In the old days there was no means of transportation faster and more convenient horse . On a horse they transported goods, hunted, fought; on a horse they went to woo and brought the bride to the house. Without a horse, they could not imagine farming. A delicious and healing drink, koumiss, was obtained (and is still being received) from mare's milk, strong ropes were made from the hair of the mane, and soles for shoes were made from the skin, boxes and buckles were made from the horn coating of hooves. In a horse, especially in a horse, his position was valued. There were even signs by which you can recognize a good horse. The Kalmyks, for example, had 33 such signs.

The peoples that will be discussed, whether Turkic or Mongolian, know, love and breed this animal in their household. Perhaps their ancestors were not the first to domesticate the horse, but perhaps there are no peoples on earth in whose history the horse would play such a big role. Thanks to the light cavalry, the ancient Turks and Mongols settled on a vast territory - the steppe and forest-steppe, desert and semi-desert spaces of Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

On the globe about 40 peoples live in different countries speaking in Turkic languages ; more than 20 -in Russia. Their number is about 10 million people. Only 11 out of 20 have republics in their composition Russian Federation: Tatars (Republic of Tatarstan), Bashkirs (Republic of Bashkortostan), Chuvash (Chuvash Republic), Altaians (Altai Republic), Tuvans (Republic of Tuva), Khakass (The Republic of Khakassia), Yakuts (The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)); among Karachays with Circassians and Balkars with Kabardians - common republics(Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian).

The rest of the Turkic peoples are scattered throughout Russia, in its European and Asian regions and regions. it Dolgans, Shors, Tofalars, Chulyms, Nagaibaks, Kumyks, Nogais, Astrakhan and Siberian Tatars . The list can include Azerbaijanis (Derbent Turks) Dagestan, Crimean Tatars, Meskhetian Turks, Karaites, a significant number of whom now live not in their original land, in the Crimea and Transcaucasia, but in Russia.

The largest Turkic people of Russia - Tatars, there are about 6 million people. The smallest - Chulyms and Tofalars: the number of each nation is just over 700 people. northernmost - Dolgans on the Taimyr Peninsula, and southernmost - Kumyks in Dagestan, one of the republics North Caucasus.The most eastern Turks of Russia - Yakuts(their self-name - Sakha), and they live in the north-east of Siberia. BUT most western - Karachays inhabiting the southern regions of Karachay-Cherkessia. The Turks of Russia live in different geographical zones - in the mountains, in the steppe, in the tundra, in the taiga, in the forest-steppe zone.

The ancestral home of the Turkic peoples is the steppes of Central Asia. Starting from the II century. and ending in the 13th century, pressed by their neighbors, they gradually moved to the territory of present-day Russia and occupied the lands where their descendants now live (see the article "From primitive tribes to modern peoples").

The languages ​​of these peoples are similar, they have many common words, but, most importantly, the grammar is similar. As scientists suggest, in ancient times they were dialects of the same language. Over time, the closeness was lost. The Turks settled on a very large area, stopped communicating with each other, they had new neighbors, and their languages ​​could not help but influence the Turkic ones. All Turks understand each other, but, say, Altaians with Tuvans and Khakasses, Nogais with Balkars and Karachays, Tatars with Bashkirs and Kumyks can easily come to an agreement. And only the Chuvash language stands apart in the Turkic family of languages.

Representatives of the Turkic peoples of Russia differ greatly in appearance. . in the east this is North Asian and Central Asian Mongoloids -Yakuts, Tuvans, Altaians, Khakasses, Shors.In the west, typical Caucasians -Karachays, Balkars. And finally, the intermediate type refers in general caucasoid , but with a strong admixture of Mongoloid features Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Kumyks, Nogais.

What's the matter here? The relationship of the Turks is more linguistic than genetic. Turkic languages are easy to pronounce, their grammar is very logical, there are almost no exceptions. In ancient times, nomadic Turks spread over a vast territory occupied by other tribes. Some of these tribes switched to the Turkic dialect because of its simplicity and over time began to feel like Turks, although they differed from them both in appearance and in traditional occupations.

Traditional farming , which the Turkic peoples of Russia were engaged in in the past, and in some places they continue to be engaged in now, are also diverse. Nearly all were grown cereals and vegetables. Many raised cattle: horses, sheep, cows. Excellent herdsmen have long been Tatars, Bashkirs, Tuvans, Yakuts, Altaians, Balkars. However deer bred and still few are bred. it Dolgans, northern Yakuts, Tofalars, Altaians and a small group of Tuvans living in the taiga part of Tuva - Todzha.

