ABSTRACT
When I began my study of Russian culture and communication, I came across the following story in Dale Pesmen’s book:
As a native Russian, I knew the seriousness of that “condemnation.” If an event was referred to as “we sit” and involved alcohol consumption, it invoked a cultural sequence of actions, expectations and rules for the participants. Leaving such an event early challenged the group’s integrity. Dale Pesmen further provides a fascinating anthropological exploration of “sitting” as a cultural ritual that celebrates Russian soul (Pesmen, 2000). As I went on with my own fieldwork, my Russian friends and family would often mention that “we sat together well” referring to an enjoyable get-together involving drinking with other people and “soulful conversations.” It was expected that I would understand exactly what was going on, and why it was such a great experience (and I did!). “Soulful” experiences during “sitting” were often facilitated by alcohol consumption that was implied to be an integral and very important part of the event.
