Komi-Permians: what kind of people are they, where and how they live, language and religion

Who are Komi-Permians?

Komi-Permians
Komi-Permians

Komi-Permyaks are a people belonging to the Finno-Ugric ethnic group who live in the northwest of the Perm Territory and part of the Kirov region.

Komi-Permians are descendants of the ancient Permian tribes that inhabited these lands long before the Russians developed the territories. They have their language, traditions, and rich culture.

About 56,000 Permian Komi are in Russia, of whom 50,000 live in the Perm Region. The capital of the Permian Komi District is Kudymkar. Other cities: Perm, Berezniki, Chusovoy, Kungur, Krasnokamsk.

In addition to the Komi-Permyaks, the Komi-Zyryans, a related people, live in Russia, most of whom inhabit the territory of the Komi Republic. Researchers are arguing about their ethnic proximity. Some scientists divide them into independent ethnic groups. Others argue that they are a single people divided into two branches solely on geographical grounds.

History

As an ethnic group, Komi-Permians began to form in the middle of the 1st millennium AD. Their ancestors were the tribes that inhabited the Urals in the 7th–15th centuries in the upper reaches of the Kama River. Items belonging to them were found in large numbers on the territory now part of the Perm Region.

In ancient times, Komi-Permians maintained close contact with the ancestors of the Mansi people, who lived side by side in the Urals and with the Turkic Muslims who inhabited Volga Bulgaria in the Lower Kama Region and the Middle Volga region.

Since the 11th century, armed detachments from the Novgorod volost have entered the territory of the Komi-Permyaks, who came for furs and tribute. The Novgorodians’ influence began to grow, and over time, the territories along the Upper Kama River began to be considered part of the Novgorod lands. Later, the Rostov-Suzdal and Moscow princes began to claim them, and in 1472, the area officially became part of the Russian state.

The appearance of Komi-Permyaks

Permian Komi are of the Caucasian race and, due to centuries of assimilation with Russians, are very similar to them in appearance.

These are primarily people below average height with weak builds. Their hair is blond, light brown, or reddish. Their faces are wide, and their eyes are mostly gray. They also have a peculiar nose shape—as a rule, it is short and slightly upturned.

The Komi-Permyakov language

The Komi-Permian language belongs to the Permian group of the Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family. It is the official language in the district and is widely used for everyday communication. As a rule, native speakers of the Permian Komi language are also fluent in Russian.

In the Permian Komi District, the native language is included in the school curriculum and studied from the first to the eighth grades. Local radio stations broadcast on it, and newspapers and books are published there. Language is also used when organizing cultural events, such as staging performances or festivals.

Despite all efforts to preserve and popularize the Permian Komi language in the region, it is spoken less and less frequently. Young people are more likely to use Russian for communication, and the level of knowledge of the national language is decreasing. As of 2020, it was spoken by about 41,500 people in Russia.

The Komi-Permian alphabet is called “ Anbur”. It has 35 letters. Unlike Russian, there is a letter “ö..” It is pronounced as something between the Russian “e” and “e.” Similar in sound will be the pronunciation of the vowel in the words “mayor” and “sir” or the vowel sound in the English word “girl.”

Culture and way of life of Komi-Permyaks

Komi-Permyak culture is unique and diverse. It began more than a thousand years ago and combines the heritage of ancient original rituals with elements borrowed from the Russians, Udmurt, and other peoples.

The Komi-Permians’ ancestors were mainly engaged in hunting, fishing, and various crafts. Later, they mastered agriculture and salt making and learned how to mine and process metal.

Traditions

Traditions
Traditions

Honoring ancestors

Veneration of ancestors. Komi-Permians have great respect for deceased relatives. They regularly visit cemeteries and hold memorial evenings. Such evenings are divided into individual ones, which are determined within a year after a particular person’s death, and general ones for all deceased relatives. The latter are associated with Orthodox holidays.

The cult of fire

It is considered the main symbol of the hearth, a protector from diseases, and a source of heat, light, and food.

Previously, when settling into a new house, the first fire in the furnace was either moved from the previous dwelling or extracted by friction without matches and other auxiliary objects. The ritual symbolized the beginning of a new, happy life and protection from evil spirits.

In addition, the hunters performed the rite of “feeding” the fire and throwing bread crumbs into the flame before starting the meal. When extinguished, the fire was filled with water and never trampled underfoot. It was also forbidden to spit into the fire. According to the belief, those who dare to do this will get scabs on their lips.

