Cossack and Cossack woman: typical images in the traditional culture of the Don Cossacks. History and ethnology

Rastaturin Vyacheslav Ivanovich student of the Institute of Arts of ASU

In the soul of every person, depending on his age and life experience, there are always some shrines, the most intimate and revered images and truths that are filled with the most important meaning for him and are a kind of guide. Perhaps the first such shrine that each of us discovers for ourselves is the image of the MOTHER, the feminine principle.

History tells us that mankind created and developed high civilizations only when and where the woman was not humiliated, and where she took an active part in the government of the people and in the construction of life. Looking at the history of our country, we can say with confidence that the Cossacks asserted themselves with powerful human characters. On the banks of the Cossack rivers, geniuses of courage and deed were born from time to time, and this, first of all, is the merit of the Cossack mothers - the educators of the formidable Cossacks of the past. Very little in our time is said about the glorious Cossack mothers, about the Cossack woman, on whom the image of Cossack life has long laid the main responsibility for the well-being of the Cossack family. “Very often on TV screens you can see a woman, a girl, a future wife, a mother in a simplified, unflattering form - either in the role of a “boxer” jumping around the ring and kicking one another, or in the role of a “fighter” in hand-to-hand combat, or in the role of such a “ Rambo" in camouflage on a horse with a lasso ...

Indeed, “the heart shrinks”, seeing how this sweet gentle creature treats its girlfriend with slaps and kicks, and sees its role in the revival of the Cossacks in running, crawling, shooting and sitting on a horse of the famous breed. To put this as the basis for the revival of the image of a Cossack - a future wife, mother, you see, would be too simplistic, and inappropriate. We must move away from empty and idle spending time. Such an image of a Cossack woman is far from the realities of the past. There is no need for such “activists” at the microphone with declarations and appeals.

Yes, in the past, a Cossack woman more than once had to participate in hostilities in a role inherent in female nature: assisting the wounded, caring for them, escorting vehicles with weapons, shells, food, taking the wounded and killed to the village, but she remained in a combat situation woman. And it is a mistake to understand the participation of Cossack women in hostilities while protecting their children, the hut and the village in the role of a female warrior, rushing on a horse with a saber, or with a rifle at the ready, going on the attack. Although there have been such “absurdities” in history. In historical records, we find many examples of the exploits of the Cossacks: 800 women, together with the Cossacks, fought off the attacks of the Turks in Azov in 1642. The Cossack women took an active part in repelling the attacks of the highlanders and Tatars on the villages and towns.

History has preserved the names of Cossack women who accomplished personal feats: the heroine of the Caucasian War, Maria Platova, known in Europe from the old engravings “The Cossack Bride”, “Ulyanka”, the heroine of the novel by P.N. Krasnova, "Everything passes" in the Kuban; Elena Chob, awarded two St. George's crosses and four medals; Rimma Ivanova, sister of mercy - St. George Cross.

The history of the Cossacks is filled with many names with examples of the fearless character of the Cossacks, but to a greater extent, the Cossacks showed themselves in the areas inherent in the woman-mother: science, culture, medicine, pedagogy, art. History has preserved such names of Cossack women as: the famous artist V.V. Krasnushkina, A.I. Mendeleeva (nee Popova), actresses of state theaters T.I. Stepanova, O.M. Smirnova, L.I. Filippova, V.Ya. Elanskaya (Ponachevnaya), leading surgeon M.I. Kosonogova, writer L.K. Potanina, O.V. Omelchenko and others.

The Ukrainian Cossacks received special fame in history. There are a lot of them, only a few names can be mentioned for information: Razumikha, the ancestor of the family of Count Razumovsky; Obolonskaya - the godfather of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the "lioness" of the St. Petersburg high society, Countess Orlova-Denisova, Maria Chukhrai - Ukrainian poetess of the 17th century, countess from the Cossack family Daria Denisova, daughters of Count Platov, etc.

“The Cossack was permanently in the service for dozens of years, and the Cossack mother raised the future heroes herself: Krasnoshchekov, Platov, Baklanov, Borodin, Beskrovny, Kukharenko, Golovaty. And if you write a biography of a brave Cossack, you can’t help but mention his mother, grandmother, who saved the entire household with their hard hard work, raised their children in faith in the higher, love for their native land, brought them up as real Cossacks. "The beauty of the Cherkasy daughters" M.K. Efremova, wife of the glorious ataman S.A. Efremov, opened children's schools, oversaw the upbringing of children, built monasteries for widows and lonely old women. Grandmother Kudinova taught reading and writing in the childhood of the hero of the Caucasus Baklanov according to the “book of hours”. "Officers" - Cossack women in the villages and cities had private boarding houses at home - schools for children, contributed to enlightenment among the Cossack masses. Ataman Platov, returning from a foreign campaign (1812 - 1815), in his address to all the Don Cossacks, thanked them, "bowing low" for the fact that these years, when the entire male population was at war, they were all "domestic". ". So it was in subsequent years, and if someone then had a chicken in order, and the economy was in abundance, and the children went to school - praise the Cossack woman.

If in the image of a Cossack history captured such properties as dashing, courage and eternal fearlessness, then in the image of a Cossack woman - a strong indomitable temper, efficiency, devotion to the family hearth. This is a faithful, devoted wife, a caring mother and an economical hostess. Centuries of constant combat anxieties of a semi-nomadic military lifestyle have developed in the Cossack woman fearless determination and the ability to maintain presence of mind in moments of unexpected danger. She knew how to worthily stand with the Cossacks in arms to protect her children, the hut and the village. And, despite all this, she did not lose the main features inherent in the weaker sex: femininity, cordiality, coquetry, love for outfits. Probably, like no one else, the saying of the ancients applies to the Cossack woman: "A woman comes into the world to glorify it with her beauty, maternal kindness and love."

The authors, not without reason, did not skimp on the beauty and appearance of the Cossack woman, and even now they do not skimp on compliments, noting such features in her external appearance as harmony, flexibility, a thin figure, beautiful facial features in which Slavic features are mixed with Gorsko -steppe.

The whole appearance of a Cossack woman is full of grace and charm, and the first thing that is seen in a Cossack woman is speed and agility in actions and deeds. The famous Don historian of the Cossacks V.D. Sukhorukov described the Cossack women with admiration: “Imagine the beauties of luxurious Asia, the features of Circassians, Turkish women, Tatars, Russians mixed together and then you will get a general idea of ​​the beauty of the inhabitants of the Don. Fiery black eyes, cheeks full of fresh life, the greatest neatness and cleanliness in clothes. They, like all women, loved outfits, blushed when they went out to visit or go to church.