Religions among the Turkic peoples too various. Tatars, Bashkirs, Karachays, Nogais, Balkars, Kumyks - Muslims ; Tuvans - Buddhists . Altaians, Shors, Yakuts, Chulyms, although adopted in the XVII-XVIII centuries. Christianity , always remained secret worshipers of shamanism . Chuvash With mid-eighteenth in. considered the most Christian people in the Volga region , but in recent years some of them return to paganism : they worship the sun, the moon, the spirits of the earth and the dwelling, the spirits-ancestors, without refusing, however, from orthodoxy .

WHO ARE YOU, T A T A R Y?

Tatars - the most numerous Turkic people of Russia. They live in Republic of Tatarstan, as well as in Bashkortostan, Udmurt Republic and adjacent areas Ural and Volga regions. There are large Tatar communities in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major cities. And in general, in all regions of Russia, one can meet Tatars who have been living outside their homeland, the Volga region, for decades. They have taken root in a new place, fit into a new environment for them, feel great there and do not want to leave anywhere.

There are several peoples in Russia who call themselves Tatars . Astrakhan Tatars live close to Astrakhan, Siberian- in Western Siberia, Kasimov Tatars - near the city of Kasimov on the river Ok a (on the territory where serving Tatar princes lived several centuries ago). And finally Kazan Tatars named after the capital of Tatarstan - the city of Kazan. All these are different, although close to each other peoples. However just Tatars should be called only Kazan .

Among the Tatars distinguish two ethnographic groups - Mishari Tatars and Kryashen Tatars . The former are known for being Muslims do not celebrate the national holiday Sabantuy but they celebrate red egg day - something similar to the Orthodox Easter. On this day, children collect colored eggs from home and play with them. Kryashens ("baptized") because they are called that because they were baptized, that is, they accepted Christianity, and note not Muslim but Christian holidays .

The Tatars themselves began to call themselves that way quite late - only in the middle of the 19th century. For a very long time they did not like this name and considered it humiliating. Until the 19th century they were named differently: Bulgarly" (Bulgars), "Kazanly" (Kazan), "Meselman" (Muslims). And now many demand the return of the name "Bulgars".

Turks came to the regions of the Middle Volga and the Kama region from the steppes of Central Asia and the North Caucasus, crowded by tribes that moved from Asia to Europe. The migration continued for several centuries. At the end of the IX-X centuries. a prosperous state, the Volga Bulgaria, arose on the Middle Volga. The people living in this state were called Bulgars. Volga Bulgaria existed for two and a half centuries. Here agriculture and cattle breeding, handicrafts developed, there was trade with Russia and with the countries of Europe and Asia.

O high level Bulgar culture in that period is evidenced by the existence of two types of writing - ancient Turkic runic(1) and later Arabic which came along with Islam in the 10th century. Arabic language and writing gradually replaced the signs of ancient Turkic writing from the sphere of public circulation. And this is natural: the entire Muslim East, with which Bulgaria had close political and economic contacts, used the Arabic language.

The names of remarkable poets, philosophers, scientists of Bulgaria, whose works are included in the treasury of the peoples of the East, have survived to our time. it Khoja Ahmed Bulgari (XI century) - a scientist and theologian, an expert on the moral precepts of Islam; FROM ulaiman ibn Daoud al-Saksini-Suwari (XII century) - the author of philosophical treatises with very poetic titles: "The light of the rays - the truthfulness of secrets", "The flower of the garden, delighting sick souls." And the poet Kul Gali (XII-XIII centuries) wrote the "Poem about Yusuf", which is considered a classic Turkic-language work of art of the pre-Mongolian period.

In the middle of the XIII century. Volga Bulgaria was conquered by the Tatar-Mongols and became part of the Golden Horde . After the fall of the Horde in 15th century . a new state arises in the Middle Volga region - Kazan Khanate . The main backbone of its population is formed by the same Bulgars, who by that time had already experienced the strong influence of their neighbors - the Finno-Ugric peoples (Mordovians, Mari, Udmurts), who lived next to them in the Volga basin, as well as the Mongols, who made up the majority ruling class Golden Horde.

Where did the name come from "Tatars" ? There are several versions of this. According to the most widespread, one of the Central Asian tribes conquered by the Mongols was called " tatan", "tatabi". In Rus', this word turned into "Tatars", and they began to call everyone: the Mongols, and the Turkic population of the Golden Horde subject to the Mongols, far from being monoethnic in composition. With the collapse of the Horde, the word "Tatars" did not disappear, they continued to collectively call the Turkic-speaking peoples on the southern and eastern borders of Rus'. Over time, its meaning narrowed down to the name of one people who lived on the territory of the Kazan Khanate.

