains a lot of things, one way or another connected with the Seto people over 20 years. Preservation of culture in Soviet years was hampered by deportations that affected the entire Baltic region.

Appearance

The Setos usually round faces with clear eyes. They can easily be mistaken for Slavs. Hair is usually blond or red and begins to darken with age. Women love to braid their hair; girls do two braids. Men wear beards, which they often stop shaving altogether in adulthood.

Cloth

We mentioned the mothers of song, whose words shimmer like silver. This comparison is not accidental, because silver coins are the main decorations for Seto women. Silver coins tied into single chains are not ordinary wardrobe elements, but entire symbols. Women receive their first chain of silver coins at birth. It will stay with her until the end of her days. When she gets married, she is given a silver brooch, symbolizing her status as a married woman. In addition, such a gift serves as a talisman and protects against evil spirits. On holidays, girls wear all silver jewelry, which can weigh approximately 6 kg. It's heavy, but it looks expensive. Jewelry can be different - from small coins to large plaques strung on thin chains. Adult women wear entire bibs cast in silver.
Traditional outfits also include a lot of silver jewelry. The main colors of clothing are white, red in different shades and black. A characteristic element of clothing, both for men and women, are shirts decorated with fine embroidery made of red threads. The embroidery technique is very complex, and it is not accessible to everyone. Many believe that Setu clothing was borrowed from the Russians, however, unlike them, Setu women wear sleeveless dresses with an apron, while Russian girls traditionally wore a skirt or sundress.
Seth had dresses and other clothes made from fine fabric. It was mostly wool. Linen shirts were worn. Women's headdress is a scarf, which is tied under the chin or a headband. Men use felt hats. Nowadays, few Seto people make their own clothes; traditional outfits are no longer in use, although the craftsmen who make them still practice their craft. Distinctive feature wardrobe - wearing a sash. Such a belt must be red, and the technique for making it may vary. The main shoes of the Seto are bast shoes. On holidays, boots are worn.

Religion

It is common for Setos to live with representatives of other nations. They accepted beliefs from them, but always preserved their religion. Now the Setos remain faithful to Christianity, most of them are Orthodox. At the same time, the Seto religion combines Christian customs and ancient pagan rituals, characteristic only of this people.
The Seto observe all the necessary rituals, including visiting churches, venerating saints, and baptism, but at the same time they believe in the god Peko, who symbolizes fertility. On Midsummer's Day, you are supposed to go to church, and then visit the sacred stone, to which you need to bow and bring a gift of bread. When important Orthodox holidays come, the Setos go to the Church of St. Barbara. On weekdays, services take place in small chapels, and each village has its own chapel.

Life

Seto are very hardworking people. His people never shunned any kind of work, but they avoided fishing. They believe that this activity is extremely dangerous, so since ancient times it has been customary for anyone who goes fishing to take clothing for funeral rite. Mourners mourned the departures in advance. It was a different matter if we were talking about plowing. Everyone who went to the field was accompanied with songs. All this led to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. The Seto learned to grow grain crops from the Russians, grew a lot of flax, raised sheep, poultry and cattle. While feeding livestock, women sing songs, they cook with them, go to fetch water, and collect crops in the field. The Seto even have a sign that defines a good housewife. If she knows more than 100 songs, then she is good at housekeeping.

Housing

The Setu used to live in villages that were built next to arable land. Such settlements are considered farmsteads, and the houses are built in such a way that they form 2 rows. Each such house has 2 rooms and 2 courtyards: one for people, the other for keeping livestock. The courtyards were fenced with a high fence and gates were installed.

Food

The peculiarities of cooking have been preserved since the 19th century. The main ones in Setu cuisine are:

• raw materials;
• technology;
• compositional techniques.

Previously, only girls learned to cook, now men do it too. Cooking is taught from childhood by both parents and masters, who teach in workshops specially designated for this purpose. The main ingredients of setu are simple:

1. Swede.
2. Milk.
3. Meat.
4. Sour cream and cream.

The number is greatest in their kitchen Lenten dishes.

