Tatar traditions briefly. Traditions of the Tatar people

In this article we will talk about traditions Tatar people. Let's look at the main customs and holidays, and also get acquainted with very interesting features life of the Tatars. If you are interested in this aspect of their lives, be sure to read the suggested article.

Culture

As we know, every nation has its own specific traditions and rituals that are characteristic only of it. And very often, people who have many of these characteristics become recognizable. The roots of all traditions go back to the distant past, which in modern times comes alive thanks to the national holiday.

The Tatars have two main words that mean some kind of celebration. They call their religious holidays the word “gaet”, and all national holidays that do not relate to religious issues are called “beyram”, which literally translates as “ spring holiday" or "spring beauty".

Religious holidays

Let's start looking at the traditions of the Tatar people with religious holidays. Here you can find many similarities with Muslim customs. So, the morning on such a day begins with prayer, in which only men take part. After this, they get together and go to the cemetery, where they offer prayers at the graves of their departed relatives.

At this time, women are at home with their children and cooking festive table. By the way, here the culture of the Tatar people has a slight intersection with Russian traditions. It's about about close communication with neighbors, who always come to visit each other during the day, bring some gifts or simply congratulate.

For example, on the holiday of Kurban Bayram (day of sacrifice), people treat each other to the meat of a killed lamb. It is believed that the more people can be treated to delicious food, the better the year will be for that family.

Let us remember that the religion of the Tatar people is Islam. Although, to be precise, this is Sunni Islam. But among these people there is an exception in the form of a fairly large number of baptized Tatars who were converted to Christianity.

Ramadan

Ramadan is main holiday among the Tatar people. Some also call it Ramadan. In general, this is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which includes strict fasting. If you delve deeper into Islamic traditions, you will find out that the Prophet Muhammad received the Divine Revelation this month through the angel Jibril. It was included in the holy book of the Koran in different interpretations. And fasting in this month is the main duty of every self-respecting Muslim who wants goodness and happiness in life.

The purpose of fasting is to strengthen the will and self-discipline of a Muslim, and also to remind him that he must strictly fulfill all the spiritual commands of Allah. Eating, drinking, and indulging in entertainment or pleasure is prohibited during the entire daylight hours, that is, from sunrise to sunset. All you can do during the day is work, read, pray, engage in good deeds or good thoughts.

Eid al-Adha

Many traditions of the Tatar people are associated with this holiday. This, as already mentioned, is the festival of sacrifice. It is associated with the end of the Hajj, which is celebrated on the 10th day of the 12th month of the lunar Islamic calendar. It is believed that on this day Jabrail appeared to the prophet Ibrahim in a dream and ordered him to sacrifice his son Ismail.

The man went on a long journey, exactly where Mecca stands today. It all turned out to be for him a strong test will, but in the end he still made the sacrifice. After Allah saw that Ibrahim’s faith came first, she ordered to sacrifice only a lamb. The meaning of the holiday is to glorify the mercy and greatness of God. He seems to be saying that the best sacrifice for every person is his faith.

The celebration begins in the morning. All Muslims go to the mosque to pray - to perform namaz. After the prayer is completed, the imam asks Allah for forgiveness of various sins and goodness for all people, after which all believers begin to recite dhikr together. By the way, this ritual has special specifics. Dhikr can be read silently or out loud, but this is necessarily accompanied by some kind of body movements.

After this, Muslims go home. Around lunchtime, a ram, bull or camel is slaughtered and a meal is prepared. Also on this day, it is customary to give alms to the poor, and especially to share various lamb dishes.

The peculiarity of the traditions is that the believer keeps one third of the meat for himself and his loved ones, gives the second third to the poor, and gives the last third, as alms, to everyone who asks.

National holidays

Now let's talk a little about folk holidays and traditions that have nothing to do with faith. The culture of the Tatar people is characterized by the fact that most of these holidays occur in the spring.

The fact is that at this time nature itself awakens, life changes, everything is renewed. And if the spring is good, then this means that people will have a harvest, and, consequently, a good life during the whole year.

Wedding

The customs of a Tatar wedding are very interesting and have many similarities with Russian traditions. Much attention is paid to the bride price. Unlike the purely symbolic Russian ransom, here it is real. It's called kalym. However, all this is just an introduction, after which an excellent banquet follows a huge amount guests and relatives on both sides.

At the beginning of the holiday, the host introduces the guests to each other, after which they together choose a toastmaster, that is, the most cheerful and witty person at the wedding. But this is a tradition that is already becoming a thing of the past. Modern Tatar young couples still prefer a professional presenter.

Main dish for wedding table- dessert chak-chak. This is a very tasty crispy cake, which is generously decorated with Montpensier sweets. And the main hot dish is baked goose with pilaf. After the feast, the guests begin dancing, and the bridesmaids come up with tests for the groom, which he must pass with dignity. Only in this case will he be able to visit his bride in a separate room.

The bulk of the guests unanimously head to the bathhouse. And by this moment the son-in-law’s pancakes are already ready. The son-in-law should eat them and discreetly slip in a coin for good luck. After lunch the caressing begins. The bride sits in the center of the room and begins to sing sad songs about her fate. Relatives take turns approaching her in order to stroke her and say some words of consolation, maybe even instructions.

The groom spends 4 days in the bride's house, during which he anoints future relatives. The bride is giving gifts at this time young man handmade gifts. Then, after he has paid the ransom in full, the celebration continues at the husband's house. All guests and relatives are invited to give the bride a viewing party.

However, Tatar weddings can be of three types. The first one we looked at involves matchmaking. In this case, both people want to be together and do everything according to established traditions. The second type of wedding can be if the girl leaves native home without the consent and blessing of the parents. There is a third possible case, when the girl is kidnapped not as a joke, but for real. Even in modern world This sometimes happens in remote villages.

Tea parties

The tea drinking traditions of the Tatar people are no less interesting than the famous tea drinking of the British. Tatars drink black tea. They love very rich drinks and can drink quite a lot at one time. But at the same time, the tea table is considered the soul of the family, so such rituals are very family and cozy.

Tea is a national drink that accompanies the reception of any guest. In more ancient times, it was poured from large samovars and drunk from incredibly beautiful and fragile bowls. In the modern world, tea is mostly drunk from cups. But at the same time, the samovar, cleaned to a dazzling shine, still stands in the center of the table.

They never drink tea alone; they usually serve it with jam, fresh berries, lemon, milk, oregano, sweets, etc. But most of all, Tatars love to drink salty tea with milk. They say that it has a special taste and Europeans cannot understand this.