By the way society treats a woman, what position she occupies in it, one can judge the nature of society itself. This corresponds to the nature of the socio-political formations of groups of Cossacks. The originality of their social structure, features of life and culture left an indelible imprint on the Cossack woman, whose place and role in social and cultural life and whose special legal status has always aroused interest. Special beauty, strength of character, free way of life in serf Russia made the Cossacks extraordinary women, they were sung by poets and artists. Here is what the ethnographer Semyon Nomikosov writes in his “Statistical Description of the Region of the Don Cossacks” in 1884: “From a lazy and pampered woman of the Don, circumstances developed an energetic, courageous, strong and tireless work, which we know to this day. She knew how not to let the need into the house in the absence of a Cossack breadwinner, knew how to get bread and cattle, and knew how to save her property from steppe predators. The Don Cossack with the same skill managed with a pitchfork and a scythe, as with a gun or a saber. And further: “Cleanliness can compete with the famous Dutch cleanliness. A caring hostess did not allow a speck of dust or a mote to fall here. Such were the mothers and educators of the formidable Cossacks of old.

“... And there must be a lot of interesting things in the life of a Cossack! Still, this is not a people humbled like a peasant ... And what lively Cossack women. Here they know how to stand up for themselves, ”wrote Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. With the help of the word "brisk", i.e. efficient, dexterous, resourceful and fast, the author generally depicted all the Cossacks.

The family for the Cossack for several centuries has been the focus of moral and economic activity, the meaning of existence and support. The grandfather was the moral authority in the family, and the grandmother was the actual mistress. She got up before dawn and started the work for the whole day. She held all the management of the household in her hands, was in charge, as they say, of the keys to the whole house. Children remained under her supervision when father and mother worked in the field. The basis of any Cossack society is the family. The family and the community serve as the organizing principle in the spiritual life of the Cossacks. The family not only performs family functions (marriage, raising children, kindred community, unity of the budget, etc.), but is a collective. The family union in the Cossack population is highly respected. Respect for parents and older relatives is a characteristic feature of this union. Men and women are almost completely equal.

The Cossack woman, in the absence of her husband, who often weans from field work, by her activity, her experience in economic affairs, makes her husband involuntarily respect herself and wins for herself a value equal to him, and often more. The head of the family always remains the father, and in the event of his death, the headship passes to the mother. In the family, wives help their husbands, children help their parents.

Due to the peculiarities of military life, a special type of woman has historically developed - a tireless worker, boldly and energetically taking on all the labors of a man. Therefore, the saying about the Cossacks is understandable: "The glory of the Cossacks - but their life is like a dog." This woman has a sense of national pride and blood closeness to fellow tribesmen, self-esteem, along with respect for the human person and for elders. Free, not knowing the oppression of serfdom, closed houses, she consciously, as a full member of the family, gave her strength for her well-being and well-being. Cossacks could plow, sow, mow, thresh. In the Cossack family, the dear mother has always been sacredly revered by all family members.

The birth of a girl was not celebrated as widely and solemnly as a boy. It was quiet, fanned with prayerful joy. In honor of the birth of a girl, the father or grandfather planted a willow. The tree grew along with the one in whose honor it was planted. It seemed to take care of the newly appeared Cossack woman, keeping the secret of mutual trust. The atmosphere of kindness around the girl was considered obligatory, but there was no blind parental love, tenderness and indulgence in it. The girl brought constant warmth, kindness and affection to the house. From childhood, the girl developed femininity, thrift, patience, diligence and responsiveness. Therefore, from birth, she was brought up differently than a boy. From an early age, Cossack girls did laundry, mopped floors, put patches on and sewed on buttons. Learned to sew, embroider, knit. Their special concern was to nurse younger brothers and sisters.

“And I have no children, only girls,” says the Cossack story. So what was the root of the social, social and family inequality of men and women among the Cossacks?

1. Patriarchal traditions of the Cossacks. Women are deprived of the right to vote in the Cossack circle and in the family, and only in exceptional cases were allowed to gather.
2. Church traditions. It was believed that in the Temple a woman is silent.
3. State traditions in relation to the Cossacks. For the birth of a Cossack, the family received a family allotment (share) equal to 3 hectares of land on black soil, and in Siberia - up to 10 - 15 hectares of land per Cossack. The girl was not a burden, she was loved, but the state did not need her. A son was born - a holiday in the family. A daughter was born - to poverty. The Cossacks believed that raising a daughter is raising a worker for 20 years in someone else's hut. “Daughters to feed for people, and sons to feed for themselves.” The daughter was raised by her grandmother.

Grandmother prepared her granddaughter for life. And the first thing my grandmother taught was to pray. She began the upbringing of her granddaughter with a spiritual ascent, passed on to her the inherited experience of the people's community, conciliarity, which preserves, above all, examples of righteous behavior. Grandmother knew that kindness, tolerance, mutual forgiveness of insults, humility, obedience, respect for elders - all these are components of a moral circle that can ensure a strong family and prosperity in the future. And these moral categories gradually absorbed the girl's heart.

Work for the girl from an unconscious necessity quickly turned into something pleasant and natural, and therefore not noticed. The burden of labor increased gradually over the years. From the age of 4, the circle of responsibilities was already determined. At the age of 5, needlework skills were acquired. At the age of 7 - work in the garden and garden, cleaning the courtyard, because. cleanliness must be perfect. The semi-working age of a Cossack girl is from 10 years old. The eldest, according to custom, nursed the children, she was called a nanny. The girl did not have to study, she was taken away from school in the spring, when the sowing campaign began or when it was necessary to look after the younger ones. Work feasible for the girl alternated with games, the useful merged with the pleasant imperceptibly. The initial skills of sewing, knitting, embroidery were strengthened and developed in girls' games with dolls. Little craftswomen showed themselves as dressmakers, fashion designers, needlewomen. There were no dolls in village stores at that time. They were sewn themselves from rags and stuffed with straw or dry leaves. There was no Cossack woman who could not sew, cut, knit stockings, socks, lace, embroider towels, napkins, decorate shirts and sweaters with lace, quilt a blanket.

Especially the Cossacks were famous for their culinary talent. From generation to generation, the secrets of baking bread and other flour products were passed on to the Cossack woman from her mother and grandmother. Girls' holidays were celebrated in a narrow circle in the women's half of the house. Gifts literally rained down on the girl, because they knew that her life might not be a continuous holiday. Strictness in upbringing came from traditional moral principles. A girl should always be at work so as not to think about pranks. The eldest (grandfather or grandmother) was a deity in the family with a pointing finger. His commanding word of command and even punishment was never questioned. The girl grew up with the idea that she was the future mistress and mother, all her upbringing was subordinated to this. She was inspired that the most important thing is a calm soul and a pure heart, and happiness is a strong family and prosperity, an honest income. The Cossacks, sworn enemies of serfdom, did not marry the women of those peoples who had slavery, fearing that they would pass on to their generation the psychology of a slave. The free Cossack wanted his chosen one and friend of life to be also free. “Take a zhinka from the wild, and a Cossack from the Don and you will live without damage” ... The Cossacks were very proud of their origin and liked to repeat: “Don’t hurt, sore, I am a Cossack.” Girls avoided marriage with nonresidents. For a long time, the Cossacks did not have churches and priests. The marriage was simple. Historian V.D. Sukhorukov describes him this way: “The bride and groom, having agreed to marriage, came together to the meeting of the people (in the Circle) on the square or in the camp hut. Praying to God, they bowed on all four sides, and the bride, bowing at her feet, answered the groom, also calling him by name: “And you be my husband.” After these words, the newlyweds kissed each other and received congratulations from the entire assembly. This ended the whole ceremony. We also read there that divorce was also easy - the Cossack and his wife again came to the Maidan, the husband testified that she was a good wife, but there was no more love. And slightly pushed her away from him. After that, another bachelor had the right to cover her with a hollow zipuna, offering himself as a husband.