Video

The most beautiful region of Setomaa

The Setos themselves consider their region, which represents a separate ethnographic region at the junction of two states, to be the most great place on the ground. “Setomaa om ilolinõ!” - they say about their patrimony. This is a small piece of territory on the border of Estonia and the Russian Federation, where the Estonian counties of Võrumaai and Põlvamaa are adjacent to the Pechora district of the Pskov region on the territory of the Russian Federation. The Seto people number approximately 10,000 people in Estonia. About 200 people live in the Russian Federation, 50 of whom live in the city, the rest are rural; 123 Seto people live directly in the Pskov region. Now in the Russian Federation, the Setos are included in the list of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation, and their traditions and song culture are under the protection of UNESCO.

They speak Seto in the Võru dialect of Estonian; in fact, it is a slightly transformed Võru language, which has completely disappeared in Estonia itself. The Setus, in turn, claim that they are carriers of a separate, independent language. They didn’t know the Seto script; now they use the Estonian alphabet. Seto and Estonians are united not only by similar linguistics, but also by a common ancestor - the Finno-Ugric tribe of Estonians. The separation of two related peoples occurred in the 13th century, when the lands of Livonia were captured by the German knights of the Teutonic Order. Then the ancestors of the present Setos fled from forced conversion to Christian faith. They settled right on the border of Estonia and the Pskov region. There, they lived for a long time between two Christian worlds: the Catholic Livonian Order and Orthodox Pskov, nevertheless remaining pagans for a long time.

“Kül’ oll rassõ koto tetä’ katõ ilma veere pääl”

“It is very difficult to build your own house between two different parts of the world” - this is what they say to the Seto. For centuries, the Setos lived in close proximity to many peoples. Communication with other nationalities, of course, left an imprint on some cultural traditions. But nevertheless, the Setos managed not only to live peacefully with their neighbors, but also to preserve their own traditions, creating a certain buffer territory between different cultures Western and of Eastern Europe. During Tsarist Russia Setomaa was part of the Pskov lands, Võromaa belonged to the Livonia province. In the 16th century, under the protectorate of the abbot of the Pskov-Pechora Monastery, active conversion of the local population to Orthodoxy began. It should be said that for Seto who did not know writing and did not speak Russian, conversion to Christianity was only of a ritual nature, without delving into the fundamentals of religious teaching. The Seto went to church with the Russians, participated in religious services, but this did not stop them from preserving their own pagan traditions: honoring the forces of nature, wearing amulets, performing rituals dedicated to the god Peko, bringing him gifts.

Pagan rituals, carried out en masse by the entire community, were eradicated by church authorities only in the 19th century; at the individual level, the departure from traditional beliefs occurred even later in the 20th century. First, this was facilitated by the spread of universal education, and then by the dictates of the Soviet government with the ideology of militant atheism. Because of their religious views and unique vision of the world, the Setos were misunderstood either among the Russians or among their Estonian brothers. Estonians considered them aliens due to the linguistic features of the language, Orthodox religion, proximity to the Slavs. The Russians did not accept him, because they considered him atheists and called him “half believers.” The Setos kept themselves apart, and the customs introduced by other peoples, organically intertwined with their own traditions, gave birth to a unique, original culture, unlike others.

A little history

The Setos never knew serfdom, the lands of Setomaa always belonged to the Pskov-Pechora Monastery, people lived poorly, but freely. The distinctive Seto culture reached the peak of its development during the period of the Russian Empire. In those years, the entire land of the Sets, or as the Estonians call it Setomaa, was part of the Pskov province and was not divided state border. After the signing of the Tartu Peace, Setomaa completely, including the current Pechora region, became the property of Estonia. Then the Estonian authorities began to educate the local population, and schools began to be built. Training was conducted, naturally, in Estonian. After 1944, when Estonia was made part of the USSR, the Pechora district again became part of the Pskov region, and the counties of Võru County and Põlva County remained Estonian. The border divided Setomaa into two parts, although this division was formal.