In general, these people are great skilled at brewing tea. They claim that the future taste of the drink largely depends on this process. To make it tasty, it is very important to brew it in a porcelain teapot, which must first be rinsed with boiling water. After that, add a little tea leaves and fill it with boiling water by only a third. All this is covered with a lid and wrapped. After a few minutes, add more water.

Tea with cream or milk is considered a special treat. For this, fresh milk is used, but the main thing is that it is hot. The welding with this method is made as strong as possible. First, it is poured into a cup, and then cream or milk. And only at the end boiling water is added.

Applied art of the Tatar people

The art of the Tatar people is a complex of very different cultures. The origins of ancient art go back to the times of the Volga Bulgaria, during the period of the Kazan Khanate. At the same time, folk art is characterized by its unified nature, stable complexes and motifs, which allowed it to develop characteristic features.

The Tatar people are most characterized by floral, plant, zoomorphic and geometric patterns. One of the most ancient and vibrant Tatar arts is jewelry making. Master jewelers knew how to combine different techniques cutting materials and using best combinations colors, achieving an incredible external effect of the products.

The products of Tatar jewelers are very diverse. It was mainly produced for women. And they are the ones who can boast of the most incredible jewelry. These are special fasteners and brooches for collars, sleeves, etc. Craftsmen could create fabulous decorations thanks to his wonderful mastery of the techniques of casting, inlay, engraving, etc.

A unique type of applied art is leather mosaic, which has its roots in Bulgarian times. A special feature of the Tatars is their beautiful patterned shoes, which were typical for the upper classes of society. It was made by stitching leather of different colors, making it very colorful and unusual. For this, silver or gold threads were used. Let us note that such art has not been noted in any nation.

A more classic and understandable art for Russian people is embroidery, which is characterized by a wide variety of motifs and colors. IN early XIX century, gold embroidery became very popular. But great place Weaving, of which there were several types, was also occupied.

Family traditions

Family traditions Tatar people have ordinary values. The most important of them are children and marriage. Creating a family is not a free expression of will, but a necessity. A gorgeous bride is considered to be one who is virgin, can give birth and has a noble origin. It is enough for the groom to be rich, healthy and from a good family.

The rituals and customs of the Tatar people are unique, but they still have many similarities with Muslim ones. For example, a wife cannot leave home to visit relatives or friends without her husband’s consent. Parents cannot interfere in the couple's family relationships. For them, this is a taboo topic (no matter what happens between husband and wife). The family is completely patriarchal.

Sabantuy

The Sabantuy holiday is an annual celebration that marks the end of spring field work. Until the end of the 19th century, it was celebrated in the spring and summer before plowing began. This day was celebrated in the same way, but still with peculiar features among different ethnic groups. The Sabantuy holiday has survived to this day and is very popular among the people. In addition, all the existing differences have disappeared, and now ethnic groups celebrate it in the summer, after the end of spring work and before the start of the mowing season.

An interesting tradition of the Tatar people is that this holiday is gradual. First, individual villages celebrate it, a week later - the entire region, then - the regional center. Sabantuy ends on big cities or in Kazan - the capital of Tatarstan. Previously, it was not tied to a specific day, but nowadays it is celebrated only on Sunday.

Unfortunately, some of the old rituals inherent in this holiday have disappeared. Traditionally, during the holiday, people collected food, children collected colored eggs. However, due to religious restrictions in Soviet time the custom was distorted, and collecting food began to be interpreted as beggaring. Currently, Sabantuy is a national holiday. Even those groups of Tatars who had not known about it before began to celebrate it. Recently it even became a public holiday in Tatarstan.

Classes

The traditions of the Tatar people consist not only of holidays, but also of everyday work. The usual occupation of the Tatars is arable farming. They grew barley, lentils, flax, millet, hemp, etc. Many were involved in gardening along the way. Animal husbandry was stable and pasture, and had some nomadic features. For a whole year, horses could graze exclusively on pasture. Not everyone was involved in hunting. Manufacturing and handicraft production was well developed. Cloth and tanneries also operated, thanks to which trade developed.

Farewell to the dead

The Tatars also have such a ritual. It begins with the deceased being washed. Close people can also do this, the main thing is that they are of the same sex as the deceased. After this, he is put on special clothes, which are called kaphenleu. This is a white cloth that is sewn on the body by hand. The length is different for men and women. The first ones need 17 m of fabric, and the second ones need 12 m.

The deceased is usually buried on the same day. However, only men can attend the funeral itself. Note that the Tatars do not use a coffin, so the body is carried to the cemetery on a special stretcher. The deceased is placed in the ground according to the rules for the location of holy places - Medina and Mecca. The head points to the north and the legs to the south. The grave is dug by three men who are relatives of the deceased.

Funeral services are held on the 3rd day, after a week and 40 days. On the 3rd day only men gather. In a week, close women can remember the deceased. And only on the 40th day can everyone honor the memory of the deceased.

Music

Tatar music is very melodic. It is divided into several types:

• secular and spiritual songs, different in rhythm and intonation;
• bytes;
• melodies of poetic works;
• dance tunes;
• tunes;
• instrumental pieces.

When performing Tatar music, instruments such as gusli, kubyz, kurai and dumbyra are usually used. IN modern music classical instruments are used more often. Tatar music is characterized by monophony.

Each nation has its own traditions and customs, rooted in the distant past and now resurrected in the form national holidays.

The Tatars have two words meaning holiday. Religious Muslim holidays are called by the word barks(Uraza Gaete is a holiday of fasting and Korban Gaete is a holiday of sacrifice). And all national, non-religious holidays are called in Tatar Bayram. What does “spring beauty”, “spring celebration” mean?

Religious holidays
Muslim holidays among Tatars - Muslims include collective morning prayer, in which only men participate. Then they go to the cemetery and pray near the graves of their relatives and friends. And at this time the women are preparing a festive dinner at home. As in Russian tradition, on holidays they went to the houses of relatives and neighbors with congratulations. On the days of Korban Bayram (the holiday of sacrifice), they tried to treat as many people as possible with meat from a killed lamb. more people.

RAMADAN(Ramazan) (in Turkic languages ​​the name Uraza is more common) is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, the month of fasting. According to Islamic tradition, in this month the first divine revelation was transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril, which was subsequently included in the holy book of Islam - the Koran.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the main duties of every Muslim. It is prescribed to strengthen Muslims in self-discipline and faithful execution of Allah's orders. During the entire daylight hours (from sunrise to sunset) it is forbidden to eat, drink, smoke, enjoy pleasure and indulge in entertainment. During the day one must work, pray, read the Koran, engage in pious thoughts and actions, and charity.