Starting from the 18th century, marriage in Cossack communities necessarily ends with a wedding in a church. A Cossack girl from the age of 18 was free in her personal choice of a husband. Her parents did not encroach on her will and did not betray her without her consent. Usually the Cossack family was populous with several married sons. Cossack women were equal regardless of nationality, since the Cossack woman was necessarily baptized. There could be no talk of any discrimination. Cossacks rarely offended their wives. In his memoirs about the Cossack life, I.G. Georgi wrote: “Among the Cossacks, husbands treat their wives more kindly than usual in Russia, and therefore they are more cheerful, livelier, more prudent and handsome.”

Cossacks won respect for themselves for a long time. The Cossack understood that his wife was the stronghold of the family, his face, the future of the family. The Cossacks had a "chivalrous" attitude towards the Cossacks. Ataman Platov in 1816, in an order for the Don Cossacks, wrote about the Cossacks: “Let their loyalty and zeal, and our gratitude to them, mutual respect and love, serve in the future as a rule for the behavior of Don wives.” The Cossack and even the ataman had no right to interfere in women's affairs. Her interests were father, husband, brother. But a single woman could choose for herself any intercessor from among the villagers. And the widow or orphan was under the personal care of the ataman and the council of the elderly. When talking with a woman in a circle, the Cossack had to stand up, and if she was elderly, take off his hat. Whoever the woman was, she had to be treated with respect and protected. Here is an illustrative example. In 1914, in the morning, a Cossack with a red flag galloped along the village of Otradnaya, announcing the war. By evening, the Khopersky regiment (one of the best and oldest regiments of the Kuban Cossack army) was already moving in a marching column to the gathering place, and the old men and women were accompanying the regiment. One of the women drove a horse harnessed to a cart and drove one side of the wheels across the landowner's field. One of the officers, known to the entire regiment by the name of Erdeli, rode up to the woman and whipped her for it. A Cossack rode out of the column and hacked him to death. Such were the Cossacks, so sacredly honored their customs. A respectful attitude towards a woman - mother, wife, sister determined the concept of the honor of a Cossack woman, the honor of a daughter, sister, wife. Defending, upholding her honor, the Cossack ensured the future of his people.

The cultural environment surrounds a person from childhood, in it he acquires moral strength, learns dignity and nobility, joins the history of his people. The established traditions in the upbringing of the Cossack girl formed a special type of women: free in choice, independent in actions and decisions. What kind of upbringing a person receives in childhood will play a huge role in his later life. From a young age it is necessary to accustom a child to good deeds, responsibility, restraint, decency, diligence, as our ancestors did.

The role and place of a Cossack woman in the family is socially significant: what is the wife, such is the house. She gathers everything together, nothing escapes her sight - children, land, cattle - everything that forms the basis of the lifestyle of the Cossack family. Her right to love is achieved by tireless work and touching care. Her natural, primordial femininity, an extraordinary reserve of will and self-control, her endless work in the household, her long-suffering, endurance, readiness not to break under the blows of fate - all this is for the sake of the future.

The uniqueness of the Cossack girl interested and will always interest creative people. Songs, films, poems, works of art - all this is a manifestation of interest in the image of a beautiful Cossack woman. Love for the native land is instilled through folk customs, traditions, culture. The main task of modern society is to prevent the disappearance of the culture of the Cossacks, to continue its development in future generations.

Notes:

1. Frolov P.Z. Pearl tear of a Cossack. Krasnodar. 1998.
2. Boychenko N.V. Cossack. What could be more beautiful? – Access mode: nttp://www.nsportal.ru/shkola kazachka-chto-mozhet-byt-krasivee, 2012.
3. Sukhorukov V.D. Dormitory of the Don Cossacks in the 17th and 18th centuries. Novocherkassk, 1892.
4. Skorik A.P. History essays. Rostov n / a, 1995.

Issues of Cossack history and culture: Issue 8 / M.E. Galetsky, N.N. Denisova, G.B. Luhansk; Kuban Association "Regional Festival of Cossack Culture"; Department of Slavic-Adyghe Cultural Relations of the Adyghe Republican Institute of Humanitarian Research named after A.I. T. Kerasheva. - Maikop: Publishing house "Magarin O.G.", 2012. - 220 p.

It is known that the Cossacks are the same Russians, but the description of the Cossacks by the classics, by Sholokhov, haunts me. They are so bright, proud, fearless. Among acquaintances there is only one Cossack. Originally from somewhere in Saratov, and came to Moscow right after school. Punching. Not to say that the beauty, but interesting. And the gait is very even, posture. Everything he says, does, everything is very sincere. Often laughs and rarely sad. And she has a dime a dozen boyfriends! And she does not just allow herself to be looked after, she walks with them. She has everything that moves, if, of course, one can say so about a woman)) She had a lot of lovers, now there is only one left (this despite the fact that she also has a husband). Everyone loves her, they are ready to follow her to the ends of the world. In short, I look at her and admire - I will never be like that (And she also loves neckerchiefs from clothes very much. Even in summer she wears them all the time. They suit her very much. I don’t know, maybe it’s just fashionable with them, among the Cossacks. Or maybe , I'm lagging behind fashion) Do you have any familiar Cossack women? What can you say about their appearance and character? Do you think they are very different from other girls and women?

A drop of iodine

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1. Given the current demographic situation in the country and the need

A wider involvement of all segments of the population in patriotic work and implementing Decrees and Resolutions of the President and the Government on strengthening military-patriotic work, as well as similar trends in the countries of a potential enemy and the emancipation of society, consider it expedient to involve women, tribal Cossacks, and also Cossacks - by persuasion to registry service in the Cossack troops.

2. Women who have reached the age of 18 are involved in the registered Cossack service, strictly on a voluntary basis, with their consent and petitions submitted in full compliance with the Cossack rules, traditions, laws and customs (in the Junker Corps, the age limit, according to the Regulations on the Corps, may be reduced to 16 years of age).

3. However, the Regulations on the status of the Cossacks for women require a separate clarification:

In the Cossack structures, independent female Cossack units (department, platoon, company, etc.) are formed, which can also be included in the main regiments;

Female formations can be led by male Cossacks, in this case

Only a woman can be his deputy;

Cossack women can attend the Circle only with the consent of the Council of Atamans (Ataman) or the Council of Old Men (Chairman of the Council of Old Men);

Note: In case of corporal punishment, women are required to leave the hall, with the exception of - Initiation into atamans.

On the Circle, the Cossacks are placed, as in a church, apart from the left side (if you look at the Altar).