The Khanate was conquered by Russian troops in 1552 . Since then, the Tatar lands have been part of Russia, and the history of the Tatars has been developing in close cooperation with the peoples inhabiting the Russian state.

Tatars excelled in various types of economic activity. They were wonderful s farmers (they grew rye, barley, millet, peas, lentils) and excellent cattle breeders . Of all types of livestock, sheep and horses were especially preferred.

Tatars were famous as beautiful artisans . Coopers made barrels for fish, caviar, sour, pickles, beer. Tanners made leather. Kazan morocco and Bulgar yuft (original locally produced leather), shoes and boots, very soft to the touch, decorated with applique from pieces of multi-colored leather, were especially valued at fairs. Among the Kazan Tatars there were many enterprising and successful merchants who traded throughout Russia.

TATAR NATIONAL CUISINE

In Tatar cuisine one can distinguish "agricultural" dishes and "cattle-breeding" dishes. The first ones are soups with pieces of dough, cereals, pancakes, tortillas , i.e., what can be prepared from grain and flour. To the second - dried horse meat sausage, sour cream, different types of cheese , a special kind of sour milk - katyk . And if you dilute the katyk with water and cool it, you get a wonderful thirst-quenching drink - ayran . well and belyashi - round pies fried in oil with meat or vegetable filling, which can be seen through a hole in the dough, are known to everyone. festive dish the Tatars considered smoked goose .

Already at the beginning of the X century. the ancestors of the Tatars accepted Islam , and since then their culture has developed within the Islamic world. This was facilitated by the spread of writing based on Arabic script and the construction of a large number of mosques - buildings for holding collective prayers. Schools were created at mosques - mektebe and madrasah , where children (and not only from noble families) learned to read the holy book of Muslims in Arabic - Koran .

Ten centuries of written tradition have not been in vain. Among the Kazan Tatars, in comparison with other Turkic peoples of Russia, there are many writers, poets, composers, and artists. Often it was the Tatars who were the mullahs and teachers of other Turkic peoples. Tatars have a highly developed sense of national identity, pride in their history and culture.

{1 } Runic (from the ancient Germanic and Gothic runa - "mystery*") is the name given to the most ancient Germanic writings, which were distinguished by a special inscription of characters. The ancient Turkic writing of the 8th-10th centuries was also called.

VISIT TO X A K A S A M

In southern Siberia on the banks of the Yenisei River another Turkic-speaking people lives - Khakass . There are only 79 thousand of them. Khakasses - descendants of the Yenisei Kyrgyz who lived more than a thousand years ago in the same area. Neighbors, the Chinese, called the Kyrgyz " hyagas"; from this word the name of the people came - the Khakass. By appearance Khakasses can be attributed to Mongoloid race, however, a strong Caucasoid admixture is also noticeable in them, which manifests itself in lighter skin than other Mongoloids and lighter, sometimes almost red, hair color.

Khakasses live in Minusinsk basin, sandwiched between the Sayan and Abakan ridges. They consider themselves mountain people , although the majority live in the flat, steppe part of Khakassia. Archaeological monuments of this basin - and there are more than 30 thousand of them - testify that a person lived on the Khakas land already 40-30 thousand years ago. From the drawings on the rocks and stones, one can get an idea of ​​how people lived at that time, what they did, who they hunted, what rituals they performed, what gods they worshiped. Of course, it cannot be said that Khakass{2 ) are direct descendants of the ancient inhabitants of these places, but there are still some common features between the ancient and modern population of the Minusinsk Basin.

Khakass - pastoralists . They call themselves " threefold people", because three types of livestock are bred: horses, cattle (cows and bulls) and sheep . Previously, if a person had more than 100 horses and cows, they said about him that he had "a lot of cattle", and they called him a bai. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. The Khakass led a nomadic lifestyle. Cattle were grazed all year round. When horses, sheep, cows ate all the grass around the dwelling, the owners collected property, loaded it onto horses and, together with their herd, went to a new place. Having found a good pasture, they set up a yurt there and lived until the cattle again ate the grass. And so on until four times in year.

Bread they also sowed - and learned this a long time ago. An interesting folk way, which determined the readiness of the land for sowing. The owner plowed small plot and, having exposed the lower half of the body, sat down on the arable land to smoke a pipe. If, while he was smoking, the bare parts of the body did not freeze, it means that the earth has warmed up and it is possible to sow grain. However, other nations also used this method. While working on arable land, they did not wash their faces - so as not to wash away happiness. And when the sowing was over, they made an alcoholic drink from the remnants of last year's grain and sprinkled the sown land with it. This interesting Khakass rite was called "Uren Khurty", which means "to kill an earthworm". It was performed in order to appease the spirit - the owner of the earth, so that he would not "allow" various kinds of pests to destroy the future crop.