KORBAN-BAYRAM or the Feast of Sacrifice is an Islamic holiday at the end of the Hajj, celebrated on the 10th day of the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
According to the Koran, Jabrail appeared to the prophet Ibrahim in a dream and conveyed to him a command from Allah to sacrifice his first-born Ismail. Ibrahim went to the Mina valley to the place where Mecca now stands and began preparations, but this turned out to be a test from Allah, and when the sacrifice was almost made, Allah replaced the sacrifice of a son with a sacrifice of a lamb for Ibrahim. The holiday symbolizes mercy, the majesty of God and the fact that faith is the best sacrifice.

Celebrations of this day begin early in the morning. Muslims go to the mosque for morning prayer. The holiday ritual begins with a common prayer - namaz. At the end of the prayer, the imam who read the prayer asks Allah for his acceptance of fasting, forgiveness of sins and prosperity. After this, the believers, going through the tasbih (taspih), collectively read dhikr - the ritual remembrance of Allah. Zikr is performed according to a special formula and in a special way, out loud or silently, and is accompanied by certain body movements. At the end of the morning prayer, believers return home.

On this day, it is also customary to slaughter a ram, although previously they slaughtered a camel or a bull (with the words “Bismillah, Allah Akbar”), and it is also customary to give alms (share a lamb treat). According to established tradition, it is customary to use a third of the meat to treat your family, give a third to the poor, and give a third as alms to those who ask for it.

National holidays

Spring is the time of awakening of nature, a time of renewal and expectation. A good spring means a good harvest, and therefore a prosperous life.

Boz karau
As in the cultures and traditions of all peoples, Tatar villages were located on the banks of rivers. Therefore, the first “spring celebration” (beyram) is associated with ice drift. This holiday is called boz karau, boz bagu - “watch the ice”, boz ozatma - seeing off the ice, zin kitu - ice drift. All the village residents came out to the river bank to watch the ice drift. Young people dressed up and played the accordion. Straw was laid out and lit on floating ice floes.

Younger yau
Another tradition was when in early spring children went home to their villages to collect cereals, butter, and eggs. From the food they collected on the street, with the help of older cooks, the children cooked porridge in a large cauldron and ate it.

Kyzyl yomorka
A little later, the day of collecting colored eggs arrived. Housewives painted eggs in the evening - most often in broth onion peel and buns and pretzels were baked in a decoction of birch leaves.
In the morning, the children began to walk around the houses, bringing wood chips into the house and scattering them on the floor - so that “the yard would not be empty” and shouted such chants, for example, “Kyt-kytyk, kyt-kytyk, are grandparents at home?” Will they give me an egg? Let you have a lot of chickens, let the roosters trample them. If you don’t give me an egg, there’s a lake in front of your house, and you’ll drown there!”

Sabantuy
Perhaps the most widespread and popular holiday now includes festivities, various rituals and games. Literally, “Sabantuy” means “Plow Festival” (saban - plow and tui - holiday). Previously, it was celebrated before the start of spring field work in April, but now Sabantuy is celebrated in June - after the end of sowing.
Sabantuy begins in the morning. Women put on their most beautiful jewelry, ribbons are woven into the horses' manes, and bells are hung from the arc. Everyone dresses up and gathers on the Maidan - a large meadow. There is a great variety of entertainment on Sabantui. The main thing is the national struggle - kuresh. To win it requires strength, cunning and dexterity. There are strict rules: opponents wrap each other with wide belts - sashes, the task is to hang the opponent on your belt in the air, and then put him on his shoulder blades. The winner (batyr) receives a live ram as a reward (according to tradition, but now it is more often replaced with other valuable gifts). You can participate and demonstrate your strength, agility, and courage not only in Kuresh wrestling.

Traditional competitions Sabantuy:
- Fight with bags of hay while riding on a log. The goal is to knock the enemy out of the saddle.
- Running in sacks.
- Pair competition: one leg is tied to the partner’s leg and so they run to the finish line.
- Hike for a prize on a swinging log.
- Game “Break the pot”: the participant is blindfolded and given a long stick with which he must break the pot.
- Climbing a tall pole with prizes tied at the top.
- Running with a spoon in your mouth. On a spoon - a raw egg. Whoever comes running first without breaking the valuable cargo is the winner.
- Competitions for Tatar beauties - who can cut noodles faster and better.
In the clearing where the festivities take place, you can taste shish kebab, pilaf, homemade noodles and national Tatar treats: chak-chak, echpochmak, balish, peremyach.

Tatar rituals at the birth of a child
A number of obligatory rituals accompanied the birth of a child. Previously, births were attended by midwives - bala ebise (midwife). The occupation of midwives was called ebilek. The midwife cut and tied the umbilical cord, washed the baby, and wrapped him in his father's undershirt. Then the ritual avyzlandyru (“give a taste”) was performed. They wrapped a lump of bread chewed with butter and honey in a thin cloth, made something like a pacifier and gave it to the newborn to suck. Sometimes they simply coated the child’s mouth with oil and honey or a honey solution - zemzem su.
The next day, the ritual of babyai munchasy (“children’s bath”) took place. The bathhouse was heated, and the midwife helped the woman in labor wash and bathe the baby.
A few days later, the ceremony of isem kushu (naming) was held. They invited the mullah and guests - men from among the family's relatives and friends, and set the table with treats. The mullah read a prayer, then they brought the child to him, and he turned to Allah, calling on him to take the newborn under his protection. After this, he whispered his name in Arabic into the baby’s ear. Children's names were, as a rule, chosen by mullahs who had special calendars with names. It was believed that the name depends further fate child.

The ancient traditions of the Tatars also include the ritual of treating dammit. Over the course of several days, friends, neighbors and relatives of the woman in labor came to visit her and brought treats and gifts.

Wedding ceremonies of the Tatars

Every marriage was preceded by a conspiracy, in which the groom (the groom) and one of the older relatives participated. If the bride's parents agreed to the marriage, during the course of the conspiracy, issues were resolved about the size of the bride price, the bride's dowry, the time of the wedding, and the number of invited guests. After the conclusion of the “marriage contract”, the bride was called yarashylgan kyz - the matched girl. Preparations for the wedding began. The groom collected the bride price, bought gifts for the bride, her parents and relatives, and bought things for the future home. The bride was completing the preparation of the dowry, which she began collecting at the age of 12-14. Mostly these were clothes for myself and my future husband.

The wedding ritual and wedding feast took place in the bride's house. The groom was in his parents' house, and the bride, surrounded by her friends, spent the day in the so-called newlyweds' house (kiyau eye - literally the groom's house), which served as the house of the closest relatives. The girls wondered, trying to figure out the bride's fate in marriage.

In the wedding meeting (tui), the mullah performed the wedding ritual, which opened with a prayer appropriate to the occasion. After reading the marriage prayer, the marriage was considered concluded.

