‘My Grandmother Smokes a Pipe . ’

Abstract

Introduction. In everyday and ceremonial practices of the Kalmyks, tobacco smoking remained widespread till the mid-20th century. The topic has not been scientifically explored, which makes it relevant enough. Goals. So, the work seeks to historically examine the dissemination of tobacco among the Kalmyks, investigate peculiarities of smoking accessories, illustrate some everyday and ceremonial tobacco-related practices, analyze the established ethnic representations dealing with tobacco smoking, requisites and etiquette. Methods. The research employs the synchronous/diachronous, descriptive, comparative/functional, comparative/contrastive, and semantic methods. Results and Conclusions. The paper concludes the Kalmyks became familiar with tobacco in the 16th - early 17th centuries; in everyday and ceremonial practices of Kalmyk society, tobacco smoking was functionally related to folk healing, communicative behavioral, and guest etiquette patterns, serving as a means to unite members of one clan, with its certain ties to the symbol of hearth and cult of ancestors. For the time being, traditional tobacco smoking techniques have passed out of use, which resulted in the loss of respective smoking accessories manufacturing traditions.

Keywords

• kalmyks
• tobacco
• smoking accessories
• tobacco growing
• symbol of heath
• hospitality
• etiquette