Now the Khakass quite willingly eat fish, but in the Middle Ages they were treated with disgust and called it "river worm". To prevent it from accidentally getting into drinking water, special channels were diverted from the river.

Until the middle of the XIX century. Khakass lived in yurts . Yurt- comfortable nomadic dwelling. It can be assembled and disassembled in two hours. First, sliding wooden grates are placed in a circle, a door frame is attached to them, then a dome is laid out from separate poles, while not forgetting about the upper hole: it plays the role of a window and a chimney at the same time. In summer, the outside of the yurt was covered with birch bark, and in winter - with felt. If you properly heat the hearth, which is placed in the center of the yurt, then it is very warm in it in any frost.

Like all pastoralists, the Khakass love meat and dairy products . With the onset of winter colds, cattle were slaughtered for meat - not all, of course, but as much as needed to last until the beginning of summer, until the first milk of cows that went out to pasture. Horses and sheep were slaughtered according to certain rules, dismembering the carcass at the joints with a knife. It was forbidden to break bones - otherwise the owner will have cattle transferred and there will be no happiness. On the day of the slaughter, a celebration was held and all the neighbors were invited. Adults and children are very loved pressed milk foam mixed with flour, bird cherry or lingonberries .

There have always been many children in Khakas families. There is a proverb "A man who has raised cattle has a full stomach, and a man who has raised children has a full soul"; If a woman gave birth and raised nine children - and the number nine had a special meaning in the mythology of many peoples of Central Asia - she was allowed to ride a "consecrated" horse. The horse, on which the shaman performed a special ceremony, was considered consecrated; after him, according to the beliefs of the Khakas, the horse was protected from trouble and protected the entire herd. Not every man was even allowed to touch such an animal.

In general, the Khakass many interesting customs . For example, a person who managed to catch the sacred bird flamingo while hunting (this bird is very rare in Khakassia) could woo any girl, and her parents had no right to refuse him. The groom dressed the bird in a red silk shirt, tied a red silk scarf around its neck and carried it as a gift to the bride's parents. Such a gift was considered very valuable, more expensive than any kalym - a ransom for the bride, which the groom had to pay to her family.

Since the 90s. 20th century Khakass - by religion they shamanists - annually celebrate the national holiday Ada Hoorai . It is dedicated to the memory of the ancestors - everyone who has ever fought and died for the freedom of Khakassia. In honor of these heroes, a public prayer is held, a ritual of sacrifice is performed.

THROAT SINGING OF THE KHAKAS

Khakasses own the art of throat singing . It's called " hai ". The singer does not utter words, but in the low and high sounds flying out of his throat, one hears the sounds of an orchestra, then the rhythmic clatter of a horse's hooves, then the hoarse groans of a dying beast. Undoubtedly, this unusual view art was born in nomadic conditions, and its origins must be sought in ancient times. It's curious that throat singing is known only to the Turkic-speaking peoples - Tuvans, Khakasses, Bashkirs, Yakuts - and also to a small extent to the Buryats and Western Mongols, in which there is a strong admixture of Turkic blood. It is unknown to other nations. And this is one of the mysteries of nature and history, not yet revealed by scientists. Throat singing is only for men . You can learn it by training hard from childhood, and since far from everyone has enough patience, only a few achieve success.

{2 ) Before the revolution, the Khakasses were called Minusinsk or Abakan Tatars.

ON THE CHULYM RIVER UCHULYMTS EV

On the border of the Tomsk region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory in the Chulym river basin lives the smallest Turkic people in terms of numbers - Chulyms . Sometimes they are called Chulym Turks . But they talk about themselves "Pestyn Kizhiler", which means "our people". At the end of the 19th century there were about 5 thousand people, now there are just over 700. Small peoples living next to large ones usually merge with the latter, perceive their culture, language and self-consciousness. the neighbors of the Chulyms were Siberian Tatars, Khakasses, and from the 17th century - Russians who began to move here from the central regions of Russia. Some of the Chulyms merged with the Siberian Tatars, others merged with the Khakass, and others with the Russians. Those who still continue to call themselves Chulyms, almost lost their native language.

Chulyms - fishermen and hunters . At the same time, they catch fish mainly in the summer, and hunt mainly in the winter, although, of course, they know both winter ice fishing and summer hunting.

Fish was stored and eaten in any form: raw, boiled, dried with and without salt, crushed with wild roots, fried on a spit, mashed caviar. Sometimes the fish was cooked by placing the skewer at an angle to the fire so that the fat flowed out and it dried out a little, after which it was dried in an oven or in special closed pits. Frozen fish was mainly for sale.