At this time, the bride saw off her friends and sisters, after which the ritual of uryn kotlau was performed - the consecration of the newlyweds’ bed. Guests from the bride’s side came to the kiyau eyye, each of them had to touch the feather bed with their hands or sit on the edge of the bed. Guests left several coins in a specially prepared saucer.

In the evening, the groom, accompanied by his groomsmen (kiyau zhegetlere), went to the wedding venue. The groom and his entourage were greeted with a number of rituals, many of which were in the nature of practical jokes. After the ritual treat for the groom, the guests escorted him to the bride. To get into her house, he paid a ransom (kiyau akchasy).

The next morning, the newlyweds were invited to the bathhouse (tui munchasy). Later, the groom's comrades came to inquire about the health of the newlyweds (hel belerge). Guests were invited into the house and treated to dinner. In the afternoon, a ritual is performed - archa soyu (literally caressing the back). The bride was invited to the hut where the women feasted. She was sat on her knees facing the corner. The girl expressed her submission to fate with a lyrical song. The groom's mother (kodagiy), her sisters (kodagiylar), and the groom's older sister (oly kodagiy) took turns approaching the bride and stroking her on the back, saying kind words or instructing her on how to behave with her husband. After this, the kodagiylar (matchmakers) gave gifts or money to the bride. By evening the guests went home.

After this stage of the wedding, the groom remained with the bride, but after a week he returned to his home. The young wife continued to live with her family. Her husband visited her every night. This was called kiyaulep yererge (groom). This is how time passed from six months to 2 years. At this time, the husband was either rebuilding new house for his family, or earned enough to pay the full amount of the dowry.

The second wedding feast (kalyn, kalyn tui) began with the young woman moving. At the appointed hour, the groom sent a decorated carriage with horses for the bride. The young wife got into the cart and the dowry was packed. The wife's parents were seated in other carts, then the matchmakers and matchmakers, and the cortege set off. In the house of the kiyau (husband), his parents and relatives greeted guests. Elder sister(Oly Kodagiy) or the mother of the groom held in their hands a freshly baked loaf of bread and a cup of honey. One of the men brought a calf to the cart - a symbol of prosperity. A pillow was placed on the ground. The daughter-in-law descended from the cart, leaning on the calf, and stood on the cushion. Then she broke off a piece of the loaf with her hands and, dipping it in honey, ate it.

Then the young woman performed the ritual of consecrating the home, sprinkling the corners and foundation of her new home. It was assumed that after this she would get along better with her new parents and settle into the house faster. Sometimes a young wife was sent with a yoke through the water (su yula) to the nearest spring or river. At the same time, they monitored how much water would spill from the buckets: the less, the more respect for the daughter-in-law.

The traditions of the Tatar family developed for a very long time. Although to XVIII century There has been a tendency towards smaller families, mutual assistance in the household has not gone away, and all the hardships and joys are traditionally shared by all family members. The traditional patriarchal way of life has also been preserved, with a small presence of female seclusion.
Like other peoples, among the Tatars the main events in the family were the birth of children and weddings. To the celebration dedicated to the birth of a child, men were invited separately from women. Historian Kayum Nasyri describes the ritual for the birth of a child: when all the guests have gathered, the child lying on a pillow is presented to the mullah. He asks the parents a question about the child’s name. Afterwards, the mullah places the child’s feet towards the Kaaba and reads a prayer. Afterwards he pronounces the phrase “Let yours” three times. precious name will be” and calls the name chosen for the child. Each guest is then served butter and honey. Taking the treat, the guest puts money on the tray - a gift. Time is running, today they can buy a car as a gift, but the ceremony remains the same.

Weddings in the Tatar tradition are of three types: matchmaking, the departure of a girl without the blessing of her parents, and the abduction of the bride without her consent. Most often, young people got married after matchmaking. The groom's parents chose the bride and then sent matchmakers. Having discussed all the “details,” the bride’s relatives began preparations for the wedding. On the eve of the wedding, the groom's family sent gifts and ransom to the bride's family. This is the most “modern” part of the ritual - gifts and ransom have always corresponded to the spirit of the times. Previously, they used to be carpets or livestock, but now they can buy a car or an apartment as bridewealth. During the wedding itself and the wedding dinner, the bride and groom are traditionally not present - they are represented by their fathers. A traditional wedding ends with the serving of sherbet to the groom's family, indicating the acceptance of the bride price.
To this day, wedding rituals remain interesting and vibrant in many families. This includes the bride price (kalym), and the receipt of the bride’s dowry (byrne), and the religious wedding ceremony (nikah), and other traditions.

Tatar wedding

Undoubtedly, the Tatar wedding today has undergone significant changes compared to past centuries. A wedding most fully characterizes the worldview and aesthetics of an ethnic group, however, traditions tend to be forgotten.
Tatar weddings take place in November. This is due to the fact that the time for agricultural work is ending. The newlyweds are mainly wished beautiful life and “riding the horse of happiness.” Even these words reveal the Tatars’ blood love for horses, although the age of the automobile has long since arrived. IN general outline a Tatar wedding is in many ways similar to a Russian one. The mysterious flavor of the Tatar is explained by the fact that the Tatars are Muslims. The unusualness of the Tatar wedding is immediately revealed - if the Russian groom comes to pick up the bride, then the Tatars’ relatives of the bride come and “take away” the groom. After they seem to have persuaded the groom, the groom is taken to the bride. The groom is not taken to the bride's house, but to a place called kiyau-kilyaete. The bride is hidden in this room, and later the first wedding night will take place there. Previously, kiyau-kilyaete was made in special sheds, but today newlyweds use a neighbor’s house for a couple of days. Naturally, the question arises about the groom's kalyma (payment). In order to enter the kiyau-kilyaete, the groom will have to spend money on various obstacles caused by the bridesmaids. But the bride, opposite the groom’s stake, must also have a dowry - clothes, bed, household utensils, etc., which is called byrne. Throughout the wedding, the bride should not eat, drink, talk, or smile, causing sympathy from an outside observer. In all other respects, a Tatar wedding is either similar to a Slavic one, or is quite acceptable and without any special oddities.

