The ancient Turkic people, the Bashkirs, were able to preserve many traditions, language, rituals for their centuries-old history. Bashkir holidays are a complex mixture of pagan and Muslim sources. The culture of the people was influenced by the years of existence in the Russian Empire and the Soviet past. Let's talk about the main holiday traditions of the Bashkirs and their features.
History of the Bashkir people
Many ancient sources mention the people living in the Southern Urals, engaged in cattle breeding and carefully protecting their territories. Historians believe that this is the Bashkirs. Documented sources confirm that in the 9th century, independent people lived on the slopes of the Ural Mountains near the Volga, Kama and Tobol. The Bashkirs spoke their own language, worshiped the forces of nature and numerous gods, were not aggressive invaders, but fiercely guarded their lands. By the 9th century, the gradual Islamization of the people began, but the old pagan traditions harmoniously woven into the new religion.
A single conversion of the people to Islam did not occur, it was a soft replacement of existing beliefs with new rules and customs. In the 9th century, part of the Bashkirs moved to Hungary and eventually became part of the Hungarian people. In the 13th century, the Ural Bashkirs actively resisted the Tatar-Mongol invasion and gained the right to autonomy. After the collapse of the Golden Horde, the Bashkirs were part of several khanates, and from the middle of the 16th century a gradual inclusion in the Russian Empire began.
First, the Bashkirs of the west and northwest became subjects of the Russian tsar, and later all the people accepted Russian citizenship, but retained the right to their way of life, language, and faith. But the further life of the people was not entirely prosperous. Many Russian tsars tried to deprive the Bashkirs of their privileges, this caused fierce resistance. But all the subsequent fate of this people was connected with Russia.
Culture and traditions
A long and complex history has shaped a unique Bashkir culture. These people initially led a semi-nomadic lifestyle, and this influenced their everyday habits. Muslims have largely shaped ethical basic principles. Among the Bashkirs, the main relations have always been kinship, they are surrounded by a huge number of rules and rites. The older generation is held in high esteem and plays an important role in the life of the whole family. The way of life of the people influenced the formation of culture.
The Bashkirs, who for a long time existed as an unwritten culture, preserved a very rich and complex epic that tells about the appearance of the people and their heroes. Bashkir traditions and holidays have incorporated not only Muslim customs, but also ancient pagan, totemic ideas into their structure and ideology. The Bashkirs are very hospitable and peaceful people, this was the result of a long coexistence of the people with a variety of neighbors, Tatars, Russians, Bulgars, Mongols, Kazakhs, and it was necessary to establish relations with everyone. Therefore, the Bashkirs still believe that it is necessary to be able to maintain peace with all and be able to negotiate with them. At the same time, the people retained their identity and pride, not yielding to any external pressure.
Celebratory and household ceremonies
The Bashkirs have a clear distinction between holidays and everyday life. If every day they lead a very simple life, content with the simplest food and things, then the holidays are celebrated widely, with a variety of traditions. The Bashkirs have preserved detailed plot ceremonies for all important occasions: birth of a child, wedding, funeral, the beginning and end of the agricultural year.
There are unique scenarios of holidays in the Bashkir language that have preserved a description of a clear sequence of actions for all occasions. The plot is peculiar to dances and songs that accompany rituals. Even the costumes of the Bashkirs are filled with deep symbolism and semantics. The long Soviet period led to the fact that traditions began to go out of use. But today there is a revival of primordial traditions, and in the republic all significant holidays are celebrated noisily and by all rules, and there are many of them.
Eid al Adha
Like many Bashkir folk holidays, Uraza Bairam came along with Islam. This is one of the most important holidays of the year, on this day there is a conversation after a long post. In Bashkiria this holiday is celebrated very widely. In the morning, all people go to the mosque, then rich tables are set in the houses, some of the food is surely distributed to the needy, and the poor also need to be given money so that they have something to praise Allah for. The holiday is connected with the help of elders and the needy, with good deeds. Bashkirs on this day must cook beef and horsemeat dishes, put on holiday costumes, and dance a lot. There is no place for despondency on this day.
