In ancient times, even before the Eastern Slavs (Novgorodians) penetrated the neighboring territories, the peoples of the tribe lived on the vast area of the southern side of Lake Onega. There is a certain opinion regarding the name of this tribe: the ancient “all” has the same origin as the name of the modern Vepsians. For a fairly long period of existence, this people was also called the Chud, Chukhars and Kayvans. Its representatives buried their deceased relatives in earth pits or built "death houses" for them - small log cabins set on the surface.
Veps is a nationality representing the Finnish language group of the Ural family and referring to itself as Karelian branches. The closest relatives of this language are Karelian, Finnish and Izhorian.
History of the Vepsians
There is not much information about the history of the Vepsians. Quite often there is no information about their life over the centuries.
First of all, this is due to the fact that the ancient tribes lived exclusively in the most remote areas locatedamong lakes, rivers and swamps in the taiga. Farming was not enough for this industrious people to provide for their existence. Therefore, fishing was a significant addition to it. The Vepsians were also engaged in collecting forest gifts. Among the stocks in the peasant yard, a significant place belonged to:
- fish;
- fowl;
- furs;
- cranberries;
- mushrooms.
They were used not only as food. A large number of these stocks were taken by the inhabitants of the tribes to the city fairs. There, in exchange for them, people with the nationality of the Veps received a significant amount of bread, s alt, fabrics, tools for labor and hunting, and other goods necessary for life support.
In winter, the inhabitants of these lands harvested timber and transported it to raftable rivers. To do this, they used sleigh carts. This occupation was also an additional income.
Besides, the Vepsians were engaged in other activities:
- stone cutting crafts;
- pottery and rolling.
Difficult living conditions
The geographical location of the Vepsian settlements was also characterized by the fact that they were separated from trade routes, cities and postal routes by a considerable distance. This is due to the fact that they were not actually involved in the socio-political processes that took place in the state.
Despite the adoption of Christianity, many national andoriginal. But the constant Russian influence still made its own adjustments to their lifestyle, occupations and culture.
According to some researchers, at the beginning of the 16th century, the inhabitants of the Belozersko-Poshekhonsky region spoke their own special language, despite their excellent knowledge of Russian and the Orthodox religion.
The first all-Russian population census of 1897 did not record the nationality of the Veps.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Veps lived in very difficult conditions. The writer A. Petukhov noted that their life was characterized by "roadlessness, lack of bread, illiteracy, lack of their own written language."
Soviet period of life of the Vepsians
In the 1920s and 1930s, the life of the Veps changed dramatically. In 1932, the Committee for the New Alphabet was formed. He was given the following tasks:
- develop the writing of small peoples in their languages;
- train national educational personnel;
- publish educational literature.
The Latin basis was used to develop the Vepsian alphabet. Reading huts, 57 schools are being opened, hospitals, feldsher-obstetric stations, public canteens, and nurseries are being built. A Veps branch opens at the Lodeynopil Pedagogical College.
The formed national councils and the Oyatsky (Vinnitsa) national region were of great importance for development.
In the middle of the 30s, the current accounting authorities recorded the maximum number of representatives of this people in the state - about 35thousand.
Deterioration of the economic situation and disunity of the Vepsians
At the end of the 30s, a new period begins in the life of people with Veps nationality. It reflected all the complex socio-political processes that were taking place at that time in our country.
Administrative-territorial transformations are repeatedly carried out, as a result of which there is a disunity of the Vepsian lands. These changes had a very negative impact on the development of the people, a significant part of which was relocated to other areas.
Over time, the Vepsian lands became more and more deserted due to the state of the economy of all northern villages.
Now the number of this people in Russia is approximately 13 thousand people. The place where the modern northern Veps live is Karelia, the southern ones live in the Vologda region, and the middle ones live in the Leningrad region.
Veps appearance
It is very difficult to talk about what appearance the ancient Veps had. Most likely, assimilation influenced the changes that took place in it. Over the centuries, they have been in contact with all sorts of peoples, so they could not avoid mixing blood.
