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WORLD CULTURES & FOLK CUSTOMS

SIMO JELACA, Ph.D.

FOREWORD

This book summarizes information about culture and customs of different nations. Noticeable differences in customs are among Christian, Islamic and Buddhist’s nations, although in all prevails intention for nice and greatest.

It will be too much to include every country, as there are similarities among many nations of the same or close nationalities. Characteristic are Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Belarus, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, or as well as Germany and Austria. The similar conclusion values for Latin nations, among themselves too.

Readers will find basic information about each country, such as its location and size, population and Ethnic Make-up, Religion, Climate, Language, Etiquettes and others.

This book can equally be used for travelers, either as tourists or business people, therefore everyone will find necessary information about Etiquette of people at their homes as well as at the business.

My intention was to find as much good information as possible. How much I have succeeded readers will judge it.

Author

WORLD CULTURES AND FOLKCUSTOMS

SIMO JELACA, Ph.D.

RUSSIA

CULTURE AND FOLK CUSTOMS

Facts and Statistics

Location: Northern Asia, bordering Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km.

Size: 17,098.242 sq km.

Capital: Moscow population about 11.5 million.

Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast.

Population: about 145 million.

Ethnic Make-up: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other. Religion has always been a primary component of Russian life, even during times of oppression.

There are nearly 5,000 registered religious associations in Russia. More than half follow the Russian Orthodox Church, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Islam is the second largest religion; about 10 percent to 15 percent of Russians practice Islam.

The third most popular religion in Russia after Christianity and Islam is Tengrism, a form of pagan, animistic and shamanic religion. Tengrism originates from the Turk and Mongol populations of Central Asia and has enjoyed a revival in parts of Russia as it is seen as part of a certain Central Asian ethnic identity by some regional independence movements.
Government: federation
The Russian Language

Of Russia's estimated 150 million population it is thought that over 81% speak the official language of Russian as their first and only language. Most speakers of a minority language are also bilingual speakers of Russian.

There are over 100 minority languages spoken in Russia today, the most popular of which is Tartar, spoken by more than 3% of the country's population. Other minority languages include Ukrainian, Chuvash, Bashir, Mordvin and Chechen. Although few of these populations make up even 1% of the Russian population, these languages are prominent in key regional areas.

Russian Society & Culture
The Russian Family

• The Russian family is dependent upon all its members.

• Most families live in small apartments, often with 2 or 3 generations sharing little space.

• Most families are small, often with only one child because most women must also work outside of the house in addition to bearing sole responsibility for household and childrearing chores.
  Russian Pride

• Russians are proud of their country.

• Patriotic songs and poems extol the virtues of their homeland.

• They accept that their lives are difficult and pride themselves on being able to flourish in conditions that others could not.

• They take great pride in their cultural heritage and expect the rest of the world to admire it.

Communal Mentality

• For generations until the 1930's, Russian life centered on the agricultural village commune, where the land was held in common and decision-making was the province of an assembly of the heads of households.

• This affinity for the group and the collective spirit remains today. It is seen in everyday life, for example most Russians will join a table of strangers rather than eat alone in a restaurant.

• Everybody's business is also everyone else's, so strangers will stop and tell someone that they are breaking the rules.

Etiquette and Customs in Russia
Meeting Etiquette

• The typical greeting is a firm, almost bone-crushing handshake while maintaining direct eye contact and giving the appropriate greeting for the time of day.

• When men shake hands with women, the handshake is less firm.

• When female friends meet, they kiss on the cheek three times, starting with the left and then alternating.

• When close male friends meet, they may pat each other on the back and hug.
  Naming Conventions
  Russian names are comprised of:

• First name, which is the person's given name.

• Middle name, which is a patronymic or a version of the father's first name formed by adding '- vich' or '-ovich' for a male and '-avna' or '- ovna' for a female. The son of Ivan would have a patronymic of Ivanovich while the daughter's patronymic would be Ivanovna.

• Last name, which is the family or surname.

• In formal situations, people use all three names. Friends and close acquaintances may refer to each other by their first name and patronymic. Close friends and family members call each other by their first name only.

The Giving Etiquette
Gift giving takes place between family and close friends on birthdays, New Year, and Orthodox Christmas.

• If you are invited to a Russian home for a meal, bring a small gift.

• Male guests are expected to bring flowers.

• Do not give yellow flowers.

• Do not give a baby gift until after the baby is born. It is bad luck to do so sooner.

• Russians often protest when they are offered a gift. Reply that it is a little something and offer the gift again and it will generally be accepted.
  Dining Etiquette
  If you are invited to a Russian's house:

• Arrive on time or no more than 15 minutes later than invited.