The Tatar family is a delicate matter

Families of the Tatar people base their lives on Sharia and the Koran. Among the Tatars, creating a family is considered a generally accepted necessity. A bride is considered chic if she is of noble birth, virgin, can give birth to children, has good health and always follows Muslim traditions. The spouse must have only part of the above criteria: he must have good health, noble birth and honor Muslim traditions. Tatar family traditions are of course unique, but in many ways they are similar to Muslim ones.
The Tatar family in its ways is based on patriarchal principles. This can be traced to the fact that men and women have different social functions. After marriage, the husband has full power over his wife; she becomes his dependent. The bride's parents have no right to interfere in the relationship of the young family, no matter what happens in them. A wife cannot leave home without her husband’s consent: go to visit relatives or parents.
Tatar families are subject to divorce extremely rarely and only on the initiative of the husband. If, nevertheless, the husband decides to divorce, he is obliged to pay part of the dowry intended for the maintenance of his wife. A wife’s duties include obeying her husband at all times and in everything, following all his instructions and remaining faithful. The husband is obliged to buy his wife clothes and other necessary things, i.e. fully support her, and he also treats her according to the requirements of customs.
If a husband marries several times, he is obliged to provide each wife with a place of residence with a separate exit to the yard. Each wife’s room should have a design no worse than the other’s, and the husband should provide for everyone equally. This article presents only the main traditions of Tatar families, based on Muslim ones. Sources: tatar-media.ru welcome-kazan.ru tatarins.ru tatarplanet.ru www.tatar-rifs.ru

Municipal educational institution

Vorobyovskaya secondary school

Topic: Traditional holidays and customs of the Tatar people

Murodova Malika.

With. Vorobyovo st. Dorozhnaya 1b

Head of the local history circle “Istok” Mukhomedyarova VZ.

With. Vorobyovo

Introduction...................................................................................

Chapter 1 Traditions and customs............................................... ....... 5

Chapter 2 Holidays of the Tatar people...................................................

2.1. Religious holidays...........................................

2.2. National holidays........................................................ .

Chapter 3 Family holidays................................................ ...

3.1. Wedding ceremony................................................... ........

3.2. Giving a name......................................................... …… ……….. 12-14

Chapter 4 Funeral rites................................................

Conclusion.................................................................................. 16

Bibliography..................................................................... 17

Introduction

Each nation has its own characteristics in material and spiritual culture. In many ways they are preserved. But along with these consequences of generality economic development and historical destinies, a number of common features were formed in different areas, including in the culture of my people, the Tatars. Modern humanity is represented by approximately three thousand peoples, and in our country there are more than a hundred of them. No matter how dear we are historical memory about our national roots, it is important to understand something else: we all live and will live together with people different nationalities. This requires us to be especially sensitive and responsible in our relationships with people. In our work, we decided to talk about folk holidays and traditions. The history of the people is preserved not only in written sources, but is also reflected in folklore, holidays, customs and rituals. The traditional system of customs, rituals and holidays of the Tatars includes everyday norms of behavior and the design of the most significant moments of a person (marriage, birth). People of various nationalities live in our village: Russians, Tatars, Lithuanians, Germans and Bashkirs. We are also Tatars by nationality and therefore it will be interesting for us to know and describe the customs and rituals of the Tatars.

Goal of the work: collect material about Tatar folk holidays.

Tasks:

1. Study materials from books about folk holidays and customs.

2.Supplement the material with survey data.

3.Collect photographic material in this area, documents.

Relevance of the topic:

Our village is multinational, there are 698 people in the village, including 273 Tatars. Many young people today do not know the history of their family, their people, they do not know traditions, customs and holidays. There are only 11 people in our class, 5 of them are Tatars, and so we decided to find out

talk about this in your work. In the future, when we become adults, we will proudly talk to our children about traditional holidays, because we learned this from our adult parents and grandmothers.

Work structure:

The work consists of an introduction, main part, conclusion, list of sources and appendix.

Research methodology:

IN During the study, material about the village population was studied and analyzed, and survey materials were used.

While doing our work, we met with people who live in our village and know about the traditions, customs, and holidays of the Tatars. Malika's mother Faina Muhometinovna, Elvira's mother Galia Galioskarovna and grandmother Sagira Kharisovna and residents of the village Nurlina Nagima Ataulovna and Shayakhmetov Kavy Shayakhmetovich shared their impressions with us.

Chapter 1 Traditions and customs.

Each nation has its own traditions and rituals. They are based on centuries-old experience, confirming the value of advice from people who have lived long life who have experienced a lot of what we young people have to experience.

When customs are strong, few people decide not to obey them. As a rule, we do not think about the nature of customs and obediently obey them, because that’s what our parents do, and they, in turn, have their parents. For example, the custom of matchmaking, when parents agree in advance about the future life of the young people. Of course, there was a time when parents made decisions for young people. They organized the matchmaking themselves, and the young people could see each other for the first time. Over time, this custom ceased to apply. Some traditions are preserved, others disappear, unable to stand the test of time. For a long time customs that are pleasant and useful to people are preserved.

The system of customs, rituals and holidays of the Tatars includes both religious and secular holidays. This includes Sabantuy, Uraza, Kurban - berem, the custom of matchmaking. In days big holidays It is customary to give money and food to the poor.

Chapter 2 Customs and traditions of the Tatar people.

2.1. Religious holidays

Every nation has its own folk holidays, many of these holidays originated in ancient times. The specificity of the festive culture of most Tatars was that it included religious and secular holidays. Religious holidays are called by the Arabic word gaet. Them, as in everything Muslim world, two: Uraza Gaete - the Feast of Fasting and Kurban Gaete - the Feast of Sacrifice. The form of holding religious holidays among Muslim Tatars is the same; it includes the morning prayer of Gayet Namaz, in which the entire male population, including boys, takes part. Then the men go to the mosque and

recite the tekbir formula for exalting Allah. Shayakhmetov K. Sh says: “Then you are supposed to go to the cemetery and pray near the graves of your loved ones. At this time, women prepare a festive treat. The table is usually set with everything that the owners can: pies, cooking, fruit, meat. This holiday usually lasts three days. On such days, Tatars visit the houses of their relatives and neighbors with congratulations. You should definitely visit your parents' house. If possible, you need to please with gifts and treats. On the days of Korban Gaete - the holiday of sacrifice, they try to treat as many people as possible, the tables remain set for 2-3 days in a row and everyone who enters the house, no matter who he is, has the right to treat himself as much as he pleases. Alcoholic drinks should not be consumed on such days, let alone treated to them.”1

2.2. National holidays

Previously, Tatar villages and cities were located along the banks of rivers. Therefore, the first Bayram - “spring celebration” for the Tatars is associated with ice drift. This holiday is called boz karau, boz bagu - “watch the ice”, boz ozatma - seeing off the ice, zin kitu - ice drift.

All residents, from old people to children, came to the river bank to watch the ice drift. The youth walked dressed up, with accordion players. Straw was laid out and lit on floating ice floes. In the blue spring twilight these floating torches were visible far away, and songs followed them. During the ice drift, the Siberian Tatars threw specially made dolls, coins, old clothes into the water, and even plunged into the still icy water: it was believed that the spring river carried away diseases...

