The Formalization of Spontaneous Folk Performances in Rural Folk Bands in Udmurtia

Abstract

This article focuses on the different institutional activities of folk music groups in rural cultural centers in Udmurtia. The author seeks to understand how traditional singing practices interact with the official requirements and norms established by cultural institutions. The practices of communal singing in the modern village are explored through the lens of the constructivist paradigm, using ethnographic descriptive methods and the concept of 'invention of tradition.' The empirical basis of the study consists of 36 interviews collected in the northern, less urbanized areas of Udmurtia, where unique practices of individual and group singing have been preserved. The rural area remains a rich field for the study of specific styles of symbolic consumption, supported by the preservation of language and elements of traditional culture. The article reveals how employees of cultural institutions strive to intensify communication in the Udmurt language, including folk songs in the repertoire that meet institutional performance standards. This institutionalized folk tradition is replicated through informal singing at home parties and among friends, complementing official cultural practices and creating a complex network of social connections among members of the rural community. This research not only sheds light on the specifics of folklore ensembles and singing practices in modern rural communities of Udmurtia, but also provides an insight into the sociocultural processes that occur at the junction of institutional regulation and living folk tradition.