• Remove your outdoor shoes. You may be given slippers to wear.

• Dress in clothes you might wear to the office. Dressing well shows respect for your hosts.

• Expect to be treated with honor and respect.

• Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served. This may be turned down out of politeness. Asking 'are you sure?' allows the hostess to accept your offer.
  Table manners

• Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.

• The oldest or most honored guest is served first.

• Do not begin eating until the host invites you to start.

• Do not rest your elbows on the table, although your hands should be visible at all times.

• You will often be urged to take second helpings.

• It is polite to use bread to soak up gravy or sauce.

• Men pour drinks for women seated next to them.

• Leaving a small amount of food on your plate indicates that your hosts have provided ample hospitality.

• Do not get up until you are invited to leave the table. At formal dinners, the guest of honor is the first to get up from the table.

Russian Business Etiquette and Protocol

Relationships & Communication

• Russians are transactional and do not need to establish long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people.

• It is still a good idea to develop a network of people who you know and trust. The Russian and refers to having friends in high places, which is often the word "svyasi" which means connections required to cut through red tape.

• Patience is essential.

• It is best to err on the side of formality when you first make contact.

• Sincerity is crucial as it is required to build trust, and trust is needed to build a relationship.

• Most Russians do not trust people who are 'all business'.

• An indication that you have successfully developed a personal relationship is being asked for a favor by that person.
  Business Meeting Etiquette

• Appointments are necessary and should be made as far in advance as possible.

• It often takes roughly 6 weeks to arrange a meeting with a government official.

• Confirm the meeting when you arrive in the country and again a day or two in advance.

• The first week of May has several public holidays so it is best avoided.

• You should arrive punctually for meetings.

• Typical Russian schedules are constantly changing and everything takes longer than expected, so be prepared to be kept waiting.

• Meetings can be canceled on short notice.

• The first meeting is often a vehicle to determine if you and the company you represent are credible and worthy of consideration for future business dealings.

• Use the time effectively to demonstrate what differentiates your company from the competition.

• Expect a long period of socializing and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is discussed.

• Have all printed material available in both English and Russian.

• Russians expect long and detailed presentations that include a history of the subject and a review of existing precedents.

• Meetings are frequently interrupted. It is common for several side conversations that have nothing to do with the topic of the meeting to be carried on during the meeting.

• At the end of the meeting, expect to sign a 'protocol', which is a summary of what was discussed.
  Business Negotiating

• Meetings and negotiations are slow. Russians do not like being rushed.

• It is a good idea to include technical experts on your negotiating team.

• Hierarchy is important to Russians. They respect age, rank and position. The most senior person reaches decisions.

• Russian executives prefer to meet with people of similar rank and position.

• Russians see negotiations as win-lose. They do not believe in win-win scenarios.

• Have written materials available in both English and Russian.

• Russians view compromise as weakness. They will continue negotiating until you offer concessions.

• Russians may lose their temper, walk out of the meeting, or threaten to terminate the relationship in an attempt to coerce you to change your position.

• Russians often use time as a tactic, especially if they know that you have a deadline. Be cautious about letting your business colleagues know that you are under time pressure or they will delay even more.

• Nothing is final until the contract is signed. Even then, Russians will modify a contract to suit their purposes.

• Do not use high-pressure sales tactics as they will work against you.
  Dress Etiquette

• Business dress is formal and conservative.

• Men should wear business suits.

• Women should wear subdued coloured business suits with skirts that cover the knees.

• Shoes should be highly polished.
  Business Cards
  Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions without formal ritual.
  Have one side of your business card translated into Russian using Cyrillic text.
  Include advanced university degrees on your business card.
  Hand your business card so the Russian side is readable to the recipient.
  If someone does not have a business card, note their pertinent information.

Matryoshka dolls, or Russian nesting dolls, are wooden figures that open to reveal a smaller figure inside. The next doll has a smaller figure inside, and so on.

Homeland

Russian culture places a high value on the homeland and on family. The Soviet rule left its impression on the culture, creating a fundamental fear and mistrust of those outside the family, extended family and other close familial connections. The challenges families faced under communism left individuals highly dependent on family support, which oftentimes required the combining of resources to survive. This created a culture that highly values extended family and maintaining close friendships.

Population and ethnic makeup

Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of territory, with a total area of 17,098,242 square kilometers. By comparison, the United States comprises 9,826,675 square km.

According to 2014 data, the population of Russia was 141,049,000, a decline since its peak of 148,689,000 in 1992.