The rituals associated with the cult of fire persisted until the 20th century. It’s not as pronounced now as it used to be, but the villagers have some remnants, expressed in the furnace’s veneration. After all, according to Komi-Permian values, the stove is the center of the house, giving warmth and food.

There is a cult of water

People believe it cleanses the body and soul, has healing properties, and protects against spoilage and the evil eye.

Previously, when they came into contact with this element, they asked for forgiveness for their concern and threw flowers, blades of grass, colored threads, or coins into the water as a thank you.

Nowadays, some fishermen continue to greet the reservoir before starting to fish and make gestures imitating a handshake. During the ice break, people go to the water to wash their faces. It is believed that this will protect against eye diseases.

Using passes

Passes are special marks and signs that act as amulets. They were used to denote personal, family, and ancestral property or to determine marital status. Passes could be placed on houses, boats, weapons, household items, pets, clothes, shoes, and hats. People believed they protected them from misfortune and brought them health and good luck. Nowadays, not everyone knows about passes, and not everyone knows how to interpret them.

Holidays

Most Komi-Permians profess Christianity and celebrate Orthodox holidays: Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, etc. However, some have been preserved besides the Orthodox ones since pagan times. Let’s talk about some of them.

Vasiliev Day

This holiday is celebrated on the night of January 14 and is rooted in the cult of ancestors, folk traditions, and observation of natural phenomena. Today, folk festivals are organized with songs, dances, rituals, and fortune-telling. On the eve of January 13, it is customary to cook lamb and beef bones. Jelly and pastries are prepared for the festive table.

Kuzma and Demyan’s day

The holiday began at the beginning of winter and was dedicated to the healers who helped treat many diseases. Girls especially revered this holiday, as it was believed that Kuzma and Demyan were the patrons of a married couple. On this day, the girls gathered in one hut and prepared treats. Then, the guys were invited, and the young people walked until morning.

Kuzma and Demyan’s Day is still celebrated today, but it is now better known as “Kuzminki autumn.” It takes place on November 14 and symbolizes the beginning of winter.

Of course, traditional folk festivals are not held everywhere or on the same scale as before. However, thanks to the knowledge and beliefs passed down from generation to generation, as well as the activities of public organizations, modern residents have the opportunity to touch history and learn more about the customs of their ancestors.

Folklore

Kudym Osh
Kudym Osh

Over millennia, Komi-Permians have formed a rich folklore heritage. Let’s discuss some of the characters.

Kudym-Osh

The leader, priest, famous hero, and national hero of the Komi-Permian folk epic. Translated into Russian, his name means “Kudym, the bear.” According to legend, Kudym-Osh was very tall and possessed supernatural powers. For example, he could cause a storm on the river to drive away enemies and was also invulnerable in battle.

In the cycle of legends about Kudym-Osh, the key moment is his matchmaking and marriage to the Mansi Princess Kostya. Kudym-Osh goes to the princess on the advice of the witch Potys (Chikysh), who wants him dead.

Poludnitsa

The spirit of the field and the patroness of crops is depicted as a woman with a red-hot frying pan in her hands. According to legend, she appears in the fields during the ripening of crops and protects the harvest from the scorching midday sun by covering the plants with a frying pan.

However, there are legends about the evil noon hour, which, on the contrary, spoils the harvest by cauterizing the ears with a hot frying pan. In this version, the spirit is dangerous to people, especially children. Since Noon does not want the children to trample on the harvest, she lures them into the fields and makes them wander for a long time in search of a home.

Vöris’

In Russian folklore, a woodworm is a goblin. He is the rightful master of the forest and is often depicted as a tall man without eyebrows. All animals and birds obey his will. The woodworm can transform into any plant, animal, or bird. He moves in the form of a whirlwind and can kidnap girls and throw them off the roofs of people who are guilty in front of him.

It is believed that the goblin likes to joke and scare people: he can scatter haystacks, freeze sleighs in winter, or lure travelers into the forest so that they get lost.

The neighbor’s brownie

Susedko is a spirit of home space that can both patronize and harm. For Susedko to help, it is necessary to appease him and leave treats, such as bread with salt or sweets. The usual activities of a brownie include taking care of the house and pets, spinning, making bread, and sifting flour.