People could cross the administrative border in both directions; at that time, the outflow of population to the Estonian SSR began. We moved for many reasons: family ties, a qualitatively better standard of living, the opportunity to receive education in a closer and more understandable Estonian language. A natural process of assimilation of the Setos by Estonians took place. It must be said that the Soviet authorities did not distinguish the Seto as a separate ethnic group, classifying them as Estonian nationality. When Estonia regained its independence, for the first time ever the border dividing Setomaa became an actual interstate border. This state of affairs significantly complicated the migration process and complicated family ties. It must be said that the Setos themselves made a choice in favor of Estonia in the matter of national self-identification.

Now every second resident of the Estonian part of Setomaa identifies himself as an ethnic Seto. On the territory of Setomaa, which belongs to the Russian Federation, only a few indigenous people remain. In recent years, the Russian authorities have become concerned about preserving cultural heritage by adding the people to the list of small numbers. Much credit for preserving the disappearing culture belongs to enthusiasts: a museum of the Seto people has been created, in the Varvarinskaya Church in the Pechora region, services are conducted in both Russian and Seto languages, the Seto cemetery located near the Malsky Monastery is kept clean and in good order. Folk celebrations are held with the introduction of elements national culture, such as traditional clothing, ancient rituals and, of course, original folk songs, which are a global cultural and spiritual heritage.

Mothers of the Song of the Seto are called song storytellers who preserve folklore poetic traditions, passing on knowledge from generation to generation through the female line. The best storytellers know more than 20,000 poems from memory and have the gift of improvisation. Such a performer not only keeps existing songs in her head, but on the move can, in the form of a chant, eloquently convey what is happening on the stage. this moment events. The song traditions of the Setu are unique not only in this regard - the singing is characterized by polyphony, when the vocalist and the choir alternately perform solos. Choral singing, in this case, can also be divided into several voices. The upper voice, the most sonorous, high is called killõ, and the longest, lower voice is called torrõ. The performance is characterized by throat singing and chanting.

The leelo chants were not easy for the Seto folk art, they were a kind of language for communication. Contrary to the generally accepted opinion that to sing competently you need to have good vocals, good hearing, and also to study for a long time, the Seth believed that anyone could sing, they only needed to master their song system and know the language. Setu songstresses in their leelo tell the listener not only ancient epic legends or come up with skillful improvisations, but also reflect the inner spiritual world - their own and that of their people. Sets are told that singing is like silver shimmers, “the song in Setomaa sounds like the ringing of coins” - “Laul lätt läbi Setomaa hõpõhelme helinäl.”

National clothes and decorations

It is not in vain that the saying goes about ringing silver coins. Setu women, namely they were the performers folk songs, loved very much traditional decorations made of silver. Such products were not just a wardrobe item, but carried deep symbolism. The girl received her first thin silver chain at birth, and she was buried with it. When a girl got married, she was given a large silver brooch, which not only served as decoration and a status sign for the married woman, but was also a personal amulet. On holidays, women wore as much silver jewelry as possible; sometimes the weight of such a “set” could reach up to six kilograms. A distinctive detail of the festive attire of Seto beauties were necklaces made of many silver coins, sometimes strung in several rows; some women even decorated themselves with massive disc-shaped silver bibs.

For traditional Seto outfits, in addition to the abundance of silver jewelry, characteristic feature was a combination of white, black and different shades of red. White shirts, men's and women's, were decorated with embroidery made with red threads using complex techniques. National women's clothing It was not a sundress or a skirt, but a sleeveless dress, which was worn over a shirt, and an apron was always tied. Dress, pants, outerwear they were sewn from fine-wool fabric, shirts from linen. Women and girls wore scarves tied under their chins or embroidered headbands, while men wore felt hats. Distinctive feature The wardrobe consisted of sashes, for women and men, such belts were made using different techniques (embroidery, weaving and others), but one thing remained unchanged - the predominance of red color in the product. The usual footwear was bast shoes; boots were usually worn on holidays.