Russia is home to at least 190 ethnic groups, 77.7 percent of Russians are of Russian descent. The rest of the population consists of 3.7 percent Tatar, 1.4 percent Ukrainian, 1.1 percent Bashkir, 1 percent Chuvash, 1 percent Chechen and 10.2 percent other, while 3.9 percent are unspecified.

Arts, literature and architecture

Ballet is a popular notable art form coming out of Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and known throughout the world. The Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg is another famous ballet company in Russia.

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a 19th-century Russian composer, is world renowned for "Swan Lake" and the "1812 Overture," among other pieces. There are several museums, including his childhood home, showcasing his personal belongings and musical artifacts.

Russian literature has also had a worldwide impact, with writers such as Leon Tolstoy ("Anna Karenina" and "War and Peace") and Fyodor Dostoevsky ("Crime and Punishment" and "The Brothers Karamazov") still being read around the world.

Russian nesting dolls are well-known symbols of the country. These sets of dolls, known as Matryoshka dolls, consist of a wooden figure that can be pulled apart to reveal another smaller version of the same image inside, and so on, often with six or more dolls nested inside one another. The painting of each doll, which can be extremely elaborate, usually symbolizes a Russian peasant girl in traditional costume.

Colorfully painted onion domes first appeared during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. They are commonplace in Russian architecture and are predominant atop church structures. It has been speculated that they represent burning candles or vaults to heaven and often appear in groups of three representing the Holy Trinity.

Russian food and drink

One of the most well-known traditional Russian foods that may seem strange to an outsider is borshch, also spelled borscht. This is a beet soup that is full of vegetables and meat and is typically served with a dollop of sour cream, a staple of many Russian dishes.

Pirozhkis are small baked buns that can be filled with potatoes, meat, cabbage or cheese. (They should not be confused with pierogies, which are Polish dumplings, boiled and then fried and stuffed with meat, cheese, potatoes or sauerkraut.)

Caviar, or ikra, traditionally made from the eggs of sturgeon found in the Black Sea or Caspian Sea, is often served on dark, crusty bread or with Blini, which are similar to pancakes or crepes. Blini are also served rolled up with a variety of fillings, ranging from jam to cheese and onions, or even chocolate syrup.

Vodka is a popular alcoholic drink traditionally made from the distillation of fermented potatoes. Beer and tea are also widely consumed.

Folklore & holidays

Russia has a rich tradition of folk tales that derive from a number of Slavic myths and traditions. Russian folk characters are very colorful, and they also betray ancient pagan roots.

Some Russians observe Christmas on Jan. 7 as a public holiday, according to the Julian calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church, while others celebrate on Dec. 25.

Russia Day is celebrated on June 12. This marks the day in 1990 that the Russian parliament formally declared Russian sovereignty from the USSR. Initially, it was named Russian Independence Day, but was renamed to Russia Day.

Manners and Customs of the Russians

Bread and Salt

In Russia dear guests are traditionally welcomed with bread and salt. The guest should break off a piece of bread, dip it in salt and eat. This ritual has become a symbol of communion with the basic life values of the hosts; it also means that the guest has become a friend and is ready “to eat a bag of salt” with them, i.e. share all their troubles and cares.

The custom of welcoming guests with bread and salt has been known in Russia for ages. The combination of bread and salt plays the role of a very capacious symbol: bread stands for wishing wealth and well-being, whereas salt is believed to protect a person from evil spirits and hostile influences. Treating the guest with bread-and-salt established relations of love and trust among guests and hosts, whereas the refusal to taste bread-and-salt was regarded as an insult. It is not without reason that they say “even the tsar does not refuse from bread-and-salt”. According to those traditional concepts, the greatest reproach to an ungrateful person would be to say: “You have forgotten my bread-and-salt”.

The famous 16th century book Domostroy setting out rules of house management and family life recommended treating a foe with drink and bread-and-salt, so that “to establish friendship instead of enmity”. In the Novgorod Province if a visitor refused food, the hosts would say with insult: “How can you go from the empty house!” The word khlebosolstvo - a combination of khleb (bread) and sol’(salt) still stands for hospitality, i.e. kindliness and generosity shown in treating a guest. In the 16th century Russian sovereigns had a custom of passing bread and salt to the guests from his own table: bread was meant to express his favor, and salt stood for love.

The expression khleb-sol’ (bread-salt) in Russia was the generalized name for food and treat. An invitation to khleb-sol’ (bread-salt) was the formula for an invitation to a feast. The old Russian way of wishing “Bon appetit!” (Priyatnogo appetita!) sounded as Khleb da sol’! (literally meaning “bread and salt”). This formula was believed to bear a special meaning and have the power of driving away evil spirits and any sort of harm.

