Traditional Cuisine Among the Modern Mordovian Population of Bashkortostan
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6119-2026-1-75-83
This paper examines traditional dishes and beverages within the contemporary food system of the Erzya and Moksha Mordvins in Bashkortostan. The relevance of this study lies in the widespread public interest in culinary topics; for ethnographers, the study of food as a conservative element of ethnic culture provides valuable insights into ethnocultural processes during various periods of ethnic development. The sources include the author's field materials collected in 2023 and 2024 in areas of compact Mordovian settlement in Bashkortostan, field materials from the 2003 folklore and ethnographic expedition of the R. G. Kuzeev Institute of Ethnological Research of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and previously published works. The variety of traditional cuisine (soups, porridges, casseroles, flour products, drinks) has been documented in the menus of populations currently living in compact Mordovian villages in polyethnic Bashkortostan. Some dishes have become symbols of Mordovian culture (Mordovian pelini dumplings, dumplings with lard (tsemarat/tsemara), and the drink kuvaz) and are served at national events. The commonality of many Erzya and Moksha dishes has been identified, with some local variants (such as different sizes of pilini among the Erzya in Sadovka village, Sterlitamak district, and the Moksha in Kuzminovka village, Fedorovsky district of Bashkortostan; the preparation of noodles from prebaked and sliced pancakes in the village of Nwoboriskino, Orenburg region, and from homemade noodles in Kuzminovka village). The traditional use of stewed herbal tea among the Erzya and Moksha is demonstrated, as well as the revival of the custom of its preparation and consumption. The influence of Russian (Slavic) culture is evident in shared dishes (e.g., kulaga) and names (e.g., selyanka). The study concludes that the persistence of traditional dishes is due to the preservation of traditional economic activities (agriculture, cattle breeding, gathering), reliance on self-produced food products, and the transmission of traditions across generations. Changes are related to cooking technology (from ovens to gas equipment) and other modern developments (the availability of modern cookware), as well as to the introduction of new dishes to the menu (such as basic dishes in Mordovian cuisine).
Keywords: Mordvinian Moksha, Mordvinian Erzya, traditional cuisine, cooking recipes, preservation of traditions
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Issue: 1, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 1
Rubric: ANTHROPOLOGY
Pages: 75 — 83
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