Intoxicating drinks in the household culture and folklore of Ukrainians

Author

Kurochkin Oleksandr

doctor of historical sciences, professor of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts.

Intoxicating drinks in the household culture and folklore of Ukrainians

Abstract

The article’s purpose is to trace the main stages of beer’s history in the Ukrainian lands from the Middle Ages to the early XXth century, to reveal the significant participation of this drink in both material and spiritual activities of the ethnic group, in particular in festive and ritual culture and oral poetry.

Methodology. The study was conducted on the basis of an interdisciplinary approach, through a comprehensive analysis of documentary, literary, and folkloric sources. the study’s scientific novelty is determined by the fact that the history of beer in the Ukrainian lands is covered for the first time from the standpoint of ethno-cultural studies. The author focuses on the national traditions of brewing, typical techniques and stereotypes of beer use in various festive and ritual contexts. The heuristic value is the original selection of documentary and folkloric texts that detail the content of the topic under study.

Conclusions. The analyzed materials allow stating that beer has long played an important role in the life and everyday activities of the Ukrainians. For a long time it was used not only as an alcoholic beverage, but also as a necessary part of the diet. In the course of historical evolution, the following types of beer production are distinguished: domestic (public), monastic, manufactory-craft, privateenterprise, and factory ones.

Keywords

Ukrainians, beer, malt, hops, brewery, holiday, rite, folklore.

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