At first glance, modern Veps seem to be completely ordinary people, whose appearance does not have any pronounced national characteristics. These people have white and black hair, thin and stout build, small and large stature, beautiful and not so beautiful.
But, despite this, they are an independent people living on their own territory.
Veps women's clothing
Veps traditional clothing was festive and everyday. On a typical day, women wore a woolen or half-woolen skirt with a longitudinal or cross-striped pattern. An obligatory item was an apron, which for girls was red, and for older women it was black. The long linen shirt with sleeves was decorated with a beautiful ornament on the hem.
Women knew how to embroider very beautifully. Therefore, it was often possible to meet a northerner dressed in 2 or 3 shirts. At the same time, they were raised in such a way that their edges formed a wide pattern. This significantly improved the appearance of Vepsian women, their appearance and self-esteem.
In order to sew an everyday sundress, we used homespun canvas. For festive clothes, fabrics were bought. Complete with a sundress, they also wore a shower jacket (vest), and in the cold they put on a shugay (buttoned jacket) made of cloth.
In the winter season, women wore a fur coat or sheepskin coat. The festive version of this garment was made of rabbit hair and covered with bright silk or woolen fabrics with large patterns.
What men wore
Veps men's costumes consisted of shirts and two trousers, which were tightened with a cord at the waist. Shirts were let out up and girded with leather or woven belts. Ancient shirts are embroidered, while more modern ones are dyed.
In the 19th century, dark purchased fabric was used for sewing overpants. The shirts that began to be sewn frompurchased chintz or calico. The winter men's clothing of this people is represented by kaftans made of cloth, sheepskin coats covered with cloth, straight fur coats without a collar.
From the middle of the 19th century, the Vepsian festive clothes included an undercoat - a kind of demi-season coat with ruching and knee-length.
Features of Veps housing and life
Most likely, the housing of the ancient Veps practically did not differ from Karelian houses. These were log cabins of wooden semi-dugouts with a hearth. Over time, the construction of separate outbuildings began:
- barn for food storage;
- rigs for threshing grain;
- shed;
- baths.
The construction of the latter was most often done by northern Vepsians. The southern part of this people used ordinary domestic sands for such purposes for a very long time. Traditional Veps housing was a whole complex that united the house and all outbuildings.
In addition to the corner connection of buildings, the main feature of the Vepsian house was the presence of an even number of windows and the absence of a covered porch. They contained such Veps household items as:
- tables, benches and beds made of wood;
- cradle for children;
- Russian stove;
- tub with washstand;
- loom.
Traditions and customs of the Vepsian people
Vepsians are Orthodox peoples. But for quite a long time they were characterized by signs of paganism. Among the Vepsians were sorcerers who communicated withspirits, treated and sent damage. With the advent of churches and monasteries, they disappeared, but healers and witches remained.
Veps is a nation that has its own signs and beliefs. In order to build a house or bury a person, it was necessary to “buy out” the land. Clothes for the deceased person were chosen only white and always washed.
The Vepsians had a special attitude to building a house. The customs of this event were as follows:
- a cat was allowed into new housing for the first night;
- the first to enter the house was the head of the family with bread and an icon;
- after the chapter, his wife entered the dwelling with a rooster and a cat;
- from the old house to the new one they brought a hot coal;
- never started building a hut on the trail.
Veps traditions are closely related to their beliefs:
- spirits of the sky;
- brownies;
- water;
- spirits of the forest, yard, barn and others.
For example, water in their view was a living being, because a spirit lived in it. If you don’t honor him, he won’t give fish, drown him, or bring diseases. Therefore, nothing was thrown into the water, and boots were not washed in it either.
Vepsian food was also traditional. The main place in it belonged to the fish. In addition to it, they also used rye bread, which they baked on their own, fish soup. Local residents quenched their thirst with turnip kvass, oatmeal jelly, wild berry drinks, milk and whey. Tea, like homemade beer, was a festive drink. And meat dishes were prepared only for the holidays andheavy physical work.
This original people had to go through a lot of troubles, having an interesting culture, customs and folklore. The fate of the inhabitants of the northern regions, who have the Veps nationality, has never been easy. But, despite this, they remained an independent people living in their ancestral territory.