On the Circle, they are required to wear headgear (beret, cap, cap, kubanka), depending on the uniform of the army (but not in headscarves).

Dress code - depending on the order of the ataman:

Front dress - with a skirt, trouser pair without stripes, camouflage.

Weapons - only with a pair of trousers in the line of duty: raids, sorties, exercises, patrols, etc.

4. On campaigns, the Cossacks act as part of their unit, spending the night and resting in separate tents and rooms.

5. Corporal punishment of Cossack women is strictly prohibited.

6. A woman - a Cossack can be elected chieftain, join the Board or other governing bodies.

When she is elected ataman, she is given ataman attributes of power: a mace, a whip and a seal.

7. Cossack women of registered troops must be able to shoot, use a whip, a saber, a dagger, hand-to-hand combat and self-defense techniques.

If possible, take equestrian training.

8. Women's sports standards, except for shooting, may be slightly lower than

In men.

9. Cossack women, on a par with men, take the Cossack Oath and receive the Blessing of a spiritual mentor.

10. In all other cases, for both sexes, the general Regulations on COSSACKS apply.

Approved by the Council of the Elders and the Council of Atamans.

The Central Headquarters of the SKK RO TsCh, KGKO "Protection of the Fatherland"

Ataman YuKK RO TsCh,

KGKO "Protection of the Fatherland"

Cossack Colonel Girichev N.A.

In the extreme conditions of frontier life, not only the character of a Cossack warrior was forged, but also a completely special type of woman - a Cossack woman. When we say that the Cossacks mastered and cultivated the vast expanses of the Don, Kuban, Terek, Urals, we must remember that this was largely done by women.

Men were constantly on campaigns or on cordons, and old men, children and Cossacks remained at home. They cultivated fields, gardens, melons, vineyards, went after cattle, grew lush gardens in which the villages were buried. They harvested crops, baked bread, made preparations for the winter, cooked, sheathed the whole family, raised children, weaved, knitted, they could treat twigs and fix the hut. The Cossack was not only a tireless worker, but also an organizer. Nominally, the old man-grandfather led a large family team, but not all Cossacks lived to be gray. Grandfather could already be incompetent or disabled. Then the work on the house was organized by grandmothers, mothers and wives of the Cossacks. They distributed households, hired workers and supervised them. The Cossacks also knew how to trade in order to turn part of the products into money and purchase the necessary things. Russian peasant women did not know such initiative and independence.

But the Cossack could not only do this. When enemies attacked, she removed her husband's saber and gun from the wall and fought to the death, protecting the children or giving them the opportunity to escape. Eight hundred Cossack women participated in the defense of Azov in 1641. And how many mentions of steppe attacks on the Don, Terek, Kuban, Volga, Ural, Siberian towns are found in the 16th-18th centuries? If the men were at home, the Cossacks sheltered children and cattle, acted as an "auxiliary force", loading guns, helping to repair fortifications, put out fires, and bandage the wounded. And if the main protector of the family is absent or has already fallen, the Cossack woman herself became a protector. The markets of the Crimea and Taman were overflowing with Russian and Ukrainian women of Polonyanka, but predators stole only children and very young girls from the Cossack towns. The Cossacks did not give up and fought to the end.

And they knew how to wait for husbands like no one else. The Cossacks went on campaigns for years, often from one war to another, it is not known whether they will return. And the Cossacks were waiting. In Siberia, it was even worse. For example, a certain Semyon Dezhnev was absent from home for nineteen years! And on the Don, when the husband returned from the campaign, the Cossack woman, meeting him, first of all bowed at the feet of the kotsyu. She thanked her for not letting her husband down in the battles, for delivering her home safe and sound.

There was also a case, however, the only one, when a woman became a military chieftain. In the 18th century, Pyotr Taishin, a native of the Kalmyk Khan family, was baptized with his ulus. And then the Kalmyk horde broke up, quarrels began. The prince died, but his widow, Princess Taishina, with 2,400 subjects, in 1739 asked to be given land for a settled settlement and taken to the service. A suitable place was found on the Volga, where the fortress of Stavropol (now Togliatti) was built. These Kalmyks made up the Stavropol Cossack Army. And the princess was given the powers of a military chieftain, a salary of 500 rubles was laid. The rest of the foremen were also assigned a salary at the level of officers of the Don Army. And ordinary Cossacks served from land plots. A thousand retired soldiers and 2,500 peasants were assigned to the army. The soldiers were to train the Kalmyks in garrison and guard service, the peasants in agriculture. Gradually, they mixed up, the main duty of the Stavropol was the protection of the Samara-Ufa line - a branch of the Samara-Orenburg line. At the call of the king, the Army put up one regiment for war. And Princess Taishina led the Stavropol people until the end of her life. There are also cases when Cossack women became famous as warriors.

In 1770-1771, 517 families from the Volga Army were transferred to the Caucasus, founding five villages, one hundred families each. Fights were constantly going on here, and in addition, a war began with the Turks, who incited the highlanders to massive attacks. In June 1774, a nine thousandth army of Tatars and Chechens attacked Naurskaya. The village had not yet been rebuilt; an earthen rampart with several cannons was poured from the defensive structures. And all the combatant Cossacks went on a campaign - the highlanders' intelligence worked well, and they counted on easy prey. But the Cossacks took up arms! And we note that these were not Grebensky Cossacks, accustomed to the local military life, but who arrived from the relatively calm Volga. But one and a half to two hundred women with old men and youngsters bravely met the enemy. They beat from rifles, chopped and stabbed those climbing the ramparts, dragged heavy cannons from place to place, meeting attacks with buckshot. The siege lasted two days, and the enemy, leaving hundreds of corpses, left with nothing. In honor of this victory, on June 10-11, a "Babi holiday" was celebrated in Naurskaya.

Long before the lancer Durova, the Don Cossack Praskovya Kurkina also became famous. According to the legends recorded in pre-revolutionary sources, she was a young pretty widow from the village of Nagavskaya and led a not very ascetic lifestyle. Once in 1792, she started a fire, for which, according to Cossack laws, it was necessary to blow it up hard. But Praskovya disappeared. She changed into men's clothes, took a weapon, probably left over from her husband, saddled a horse and headed to the Polish war. She pretended to be a man and joined Balabin's Cossack regiment. Participated in battles, was wounded, for repeated distinctions received the rank of constable. Although it remains doubtful how the Cossacks did not figure it out. Unlike the officer Durova, the Cossack woman did not have serf batmen, and at the very first bathing of the horses, the truth should have been revealed. Rather, they still knew, but kept quiet. And, probably, it was not by chance that Colonel Balabin took the "Cossack Kurkin" to be his orderly. But Praskovya fought bravely, was promoted to cornet, and then to centurion. In 1794 she returned to the village, and the previous sins were no longer remembered, the entire Don recognized her as a heroine. However, further adventures of Kurkina, for example, how the Cossacks sent her with a petition to the Empress, obviously belong to the realm of legends.

