Russian Cultural Values and Funeral Traditions

This assignment provides an in-depth analysis of Russian cultural values, including the importance of family, respect for elders, and traditional funeral practices. It also explores the role of religion in Russian society and the significance of end-of-life care. The assignment draws on various sources, including academic papers, cultural profiles, and online articles, to provide a comprehensive understanding of Russian culture.

Introduction
Russia is the largest country in the world with huge diversity of population, beliefs, traditions,
values and lifestyles. Though there are many ethnic groups, majority of people have some
common principles and themes that shows their beliefs, values and norms of the leading society
(Leigh, 2006). Majority of Russians follow Christianity religion and their official language is
Russian.
The four elements of Russian culture are as follows:
Health beliefs and practices in Russia
Medical filed in Russia is well developed but not all the regions have access to medical facilities.
Medical facilities are free for all the Russian citizens. However, it is compulsory to have private
medical insurance while people in the state hospitals easily bribe the medical personnel for better
and easy accessibility to medical services (Bennettes, 2016). Condition of state hospital and
clinic in the provinces is very poor with lack of hospital beds, medicines, doctors and nurses.
Even the medical equipment and clinics are old and outdated. Traditional herbal and folk
medicines are still common among Russians. The use of alternative medicines is legal in Russia
due to which large group of people practice and earn from these services. They have also
acquired few Chinese traditional techniques like acupuncture and cupping and Ayurveda from
India. There is a secondary system of health services i.e. private medical facilities which is only
affordable to economically stable people. People from different religion have different health
beliefs. Most Russian people follow Judaism or eastern orthodox Christianity. Other religions are
followed by very low number of population. So, these people often ignore some problems
because of their religious beliefs. Many people hide or do not disclose any mental problems.

Figure1. Ayurveda (Bennettes, 2016)
Family patterns
Russian people live together in a large family with parents, grandparents and children. They
highly believe in togetherness and give highest priority to their family. They are totally
dependent on one another and help each other in needs.
The older generation i.e. grandparents are important members in family. They help to raise
children. These group of people are the one who are least flexible to adapt changing culture and
norms. They still follow traditional cultures and resist from any influences of modern culture
(Kuftyak, 2014). They help family to raise children as parents of young children goes to work.
Similarly, parents of young children are the one who has important social position or status.
They have professional life and stable social values and ethics. They do not easily adapt changes
in external environment. But they are not strict followers of the old culture and traditions.
Younger generation who are under 25 are yet to make decision of their life. They depend on their

parents, structure of family and upbringing. Parents educate them about the culture and traditions
and help them to decide and take decisions in life. Since soviet regime parents were stressed to
educate their children properly as they are the future of the country.
Russian women are always supposed to be polite, beautiful and well groomed. People in Russia
get married in their early age between 18-22. Most woman becomes mother by the age of 25.
Women in Russia should give more priority to the household work, husband, raising their
children rather than to their career. They treat their man as superior to them.
Man is Russia should be strong and earns money for the family. They should always be mature
and strong. Still Russia is the country where there is less discrimination between men and
women from many developed countries. Before revolution Russia was a backward country
where men and women were treated differently. Women in those days were given jobs at lower
level and were paid less. They were forced to stay at home taking care of elders and children.
Post revolution Russia has developed a lot and many women now are highly educated and hold
very good position in their career. Now Russian family has become more urbanized. They prefer
nuclear family i.e. smaller in size with one baby and two parents rather than a joint family.
Figure 2. Family life (Kuftyak, 2014)

Communication Style
Effective communication skills are important to communicate with other people. Russian people
pay high attention to symbolism, artful language and nonverbal cues. People in Russia are very
formal while communicating with others. For example, it is important to use fathers name
(patronymic name) when you address someone older to you. Russian people greet with others by
shaking hands (Bergelson, 2003). They look serious and sober while meeting with unknown
people. They usually smile a little in public because formal behavior indicates respect to the
elders and people from high social status. When people meet, they shake hands firmly (Cultural
Information - Russian Federation, 2014). The hand shaking between two men is firm with
several quick pumps while between men and women is softer. It is considered to be inappropriate
for a man to offer handshaking to any woman. While between two women, older women greet by
extending her hands first. Relatives or friends may embrace strangely in an animated way and
kissing each other on their cheeks while greeting.
The touching or sharing of space while greeting is often considered as a sign of confidence and
good rapport. Russians are comfortable when it comes to introducing newcomer to their group.
They usually introduce the newcomer themselves but if not, the new person introducing himself
is not considered absurd. The making of eye contact and speaking in a moderate tone while
making conversation are very important as laughing or speaking loudly is often not appreciated.
The Russians love children so far, a parent showing photographs of their children is often a good
way of building rapport with them. Individual talking about their aim objective or target in life
are often taken with more interest then someone talking about their businesses.