Nowadays, the holiday of ice drift has lost its former popularity. But the spring holiday of the Tatars, Sabantuy, is once again becoming widespread and beloved. It is difficult to talk about the time of this holiday, and even how

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1 The story of a resident of the village of Vorobyovo

it was celebrated by our ancient ancestors. It is closely related to lifestyle

people and their economic activities. Sabantuy had a strictly set time. Welcoming spring and rejoicing at the coming of the New Year, it was celebrated before the start of the most important work for the farmer - sowing spring crops. Hence its name - Saban tue - “wedding of the plow”, and possibly “wedding of spring crops”. The word "saban" means both. “Tui” is “wedding”, “celebration”. At the same time, he did not have not only an exact calendar date, but also a specific (established) day of the week. Everything depended on weather conditions, the intensity of snow melting and, consequently, the degree of readiness of the soil for sowing spring crops. At the end of the holiday - the Maidan - horse racing is held, a running competition is held and the bravest, strong, dexterous wrestler of the year is identified - the batyr. “Previously, such a holiday was held in our village. This holiday was held not far from the village in a small forest, which is still called Sabantuy. Residents of nearby villages - Usmanki and Kyshtovka - also came to the holiday. All village residents were participants in the preparation of Sabantuy and direct participants. They were both participants and organizers. Children were not left out either. Here they cooked fish soup and porridge and treated everyone who came here, free of charge. This porridge was called hag botkasy - “rook porridge”,” Nagima Ataulovna Nurlina tells us.1

To award the winners, gifts were provided by the village residents themselves; they were collected on the eve of the Maidan. Rashit Nurgalievich Gabdrakhmanov says: “My father told me about this. Usually older and older men, as well as young boys, gathered. When they were going to go to the Maidan, they took with them a small pole and a gift. The gifts were very different: items of women's handicraft, a piece of cloth... My father then carried a gramophone. It was the most valuable thing in our house. Select

1 Story

the gift was necessary because otherwise fellow villagers could condemn him for greed. Everything that was brought was usually described, and they decided what gift to give for what. Sometimes the most valuable gift was considered to be a towel, which was received from young women (yash kilen) who got married after the previous Sabantuy. Each of them specially prepared a towel with ornaments for this holiday. Sometimes such a towel was equal to the cost of a sheep. Sometimes the donors stipulated my gift to the wrestler.”1

Traditional competitions on the Sabantui holiday are horse racing, running, jumping and national wrestling - koresh. At village races, riders could be boys 8-10 years old, as well as adult men. Those who came first and last celebrated: they tied a towel, and also tied the horses. Sabantuy is interesting because everyone at the festival is not only spectators, but also participants - they sing, dance, and show dexterity in games. And in the evening, games are held on the field with round dances, dancing, games of catch, and cart rides.

Chapter 3. Family customs and rituals

3.1. Wedding ceremony.

Its main feature was the strict implementation of a set of rituals. In the pre-wedding period, during matchmaking, the parties agreed on the quantity and quality of gifts (kalyn, kalyn mala) that the groom's side was supposed to give to the bride's side. This included clothes, shoes, hats for the bride, two feather beds - a large one - a carcass and a slightly smaller one - a yastyk. In addition, the groom's side had to pay the agreed amount of money - bash akcha, taorta, which was used to prepare the dowry, and also bring a certain amount of products - honey, butter, flour, tea, meat

for a wedding. During the negotiations, the Tatars discussed

1 Story by Gabdrakhmanov R. N.

obligations on the part of the groom, while the amount of the bride’s dowry was not specifically specified.

Upon reaching mutual consent the bride's parents invited the matchmakers and the groom's parents to an agreement - engagement - aklasha, ak biru, kilesha, kyzny suzga salu, etc. “If the parents agreed, then they exchanged gifts. This could be a shirt, robe, scarf, towel, tablecloth. On the bride's side, as a rule, they handed over a towel and tablecloth, and on the groom's side, the agreed amount of money. The ceremony, to which the bride's relatives were also invited, must be present at the wedding. Everything ended with a treat,” Elvira’s grandmother Ainulina Sagira Kharisovna tells us1.

The main wedding (tui, nikah tui) among the Muslim Tatars was held in the bride's house. The main ones among the guests were the groom's parents - top kodalar. They brought with them kalyn (sometimes it was brought on the eve of the wedding or a few days before it) and treats, the list of which was quite consistent. This is a pair of geese, two - four or more fluffy breads - kalach, kumach, a certain amount of yuach, katlama, zhaima - butter cakes, sweet pies and a special wedding delicacy - chakchak, bavyrsak. All this was put into a special chest - ash sandygy, kuchtanach sandygy and transported on a special cart - ash chanasy, ash arbasy.

Two or three ondaule couples came with them - special invitees. These are close relatives of the groom. They also brought treats with them. In addition, one or two pairs of guests traveled without refreshments. They were invited at their own discretion by the top kodar. That’s why they were called yarchen by those who joined, and the rope was called wings.

The bride's side should be represented by her relatives who helped in

bring a certain amount of products - honey, butter, flour, tea, meat for the wedding. Some of them brought treats with them - ash belyan

1 Story

kilu, others invited visiting matchmakers to their place for a treat (often overnight), looked after them, and served them.

The wedding began with a religious marriage ceremony (nikah, kaben) according to the established Tatar ritual. “Nowadays such a ritual is also carried out, usually before the wedding. They invite the mullah, young people and relatives. Relatives bring gifts. These are dishes, a towel, a tablecloth, that is, something that is useful for young people in family life. They ask the young people about the consent of the young people to this marriage,” Murodov’s mother tells us.1 The mullah writes myahyar - the conditions for marriage - in the marriage registration book. Previously, this included kalyn, tartu, food or cost, etc., which were already transferred to the bride's side. A certain amount of money was especially fixed, which in the event of a divorce on the initiative of the husband, he had to pay his wife. “Previously, the newlyweds themselves were not present at the wedding; his father was responsible for the groom. Two witnesses were responsible for the bride, who were specially sent to find out about her consent (the bride was behind a curtain or the other half of the house). After listening to the affirmative answer of the witnesses, the mullah read out excerpts from the Koran dedicated to the wedding. After the nikah, the meal began. The wedding on the bride's side lasted two or three days: visiting matchmakers were invited to their place by her relatives. This was called tui kutaru, tui alu - “wedding support.”

After the guests had left, the bride's house began to prepare for the meeting of the groom: a special room was carefully prepared for the newlyweds, who were decorated with the most elegant things from the dowry. They stayed there for the first few days. In the morning, the newlyweds were sent to the bathhouse. From there the young husband returned wearing new clothes sewn by the bride. He, in turn, gave her a valuable gift - kyz kuenina salu.