By the way, the life of the Cossacks in the XVII-XV1II centuries (and partly in the XIX) is generally studied very poorly. Of course, their life was in many ways different from the pictures of the Quiet Don, "from what we know from pre-revolutionary memories. Just like the Cossacks of the First World War, they differed in many ways from their ancestors from the time of Suvorov. So, examples of the defense of Naurskaya and Kurkina show that the Cossacks knew how to shoot well (including from cannons), wielded edged weapons. When did they learn this? Where? Were they allowed to train along with the Cossacks in their youth? Or were they taught by their mothers, fathers, husbands - just in case? Unfortunately So far, the sources are silent about this.The attitude of a Cossack to a woman outwardly and indeed could seem rude, with a demonstration of his own superiority, but often it was considered chivalrous.

So, Ataman Platov in 1816, in an order for the Don Cossacks, wrote about the Cossacks: "Let their loyalty and zeal, and our gratitude to them for this, mutual respect and love, serve as a rule for the behavior of Don wives in later posterity." According to the customs, the Cossack woman enjoyed such respect and reverence that she did not need to endow her with additional male rights. And vice versa, the Cossack and even the stanitsa ataman had no right to interfere in women's affairs. The Cossack did not participate in the circles. did not have a voice at the gatherings, her interests were represented by her father, husband, brother. But a single woman could choose for herself any intercessor from among the villagers. And the widow or orphan was under the personal protection of the ataman and the council of the elderly, and if this was not enough, she could turn to the gathering herself. When talking with a woman in a circle or gathering, the Cossack was obliged to stand up, and if she was older, take off her hat.

On village holidays, a Cossack woman, even if she was married, could dance with any Cossack. With anyone she could scratch her tongues on the street, innocently flirt. The Cossack women did not suffer from any complexes in the field of gender relations, this sphere did not represent any "secrets" for them. In many areas, whole families went to the bathhouse. In Siberia and Transbaikalia, a bathhouse was often built alone per village, the joint washing of men and women was considered quite natural. But this, again, did not imply anything more. It's one thing to know. And another thing is to understand what is acceptable and what is not. The degree of what a Cossack woman could afford depended on her marital status. Liberty in communicating with men, frankness of conversations, jokes, acceptable flirting were different for girls, married women, widows. But it was a shame for the Cossack to transgress what was permitted. And in order not to be mistaken, there was a system of "identification" by women's rings. Silver on the left hand - a girl of marriageable age, on the right - already betrothed. Ring with turquoise - the groom is serving. Gold on the right hand - married. On the left - a divorced or widow.

However, with the general high morality of the Cossacks, some deviations were allowed. So, if the widow strictly "observed herself", it was appreciated. But even in those cases, if she, especially a childless one, welcomed men, this was not condemned by public morality. And when one or two "merry widows" lived in the village, they looked at this through their fingers (examples can also be found in Tolstoy). And Pushkin recorded the conversation of the Cossacks returning from the Caucasian service - it became known that one of them had a wife for a walk, and it was discussed how best to act, teach her a lesson or forgive her? And the Cossacks came to the conclusion: it is better to forgive. And they often forgave, even recognized the accustomed "impudent" as their own - here it was about preserving the honor of the family, the well-being of the household. But the Cossacks also had a divorce, even when it was not legally in Russia. For this, for example, the Old Believers converted to official Orthodoxy or vice versa - and a marriage concluded in "another faith" was considered invalid. Nevertheless, Cossack morality was very negative about divorce.

Cossacks became not only from birth. When a Cossack married a peasant woman, a captured Polonian woman, a captured Circassian woman or a Turkish woman, she automatically acquired the status of a full-fledged Cossack woman. The stanitsa, as a rule, treated such a woman kindly, if she herself did not behave defiantly. She was forgiven for ignorance of customs or actions that were not characteristic of a Cossack woman. The women's community tacitly took her under their protection and taught her, "learned" her harm.

In the culture of any community, ideal or typical male and female images are inevitably formed, which, in fact, in their combination, are one of the manifestations of the systemic connections that underlie the organization of this community. Actually, by these images alone (characteristics, signs, symbols inherent in them), one can try to reconstruct these systemic connections, judge the structural features of the community, their evolution.

In this work, we will try to consider in the most general terms the images of a Cossack and a Cossack woman in their historical development, presented in various sources and reflecting the views of both the bearers of the tradition themselves and outside observers. Let's start with the Don Cossack, because his image is distinguished by greater integrity, and most importantly, the very history of the Don Cossacks actually begins with him - a community, at first, exclusively male, formed in the specific conditions of the Wild Field.

The marginal nature of the early Cossack communities was expressed both in their way of life and in the appearance of the Cossacks themselves, who were trying to emphasize and specifically designate their opposition to the status zone. Here is what the Zaporozhye Cossacks looked like, whose cultural model was extremely close to the Don, according to descriptions dating back to the 18th century: “The rampart is earthen, not strong in appearance, but strong inmates, and the people in it are like animals. There are frequent gates along the earthen rampart, and pits are dug in every gate, and straw is laid in pits. Paleyevshchina lies there, 20 people, 30 people, naked, like tambourines, without shirts, naked, terribly scary ... all pigeons without a party, and on the other there is not even a piece of a shirt, they are terrifying, black, like araps, and dashing, that dogs: tear from hands.

Cossack family. Beginning of XX century. Archive of the school museum r.p. Nekhaevo

The researchers noted that “the deliberate poverty of the costume was a kind of chic among the Cossacks” and believed that such an appearance of the Cossacks was “the result of the situation of Cossack life in the early times”, and then it already became a fashion: “Warriors of the Russian militia, who walked in 1572. , laughed at the dandy attire of one Turkish hero, consisting of leopard skin and ostrich feathers, which later usually decorated the Polish gentry and Cossack foremen - and called it "Christmas mask". The poverty of clothing, as a characteristic feature of the Cossacks, is also evidenced by numerous proverbs: “A Cossack is a truthful soul – you can’t wear a shirt”; “A Cossack sits on the stubble, tai pants are patched, yogo’s stubble is in the back of the cola, and the pants are laying”, “Cursed is matir ma - no shirt, no pants - one curse sirma” .

Obviously, the actual Cossack panache consisted in neglecting the decorum and norms of the life that remained outside the Wild Field. The Dikopol norm was quite consistent with a terrible, bestial appearance. And in this case, the deliberately poor and careless clothing of the Cossacks also served as a sign of both group affiliation and their rejection of the norms of the status territory.

The Don Cossacks also dressed in shabby clothes before going on a campaign: “While going on a campaign or to battle, the old Donets dressed in rags and took good weapons out of kindness, but with the poorest appearance; dress in such cases consisted of a caftan, zipun, bloomers and hats. (It is no coincidence, apparently, that the seal of the Don Cossacks, according to a legend that existed long before Peter's time, was the image of a naked Cossack sitting on a wine barrel).