Hunting was divided into hunting "for oneself" and hunting "for sale". ". For themselves they beat - and continue to do so now - elk, taiga and lake game, put snares on squirrels. Elk and game are indispensable in the food of the Chulyms. Sable, fox and wolf were hunted for the sake of fur skins: Russian merchants paid well for them. Bear meat was eaten themselves, and the skin was most often sold to buy guns and cartridges, salt and sugar, knives and clothing.

Still Chulyms are engaged in such an ancient activity as gathering: wild herbs, garlic and onions, wild dill are collected in the taiga, in the floodplain, along the banks of lakes, dried or salted, and added to food in autumn, winter and spring. These are the only vitamins available to them. In autumn, like many other peoples of Siberia, the Chulyms go out with their whole families to collect pine nuts.

Chulyms knew how make cloth out of nettles . Nettles were collected, tied into sheaves, dried in the sun, then kneaded with hands and crushed in a wooden mortar. All this was done by children. And the yarn itself from cooked nettles was made by adult women.

On the example of Tatars, Khakasses and Chulyms, one can see how the Turkic peoples of Russia are distinguished- in appearance, type of economy, spiritual culture. Tatars outwardly most similar on Europeans, Khakasses and Chulyms - typical Mongoloids with only a slight admixture of Caucasoid features.Tatars - settled farmers and pastoralists , Khakass -pastoral nomads in the recent past , Chulyms - fishermen, hunters, gatherers .Tatars - Muslims , Khakasses and Chulyms once accepted Christianity , and now return to the ancient shamanic cults. So the Turkic world is both united and diverse at the same time.

CLOSE RELATIVES OF BURYATY AND KALMYKI

If a Turkic peoples in Russia more than twenty Mongolian - only two: Buryats and Kalmyks . Buryats live in Southern Siberia on the lands adjacent to Lake Baikal, and further to the east . In administrative terms, this is the territory of the Republic of Buryatia (the capital is Ulan-Ude) and two autonomous Buryat districts: Ust-Orda in Irkutsk region and Aginsky in Chita . Buryats also live in Moscow, St. Petersburg and in many other large cities of Russia . Their number is more than 417 thousand people.

The Buryats formed as a single people by the middle of the 17th century. from the tribes that lived on the lands around Lake Baikal more than a thousand years ago. In the second half of the XVII century. these territories became part of Russia.

Kalmyks live in Lower Volga region in the Republic of Kalmykia (capital - Elista) and neighboring Astrakhan, Rostov, Volgograd regions and Stavropol Territory . The number of Kalmyks is about 170 thousand people.

The history of the Kalmyk people began in Asia. His ancestors - Western Mongolian tribes and nationalities - were called Oirats. In the XIII century. they were united under the rule of Genghis Khan and, together with other peoples, formed the vast Mongol Empire. As part of the army of Genghis Khan, they participated in his campaigns of conquest, including those against Rus'.

After the collapse of the empire (late XIV - early XV centuries) into its former territory troubles and wars began. Part Oirat taishas (princes) subsequently asked for citizenship from the Russian tsar, and during the first half of the 17th century. in several groups they moved to Russia, in the steppes of the Lower Volga region. The word "Kalmyk" comes from the word halmg", which means "remnant". So they called themselves those who, having not converted to Islam, came from Dzungaria{3 ) to Russia, unlike those who continued to call themselves Oirats. And since the 18th century the word "Kalmyk" became the self-name of the people.

Since then, the history of the Kalmyks has been closely connected with the history of Russia. Their nomad camps protected its southern borders from sudden attacks by the Turkish Sultan and the Crimean Khan. The Kalmyk cavalry was famous for its speed, lightness, and excellent fighting qualities. She participated in almost all the wars waged by the Russian Empire: Russian-Turkish, Russian-Swedish, the Persian campaign of 1722-1723, the Patriotic War of 1812.

The fate of the Kalmyks as part of Russia was not easy. Two events were especially tragic. The first is the departure of a part of the princes dissatisfied with the policy of Russia, together with their subjects, back to Western Mongolia in 1771. The second is the deportation of the Kalmyk people to Siberia and Central Asia in 1944-1957. on charges of aiding the Germans during the Great Patriotic War 1941 - 1945 Both events left a heavy imprint in the memory and in the soul of the people.