Russians speak very openly in a straight forward way and shows their true emotions while
communicating. So, giving opinions about others openly or directly is common in Russia. People
in Russia stand too close to each other while having conversation which might be odd in
American and European culture (Maltseva, 2014).
Businessman in Russia prefer to meet face to face to discuss their issues rather than
communicating via writing or sending emails (Zaykova, 2016).
Death and dying practices
Family is very important for Russians. They try to be cheerful around the dying person to help
them to relieve pain and stress. There is at least one family member present 24 hours by the side
of a sick person. Friends and relatives come to visit family and sick person to support and
provide support and mental strength (Petrov, 2007). Russians behave normally and remain
cheerful with sick person to keep the patient calm and out of stress.
Religious people may bring religious icon for praying as praying is considered as a powerful
tool. There is some superstitious belief for the deceased and dying person which Russian people
follow strictly. One of them is one can visit the other world while dreaming and wake up alive.
They also believe that deceased spirit stays on the earth 40 days. most of the families keep a
towel and a cup full of water outside their house for the spirit. Eventually on the 40th day, they
take the towel at the cemetery and shake them so that the soul is released (Death around the
world: Russian funeral traditions, 2017).
The person who dies naturally because of old age is considered as a good death, while other who
dies of illness or unnaturally are considered bad death which can bring storms, bad luck drought.

If someone dies in their family they stop the lock and covers all their mirrors with black cloth.
They even move the television if its I the same room where the person died. They firstly wash
the body and dress them in white cloth with a belt which is a sign of purity and represents order
and protection.
Traditionally the body was kept for three days at home for the mourners to pay their respect.
They use to keep foods, gifts, money in the casket. Since majority follow Christianity in funeral
they follow common tradition. The body is kept at church for the mourners to visit and pay
respect. They kiss the body and lay flower bouquet.
Figure 3. Mourners paying respect (Kuftyak, 2014)

The mourners are normally dressed in black or formal cloth. Mourners visit the funeral site with
family members. During this process the mourners keep throwing the sticks to block the path so
that evil spirits gets confused who were trying to follow. The mourners throw their handkerchief
after the burial so that grief and tears do not enter their home (Goldade, 2017). Afterwards the
family of the deceased host gathering on third, ninth and 40th day after the funeral. It is believed
that on 40th day the soul goes to heaven.
Conclusion
Form this paper we learned about the different elements of Russian culture. Government medical
facilities in Russia are free but due to its over demand and poor condition, it is not available for
entire people in Russia. Talking about the private medical services, it is very expensive and
everyone cannot private medical services. Many people in Russia still believes in traditional
medications like herbal and folk medicines. Russian people gives importance to their family and
believe in togetherness. Men are believed to be superior than female though women are highly
educated and hold good professional status and positions. Russians highly respects their elders
and grandparents helps to raise grandkids while young parents work. When it comes to
communication styles they are very formal and respectful. They are usually open and straight
forward and communicate using body gestures like hand shaking. As Russians are very religious
they follow all the rituals so that deceased soul can rest in peace.

Bibliography
Bergelson. (2003). RUSSIAN CULTURAL VALUES AND WORKPLACE
COMMUNICATION STYLES. Russian Communication Association, 97-112.
Cultural Information - Russian Federation. (2014). Global Affairs Canada.
Death around the world: Russian funeral traditions. (2017, May 19). Retrieved from
Funeralzone: https://www.funeralzone.co.uk/blog/russian-funeral-traditions
Goldade. (2017, October 27). CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT: RUSSIAN FUNERAL TRADITIONS.
Retrieved from Frazer: http://www.frazerconsultants.com/2017/10/cultural-spotlight-
russian-funeral-traditions/
Kuftyak. (2014). THREE GENERATION OF RUSSIAN FAMILY: BEHAVIOR PATTERNS
AND ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIPS INTER-GENERATIONAL
TRANSMISSION. International Scientific Publications, 263-266.
Leigh. (2006). Russian Culture Profile. Diversicare. Retrieved from
http://www.diversicare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Russian.pdf
Maltseva. (2014, July 25). The contemporary Russian family: Traditional in word, slippery in
deed. Retrieved from Russia Beyond:
https://www.rbth.com/society/2014/07/25/the_contemporary_russian_family_traditional_
in_word_slippery_in_deed_38531.html
Petrov, M. (2007). End-of-Life Care: The Russian Culture . University of Washington Medical
Center .

Zaykova. (2016, May 8). Business communication in Russia. Retrieved from
https://midnightmediamusings.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/business-communication-in-
russia/