But the return of the Cossacks from the campaign, both in folklore and in historical sources, is described with the help of completely different epithets, their clothes strike with extraordinary luxury: silver, gold, precious stones, clothes, weapons, rich Asian fabrics and various goods. From such prey they made a dress, whoever could, and as he wanted, without observing uniformity: one dressed up in Turkish, the other in a dress of an old Russian cut, the other in Tatar, the other in Circassian, Persian or Kalmyk, even on one Cossack there was a mixture of clothes and weapons of different peoples ... ".

The return from the campaign symbolically reproduced the return to the status zone and certainly had to be accompanied by a demonstration of success, victory, gained share. Hence the descriptions of the almost theatrical behavior of the Razins in Astrakhan after the successful Persian campaign, when ordinary Cossacks amazed the Astrakhans with the luxury of their attire, and Razin himself scattered handfuls of gold coins.

By this time, significant changes had taken place on the Don: the Cossack leadership was successfully implementing a project to return from the marginal zone to the status zone as "tsar's servants". The gradual transformation of former outcasts into representatives of the privileged class led to a change in the symbolic ways of fixing the new status. In the descriptions of the Cossacks of this time, it is already noted that in any free time they "loved to dress up and dress in rich clothes." In the XVIII century. the luxury of attire will become a characteristic feature of the Cossack elders, which is clearly seen, for example, in the illustrations for the famous book by A. Rigelman on the Donets. A distinctive sign of the Cossacks at the beginning of the XIX century. will become a military uniform, some elements of which the Cossacks liked to wear in everyday life. Well-known panache, underlined flaunting, demonstration of masculinity and militancy will continue to be the distinctive quality of male Cossacks.

Often, the Cossacks and their leaders deliberately worked to create a terrible and aggressive image. So the reputation of the devil was received and supported in every possible way by the famous military foreman Baklanov, who commanded the Cossack regiment in the Caucasus. The nickname Jadal (devil) was given to him by the Chechens for his desperate courage and characteristic appearance. When, according to eyewitnesses, the Chechens came to the Cossacks and asked to show them the legendary commander, Baklanov appeared before them with a black face smeared with soot, wildly rolling his eyes and clicking his teeth. The Cossacks themselves said about Baklanov: “Simplicity is such that he will not regret anything, he will take off his last shirt and give it back, and he will help you out in need. But in the service, my brothers, keep your ears open: you are not afraid of the Chechens, but be afraid of your asmadeus: a step back will cut you into pieces.

A mandatory attribute of the Don Cossacks were mustaches and beards. Up until the beginning of the 20th century. the tradition of wearing them in accordance with the age and “service” status of a Cossack will be preserved: on the eve of entering the service, young Cossacks began to grow mustaches, and only those who had already completed military service were entitled to wear a beard. According to traditional views, the vital, including sexual, energy of a man was contained in the mustache and beard. A special place is given to mustaches and beards in Cossack folklore.

Features of militancy and a certain savagery are visible in the description given to the Don Cossack P.P. Svinin. He traveled around Russia in the late 30s. 19th century and provided such an accompaniment to the portrait of the Cossack published by him in his notes: “Cossacks can be distinguished by the fire shining in their eyes, by the speed shown in all actions, in the slightest movements. Look at this young Cossack, depicted in the picture with a whip in his hand, his constant friend, like a sharp tomahawk in the hands of an American savage, no less terrible in his strong muscle. His face expresses intelligence, conjecture and courage. These abilities of the Cossacks surprise everyone who had them at their disposal, and make them vigilant and reliable guards for the army ... ".

In another essay, Svinin noted that the enlightenment spreading among the Don people “noticeably softens their morals,” but even during the war of 1812, observers were surprised in them by “a wonderful combination of generosity, courage and greed for prey.” "Impartial observers" were struck by the fact that "the Cossack despised the danger of obtaining the slightest booty and opened his bag for the first person in need." Further, Svinin noted the remarkable “in general, in all Cossacks the ability to learn foreign languages”: “In Siberia, in the Caucasus, they serve as the best interpreters. It is true that they help themselves a lot with conjecture.

Svinyin noted the openness to foreign cultural borrowings, which is characteristic of the Cossack culture, and the ease in assimilating other languages ​​and traditions. M. Kharuzin. wrote about this in relation to the 19th century, when the Cossack culture actively absorbed urban traditions. A special Cossack panache was manifested in clothes, speech, and manners.

The idea of ​​the Don Cossacks about a kind of ideal young Cossack (who has not yet completed military service) is evidenced by A.M. Listopadov. Describing the old wedding ceremony of the Don Cossacks, he reproduced such a scene. At the vaults, the bride's parents get to know the groom, examine and ask him: “Well done, do you know how to drink vodka and smoke a pipe?” The groom answers in a military way:

- No way!
- Well done! Do you know how to fight?
- I can!
- And then well done! Every Cossack must be able to fight, because the Cossack service is military service! - some toothless warrior resonates, who has broken more than one or two campaigns in his lifetime.

The Cossack community paid close attention to the combat training of future warriors: teenagers and young people went through a complex system of military training, participated in games, sports grounds, fisticuffs, and equestrian sports. All this, coupled with participation in real military companies, left its mark on the appearance of a male Cossack. The dual status of a representative of the military service class, forced to combine agricultural labor with military labor, all the specifics of the paramilitary way of life of the Cossacks contributed to the formation of a special type of character, ideas about which have survived to this day.

At our request, the image of a “true Cossack” was reproduced by the participants of an ethno-sociological survey, which was conducted in the Serafimovsky district of the Volgograd region in 2007. sphere, a clear social position. Auto- and heterostereotypes are very different. So industriousness, as a characteristic feature of the Cossack, was noted by the representatives of the Cossacks themselves, while the non-Cossacks emphasized the laziness inherent in the Cossacks, the tendency to idleness. Let us give examples of some statements.

"Cossacks - free and hardworking"; "Courageous people, hardy and hardworking"; "Free people, free, proud, do not like to be commanded"; “If you work, then work, if you walk, then walk ...”; "Cossack - strict, principled, demanding and responsible"; “The Cossack is a free man. He tries to be independent from the government. A man is a hunter, fisherman, warrior, defender of his land”; “These are free people, they live the way they like. They love freedom, they obey no one”; “The Cossack is firm in his convictions, purposeful, hard-working”; Cossack is a murderer, this is a Turkish word, they beat the Turks hard”; “Nature is of great importance in the character of man. The nature here is very harsh. And the character of people with a bitter taste. They are tough, tougher than the Kuban. They are sure to achieve their own, more independent. Everyone has his own "I" in himself; “You recognize a Cossack by his habit. The habit remained. They will not go into their pocket for a word, they will not look back at the authorities. They cut the truth in the eye"; “Free people, they have freedom of speech, freedom in everything. This is a special people. Cossack - strong-willed, characteristic "; “The Cossack is warlike, loves to drink hard and fight”; “A Cossack is knocking on the chest:“ I am a Cossack! ”, He himself is in woolen socks, in galoshes. Its oppression, although little is obtained. They are petty tyrants, if they are real Cossacks” (opinion of a Cossack woman).