Kalmyks and Buryats have a lot in common in culture , and not only because they speak close and understandable to each other languages ​​that are part of the Mongolian language group. The point is also different: both peoples up to the beginning of the 20th century. were engaged nomadic pastoralism ; in the past were shamanists , and later, although at different times (the Kalmyks in the 15th century, and the Buryats at the beginning of the 17th century), adopted Buddhism . Their culture combines shamanic and Buddhist features, rites of both religions coexist . There is nothing unusual about this. There are many peoples on earth who, officially considered Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, nevertheless continue to follow the pagan tradition.

Buryats and Kalmyks are also among such peoples. And although they have many Buddhist temples (before the 20s of the XX century, the Buryats had 48 of them, the Kalmyks - 104; now the Buryats have 28 temples, the Kalmyks - 14), but they celebrate traditional pre-Buddhist holidays with special solemnity. For the Buryats, this is Sagaalgan (White month) - New Year's holiday, which occurs on the first spring new moon. Now it is considered Buddhist, services are held in its honor in Buddhist temples, but, in fact, it was and remains a national holiday.

Every year, Sagaalgan is celebrated on different days, as the date is calculated from lunar calendar, not solar. This calendar is called the 12-year animal cycle, because each year in it bears the name of an animal (the year of the Tiger, the year of the Dragon, the year of the Hare, etc.) and the “named” year is repeated every 12 years. In 1998, for example, the year of the tiger began on February 27th.

When Sagaalgan comes, it is supposed to eat a lot of white, i.e. dairy, food - cottage cheese, butter, cheese, foam, drink milk vodka and koumiss. That is why the holiday is called "White month". Everything white in the culture of the Mongolian-speaking peoples was considered sacred and was directly related to holidays and solemn ceremonies: white felt, on which the newly elected khan was raised, a bowl with fresh, freshly milked milk, which was brought to the honored guest. The horse that won the race was sprinkled with milk.

But Kalmyks meet New Year December 25th and call it "dzul" , and the White month (in Kalmyk it is called "Tsagaan Sar") is considered by them as a holiday of the onset of spring and was not connected with the New Year in any way.

At the height of summer Buryats celebrate Surkharban . On this day top athletes compete in accuracy, shooting from a bow at felt balls - targets ("sur" - "felt ball", "harbakh" - "shoot"; hence the name of the holiday); horse races and national wrestling are arranged. Important point holiday - sacrifices to the spirits of the earth, water and mountains. If the spirits were appeased, the Buryats believed, they would send good weather, abundant grasses for pastures, which means that the cattle will be fat and well-fed, people will be full and satisfied with life.

Kalmyks have two similar holidays in summer: Usn Arshan (blessing of water) and Usn Tyaklgn (sacrifice to water). In the dry Kalmyk steppe, much depended on water, so it was necessary to make a sacrifice to the spirit of water in a timely manner in order to win its favor. At the end of autumn, each family performed the rite of sacrifice to fire - Gal Tyaklgn . A cold winter was approaching, and it was very important that the "owner" of the hearth and fire be kind to the family and provide warmth in the house, yurt, wagon. A ram was sacrificed, its meat was burned in the fire of the hearth.

Buryats and Kalmyks are extremely respectful and even affectionate towards the horse. This is one of the characteristic features of nomadic societies. Any poor man had several horses, the rich owned large herds, but, as a rule, each owner knew his horses "by sight", could distinguish them from strangers, and gave nicknames especially to his beloved. Heroes of all heroic legends (epos Buryat - "Geser ", Kalmyks - "Jangar ") had a beloved horse, which was called by name. He was not just a mount, but a friend and comrade in trouble, in joy, on a military campaign. battlefield, obtained "living water" to bring back to life. The horse and the nomad were attached to each other from childhood. If at the same time a boy was born in the family, and a foal in the herd, the parents gave him to his son at full disposal. They grew up together, the boy fed, watered and walked his friend. The foal learned to be a horse, and the boy - a rider. This is how the future winners of the races, dashing riders grew up. Short, hardy, with long manes, the Central Asian horses grazed in the steppe all year round on pasture. They were not afraid no cold weather, no wolves, fighting off predators with strong and accurate blows hooves. The excellent war cavalry more than once put the enemy to flight and caused amazement and respect both in Asia and in Europe.

"TROIKA" IN KALMYK

Kalmyk folklore surprisingly rich in genres - here and fairy tales, and legends, and the heroic epic "Dzhangar", and proverbs, and sayings, and riddles . There is also a peculiar genre that is difficult to define. It combines a riddle, a proverb and a saying and is called a "three line" or simply "troika" (no-Kalmyks - "gurvn"). The people believed that there were 99 such "threes"; in fact, there are probably many more. The youth loved to arrange competitions - who knows them more and better. Here is some of them.

