Ludian matchmaking: time, participants, attributes in light of mapping

The article, based on a wide range of sources, is aimed at presenting the geography of some components of matchmaking (the time of the ritual, its performers and their attributes) using the mapping method in the area of the Ludian Karelians settlement. It is concluded that the components under consideration were of the Baltic Finnic, Karelian and Russian origin. The common Baltic Finnic components include the name of the matchmaking (kozit'suz) procedure and the names of matchmakers (sulhazet). The components of Karelian origin include the time of the marriage proposal and marriage itself (Christmas), participation of a sorcerer and a female matchmaker (sajannaine) in the matchmaking procedure, the use of various matchmaking staffs. However, these components were unevenly represented on the territory of the Ludian settlement. The participation of a sorcerer (tiedoinikka) in the matchmaking procedure, as it was revealed, was peculiar only to the Northern Ludians bordering on the Segozer Karelians and was explained by the influence of the latter. The composition of matchmakers and wedding titles, common among Ludian people, was formed under the enormous influence of the wedding traditions of the neighboring Russian population. The Russian impact was uneven, which is reflected in the maps.