The specificity of the distribution of gender roles in the Cossack family and community was reflected in the inconsistency of assessments of the housekeeping and hard work of a Cossack man and his commitment to the principles of "familyhood". So statements about the industriousness of the Cossacks were combined with such opinions: “A Cossack is a free man. Can walk, eyes look to the side. He may offend his wife, but he loves her. He loves his family, but walks. He loves society, company, singing, walking. It is rare that a Cossack is hardworking. He always rides on women's shoulders. My husband helped me smear the hut, so they told him: “Tyu, you are not a Cossack ...”; “A Cossack man loves to show off, to dance on a horse, in a car. They are lazy”; “They were working: mowing hay, digging. And they fought. A man, he does the rough work, but the Cossack does not do the rough work, he plows, mows. And the peasant puts the dough and bakes it, they themselves smeared it with clay. And the Cossack knows - to ride horses, to wave a saber. The Cossack loves to take a walk, and goes to the women. So he looks to see that everything is in order on him, that the Cossack woman looks at him. Whatever you tell him to do, he says: “This is not a Cossack business”; “The Cossacks did not do menial work. The women did more for them. It was the peasants who smeared the huts, but the Cossacks did not”; “Sharp they are men, and women are meek, they obey. And in the family they have respect for each other. The wife submits to her husband, the younger ones submit to the elders”; “They will never be under the female yoke. This is a strong-willed, disobedient people. Let it be bad, but he will still do it in his own way ”; “A Cossack must go for a walk, drink vodka, love his wife. Well, and free, of course ... ";

The characteristic of the appearance of a “typical Cossack” is presented as follows: “Here comes a Cossack, he first looks at himself - here is a cap, forelock. Then he looks below - so that the harness, belt, nothing is crooked ”; The Cossacks were ceremonial. They courted themselves, looked at how they looked”; "If the mustache is huge, then - a Cossack"; “He is on a horse, with a forelock, with songs”; Cossack - he is proud, he is in uniform, a prominent man, stately"; “The Cossack is of medium height, thick-set, with a mustache, a foul-mouthed, rowdy and bully.”

Here are a few examples of the characteristics of a Cossack, given by those who do not belong to the Cossacks: “A Cossack - just to sleep and fuck around. Cossack women work all their lives, and the Cossack: “Suddenly,” he says, “tomorrow is a war, and I’m tired ...”; “Men-Cossacks are of a very riotous type, they walked with the weaker sex”; “The Cossack is a tyrant. They have a horse in the first place. Many horses. They went to the steppe with horses - the Cossacks ... "; “Proud people, with high self-esteem. If he said yes, then yes. He will defend his point of view. It's good that they are stubborn. In the Tver region (where the respondent is from - M.R.), the men are lazy, not like these. In such heat, you have to work - they will work. Basically, everyone knows what is happening in the state. Everyone watches Vesti, Novosti. They know who the Minister of Defense is. Everyone speaks well on this topic. If a Cossack, there is a vein in them, there is no laziness in them. In the Tver region, you can’t see a husband helping his wife, but here a man can take a chopper and help.”

The last characteristic belongs to a young woman and is strikingly different from the opinion of the majority, including the Cossacks themselves.

The vast majority of the characteristics we recorded recreates the appearance of a male Cossack, strongly oriented towards interests that go beyond the boundaries of the family, home sphere (neglect of homework, the labor sphere is connected with the space outside the home, an active presentation of life and social position, etc.). In many of the characteristics we have recorded, the specificity of gender practices among the Cossacks is also emphasized, in particular, the special activity of male Cossacks in the sexual sphere and a tendency to adultery.

The latter circumstance also has a direct connection with the historical traditions of the Cossacks, whose gender specificity was formed in the early period of history - the period of free brotherhoods. This time is characterized by an extremely low status of women, combined with a high degree of sacralization of gender relations, especially in the sexual sphere. The absence of a productive sphere on the Don during this period led to the reduction of women to the position of concubines, whose lives were valued very little. The marginal nature of the early brotherhoods also determined the marginal status of women, which was also reflected in folklore texts:

"Roosters - Don Cossacks,
Well done and daring:
They keep many wives,
Three wives and four
Others up to a whole ten,
And he knows how to dress up everyone,
Understands everything,
Not like in Russia with her husband,
One of his baghorn wife,
And he does not know how to dress up,
Doesn't know how to discharge to work.
And the chicken is the last bird
Whoever catches her
Everyone in the hole picks,
Everything from an egg tortures the poor ... ".

A “dressy” and absolutely disenfranchised woman appears in other folklore texts as well. She is often part of the duvan and is not highly valued. M. Kharuzin, who analyzed the position of women in the early Cossack communities, summarized: "... a woman in the eyes of a Cossack was almost only a slave, a slave, a thing, an object of sale and exchange, and an object for the outpouring of her wild anger ...".

Many researchers have written about the misogyny characteristic of the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks. R. Bogdasarov noted that the Cossacks, strictly observing the principle of celibacy, especially revered the Mother of God (as the Immaculate Virgin and as the mother of God), believing that this circumstance can be considered the reverse side of the Cossack misogyny. On the Don, the feast of the Most Holy Theotokos was revered as a combined-arms holiday. Many researchers noted the cult of the mother characteristic of the Cossacks. At the same time, a woman-wife, and in a later tradition, often appears as a traitor snake, or at least not very faithful. (tears

In the 17th century celibacy was replaced by marriage, strictly regulated by male communities. As the manufacturing sectors of the economy spread on the Don, the position of women changed significantly, their role in the family increased. The specifics of the paramilitary way of life of the Cossacks predetermined an easy change of male and female roles and functions. There are many legends about how, in the event of an attack by enemies on Cossack towns, women put on men's clothes and "fought at the police gardens and wattle fences."

Judging by the materials of the 19th century, in the family life of the Don Cossacks at that time, two trends steadily coexist and develop in parallel: on the one hand, there is an increase in the patriarchal nature of the family (the despotic power of the husband-owner, the subordination of the younger to the elders and women to men), on the other hand , the role of the wife-mother-mistress in family life is becoming more and more significant, especially during the period when men are in the service (a trend that has emerged even during the formation of “nepotism” on the Don).

According to P. Nikulin, the Cossack woman was a full-fledged mistress "only at the time when she was taking her husband to the service." At the same time, the researcher noted that during the stay of the Cossack owner at home, although he manages all household affairs himself, he always consults with his wife in everything (“without her, in important cases, he does not start doing anything”). He was echoed by S. Nomikosov, who wrote that on the Don "a man and a woman enjoy almost complete equality, which is due to the very important circumstance that the Cossack woman, in the absence of her husband, runs her own household and maintains the house."

An activist of the women's movement on the Don, V.A., expressed a completely different opinion on this issue. Zubov in a report read in 1909 at the 1st All-Russian Women's Congress. She spoke about the horrors of the position of a Cossack woman in a patriarchal family, her extremely downtrodden position. At the same time, she noted that “a special type of women has been created among the Cossack women”: “These are recalcitrant, courageous natures who do not want to come to terms with the oppression of the family situation, striving to live in their own way and daring to open protest against family ties, boldly declaring your right to love whoever you want.

