Old maids
Like, parents sensed it unbecoming so you’re able to get married from other youngest daughter ahead of the brand new oldest and you will, since earliest was looking for a groom and probably people and you can gatherings, the new youngest wasn’t permitted to and you can, so, remained “into the maidenhood”. Without a doubt, there had been also girls exactly who merely cannot find one or two it preferred. Peasant area treated all of them so harshly that it’s unpleasantly surprising today.
People who was left due to the fact girls have been entitled a choice off insulting nicknames: vekovukha (‘century-dated one’), odnokosok (‘one-braided girl’, while the unmarried girls used one braid in adulthood), ‘gray-haired’, perespelok (‘this new excessively mature one’). Like good girl could even be pulled within the town because of the their particular mothers towards the an excellent sledge, shouting: “Nadolba, nadolba! (A phrase meaning approximately “heavy because the a brick”) Who would like a great nadolba?” If the a family consented, they may currently “hit a deal” and then have partnered the following day.
To keep good vekovukha was believed from the community a beneficial disgrace – it was considered that such as a female had not realized her virility prospective. Even lameness, lop-sidedness or becoming hunchbacked weren’t considered a hurdle to help you matrimony.
When the an excellent girl didn’t age over 25 years old, youths would avoid welcoming their unique on the events and you may she would end up being forbidden to wear girls’ gowns. Today, her gowns must be regarding ebony tone, such as those from widows and you may old women. The fresh new vekovukhas always existed ilies inside another strengthening, in which they kept her own home.
Widows and you can vekovukhas, even after the a little disadvantaged position, was basically regarded throughout the town because bearers out of bodily and religious purity. As such, it satisfied of a lot important ceremonial characteristics – generally regarding the latest transition to the other globe. As the icons out-of emptiness and you will low-parity, widows and you can centenarians didn’t attend weddings, births, christenings – nonetheless they took part in the fresh rites and you will washing of the lifeless, noticed along side looks before funeral service, generally speaking managed and you can left the fresh funeral life style.
Another significant “work” is the brand new “plowing” of your arable home by vekovukhas and you can widows, that was prevalent in a lot of provinces, with expecting mothers (exactly who displayed virility) utilized on plow. So it crucial routine was to performed just symbolically by the “barren” ladies in brand new darkness out-of evening, so, on the contrary, the fresh new property would-be rich when go out came.
Of many vekovukhas and you may widows, once spending decades inside condition, began exercising people drug and you will witchcraft in their advancing years. However,, there have been also feamales in the Russian country side, just who felt like which they perform real time by yourself from the comfort of its young age.
Nuns
Brand new girls exactly who did not follow the loved ones street from lifetime, but find the roadway regarding servitude to help you God, were called chernichkas. The term chernichka try a feminitive particular the expression chernets (‘one within the black robes’) – a good monk which belonged to your “black” (celibate) clergy. To be a great chernichka, a beneficial girl had to declare their particular wanna right after attaining the ages of relationships – this is how the fresh new girl perform begin to end up being acceptance so you can events and people of the town youngsters. This might occurs of the girl’s brand of personal piety – otherwise because of a hope created by their particular mothers.
Up on saying their own focus, the latest girl must provide all their own colorful maidenly dresses and don black outfits, eg an excellent vekovukha or good widow. The new braid was also symbolically slash while uttering the text: “Given that my locks does not return together, I will not come back to my maidenhood.”
