Studying the Belarusian Cattle Breeding in the Mid-XIXth to Early XXIst Centuries

Author

Kaspiarovich Halina – a Doctor of History, an associate professor, a leading research fellow at Ethnology Department of the Centre for Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

Studying the Belarusian Cattle Breeding in the Mid-XIXth to Early XXIst Centuries

Abstract

The article analyses the ethnological publications of the mid-XIXth to early XXIst centuries on the traditions of cattle breeding in Belarus. It also describes the stages of the scientific thought development on this issue. The first period covers the mid-XIXth to early XXth centuries and is characterized by accumulating unique factual material on the issue, as well as using, by the then individual researchers, of multiple-factor complex analysis of cattle breeding development that enabled them to describe the features of this branch on regional and local levels, show the culture of animal husbandry, its significant role in the sustainable development of the Belarusians.

The second investigational period (1920s–1980s) is associated with lots of research into material aspects of cattle breeding and far less of attention was paid to inestimable artefacts of social and spiritual culture, which embraced experience, skills, folk knowledge, rites, and behavioral stereotypes of the Belarusians. These artefacts usually got, at the time, a certain ideological colouring and were regarded as remnants of the past.

The third period (1991–2017) was strongly influenced by the radical changes in political and socio-economical situation in the Republic of Belarus. Under the influence of the above-mentioned factors, there came a shift in ethnology towards the complex and system analysis of cattle-breeding traditions, the use of existing published materials and methods of allied sciences – folklore studies, ethno-linguistics, archeology, history, and statistics. The article also shows the modern tendencies in studying cattle breeding. Under the circumstances of intensive globalization and modernization of the Belarusian society, there arises an acute issue of preserving the rich and distinctive cultural heritage of the Belarusians. In this respect, one of the priorities of modern ethnology is analyzing the mechanisms of preservation, adaptation and transformation of culture of cattle breeding in the agricultural sector of the Republic of Belarus.

Keywords

cattle breeding, agricultural sector, traditions, historiographical analysis.