Religious traditions

The Setos got used to living next to other peoples and learned to get along with them, accept other people's beliefs, but not forget their original ones. religious traditions. So it is typical for the worldview of the set harmonious combination Christian religious customs and ancient pagan rituals. The Seto go to church, celebrate Christian holidays, venerate saints, baptize their children and at the same time observe pagan cults, praising their own fertility god Peko and bringing gifts to him. On Yanov (Ivanov) day they go to church services, and then go to bow to the sacred stone, leaving sacrifices in the cult place - wool, bread, coins. By large Orthodox holidays Setos always try to visit the Church of St. Barbara in Pechory. They consider this temple to be theirs. Everyday services used to be held in chapels; as a rule, each village built its own chapel.

The Seto burial rite is very unusual. Funeral traditions have remained virtually unchanged to this day. In the Seto worldview, physical death is equated to a social event; it is a kind of transition of a person from one environment to another, a change in his status. A funeral is not complete without ritual chants - lamentations. After the deceased was buried, a tablecloth was laid out on the grave mound and food brought from home was laid out. Ritual dishes, both in the past and now, are boiled eggs and kutja - boiled peas with honey. Everyone leaves the cemetery in a hurry, if possible in a roundabout way, as if hiding from death, which might catch up with them. At home they sit down at the laid table. The funeral meal traditionally consists of simple dishes: fried fish and meat, homemade cheese, kutia, oatmeal jelly.

Our days

The governments of both countries, where the ancestral land of the Setos "Setomaa" is located, in previous years were not too concerned about the fate of the small people, but now things are different. Now many Setos continue to preserve old customs, such as religion, song culture, ritual traditions, handicrafts are being revived, churches hold services in the Setu language, programs have been created to establish agriculture and develop territories. How successful will these measures be? Only time will tell.

It’s not easy to believe, but on the territory of Russia there are still peoples who do not have their own written language. Moreover we're talking about not about some tribes in Chukotka or Far East, but about Europe itself. In the Pskov region, on the border with Estonia, there is a small Seto people with a unique culture that has absorbed a lot from Estonians and Russians, but has preserved its customs and traditions from ancient times. In total, 200 people belonging to this nation live in Russia. I recently visited Seto.

2. The Seto estate museum (emphasis on the first syllable) is located in the Pechora district of the Pskov region in the village of Sigovo. Here, in the estate, the life of a farm family from the early 20th century has been preserved.

3. Seto (or setu) - unique people. They are called half-believers or Orthodox Estonians, they acquired their faith in the Pechora Monastery, but there are still a lot of rituals and beliefs in their lives that have remained from ancient times. For example, Seto do not say swear words, believing that this calls dark forces. There are no swear words in the Seto language, the worst word is kure, damn. They also have preserved wooden idols - Peko.
The charming hostess of the Malle estate will tell you about all this and the culture of the Seto people.

4. The Seto were mainly farmers and practiced agriculture. Agricultural tools have been preserved on the territory of the estate.

5. This huge toothed circle is a horse-drawn flax mill. The flax mill was made by Seto men after seeing an advertising picture in a German magazine.

6. This is how the flax mill worked.

7. Let's go into the house. Life was simple and modest. In the women's part of the house there was always a loom; all the girls knew how to knit mittens, weave and embroider.

8. Pagan motifs were used in embroidery. The red color protected from evil spirits and the evil eye.

9. A hanging cradle, a simple bed, photographs of the estate’s residents on the walls.

10. Women's jewelry was made from silver, mainly from coins. In the center of Malle's chest hangs a fibula, a traditional silver decoration. The total weight of jewelry on a woman could be several kilograms.

