Symbolism of braiding in the wedding ceremony at the Slobodsky district, the Vyatka province

The paper explored symbolical associations in a wedding ceremonial range within the Vyatka (Russian) ethnic cultural tradition. The study examined the key symbolic act in the ceremony, the «braiding» presented in various components of a wedding range, for instance, in traditional hairdressing of the bride; in "interlacing" hands while handshake of the parties of two families having agreed to the coupling; in sewing dowry as a symbolic act of "interlacement" (sewing together) of separate parts in the whole; in a wreath as symbol of interlacing destinies of the groom and bride; in "plaiting the braid" as symbolic act of bride’ parting with (disconnection) her girlhood; in lyrics of Vyatka wedding songs with the wording "I was late by a white birch and by my fair-haired braid" that symbolizes desire of the girl not to part with girlhood, "not to come un-plaited with her home", with the wording "Block up the path for my evil enemies, let them no way to walk or to drive" symbolizes the last attempt of the girl to postpone parting with relatives whom she "has been interlaced by roots".