The spirit is considered invisible to humans, but people sometimes sense it. He often betrays his presence by sounds: he can creak floors, wash dishes, or hide objects.

Dwellings

dwellings
dwellings

The traditional dwelling of Komi-Permyaks is a chopped hut made of pine logs called a jerk. Such houses have no foundation, but they have a basement—the lower floor of an apartment building—used for household needs. This floor was built high in the north and low in the south.

The layout of the huts was similar to that of Central Russia. Generally, there were three or four windows along the facade and two on the side. The dwellings were decorated with geometric carvings and figurines of horses and birds.

Kerka was divided into winter and summer parts, which combined a standard canopy. Part of the house was equipped with a cattle yard.

Kerks were built according to this principle until the beginning of the 20th century. Gradually, the layout began to change, and some of the characteristic features of a traditional dwelling began to disappear. For example, new materials can now be used for construction, windows have a standard shape with modern buildings, the kitchen is allocated to a separate room, and the entrance is designed as a glazed veranda.

National costume

National Costume
National Costume

The men’s costume

It consisted of a shirt and trousers. The shirts were long and made of white canvas, coarse linen, or cotton fabric. The sleeves, collar, and hem were decorated with red stripes; instead of buttons, the collar had ties. The shirt was worn over trousers. Trousers were sewn from hard canvas, blue linen, or cotton striped with white, and a narrow braided belt served as a belt.

The women’s costume

Women wore a white or colored canvas shirt with long sleeves and a round collar. Over the shirt, they wore slant-length sundresses, which were belted with braided belts and fringes at the ends. They also wore a colored or white apron. In winter, zips were worn as outerwear—ancient peasant clothing such as a caftan sewn from coarse homemade cloth. Fur coats and sheepskin coats were also worn.

Nowadays, Komi-Permians practically do not wear national costumes, but they wear modern clothes. But there are exceptions. For example, traditional outfits are still worn in villages; this is especially common among the Old Believers. Folklore groups also use them during folk festivals and theatrical productions.

National dishes

Pelnyani
Pelnyani

Fishing, hunting, farming, and gathering herbs, mushrooms, and berries are the main occupations of Komi-Permians. They influenced the formation of the national cuisine.

Hot dishes were cooked in the oven: soups, porridge, stewed vegetables, and pies. Special attention was paid to salted mushrooms and sauerkraut. Pickles were served as a cold appetizer before the start of the meal. For example, mushrooms can be seasoned with sour cream or vegetable oil, sprinkled with cranberries, and served with boiled potatoes.

These dishes are still popular among Komi-Permians, and representatives of the people living in the villages are still often cooked in the oven. However, in the past, meat was mainly used for filling festive pies and stewing cereals in the oven. Modern Komi-Permian cuisine includes a variety of meat and poultry dishes.

Popular dishes include the following.

Pelmeni

The word “Pelmeni” in Russian means “bread ear.” They are often made from lean dough with mushroom filling, but there are also options with meat, vegetables, and fish.

Bakery products

Komi-Permian pastries use thin dough and lots of filling. Pies can be open and closed, sweet and not. Separately, the posikunchiki — small fried pies made from lean dough is worth noting. The dish is so popular in the region that it is one of the gastronomic symbols of Perm and the surrounding area. Find out why else you should visit this city.

Porridge of pistachios

Pistachios are young shoots of horsetail. They were harvested in the spring and harvested for the winter to be used in the preparation of various traditional dishes. Porridge and other dishes, with the addition of pistachios, can now be tasted in cafes and national cuisine restaurants in the cities of Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug.

Yrosh

This is oatmeal kvass, which is prepared for okroshka. The recipe for Komi-Permyak okroshka includes finely chopped boiled mushrooms, and the dressing is made from sour cream and mustard.

The religion of the Komi-Permyaks

Before the adoption of Christianity, Komi-Permians were pagans and believed in spirits. People deified natural phenomena and endowed some animals and trees with magical properties.

Komi-Permians believed in mermaids, goblins, brownies, and other magical creatures. They also believed spoilage was an unclean spirit that sorcerers grew in birch bark boxes and let loose on a person during sleep.

The region’s population was Christianized in the XVI-XVII centuries. Nowadays, Permian Komi mostly adheres to the Orthodox faith, but there are also Old Believers. It is noteworthy that regardless of religion, customs related to reverence for nature and respect for ancestors have been preserved in the culture.

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