11. In our presence, Malle prepared a traditional dish of the Seto people - warm cheese - with stories. It is prepared from milk and cottage cheese. It turns out to be a very tasty and nutritious dish.

Photographs cannot convey a special conversation; here video comes to our aid. Watch this short video, hear, see, and at the same time find out where the expression “like cheese rolling in butter” came from.

12. It is very important that while preparing food no one even accidentally says bad words, otherwise the food will not be tasty.

13. The Seto try to preserve their culture; they hold the “Setommaa” festival. Family Meetings”, which is attended by guests from neighboring Estonia. About 10,000 Seto people live there. One of the customs is the selection of King Seto.

14. We visited a very interesting place. If you are in the Pskov region or somewhere nearby, be sure to visit this estate, you won’t regret it.

Thank you Malle for your hospitality!

Tour partners in the Pskov region:

Russia Russia: 214 (2010), 197 (2002)

• • Pskov region :
    123 (2010); 172 (2002)
  • Krasnoyarsk region Krasnoyarsk region :
    75 (2010); 7 (2002)
  • Leningrad region Leningrad region :
    4 (2010); 2 (2002)
  • Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg:
    3 (2010); 5 (2002)
  • Moscow Moscow:
    2 (2010); 3 (2002)
  • Khakassia Khakassia:
    2 (2010)

Number and settlement

It is difficult to establish the exact number of Setos, since this ethnic group, not included in the lists of peoples living in Russia and Estonia, has undergone strong assimilation; an approximate estimate of the number is 10 thousand people. In population censuses, Setos usually recorded themselves as Estonian and Russian.

Largest quantity Setu (34 people) lived in the city of Pechory in 2002.

According to the results of the 2002 population census, out of 172 setos in the Pskov region, 170 are in the Pechora district, including:

• 33 or 34 people lived in the city of Pechory (0.26% of 13,056 inhabitants),
• 13 (or 12) people in the village of Kachevo (46% of 28 inhabitants), 11 (or 10) people in the village of Lykovo (73% of 15), 0 or 7 people in the village of Ugarevo (0 or 33% of 21 inhabitants ); 5 (or 13) people in the village of Trofimkovo (38% of 13 or 52% of 25), 4 (or 6) people in the village of Vruda (100%), 3 (or 0) people in the village of Cheremnovo (33% of 9) , 2 (or 0) people in the village of Kerino (33% of 6) Panikovskaya volost (38 or 48 people in total),
• 10 (or 7) people in the village of Sokolovo (31% of 32), 6 (or 11) people in the village of Makhnovo (86% of 7 or 100% of 11) Novoizborsk volost (16 or 18 people in total),
• 14 people in the village of Podlesie (5% of 257 inhabitants); 0 or 10 people in the village of Zatrubye-Lebedy (0 or 24% of 42 residents); 9 people in the village of Koshelki (30% of 30), 0 or 7 people in the village of Gorokhovo (0 or 23% of 30); 6 (or 4) people in the village of Rysevo (40% of 15), 4 (or 7) people in the village of Grabilovo (80% of 5 or 100% of 7), 4 or 7 people in the village of Smolnik (40% of 10), 3 (or 0) people in the village of Mitkovitskoye Zagorye (50% of 6), 2 (or 0) people in the village of Demidovo (100% of 2), 2 (or 0) people in the village of Sorokino (67% out of 3), 2 (or 0) people in the village of Indovino (67% of 3), 1 (or 0) person in the village of Kherkovo (50% of 2) as part of the urban settlement of Pechory (total 33 ( or 58) people in the territory of the former Pechora volost and 64 (or 92) people in the new (since 2005) boundaries of the urban settlement of Pechora). Most of the Seto youth moved to Estonia.