The groom's first arrival was accompanied by the payment of a large amount

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1 Story

ransoms: for the opportunity to move into the courtyard, enter the room of the young woman, who made the wedding bed, heated the bathhouse, and the village children who came to the house specifically for a gift. Therefore, the groom took with him a suitcase with gifts and treats.

On his first visit, the young man stayed there from two to four to six days, after which he was taken back. Subsequently, he came on Thursdays, in the evening, and left back in the morning. This period is kiyaulap yoru- the duration varied and depended on family circumstances.

Not only relatives, but also many fellow villagers gathered to meet the newlyweds. The parents were waiting at the porch of the newlyweds. The mother laid an inverted fur coat or pillow under her daughter-in-law’s feet, saying: “Tokle ayagyn belyan, kilen” ( good wishes young when meeting her at her husband’s house).

Entering the house, the young woman was hanging up a towel. We call this custom elep keru - “having hung, enter.” Then the young people were seated at the table. The girl had to eat a crust of bread, anointed with butter and honey, so that it would be soft like butter; sweet as honey, that is, easy-going, flexible. And be sure to drink a couple of cups of tea. The young woman’s hands were dipped in flour so that she would not experience poverty or lack.

All Tatars, including Siberian ones, had rituals oh kienderu -“house decoration”: they took down the curtains and wall fabric decorations hanging in the house and hung new ones from the bride’s dowry, as well as su yuly kursyat"showing the road along the water." She was led to a spring from which she was to fetch water. The young relatives participating in this were given gifts by the daughter-in-law.

When the young woman moved to the house of her husband’s parents, a “bride show” was arranged in the house of the husband’s parents - borkanchek achu etc., and his relatives. After leaving, the matchmakers were invited to a treat called kilen tokmachi, kilen salmasy(daughter-in-law's noodles), they collected elderly relatives and neighbors. The wedding procession ended with a feast held in both

home. At the bride's house they held kazan kaitar(return of the cauldron) with an invitation to the newlyweds, and the daughter-in-law’s parents were invited to the groom’s house. Only after these feasts could the parties visit each other freely and at their own discretion.

When holding wedding feasts, the tradition of dividing the participants by age is maintained. Wedding feast for older people - cartlap tue, olylar tue It is held both in the house of the bride and the groom. Such feasts are held without alcoholic drinks, with traditional dishes served. The newlyweds themselves actively participate in the wedding treat for the elderly in the bride's house - Nikah tui.

The wedding feast for middle-aged guests - tui - is the main thing. The largest number of guests are invited to it. Most often now this wedding is held in one place - in the house of the groom's parents, sometimes the bride. In cities, they usually set it up in a canteen, cafe, restaurant or special “celebration hall.”

3.2 . Dacha name.

It still exists everywhere careful attitude to the woman in labor.

It was believed that even a glance at the chimney of a house in which childbirth is taking place is godly - “turagan khatynnyn morzhasyn karasanda savaply.” On the same day, immediately after childbirth, or the next, a bathhouse is always heated, which is called babi munchasy - a bathhouse for a newborn.

They drown her for several days in a row. When the bathhouse becomes cool, the midwife helps the woman in labor wash herself and bathe the baby. In the first days after childbirth, a woman is visited by neighbors and relatives. They bring treats with them. They used to think that the more women came with treats, the milkier the mother would be. Shayakhmetova Rauza told us how the first shirt was sewn: “They sewed the first shirt for a newborn

large stitches. So that there are no rough seams, from something old, because they thought that in this case the child would wear the clothes carefully, without wearing them out. This shirt was worn only in the first days, until the umbilical cord fell off. It was impossible to wear such a shirt for longer, then they said that the child would be whiny and would get sick often. Then they washed it, ironed it and saved it for the next child, so that the children would be friendly with each other.”1

Among the Muslim Tatars, the child was given a name a few days after birth. Now this ritual is carried out after the woman in labor is brought from the hospital. “Leaving a child without a name is considered dangerous, as he may get sick. When a child is given a name, a mullah, relatives, neighbors, elderly men, and women are invited. The baby is brought to the mullah on a pillow, and he, reading excerpts from the Koran, pronounces the name of the newborn several times. After this, they invite you to the table. Women always come with a gift for the newborn. When our children were born, we performed such a ritual. The first forty days of a newborn's life are especially dangerous. He should not be left alone, so as not to cause trouble. If you have to leave the child alone, put a knife or scissors under the pillow.

The child is protected from the evil eye, so they do not take it where many people do not show it. If you still have to carry it, then be sure to fasten a pin to your shirt,” Elvira’s mother Gallia Galioskarovna tells us.2

In addition, “preventive measures” were used: the shaky tree was hung on a rowan pole. A sprig of rowan or bird cherry was tied to a fluffy tree, sewn to a child’s hat, and they were credited with the property of protecting against the evil eye. For the same purpose, a cowrie shell and a bright button were sewn to the cap. The child was specially smeared with soot, and a bright thread was tied to his hand. If they believed that the child had been jinxed, then they resorted to performing various conspiracies. Many diseases, such as hernia and measles, were also treated with spells.

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1Story by Shayakhmetova R.

Every boy was circumcised. It was handled by professionals called baba, babacha. Now this can be done in the hospital, just the desire of the parents is enough.

Celebrations in honor of the newborn Baby Tue continue to be held - with the invitation of a large number of guests: relatives, acquaintances, work comrades. It is given to the first-born or long-awaited child, be it a boy or a girl. The fun goes the same way as with any festive feast. There are no special ceremonies dedicated specifically to the child.

Chapter 4. Funeral and memorial rites.

They strive to carry out this ritual strictly according to tradition. Even in urban areas, Tatars adhere to traditional funeral rite. The funeral rite consists of rituals: washing, dressing the deceased, digging a grave, the funeral process, which are carried out under the guidance of knowledgeable people trained in this matter, who receive this knowledge from people of the older generation.

“The deceased is buried, if possible, on the day of death or the next day, washing him only before burial. Men wash men, women wash women. The deceased is dressed in kafenleu, which is usually prepared by elderly women. To sew tiles, women need 12 meters of fabric and men need 17 meters of white fabric. Moreover, they sew it strictly with their hands on the body of the deceased. If the deceased has been washed and dressed, then he must be buried on the same day. The deceased is carried out on a stretcher special for this occasion - lyakhet. The grave is dug with a liner, and the direction of the grave is from north to south. If the grave is dug before sunset, then the deceased must be

must be buried. Under no circumstances should a grave be left dug overnight. If the grave has been dug and the deceased was not buried before sunset, then the grave must be buried. The head of the deceased is placed on the north

part, and legs accordingly to the south, because there are holy places

Muslims - Mecca and Medina - the homeland of Muslims”1 Shayakhmetov Kavy Shayakhmetovich tells us.

