Feminist critics translate the proof of virginity rituals because the proof the new patriarchy’s double criteria and you will control of ladies sex

Because of the Anna Temkina and you will Lilit Zakaryan, Institution of your own Sociology of Social Health insurance and Sex, European University on St.Petersburg, Russia and you may National Academy from Sciences, Armenia

Karmir khndzor (Armenia)

Review your ex purity – thanks to investigations the lady virginity – in order to affirm honour and you will position from their family members is available when you look at the a range of ‘piece ceremonies’ inside the patriarchal societies on Mediterranean societies so you’re able to Latin American peasantry and you may Indian castes, as Old (Kandiyoti 1988, Carpenter 2005, Ortner 1978: 19). Parallels exist on habit of blaga rakija inside the Macedonia. Female virginity is regarding the social prestige while the a great woman’s position in the social build is defined by how ‘pure’ otherwise ‘polluting’ this woman is (Ortner 1978: 24-26). That it religion could have been ‘implemented because of the medical and sometimes a bit big power over ladies personal and especially intimate behaviour’ (Ortner 1978: 19). According to Simone de- Beauvoir, virginity was an excellent patriarchal construct and this objectifies people once the Almost every other (1949 ).

Karmir khndzor is actually rarely said regarding Armenian ethnography throughout the later 19th and early twentieth ages as the Armenian culture was mostly quiet towards the items out of sexuality. Mostly men ethnographers failed to read the the marriage nights ceremonies for the adequate detail using their girls informants. If for example the bride to be try most more youthful, the fresh routine wasn’t did with the wedding nights at all and try put-off for several years (Shagoyan 2011: 497). Red-colored oranges used to play yet another part on the regional rituals associated the increasing loss of brand new bride’s virginity (Shagoyan 2011). Because symbolic of virility with an erotic connotation, fruit was applied once the a present box for silver accessories, gifted on the bride-to-be. The newest round shape of brand new good fresh fruit represented stability and perfection and the fresh virginity of the bride are in addition translated since this lady ‘integrity’ (tselostnost, compare with tselka, ‘virgin’).

The current particular karmir khndzor which is being used while in the Armenia plus in several diasporic communities shot to popularity during Soviet several months for the increase out-of metropolitan migration about seventies. New ritual gets the pursuing the laws and regulations: Into the day after the wedding, a little number of people (this new couple’s godmother otherwise groom’s mom, maternal sister otherwise married sis), always several, provide the mother away from bride to be a dish out of oranges, sweets and you can cognac. The latest groom’s mommy attracts the lady neighbors otherwise close family members, once again 2 or 3 people, more than getting java, tea, candy and you can fresh fruit. The newest godmother cuts the latest oranges to your four bits and you can offers him or her with the guests. Cakes in the form of a fruit are also the ideal gift. The brand new routine has three methods: examination, sanctioning and you may recognition. After the groom’s mom and other girls look for lines off bloodstream towards bedsheet of your own wedding couples (examination), the latest bride to be get something special in the eventuality of her verified virginity or a belief and you may censure in case there are failure (sanctioning). Regarding next step, a yellow apple otherwise a holder which have oranges is distributed because validation on bride’s mother, whom awaits that it signal followed closely by friends otherwise neighbors on the lady domestic (Shagoyan 2011, Pogosyan 2010).

Community browse presented in the middle-2000s showed that karmir khndzor try performed extremely rigorously and you can vigilantly inside rural places that intercourse norms had been more conventional and you may hierarchical. On the towns, new habit got a more moderate mode – the newest ritual is did nevertheless virginity investigations was a whole lot more lenient (Temkina 2008, 2010). Multiple alter enjoys aided redefine the fresh new routine because 2000s (Temkina 2008, 2010, Pogosyan 2011). Very first, the fresh new routine could have been articulated regarding the public discourse because of the media, NGOs in addition to ladies’ path, and also in educational commentary, academic programmes and you will school programs into the gender, sociology, psychology and you may similar specialities. Virginity might politicised shortly after numerous NGOs (Wo-men’s room Capital Cardiovascular system out of Armenia, UTOPIANA, WOW) prepared performances intended for deconstructing the fresh routine having titles including ‘Purple Apple is just to have eating’ and you will ‘We invite you to brand new funeral service of your Yellow Apple to the 8 regarding .’ It’s got swayed the fresh new effect regarding karmir khndzor of the younger generations who turned into prone to see it just like the an enthusiastic old-fashioned habit of intimacy handle. Second, they became you’ll be able to to fabricate virginity. Ladies who had premarital relationships you certainly will replicate their virginity for their husbands and/otherwise moms and dads-in law from the in the process of a health hymenoplastic procedure so you’re able to reconstruct the latest hymen and you can have demostrated its social love and you can honourable womanliness. By medicalising the latest karmir khndzor routine, gynecologists could help people to construct a typical biography and improve their lifetime chance for an everyday age way more popular to possess partners to help you decline to participate in the latest ritual otherwise to help you ‘save’ the new ladies’ virginity. Given that sexual relationships turned way more liberal and considered owned by an independent areas out-of personal lives, karmir khndzor are relegated to help you a beneficial ceremonial and cultural icon inside the new national matrimony and it has destroyed the partnership to help you virginity, in terms of example is the case away from a married relationship veil into the Russia.

Karmir khndzor was involved regarding stress between federal title and you can modernity. As routine means Armenian culture and you may old-fashioned intercourse positions, people who refute the brand new routine chance are considered lower than correct Armenian customers and female. Yet , those who rigidly follow the routine might be recognized as backwards and you can old-fashioned by the their rivals. Although not, pro- and you will ripoff- perceptions so you’re able to karmir khndzor operate better thought of as being proudly located toward a range. One another teenagers and you can girls can get object for the virginity test becoming a procedure of control of its intimacy and personal lives. Other days, girls may prefer to remain its virginity in advance of wedding and to contemplate it an important cultural community you to definitely fosters kinship solidarity. Some can get commit to maintain the virginity, but dislike necessary hyperlink its personal verification adopting the wedding. Of several teenagers see non-marital sex because the appropriate for both males and females and you may believe karmir khndzor wholly archaic. Because patriarchal gender program lost the rigidness, the range of positions in regards to the habit suggest too little any social opinion regarding the routine (see in depth circumstances getting creating brand new ritual into the Pogosyan 2010).

Sources

Poghosyan, A. 2010. A few of the options that come with new transformation of society “Yellow fruit”: Customs and you will Modernity into the Armenian Culture, Yerevan: Gitutyuan, 359-367

Shagoyan, G. 2011. ‘” 7 days, 7 evening”: Vista of your Armenian marriage, Institute from Archaeology and you can Ethnography away from National Academy of Sciences, RA, 496-509