Origin

The origin of the Seto is controversial among scientists. Some of them believe that the Setos are the descendants of the Estonians who fled from the Livonian yoke to the Pskov land; others believe that the Setos formed by the mid-19th century on the basis of the Chud substrate, including later Estonian settlers who converted to Orthodoxy. There is also an opinion according to which the Seto represent the remnant of an autochthonous ethnic group - once as independent as the Livs, Vods, and Izhorians. Finally, the theory according to which Estonians and Setos equally go back to the ancient miracle, which the Slavs encountered during their exploration of the northwestern lands, is becoming increasingly widespread future Russia(this theory is supported by the presence in the Seto culture of a powerful layer of pagan elements in the complete absence of elements of Lutheranism).

Historical migrations

In the middle of the 19th century, the number of Setos was estimated at 9 thousand people, of which about 7 thousand lived within the Pskov province. Rapid population growth led to the fact that the number of Setos by 1890 was estimated at 12–13 thousand people. The first and only population census in the Russian Empire in 1897 revealed the number of Setos at 16.5 thousand people.

IN late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century, part of the Setos left the area of ​​traditional settlement and took part in the migration movement to the east, founding several colonies in the Perm province and east of Krasnoyarsk (in 1918 there were 5-6 thousand Setos in the Yenisei province).

Language

Culture and religion

For several centuries, having accepted and observed the rituals of Orthodoxy, the Setos did not have a translation of the Bible. The Russians who lived nearby did not consider the Setos to be full-fledged Christians, calling them “half-believers”; often this name acted as an ethnonym.

The Seto house-building is characterized by a Pskov closed courtyard with high gates; later, two-chamber (and then multi-chamber) houses with a glazed veranda became widespread. Setu settlers brought this type of house to Siberia.

Traditional folk costume Setu was significantly different from the costume of other Estonian groups and included elements of Russian clothing. Women wore a long-sleeve shirt and a slanted sundress, while men wore a Russian kosovorotka. Characteristic is the abundance of knitted woolen items (socks, gloves, mittens) with two-color (white and brown) geometric patterns.

Names

Like the names of representatives of most modern European nations, they consist of two main elements: a personal name and a surname, which appeared without exception during Russian inventories of the early 19th century. The Seto name traditions were greatly influenced by the border influence of Orthodoxy, Russian language and culture, the border nature of the settlement of the people and their divided status. Thus, according to a 1999 survey, the majority of Setos in the Russian Federation born before 1920 had Russian names and surnames. Between 1920-1934, all Seto lands became part of the Republic of Estonia. During this period, Seto continued to be given to their children Orthodox names, but, given the fact that in the conditions of the closure of many Russian schools, their children received education in Estonian ones, Estonian names became widespread among the Setos during this period. After the dictatorship of Päts was established in the country, forced Estonianization of all Seto names and surnames began in Estonia.

see also

Notes

1. Setomaa.Pskovgrad.ru
2. The Seto people are under the care of UNESCO
3. National composition of the population of the Russian Federation // Information materials on the final results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census on the website of the Federal State Statistics Service. (Retrieved December 27, 2011)
4. National composition of Russian regions // All-Russian Population Census 2010.
5. All-Russian Population Census 2002 (undefined) . Retrieved December 24, 2009. Archived August 21, 2011.
6. Microdatabase of the All-Russian Population Census 2010
7. Data from the 2002 All-Russian Population Census: table 02c, 34r-Pskov M.: federal Service state statistics, 2004. (

Publications in the Traditions section

Vanishing peoples of Russia. Seto

With the advent of modern civilization, there is an active assimilation of people of different cultures.

Many nationalities are gradually disappearing from the face of the earth. Few of their representatives try to preserve and pass on the traditions and customs of their people.

Thanks to them, the life history of the indigenous population of Russia reveals its secrets - useful and instructive, which have not lost their relevance to this day.

