Ethnographic Boundaries of Western Рodillya: History of Formation and Ethnic Identity

Abstract

The article analyzes the historical preconditions for the formation of the West Podillya region on the basis of ancient sources and modern literature. The historical and political factors that influenced ethno-regional consciousness of the population residing in the region, especially in the border areas, are outlined as being the reinforcing factor for ethnic selfpreservation and identity. Due to the analysis of the ancient chronicles, as well as the works of well-known ethnologists, the ethnographic term ,,Podillya” was defined as well as its origin, etymology and peculiarities of interpretation. There are three parallel interpretations of the term ,,Podillya” giving geographical, administrative and ethnographic views in scientific discourse. The most legitimate in this case is geographic interpretation, because it is devoid of political background and regulated by historiography. The article postulates that an important factor in identifying the characteristic features of the West-Podillya region is the peculiarities in certain customs and rituals, their terminological specifics, regional consciousness, being almost completely lost in the region under study, although in the late XIXth and early XXth centuries they were inherent to many inhabitants of Podillya, as well as a number of other specific features that give grounds for a specific regionalism and localization of the territory.