Funeral services are held on the 3rd, 7th, 40th day and year. The wake is held as a dinner party, which begins with the reading of the Koran, the distribution of alms to those present - saadak, on the third day - ochese, on the seventh - zhides. They are held modestly, inviting mainly the elderly. If men are invited on the third day, then women are invited on the seventh. Definitely those who washed. For forty days - kyrygy even more guests, even more for a year.

On funeral days, a ritual of sacrifice is performed.

Story by Shayakhmetov K. Sh

Conclusion

In the course of studying the material in this area, we have done some work. The work used survey data and studied the literature in this area. Some rituals have lost their significance: much has been lost and forgotten. Young girls marry men of a different nationality and now adhere to the customs accepted in their husband’s family. The Russification of the Tatar people is gradually occurring. Many traditions are not picked up by the younger generation. Holidays such as Sabantuy - in which not only Tatars are involved, but also people of other nationalities are celebrated even now, but less often. This holiday has not lost its meaning to this day. The rite of naming a newborn, funeral and memorial, are carried out in accordance with the traditions that existed before. Preserving traditions requires a lot of patience and skill. Over time, it may happen that they remain only in documents. It is very important. That we want to find out and talk about it.

Bibliography

1. Household book Administration of the Vorobyovsky village council of the Vengerovsky district of the Novosibirsk region

2. “Ethnography of the Tatar people.” Kazan. Magarif, 2004

3.Stories local residents And,

Everyone villagers And guests

happy holiday congratulated

chapter administration

Vengerovsky district

Velichko YU. P.

Presenters: P. N. Gabdrakhmanov and E. K. Gabdrakhmanova

Sabantuy is coming

Celebrate and rejoice!

Come to enjoy

This dashing daring!

To make the heart start beating

WITH with new strength dashing.

Congratulations and speech folk choir Vengerovsky RDK "Siberian Apple Tree"

The dance group “Severyanka” and the song and dance ensemble “Laysan” delighted with their performances

This is what a holiday table looks like

Prayer

Meat dishes

Elderly people having lunch

Guardians of the customs and traditions of the Tatar people

Spouses Nurlina Kh.S.

TATARS, Tatarlar(self-name), people in Russia (second in number after the Russians), main population of the Republic of Tatarstan .

According to the 2002 Census, 5 million 558 thousand Tatars live in Russia. They live in the Republic of Tatarstan (2 million people), Bashkiria (991 thousand people), Udmurtia, Mordovia, the Mari Republic, Chuvashia, as well as in the regions of the Volga-Ural region, Western and Eastern Siberia and Far East. They live in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. According to the 2010 Census, 5,310,649 Tatars live in Russia.

History of the ethnonym

For the first time an ethnonym "Tatars" appeared among the Mongolian and Turkic tribes in the 6th-9th centuries, but became established as a common ethnonym only in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the 13th century, as part of the Mongols, who created Golden Horde, there were tribes they conquered, including the Turks, called Tatars. In the 13-14 centuries, the Kipchaks, who were numerically dominant in the Golden Horde, assimilated all the other Turkic-Mongol tribes, but adopted the ethnonym “Tatars”. The population of this state was also called by European peoples, Russians and some Central Asian peoples.

In the khanates formed after the collapse of the Golden Horde, noble layers of Kipchak-Nogai origin called themselves Tatars. They were the ones who played main role in the spread of the ethnonym. However, among the Tatars in the 16th century it was perceived as derogatory, and until the second half of the 19th century other self-names were in use: Meselman, Kazanly, Bulgarian, Misher, Tipter, Nagaybek and others - among the Volga-Ural and Nugai, Karagash, Yurt, Tatarly and others- among the Astrakhan Tatars. Except for Meselman, all of them were local self-names. The process of national consolidation led to the choice of a self-name that unites everyone. By the time of the 1926 census, most Tatars called themselves Tatars. IN last years a small number in Tatarstan and other Volga regions call themselves Bulgars or Volga Bulgars.

Language

Tatar language belongs to the Kipchak-Bulgar subgroup of the Kipchak group of the Turkic branch of the Altai language family and has three main dialects: western (Mishar), middle (Kazan-Tatar) and eastern (Siberian-Tatar). The literary norm was formed on the basis of the Kazan-Tatar dialect with the participation of Mishar. Writing based on Cyrillic graphics.

Religion

The majority of Tatar believers are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi madhhab. The population of the former Volga Bulgaria was Muslim since the 10th century and remained so as part of the Horde, due to this it stood out among neighboring peoples. Then, after the Tatars joined the Moscow state, their ethnic identity became even more intertwined with their religious one. Some Tatars even defined their nationality as “meselman”, i.e. Muslims. At the same time, they retained (and partially retain to this day) elements of ancient pre-Islamic calendar rituals.

Traditional activities

The traditional economy of the Volga-Ural Tatars in the 19th and early 20th centuries was based on arable farming. They grew winter rye, oats, barley, lentils, millet, spelt, flax, and hemp. They also engaged in gardening and melon growing. Pasture-stall livestock farming resembled nomadic farming in some ways. For example, horses in some areas grazed on pasture all year long. Only the Mishars were seriously involved in hunting. High level Craft and manufacturing production (jewelry making, fulling and felting, furriers, weaving and gold embroidery) reached development, tanneries and cloth factories operated, trade was developed.

National Costume

For men and women, it consisted of wide-leg trousers and a shirt, over which a sleeveless vest, often embroidered, was worn. Women's Tatar costume was distinguished by an abundance of jewelry made of silver, cowrie shells, and bugles. The outerwear was a Cossack, and in winter - a quilted beshmet or fur coat. Men wore a skullcap on their heads, and on top of it fur hat or a felt hat. Women wore an embroidered velvet cap and scarf. Traditional Tatar shoes are leather ichigs with soft soles, over which galoshes were worn.

Sources: Peoples of Russia: Atlas of Cultures and Religions / ed. V.A. Tishkov, A.V. Zhuravsky, O.E. Kazmina. - M.: IPC "Design. Information. Cartography", 2008.

Peoples and religions of the world: Encyclopedia / Ch. ed. V.A. Tishkov. Editorial team: O.Yu.Artemova, S.A.Arutyunov, A.N.Kozhanovsky, V.M.Makarevich (deputy chief editor), V.A.Popov, P.I.Puchkov (deputy chief editor) ed.), G.Yu.Sitnyansky. — M.: Bolshaya Russian encyclopedia, 1998, - 928 pp.: ill. — ISBN 5-85270-155-6