Seto in the Pechersky district of the Pskov region

The first historical mention of the people was recorded in the Pskov Chronicle of the 12th century. The Finno-Ugric people, also called “Seto”, “Pskov Chud”, “half-believers”, settled in the Pechora district of the Pskov region and in surrounding areas. One of the tribes inhabited the vicinity of Lake Pskov-Peipus. Today, most of the Seto - about 10 thousand - live in Estonia. There are 214 of them left on the territory of Russia (according to the 2010 All-Russian Census). Estonians have never treated them as an independent people. In the 1920s, the mass Estonization of Seto began. The Russians sometimes called the place where the Seto lived Setukesia.

The only activity that the Seto people tried to avoid was fishing. On the water - as their songs say - not only men catch fish, but also fish of men. When a fisherman went fishing, he always had to take funeral clothes with him, and left those crying at home. When the farmer went to the field, the singers remained at home. Joy reigned in the upper room. Therefore the basis economic activity Seto consisted of arable farming and animal husbandry. Like the Russians, the Seto grew grains and flax among industrial crops. They raised cattle, sheep, pigs, and kept poultry.

From the archives of the Seto National Museum

Girl with a spinning wheel

At the entrance to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery (1941)

The appearance of Seto villages depended on the natural landscape and the distribution of not very fertile arable land. Farm settlements consisted of houses built in three rows. Ordinary houses, divided into two rooms (a “clean” yard and a yard for livestock), resembled a kind of fortress. Courtyard They were surrounded on all sides by buildings, high fences and gates.

The settlements were located interspersed with the Krivichi Slavs. The delimitation of land led to a sparse dispersal of residents. Despite the oppression, the Seto did not lose optimism and cheerfulness, greeting each new day with songs.

Seto women have their own song for every occasion. With songs, they feed domestic animals, prepare dinner, fetch water and work in the fields. A girl had to know at least a hundred songs to get married. Otherwise future husband could consider her a bad housewife. At traditional Seto festivals, impromptu songwriting is still practiced with the participation of guests.

In the 15th century, when the Pskov-Pechora Monastery was created, the Chud converted to Orthodoxy. The Seto perceived Christianity and pagan beliefs as a single whole, capable of helping and giving vitality. Their Russian neighbors called them “half-believers.”

They go to church and observe Christian customs, but in order to maintain connections with the outside world they do not cease to honor their ancient gods. On Yanov (Midsummer) day, after attending a service, the Seto worshiped the sacrificial stone, asking for health. Sculpture of St. On holidays, Nicholas of Myra in the church was surrounded by tubs of butter and cottage cheese, covered with flatbreads so that the statue itself was not visible. The lips of the statue were smeared with butter and cottage cheese - “fed”, just like their pagan idols. During major church festivals, the Seto attend services, but they also do not stop honoring their main god of fertility, Peko. They glorify holy natural places and signs that are important to local residents. By folk legend, Peko’s parents are Seto, his godparents are the Mother of God and Christ, and his burial is located in the dungeons of the Pechersky Monastery.

Original Seto weddings, with the participation of all relatives, lasted three days. On the wedding day, a ritual was carried out for the bride to separate from her family and join her husband’s family. The death of girlhood was like funeral ceremony. The young woman was planted under the images and symbolically transported to the “other world.” Guests and relatives approached the girl. They drank to health and put money on a nearby dish. Soon the groom's retinue arrived, led by his groomsmen. The groom, with a whip or staff in his hands, led the bride, covered with a sheet, out of the house. The wedding procession went to the church on sleighs or carts. The bride traveled with her parents separately from the groom. After the wedding, the newlyweds returned together.

Festive procession of the bride and groom

Seto Girl (1930)

In the museum-estate of the Seto people in the village of Sigovo

In most cases, it was customary for the Seto to get married on Friday and to have a wedding on Sunday. At a “secular wedding,” guests gave gifts to the newlywed. She, in turn, gave gifts to the groom's relatives, confirming her entry into a new family. Then the newlyweds were escorted to the wedding bed in the cell. After the morning ritual of waking up the newlyweds, the girl's hair was styled as befits a married woman. They put on a special headdress and presented her with attributes corresponding to her new status - wife. The young people were taken to the bathhouse. From that moment on, festive festivities began with jokes and practical jokes. All Seto rituals were accompanied by songs telling about what was happening at the holiday. Ritual lamentations were an expression of the feelings of those present.