The custom of bread-and-salt is now rarely observed in daily life, but is performed as a tradition on special occasions, especially Russian weddings.

How are you? or Kak dela?

If you ask a Russian "How are you?" / Kak dela? you risk getting a complete report on how he/she really is. Do not be surprised at the ease with which the Russians discuss their personal life. When in a train, you might hear quite intimate details of your casual fellow passenger's affairs and feelings; if you willingly support the conversation, you will be treated to some personal stories and regales, whichever your companion has at hand.

Conversation

Unlike Englishmen, the Russians are unable to speak about weather throughout a transatlantic voyage. Boring will be themes of food and drinks and clothes (though everything depends). Concrete discussion of money matters, manifest demonstration of one's financial and career success and self-advertising are not acceptable. It is considered tactless to ask about a person's age, or in any way touch upon this theme, especially if it might turn into a sore subject. The Russians still feel uneasy about speaking openly about sex, though the mass media here do their best to change the situation. Despite the global notoriety of Russian foul language, it will be frowned upon in an educated, well-mannered society. It still retains its extremely negative connotation, so be careful when displaying your probable mastery of the language. Obscene and rude jokes are not welcomed either, though it depends on the company you are in.

In spite of the abovementioned restrictions, it is customary to speak about lots of things here: personal affairs, professional interests and hobbies, talents and achievements of children, health, and any personal or financial problems, novelties of cultural and literary life. Of special interest are themes of philosophy and politics.

We will be pleased to hear certain praises related to our achievements in space exploration, economic development, figure skating and other sports, ballet and especially in art and literature (those are spheres of our innate pride). If you show proper interest in the spiritual and cultural life of this country, respect is guaranteed.

The Russians are patriots. Let all the criticism and mockery you might hear from this people about this country not mislead you. It would be a great mistake of yours to join in the criticism. Especially painful are the issues of the Second World War and the war in Chechnya.

Going out

The Russians like to dress up, especially when visiting theaters or high-style restaurants. Most Russians do not share the "looks aren't important" mentality.

When in a bar or a restaurant avoid displaying the change or checking the bill. So, you'd better do it secretly.

Drinking
Drinking often becomes the easiest way to find a common language - that's most true in Russia. So, if your health allows, do not refuse to whip up, yet be careful! Do not forget to take a snack and avoid mixing drinks.

It will be highly appreciated if you can say some sophisticated and inspiring toasts: in Russia it won't do drinking with mere 'Cheers!', though there might be situations when it doesn't matter any longer: Yet, when you do not know what to say, "Vashe zdorovie”!(To your health!)

It is a custom at an in-home party that the host (master of the house) is the first to do the honors of the table; then the guests are welcomed to toast and it is good to say something pleasant in honor of the hosts and all present.

After an especially important toast you will have to drink to the bottom. If you are arranging a party with the Russians, keep in mind that we prefer to drink sitting rather than standing or walking, as is the custom at formal parties. Traditionally, these are men who do the pouring.
On a visit

When visiting a household do not forget to bring small presents or something "for tea" or wine or flowers as appropriate. Prepare to put off your shoes at the entryway and put on 'tapochki'

It would be strange of you to eat before visiting a Russian home - prepare to consume big quantities of delicious dishes. Yet, be careful when it comes to drinking: your drinking background may be far behind the experience of your Russian friends. Your glass will be repeatedly filled to the brim, but you are not obliged to drink it all to the bottom, unless specified. Let it not slip your mind to marvel at the food and drinks. The hostess will be happy to share with you some secret recipes which she probably learnt from her granny or from a fashionable magazine. However, be careful when praising some of their belongings - it might be understood as a desire to have it and it will be presented to you, if presentable at all.

Family
Family relations in Russia are based on paternalistic principles. The Russians feel almost Oriental reverence for the old folks at home and disapprove of the people who send their old relatives to hostels for the elderly. If appropriate, show your love for your family and parents. Your Russian friends will also be happy to speak about their children's successes, hobbies and plans for the future.

Russian women are considered the best wives: they are charming, active but not domineering and, which is most important, have the inborn feeling of responsibility for their family. However, marriages with foreigners often occur problematic, as there are usually lots of barriers (cultural, psychological, language, etc.) and differences of views and opinions.

Business
Keep in mind the Russian holiday schedule and do not plan any big deal in January or in early May. It takes people some more time to recover normal working shape after the holidays.

It is typical of Russians to work by fits and starts. Stable and even working regime is too tiring for its monotonous character. So, do not get exasperated at the plenty of breaks for tea-drinking, smoking and chatting. It would be more efficient to inspire us with some ideas and the spirit of enthusiastic team work.

It will be continued

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