References

1. Vilenskayaprovice, compiled by A.KOREVA, the captain of General headquarters. Saint-Petersburg: In Ohryzko Publishers, 1861, 804 pp.
2. Hrodno province, compiled by P.Bobrovskii, the lieutenant colonel of General headquarters, the member of Imperial Russian Geographical Society. MaterialsforgeographyandstatisticsofRussia, collectedbytheofficersofGeneralheadquarters: in two parts. Saint Petersburg: In the publishers of the General headquarters department, 1863, part 2, 1074 pp.
3. HRYNBLAT, M. Some materials for the study of shepherding and animal husbandry. Turavshchyna. Our land, 1928, 8/9, 65–71.
4. DOVNOR-ZAPOLSKII, M. National economy of Byelorussia. 1861–1914. Minsk: Publishers of BSSR state plan, 1926, 239 pp.
5. KAROBUSHKINA, T. Agriculture in Х–ХIIIcenturies. In:  KASTSUK, M., ed. History of Belarus: in six volumes. Ancient Belarus. From the original settlement till the middle of theХIII century. Minsk: Ekoperspektyva, 2000, Vol. 1, 351 pp.
6. KLINGER, V. An animal in antique and modern superstition. Kiev: Publishers of the St. Vladimir Imperial University, Joint-stock company of printing and publishing work of N. Korchak-Novitskii, Meringov, 1911, 352 pp.
7. KOZLOVSKII, P. Tycooneconomy of Belorussia in the second half of the XVIIIcentury. Minsk: Science and technics, 1974, 180 pp.
8. KULAKOV, T., VALATOVSKI, M. Krukavitsa rural council of Azarychy district Mozyr region. Our land, 1929, 11, 25–26.
9. Minsk province, compiled by I. ZELENSKII. MaterialsforgeographyandstatisticsofRussia, collectedbytheofficersofGeneralheadquarters: in two parts. Saint Petersburg: In the military publishers, 1864, part 1, 672pp.
10. TSITOV, V., ed. NationalcultureofBelarus: Encyclopaedic reference book. Minsk: Bel. encycl., 2002, 432 pp.
11. LAKOTKO, A., ed. Essays on the history of culture of Belarus: in four volumes. Culture of the social elite of the XIV – early ХХthcenturies. Minsk: Belarussian science, 2013, Vol. 1, 575 pp.
12. LAKOTKO, A., ed. Essays on the history of culture of Belarus: in four volumes. Culture of the village of the XIV – early ХХth centuries. Material culture. Minsk: Belarussian science, 2015, Vol. 3, Book 1, 565 pp.
13. LAKOTKO, A., ed. Essays on the history of culture of Belarus: in four volumes. Culture of the village of the XIV – early ХХth centuries. Spiritual culture. Minsk: Belarussian science, 2016, Vol. 3, Book 2.
14. NIKIFOROVSKII, N. EssaysofthecommonlifeinVitebskBelorussiaandthedescriptionofhouseholdgoods. Vitebsk: province publishers, 1895, VIII, 552 pp.
15. AnattemptofdescriptionofMogilevprovinceinhistorical, physical, geographical, ethnographic, industrial, agricultural, forest, educational, medicalandstatisticaltrends: in three books (compiled after the programme [with preface] and edited by A.DEMBOVETSKII). Mogilev-on-Dnepr: Publishers of provincial administration, 1882–1884, Book 2, 1000 pp.
16. ROMANOV, E. Belorussiandigest. Vilna: Publishers of A.Syrkin, 1912, Issue 8: Belorussian life, 600 pp.
17. SAMTSEVICH, M. On the issue of the collective farms study. A short program of the collective farms investigation. Our land, 1929, 12, 8.
18. SERBAV, I. Vichynskpalans: Ethnographicessay on the material culture of Belarussian Palessia. Minsk: Inbelkult, 1928, 52 pp.
19. SERBOV, I. Belarussians-sakuny: A briefethnographicessay. Petrograd: Publishers of Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1915, 180 pp.
20. TITOV, V. Cattle breeding. Belorussians. Moscow: Science, 1998, pp. 154–161.
21. ULASHCHYK, M. It has been such a village. Historical-ethnographic essay. Minsk, 1989, 172 pp.
22. ULASHCHIK, M. The village of Vitskovshchina. 1880–1917.Historical-ethnographicessay.Moscow: IMLI, 2003, 192 pp.
23. TSITOV, V. Animal-powered transport. EthnographyofBelarus. Encyclopaedia. Minsk: BelSE, 1989, pp. 161.
24. TSITOV, V. Animal husbandry. EthnographyofBelarus. Encyclopaedia. Minsk: BelSE, 1989, pp. 197.
25. TSITOV, V. Nationalheritage: Materialcultureinlocal-typologicaldiversifications. Minsk: Science and technique, 1994, 300 pp.
26. CHEPKO, V. Agriculture of Belorussia in the first half of the XIX century. Minsk: Science and technique, 1966, 213 pp.
27. SHEIN, P. MaterialsforthestudyoflifeandlanguageoftheRussianpopulationofnorthwestland: in three volumes. Description of dwelling, clothes, food, occupation; time spending; games, beliefs, customary law, charms, sorcery, illnesses treatment, remedies for misfortunes, legends, superstitions, tokens. Saint Petersburg: Publishers of Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1902, Vol. 3, 596 pp.
28. SHPILEVSKII, P. Journey over Polesie and Belorussian land. Minsk: Belarus, 2004, 250 pp.
29. SHCHAHLOVA, V., LYSENKA, P. To the history of animal husbandry and hunting in the ancient Pinsk. News of AS BSSR. Social sciences series, 1977,4, 79–83.
30. SHCHEGLOVA, V. On the issue of animal husbandry in Belorussia in the middle ages. In: BUDKO, V., LYSENKO, P., POBOLYA, L., CHERNYAVSKII, M., eds. Antiquities of Belorussia. Collected papers for the conference on the archaeology of Belorussia. Minsk, 1969, pp. 406–426.