Seto national clothing has survived to this day. It is dominated by the contrast of black, white and red. The beauty of the clothes was generally recognized among Estonians and Russians. Seto constantly wore “their clothes” until the 60s of the last century. Then they changed it to Estonian and partly Russian. Women used a very complex technique for creating exquisite textiles, which they mastered from childhood. Women's holiday costumes could not do without a large number of metal decorations. Among the silver chains and monist, the sylg (or suur sylg - large fibula) stood out - a massive metal circle with an image of the egg of the world and the sun in the center. When moving, the decorations began to jingle, announcing the passage of a woman along the street long before her appearance. It was believed that the ringing of silver scared away evil spirits. According to Mare Piho, a researcher from Estonia, among married Seto women the weight of jewelry reached 5–6 kg.

Numerous Seto tales and legends have survived to this day. The stories were related to local sacred stones, granite crosses, chapels, springs, burial grounds, miraculous icons and the history of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. For example, the legend about a man who tried to use the Ivanov stone for household needs. Or about the hero Kornil, who, after cutting off his head by Ivan the Terrible, took it in his hands, “came to the monastery and went to bed.” Thanks to the special rhetorical gift of the storytellers, it was fairy tales that were most popular among the Seto people.

Exposition of the museum-estate of the Seto people

Tatyana Nikolaevna Ogareva

Festival “Setomaa. Family meetings"

Now many Seto continue to preserve old customs, such as religion, song culture, ritual traditions, crafts are being revived, churches hold services in the Seto language, and programs have been created to establish agriculture and develop territories.

In the village of Sigovo there are state museum-the Seto estate is the only state Seto museum in Russia and a private museum of the Seto people, created by the St. Petersburg music teacher, devotee of Seto history and culture Tatyana Nikolaevna Ogareva. Almost 20 years ago, on the advice of old-timers, alarmed by the extinction of their people, she began collecting items from nearby villages for display. Recently there was a presentation of the book by T.N. Ogareva “Ethnographic notes from the life of Seto peasants.” It contains articles, speeches in the society of local historians, reports at scientific and practical conferences at the Izborsk Museum-Reserve, and memories of old-timers.

Tatyana Nikolaevna Ogareva says: “The Seto fell under the general Stalinist deportation of the Baltic states, they were exiled to the Krasnoyarsk Territory - there is still a village of Seto survivors there. But under any blows, they retained some kind of noble leaven: perseverance, kindness, decency. They were incredibly hardworking, working together, selflessly. They lived up to 80 years old... After the war, everyone was forced into a collective farm, only in it people received the right to sow bread, potatoes, vegetables on their land for their family. And the grain was ground in a mortar, since every single miller was driven to Siberia. Already in our time, one miller named Ratsev returned and restored the mill, but with electricity, not a water one.”

The festival “Setomaa” is held annually in Sigovo. Family meetings." In addition to the musical and folklore part, it sits round table on issues of preserving the culture of the Seto people. In 2014, 2.8 million rubles were allocated for activities to support the Seto people. Of these, about 400 thousand rubles come from the federal budget. According to the vice-governor of the Pskov region Viktor Ostrenko, “Seto is provided with assistance in solving socio-demographic problems, an in-depth clinical examination is organized, Seto families with children are provided material aid, single elderly members of the people receive targeted assistance.” A unique way of life and a different view of the world from others forced this nation to stay apart. Interethnic marriages were very rare, which, in turn, helped preserve the Seto culture.

Film from the series “Russia, my love! Spiritual world Seto", 2013