Recognized by V.A. Zubov also that on the Don a Cossack woman “enjoys, due to conditions, greater independence; her position is better than that of the women of the interior provinces.” However, further, not without bitterness, she declared: “but this is“ better ”of the Don women, it resembles the crust of stale bread when there is none at all.” Further, the report spoke about such a specific feature of family relations on the Don as a special, completely reverent attitude of the Cossack to his mother.

Frequent and long absences of male Cossacks, combined with the traditionally tolerant attitude of the Cossack communities to extramarital affairs, contributed to the formation of specific stereotypes of the behavior of the Cossacks, leaving an imprint on their appearance. During the period when their husbands were in the service, women not only performed most of the traditional male functions, but also had a certain freedom of behavior: “Don Cossacks serve either in Poland, or in the Caucasus, or in Finland. Houses are run by their wives; they themselves mow the hay, throw it into stacks, and harvest the bread. They even often ride horseback like their husbands. Cossack women endure a lot of work, a lot of work! But on a holiday - rest; she cleaned herself up, dined, slept, and - on the "street" (the Cossacks also say "tank"). There is fun, girls drive carts, smart guys ... A painful struggle is going on in the heart of a poor woman. It usually ends with what ... ".

Ethnographic materials and works of art about the Cossacks recreate a vivid image of a Cossack-Zhalmer woman, enjoying considerable freedom in sexual relations. However, they also note the emphasized eroticism, femininity among married Cossack women. The ideal of beauty is a white-faced, black-browed woman with thick and long hair. It is no coincidence that in ethnographic sources so often there are recipes for whitening the face and hair growth used by Cossack women.

All of the above characteristics of a “typical Cossack woman” were also reflected in the testimonies of our respondents: “A Cossack girl day and night in the garden, with children, everything is on her.”; “The Cossack is wayward, she will not yield”; “Cossack women are hardworking, and men like to command more”; "Cossack - with a temper, angry"; “The main thing in a Cossack woman is tolerance”; “A Cossack girl - she is temperamental, a dancer and a singer”; “Cossacks know how to do everything, both for a man and a woman”; “She is selfish. Proud some ”; “Cossacks are hostesses, friendly and swearing. “A Cossack without a mat, like cabbage soup without a tomato” Those who do not swear are pale ... "; “The Cossack is all by herself, everything is on her shoulders (he is fighting). She has endurance, steadfastness, does not recognize authorities. They commanded the peasants themselves”; “The Cossack woman is very combative, even now they decide everything”; “A Cossack woman will enter a burning hut. They are stronger than the Cossacks”; “Mistress. Keeps songs and customs, transfers his feminine tricks to children. She is able to do everything, both women's and men's work”; “The Cossack woman has a craving for public life: to get together, to sing songs. And very hardworking. He fights, and they plowed and sowed”; “The Cossack woman could make decisions herself. And slaughter a chicken, and slaughter a pig if the man is not at home”; “A Cossack woman will not yield to a Cossack in anything: they galloped and grazed, and at the races they can overtake.”

The appearance of a “typical Cossack woman” in our questionnaires is represented by the following characteristics: “A Cossack woman is gorgeous hair”; "They are clean"; Cossack women are very beautiful” (non-Cossack opinion); “The Cossack is persistent and confident. You can see it even by walking, even a little girl. Even the gait is confident”; “She is stately, beautiful and proud”; "The Cossack is feminine and hardworking"; “She has beautiful hair, she is beautiful and hardworking”; "Always looking after yourself."

It is very significant that the image of a Don Cossack woman in the answers of our respondents is, as a rule, more complementary than the image of a male Cossack. Apparently, the transformations of the 20th century had a great influence on the formation of such a position, when women on the Don turned into true keepers of Cossack traditions, who, moreover, shouldered both social and everyday hardships.

We also note that the works of M.A. Sholokhov, as well as their film adaptations: “My ideas about the former Cossacks are closer to the Quiet Don, Sholokhov’s images. The Cossack did everything around the house. And he got something outside the house. He seemed to supervise outwardly, but in fact she actually controlled everything”; “I know their images more from films. A Cossack, if from a movie, here is Grishkin's father - a real Cossack. Hard. And the Cossack woman is a battle woman ”; “I watch films: I myself have a Cossack character”; “A Cossack, as Sholokhov said, should swim across the Don, walk at least once from his wife and ride a horse. And he loves to take a walk, and wave his saber ”; “The Cossacks, looking at the Quiet Don, worked, plowed, fought. As they said: we don't need smelly Russia. Here is Grishka, Pantelei Prokofievich - Cossacks. Many called Sholokhov's Aksinya the ideal Cossack.

And, finally, the last remark: the majority of our respondents noted that the images of typical Cossacks and Cossacks remained in the past ("Then there were Cossacks. But now I have a skeptical attitude."). Many regretted it.

Notes and literature

The work was financially supported by the Russian Humanitarian Foundation (Grant No. 06-01-00597 “Sociocultural transformations on the Don and their reflection in the historical memory of the Don Cossacks”), as well as within the framework of the subprogram “Potential for the modernization of the Cossacks of the South of Russia as a sociocultural group” (SSC RAS) of the Program fundamental research of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Adaptation of peoples and cultures to changes in the natural environment, social and technogenic transformations."

Historical songs of the 19th century L., 1973. S. 92; Starikov F.M. Brief historical sketch of the Orenburg Cossack army. Orenbrug, 1890. S. 150-151.

Svinin P.P. Pictures of Russia and the life of its peoples of different tribes, from the travels of P.P. Pork. SPb., 1839. Part 1. S. 249.

Svinin P.P. Don Cossacks // Literary addition to the city of "Russian invalid". 1839. No. 6. S. 116.

There. In support of the latter assertion, Svin'in reproduced a scene observed in Paris during the period of foreign campaigns of the Russian army. The Don Cossack wanted to buy bread and showed the Frenchwoman with signs that he needed half of the big bread. The Frenchwoman, taking a knife for cutting bread, asked: "Comme-ca, monsieur?" To which the Cossack replied: “Yes, madam, komsa, and another half a kamsa!”

Kharuzin M. Information about the Cossack communities on the Don. Materials for customary law. Issue. I. M., 1885. S.

Pallas wrote about the Ural Cossacks: “The female sex also loves entertainment and seems to have a penchant for panache and love” (see: Materials for the geography and statistics of Russia, collected by officers of the General Staff. Ural army. Part I. SPb. , 1866. S. 9).

Cosmetics produced by Cossack women at home are extremely diverse. Only ointments for whitening the face had names: “boiling”, “greasing”, “satura”; their recipe is also very diverse (various combinations of sublimate, vaseline, grape leaf juice, lamb fat or lard, saltpeter). Faces were also bleached with "folded" milk, sheets of horseradish and nightshade. To blacken the eyebrows, oven soot (“sapukha”) was used.