Since pagan times, cheerful people in bright outfits wandered through Russian villages and cities. The buffoons made the common people and noble people laugh, enjoyed their love, and suddenly disappeared, leaving behind only proverbs and sayings. But this category of people has its own history, traditions, secrets, which are of great interest even today.
What did the buffoons do
The buffoons were the first Russian actors: singers, dancers, trainers - they usually took bears with them. They themselves composed most of the dramatic, musical and verbal works shown to the public. Skomorokhs not only made people laugh - often their jokes and jokes revealed big and small problems of their time, were smashing satire. Equally talented comedians ridiculed the weaknesses of the common people, the mighty of this world, the clergy. The funny and well-aimed words of the wandering jesters were remembered and quickly scattered around the neighborhood.
Buffoons entertain honest people.
The repertoire and costumes of buffoons The repertoire of the traveling actors included magic tricks, dances, little plays (games), songs, mockery (social satire). They usually gave performances in masks to the accompaniment of tambourines, bagpipes, beeps, pity, domras. The instruments of the wandering musicians gave out merry, incendiary melodies that lured people into a perky dance. However, if they so desired, the buffoons could also perform a sad ballad that made the recently laughing crowd cry.
A tightrope walker at the performance of buffoons.
The works of buffoons were sometimes frivolous, which, however, did not bother the public. Such liberty was in the nature of a ritual that came from pagan rituals. Almost always, a trained bear, a favorite of the audience, took part in the performances. Next to the forest predator, there was a cheerful actor dressed as a goat, which beat in spoons, danced, involving everyone in the dance.
Skoromokhs with a bear.
According to some information, they were engaged in buffoons and fortune-telling. Even after baptism, the Russian people kept pagan traditions for a long time, trusting the sorcerers, so buffoons could freely perform various rituals. There is a legend about Zamri Mountain, located in the Moscow region. At one time, buffoons from all over the country gathered here and performed pagan rituals. Scraps of ritual songs and music, which disappeared at dawn, were carried over many kilometers of the surroundings. The buffoonish outfits were unusually colorful. The actors wore brightly colored shirts and pants, and they usually wore funny caps with bells on their heads. Performing in squares and streets, buffoons communicated directly with the audience, involving them in the performance.
Artels of stray actors and the musical mafiaThe buffoons began to unite in large gangs from the 16th century, and the members of such groups could be 60-100 people. Such an impressive number of people made it possible to safely travel to all corners of Russia at a time when persecution of the artists began by the tsar and the clergy. In addition, it allowed them to trade from time to time by robbery. However, in the oral work of the people, the image of the buffoon-robber, offending ordinary people, is absent.
Buffoons on carols.
The appearance of buffoons: the secrets of ancient Russia It is still not known for certain where the wandering comedians came from. However, there is an initial version that the first buffoons were participants in pagan rituals who were left without work. On the temples during the pagan period, whole performances were played with the participation of mummers.
Everyone's fun.
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An extraordinary masquerade symbolized unity with the spirits, reincarnation and at the same time covered the mummer from the action of evil forces - they could not recognize him under someone else's disguise. The patron saint of buffoons was considered the Slavic god Troyan, who helped the comedians in every possible way.
Destruction of buffoonery Immediately after the baptism, the clergy began an active struggle with wandering actors, who were equated with pagan priests. The church considered the performances of comedians to be demonic games, contrary to the church charter. In 1648, Archbishop Nikon diligently achieved the Tsar's decree on the complete prohibition of buffoonery. After this and other royal decrees, persecutions began against itinerant comedians and their listeners.
It's time and honor to know.
Skomorokhs were beaten with batogs, thrown into prisons, their equipment was destroyed. The reason for the persecution lay in the intolerance of church leaders to popular amusements, the center of which was buffoons. The teachings repeated the prohibitions of dancing, music, dressing up, and other types of entertainment that came from Byzantium, which, in the opinion of the Byzantines, were associated with pagan cults and legends.
Buffoonery dances.
Byzantine views were almost completely transferred by the clergy to Russian reality. The authorities and the church were also annoyed by the satirical performances of the actors, exposing the spiritual and secular authorities in an impartial form. Skomorokhs eventually turned into puppeteers, showmongers, bearbears, fairground amusers.
Buffoons …
The phenomenon of buffoonery reflects the development of the Russian people from tribal communities to the modern state. This is part of the original culture, born of the people, providing a person's need for self-expression. Buffoonery is a folk phenomenon, an element of the natural development of the creative nature of the people.