Three of what is fast?
What is the fastest in the world? Horse legs.
An arrow, if it is dexterously thrown.
And thought is fast when it is smart.

Three of what is full?
In the month of May, the freedom of the steppes is full.
A child is fed, that is fed by his mother.
A well-fed old man who raised worthy children.

Three of those who are rich?
The old man, since there are many daughters and sons, is rich.
The skill of the master among the masters is rich.
The poor man, at least in that there are no debts, is rich.

In three lines, improvisation plays an important role. A participant in the competition can come up with his own "troika" right off the bat. The main thing is that the laws of the genre are observed in it: first there must be a question, and then an answer consisting of three parts. And, of course, meaning, worldly logic and folk wisdom are necessary.

{3 ) Dzungaria is a historical region on the territory of modern Northwest China.

TRADITIONAL BOOT COSTUME

Bashkirs , who for a long time maintained a semi-nomadic lifestyle, widely used leather, skins and wool for making clothes. Underwear was sewn from Central Asian or Russian factory fabrics. Those who early switched to a sedentary lifestyle made clothes from nettle, hemp, linen canvas.

Traditional male costume consisted of shirts with a turn-down collar and wide trousers . Over the shirt they wore a short sleeveless jacket and going out into the street caftan with a standing collar or a long, almost straight dressing gown made of dark fabric . Know and mullahs went to dressing gowns made of motley Central Asian silk . In the cold time of the Bashkirs dressed in spacious cloth robes, sheepskin coats or sheepskin coats .

Skullcaps were everyday headwear for men. , in the elderly- dark velvet young- bright, embroidered with colored threads. They put on over skullcaps in the cold felt hats or cloth-covered fur hats . In the steppes, during snowstorms, warm fur malachai, which covered the back of the head and ears, saved.

The most common shoes were boots : the bottom was made of leather, and the leg was made of canvas or cloth fabrics. On holidays they were changed to leather boots . Met at the Bashkirs and bast sandals .

Woman suit included dress, bloomers and sleeveless jacket . The dresses were detachable, with a wide skirt, they were decorated with ribbons and braid. It was supposed to be worn over the dress short fitted sleeveless jackets, sheathed with braid, coins and plaques . Apron , which at first served as work clothes, later became part of the festive costume.

Headdresses varied. Women of all ages covered their heads with a scarf and tied it under their chin. . Some young Bashkirs under scarves wore small velvet caps embroidered with beads, pearls, corals , a elderly- quilted cotton hats. Sometimes married Bashkirs worn over a scarf high fur hats .

PEOPLE OF THE SUN RAYS (Y KU T Y)

The people, who in Russia are called Yakuts, call themselves "Sakha"." , and in myths and legends it is very poetic - "people of the sun's rays with reins behind their backs." Their number is more than 380 thousand people. They live in the north Siberia, in the basins of the Lena and Vilyui rivers, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Yakuts , the northernmost pastoralists of Russia, breed cattle and small cattle and horses. Kumys from mare's milk and smoked horse meat - favorite foods in summer and winter, on weekdays and holidays. In addition, the Yakuts are excellent fishermen and hunters . Fish are caught mainly with nets, which are now bought in a store, and in the old days they were woven from horsehair. They hunt in the taiga for a large animal, in the tundra - for game. Among the methods of extraction there is known only to the Yakuts - hunting with a bull. The hunter sneaks up on the prey, hiding behind the bull, and shoots at the beast.

Before meeting the Russians, the Yakuts almost did not know agriculture, they did not sow bread, did not grow vegetables, but they were engaged in gathering in the taiga : they harvested wild onions, edible herbs and the so-called pine sapwood - a layer of wood located directly under the bark. She was dried, crushed, turning into flour. In winter, it was the main source of vitamins that saved from scurvy. Pine flour was diluted in water, a mash was made, to which fish or milk was added, and if they were not, they ate it just like that. This dish has remained in the distant past, now its description can only be found in books.

The Yakuts live in a country of taiga paths and full-flowing rivers, and therefore their traditional means of transportation have always been a horse, a deer and a bull or a sleigh (the same animals were harnessed to them), boats made of birch bark or hollowed out from a tree trunk. And even now, in the age of airlines, railways, developed river and sea navigation, in the remote areas of the republic they travel the same way as in the old days.

The folk art of this people is surprisingly rich . The Yakuts were glorified far beyond the borders of their land by the heroic epic - olonkho - about the exploits of ancient heroes, wonderful women's jewelry and carved wooden goblets for koumiss - chorons , each of which has its own unique ornament.

