Gagauz Food Traditions: Historiography of the Problem

Abstract

This article presents a historiographical analysis of scholarly publications dedicated to the food traditions of the Gagauz people. These works are systematized according to a chronological principle and divided into three groups: studies from the second half of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, publications from the second half of the 20th century, and works from the last decade of the 20th to the early 21st century. The authors conclude that the essays and articles published between the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century were largely fragmentary, with the exception of the essays by V. Moshkov. The most thorough attention to this topic appears at the end of the 20th century (M. Marunevich). A number of studies attempt to identify specific elements of archaic food types, explore the origins of traditional dishes, and examine their ritual use (M. Marunevich, S. Kuroglou, D. Nicoglo). Research from the early 21st century is marked by a comprehensive approach and represents interdisciplinary studies based on rich factual material collected by the authors in Gagauz villages of the Republic of Moldova. The historiographical analysis reveals the presence of two methodological approaches: the historicalethnographic perspective on traditional food (D. Nicoglo) and the ethnolinguistic approach (E. Sorochanu). In the articles and monograph by E. Sorochanu, the semantics, symbolism, and terminology of bread and flour-based products are studied for the first time in Gagauz studies.