Dowry and Megrelian Folk Poetic Writing

Abstract

Folk verbosity is inexhaustible source of life and indigeneity of the nation. It is composed of the factual materials, which were created with national feelings.

Dowry is important to study the institute of marriage as folk tradition, as it was one part of the chain of marriage traditions. The bride’s parents were responsible to prepare it and it was changed in parallel with the social-economic and culture developments.

Folk poetry writing preserved a lot of text materials, which clearly demonstrate the traditions of various epochs. It is well-known that the traditions reflect the spirit of centuries.

In one period of human evaluation history, personal dignities, family background and characters of the couple were key pre-conditions to get into marriage. Through the centuries the spiritual and material values usually change.

It is worth to mention that material difficulties made the dowry institute as an important part.

The parents of both bride and groom were interested in it. It is important to note that, dowry has not lost its importance even nowadays.

It is indisputable that the period, when “dowry list” was an important pre-condition for the happy marriage of a bride, now belongs to history.

The essence of the pre-conditions for the marriage were steeled in the centuries-old furnace. Dowry, that is material interest of a groom, was losing its importance. The love replaces its place as an important pre-condition. The youth are creating families with their love and internal feelings. The parents no-longer play decisive role in the marriage of the young couple, for what they get dissatisfied. The conflict between the generations is reflected in folk works too.

Our goal is to show the attitude towards the dowry as well as the changes in these attitudes based on the Megrelian folk poetic writings, which we collected as a result of field works. These materials enable us to conclude how the role and importance of the dowry was changing in time and space.