The main holiday of the Yakuts - Ysyakh . It is celebrated on Konya June, on the days of the summer solstice. This is the holiday of the New Year, the holiday of the Revival of nature and the birth of a person - not a specific one, but a person in general. On this day, sacrifices are made to the gods and spirits, expecting patronage from them in all upcoming affairs.

RULES OF THE ROAD (YAKUT VARIANT)

Are you ready for the road? Be careful! Even if the path ahead of you is not very long and difficult, road rules must be observed. And each nation has its own.

The Yakuts had a rather long set of rules for "leaving home" , and everyone tried to observe it, who wanted his journey to be successful and he returned safely. Before leaving, they sat down in a place of honor in the house, facing the fire, and threw firewood into the stove - they fed the fire. It was not supposed to tie shoelaces on a hat, mittens, clothes. On the day of departure, the household did not rake the ashes in the oven. According to the beliefs of the Yakuts, ashes are a symbol of wealth and happiness. There is a lot of ashes in the house - it means that the family is rich, little - poor. If you scoop up the ashes on the day of departure, then the departing person will not be lucky in business, he will return with nothing. A girl getting married, when leaving her parents' house, should not look back, otherwise her happiness will remain in their house.

To keep everything in order, sacrifices were made to the "owner" of the road at crossroads, mountain passes, watersheds: they hung bundles of horse hair, shreds of matter torn from the dress, left copper coins, buttons.

On the road, it was forbidden to call the objects taken with them by their real names - it was supposed to resort to allegories. There was no need to talk about the upcoming actions along the way. Travelers who stop on the banks of the river never say that they will cross the river tomorrow - there is a special expression for this, translated from Yakut approximately like this: "Tomorrow we will try to ask our grandmother there."

According to the beliefs of the Yakuts, objects thrown or found on the road acquired a special magical power - good or evil. If a leather rope or a knife was found on the road, they were not taken, as they were considered "dangerous", but a horsehair rope, on the contrary, was a "happy" find, and they took it with them.

KHURAL KHURAL is the traditional name of the representative bodies of power in Mongolia, as well as a number of republics within the Russian Federation - Tyva, Buryatia.

Big legal dictionary. - M.: Infra-M. A. Ya. Sukharev, V. E. Krutskikh, A. Ya. Sukharev. 2003 .

See what "KHURAL" is in other dictionaries:

- (mong.) meeting of the people's representative and legislative body among the Mongolian and Turkic peoples: Kurultai Great State Khural of Mongolia People's Khural of the Republic of Buryatia People's Khural of the Republic of Kalmykia Supreme Khural ... ... Wikipedia

- [mong.] in Mongolia: the name of the state and local authorities. Dictionary of foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. KHURUL, KHURAL (Mongolian collection). Buddhist temple; temple; as well as a worship service honoring the Buddha. Dictionary of foreign words included ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Khuruldan, parliament Dictionary of Russian synonyms. Khural n., number of synonyms: 2 parliament (42) ... Synonym dictionary

And khuruldan, khurala, husband. (Mong. xural). The name of the elected bodies of supreme and local power in the Mongolian People's Republic. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

KHURAL, a, husband. In Mongolia: an elected body of the supreme and local authorities. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Khural- the name or element of the name of representative bodies in some states. For example, in Mongolia the concept of "X." designate the representative bodies of state power. Great People's X. Parliament, People's X. - elected ... Encyclopedia of Law

KHURAL- the name of the representative authorities in Mongolia, and so on. in Tuva, Buryatia ... Legal Encyclopedia

Name of state authorities in the Mongolian People's Republic. The highest body of state power Great People's Khural; state authorities in Aimaks, Somons, cities, bags (villages) are Kh. people ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

BUT; m. [mong. qural assembly]. In Mongolia: the name of the state authorities. * * * KHURAL KHURAL is the traditional name of representative bodies of power (see REPRESENTATIVE POWER) in Mongolia, Tuva, Buryatia, Kalmykia… encyclopedic Dictionary

Or khurul, a Mongolian word that means the actual assembly, and then the assembly of clerics honoring some kind of Buddha, i.e. Buddhist worship. Among the Kalmyks, in the folk dialect, the word khurul also denotes the place of service, i.e. Buddhist ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Books

• Kingdom of lies. Enemy of the throne Book Two, Dmitry Garin. The first timid rays of hope for reconciliation between the two peoples broke through the clouds of hatred and distrust. The tribe of the faceless is involved in the maelstrom of political intrigues of the human world.…
• Kingdom of lies. Enemy of the Throne, Garin D. The first timid ray of hope for reconciliation between the two peoples broke through the clouds of hatred and mistrust. The tribe of the faceless is involved in the maelstrom of political intrigues of the human world.…