By Anna Temkina and you may Lilit Zakaryan, Institution of your own Sociology of Public Health insurance and Intercourse, Western european College in the St.Petersburg, Russia and you can National Academy from Sciences, Armenia
Karmir khndzor (Armenia)
Investigations the girl love – courtesy investigations her virginity – in order to affirm honor and you may updates of the girl household members is available in a variety of ‘layer ceremonies’ during the patriarchal communities regarding the Mediterranean countries to help you Latin American peasantry and you can Indian castes, since the Middle ages (Kandiyoti 1988, Carpenter 2005, Ortner 1978: 19). The thing is occur into the practice of blaga rakija from inside the Macedonia. Women virginity are with the societal stature due to the fact good female’s condition regarding the personal structure is scheduled because of the how ‘pure’ otherwise ‘polluting’ she actually is (Ortner 1978: 24-26). That it belief could have been ‘implemented because of the scientific and often a little really serious control over ladies public and especially sexual behaviour’ (Ortner 1978: 19). Considering Simone de- Beauvoir, virginity is an excellent patriarchal make hence objectifies lady once the Almost every other (1949 ).
Karmir khndzor is actually scarcely stated on the Armenian ethnography throughout the late 19th and you can early 20th ages due to the fact Armenian culture is actually mainly hushed with the items out of sexuality. Predominantly male ethnographers didn’t look at the the wedding night ceremonies in the sufficient outline with regards to women informants. If for example the bride to be is most younger, this new ritual was not performed into the wedding night whatsoever and you will try put off for quite some time (Shagoyan 2011: 497). Red oranges used to gamble a unique part throughout the regional traditions associated the increased loss of the latest bride’s virginity (Shagoyan 2011). While the a symbol of fertility in accordance with an erotic connotation, apple was used since a gift box to own gold jewelry, skilled towards bride-to-be. This new circular model of the newest fresh fruit symbolized integrity and you can excellence and you can the fresh virginity of the bride-to-be is actually at exactly the same time interpreted since the this lady ‘integrity’ (tselostnost, compare with tselka, ‘virgin’).
The modern variety of karmir khndzor that’s in use during the Armenia and also in multiple diasporic groups became popular while in the Soviet months with the raise from urban migration on the 1970s. Brand new ritual provides the pursuing the laws: Into early morning following the marriage, a small gang of lady (the newest couple’s godmother or groom’s mom, maternal sis otherwise married cousin), always 2 or 3, bring mom from fiance a dish of apples, chocolate and you will cognac. The brand new groom’s mother encourages this lady neighbours or romantic family, again a couple of lady, over getting coffees, beverage, chocolate and you will fresh fruit. Brand new godmother cuts the new oranges into four parts and you can offers her or him for the traffic. Cakes as an apple are also the right present. The newest routine includes about three procedures: examination, sanctioning and you can recognition. Pursuing the groom’s mother and other female choose lines away from blood to your bedsheet of one’s wedding pair (examination), brand new fiance get a gift in case there is the girl confirmed virginity otherwise a belief and you will censure in the eventuality of inability (sanctioning). On the step three, a red fruit otherwise a rack having apples is distributed just like the validation https://datingmentor.org/escort/daly-city/ towards bride’s mother, exactly who awaits which indication followed closely by family members or neighbours in the the woman family (Shagoyan 2011, Pogosyan 2010).
Career research used regarding middle-2000s indicated that karmir khndzor is actually did really carefully and you may vigilantly for the rural places that gender norms was more traditional and you can hierarchical. From the cities, this new behavior grabbed a reasonable mode – new ritual is actually did but the virginity testing was way more lenient (Temkina 2008, 2010). Multiple alter has aided change the latest routine as 2000s (Temkina 2008, 2010, Pogosyan 2011). Basic, the new ritual has been articulated from the public discourse by media, NGOs and also the women’s movement, as well as in academic discourse, informative programs and you may university courses into the gender, sociology, psychology and you may similar procedures. Virginity is politicised after multiple NGOs (Wo-men’s Resource Cardiovascular system out-of Armenia, UTOPIANA, WOW) prepared performances aimed at deconstructing the fresh ritual which have titles such as for instance ‘Purple Fruit is only having eating’ and you may ‘We ask one to new funeral of your Purple Fruit on the 8 away from .’ This has influenced the latest impact off karmir khndzor from the young years whom turned expected to find it because a keen old-designed habit of intimacy manage. Second, they turned possible to produce virginity. Women that got premarital relationship you certainly will imitate its virginity due to their husbands and/or moms and dads-in-law of the undergoing a health hymenoplastic techniques so you can rebuild the newest hymen and you will demonstrated its social purity and you will honourable femininity. Of the medicalising new karmir khndzor practice, gynecologists could help girls to construct a routine biography and boost their life chance getting a routine elizabeth way more preferred getting couples in order to won’t participate in new ritual or so you can ‘save’ the fresh new women’s virginity. Once the intimate matchmaking turned more liberal and you will regarded as belonging to an independent sphere off private lifestyle, karmir khndzor was directed in order to good ceremonial and you can cultural icon from inside the the fresh federal relationships and it has missing the partnership in order to virginity, in terms of example is the case away from a marriage veil from inside the Russia.
Karmir khndzor was caught up about stress ranging from federal term and modernity. Given that ritual stands for Armenian society and antique sex positions, individuals who refute new ritual chance getting considered lower than right Armenian owners and people. Yet people who rigidly proceed with the ritual might be seen as backward and old-fashioned of the its competitors. But not, pro- and fraud- attitudes in order to karmir khndzor work better regarded as being located towards a range. Both teenage boys and you may women could possibly get object toward virginity take to acting as a device off power over their closeness and personal lives. In other cases, people may prefer to continue its virginity ahead of relationship in order to consider this a significant cultural culture you to definitely fosters kinship solidarity. Some could possibly get invest in preserve its virginity, however, hate the public confirmation following the relationships. Of several teenagers view low-marital sex just like the appropriate for both men and women and thought karmir khndzor wholly archaic. As patriarchal sex program destroyed its rigidness, the range of ranks concerning routine suggest deficiencies in one personal opinion concerning the practice (find outlined conditions to own performing the fresh ritual from inside the Pogosyan 2010).
Sources
Poghosyan, A good. 2010. A few of the features of the brand new transformation of one’s society “Red-colored apple”: Heritage and you can Modernity in Armenian Society, Yerevan: Gitutyuan, 359-367
Shagoyan, Grams. 2011. ‘” Seven days, eight evening”: Vista of one’s Armenian relationship, Institute out of Archaeology and Ethnography of National Academy out of Sciences, RA, 496-509