Eid al-Adha
This Muslim and Bashkir holiday is celebrated in September, and it is associated with sacrifices and a pilgrimage to Mecca. It means the highest point of the path to holy places. In the morning, festive services and a special rite of sacrifice are held in all mosques of Bashkortostan. Then tables are set up in every house; on this day, one of those in need must be bestowed. Often, the head of the family buys the carcass of an animal at the bazaar: a ram, a cow, a horse, and, cutting up its part, gives it to the poor. After that, the Bashkirs go to visit each other, where the Lord is praised at the festive table.
Kargatui
Almost all cultures have a holiday marking the end of winter. Kargatuy is a Bashkir holiday dedicated to the arrival of rooks. Translated from Bashkir, this day is called “Rook's Wedding”. On this day, it is customary to have a lot of fun. People dress up in national costumes, go out to sing and dance together. Traditionally, Bashkirs decorate trees on this day with ribbons, silver, beads, shawls. Also, food for birds is always prepared and laid out. Bashkirs on this day ask nature for favor, a good harvest. Festivities on this day consist not only of dances and songs, but also include various competitions of men in strength and dexterity. The holiday ends with a lavish meal of national dishes.
Sabantuy
Many Bashkir holidays are associated with seasonal agricultural cycles, Sabantuy or a plow holiday is one of them. It marks the completion of spring work in the field. People pray for a good harvest and try to appease the gods. Celebrations are held on large areas where the entire population of the village can gather. It is customary to come to this holiday families. Fun includes traditional songs, rites and dances. Also on this day, it is customary to conduct comic competitions in wrestling, running in bags, and other types of competitions. The prize for the most agile and strong is a live sheep. On this day, you must definitely smile and joke a lot, the Bashkirs have special songs that invoke the mercy of the gods.
Yiyyn
If many holidays of the Bashkir people arose under the influence of other cultures, then Yiyyn is a primordial, very ancient holiday of this particular people. It is celebrated on the day of the summer solstice. The holiday came from a public meeting, which resolved all the important issues of the community. Only men participated in it, later this tradition was weakened. For the celebration, a playground was arranged in the form of a circle where all respected men of the village could sit down. Today, the holiday has ceased to be a kind of folk veche, but has remained a gathering, during which the young men proved their worth as clever, skillful and strong members of the community. A variety of tests are conducted for them. Often during Yiyyna decisions are made about future weddings.
Public holidays
In addition to the fact that the republic celebrates Bashkir national holidays, over the years of its existence, within the framework of Russian culture, traditions have appeared to celebrate state holidays. In a quite familiar format, the New Year is celebrated (January 1), Defender of the Fatherland Day, March 8, Victory Day, National Unity Day. The main difference is the holiday menu. Bashkirs love their national cuisine very much and therefore even on such secular, civil holidays they put their favorite national dishes on the table: kazy (sausage), gubadiya, baursak, belish with meat.
Religious holidays
Bashkirs are Muslims, so they celebrate events that are significant for this religion. So, in Bashkortostan they celebrate the already mentioned Uraza and Kurban Bayram, as well as Mavlid, Safar, Arafat Day and others. Bashkir festivals are largely similar to similar events in Tatarstan, cultures developed very similar religious traditions. The difference is most of all in songs, costumes, dances, which among the Bashkirs have preserved the national flavor.
Family holidays
Since the family is the most expensive and important thing that the Bashkirs have, there are many complex and unique traditions to celebrate tribal events. Family Bashkir holidays are distinguished by a long history and carefully prescribed ceremonies. Even modern city dwellers return to their origins and repeat centuries-old rites on their wedding day or childbirth. Weddings, births of children, funerals are always celebrated by all families, i.e. 3-4 generations of the family are going. Each holiday is associated with the offering of gifts, refreshments, praise of the gods. For each of these events, there are special costumes, many special songs and a strict sequence of actions.