Sacred place in a Tatar house. Topic: Traditional holidays and customs of the Tatar people

General characteristics of the Tatar people and population

It is not for nothing that the Tatar people are considered the most mobile of all famous peoples. Fleeing crop failure in their native lands and in search of opportunities to establish trade, they quickly moved to central areas Russia, Siberia, the Far Eastern regions, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Donbass steppes. IN Soviet time this migration was especially active. Today, Tatars live in Poland and Romania, China and Finland, the USA and Australia, as well as in Latin America And Arab countries. Despite such territorial distribution, Tatars in each country try to unite into communities, carefully preserving their cultural values, language and traditions. Today, the total Tatar population is 6 million 790 thousand people, of which almost 5.5 million live in the territory Russian Federation.

The main language of the ethnic group is Tatar. There are three main dialectical directions in it - eastern (Siberian-Tatar), western (Mishar) and middle (Kazan-Tatar). The following subethnic groups are also distinguished: Astrakhan, Siberian, Tatar-Mishar, Ksimov, Kryashen, Perm, Polish-Lithuanian, Chepetsk, Teptya. Originally the basis of writing Tatar people lay Arabic graphics. Over time, the Latin alphabet began to be used, and later the Cyrillic alphabet. The vast majority of Tatars adhere to the Muslim religion; they are called Sunni Muslims. There is also a small number of Orthodox Christians called Kryashens.

Features and traditions of Tatar culture

The Tatar people, like any other, have their own special traditions. So, for example, the wedding ceremony assumes that their parents have the right to negotiate the wedding of a young man and a girl, and the young people are simply informed. Before the wedding, the size of the bride price, which the groom pays to the bride's family, is discussed. Celebrations and feasts in honor of the newlyweds, as a rule, take place without them. To this day it is accepted that it is unacceptable for the groom to enter parents' house brides for permanent residence.

Cultural traditions and especially in terms of educating the younger generation from the very beginning early childhood The Tatars are very strong. The decisive word and power in the family belongs to the father, the head of the family. That is why girls are taught to be submissive to their husbands, and boys are taught to be able to dominate, but at the same time be very attentive and careful towards their spouse. Patriarchal traditions in families are stable to this day. Women, in turn, love to cook and revere Tatar cuisine, sweets and all kinds of pastries. A richly laid table for guests is considered a sign of honor and respect. The Tatars are known for their reverence and immense respect for their ancestors, as well as for older people.

Famous representatives of the Tatar people

In modern life, we hear quite a lot of people from this glorious people. For example, Rinat Akhmetov is a famous Ukrainian businessman, the richest Ukrainian citizen. The legendary producer Bari Alibasov, Russian actors Renata Litvinova, Chulpan Khamatova and Marat Basharov, singer Alsou. The famous poetess Bella Akhmadulina and rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva also have Tatar roots on their father’s side and are honored figures of the Russian Federation. One cannot help but recall the first racket of the world – Marat Safin.

The Tatar people are a nation with its own traditions, national language and cultural values, which are closely related to the history of others and more. This is a nation with a special character and tolerance, which has never initiated conflicts on ethnic, religious or political grounds.

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

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, which means “spring beauty”, “spring celebration”.

Religious holidays

Muslim holidays among the Muslim Tatars 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. During the days of Korban Bayram (the holiday of sacrifice), they tried to treat as many people as possible to meat from the killed lamb.

RAMADAN(Ramadan) (in Turkic languages the more common name is Uraza) 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 precise execution orders of Allah. 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.

Celebrating this day begins with early morning. Muslims go to the mosque for morning prayer. The holiday ritual begins with common prayer- prayer. 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. 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 a decoction of onion skins and a decoction of birch leaves - and baked buns and pretzels.
In the morning, the children began to walk around the houses, carried wood chips into the house and scattered 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, it includes folk 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, weave ribbons into the horses' manes, and hang bells from the bow. 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 their own 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 Sabantuy competitions:
— Fight with bags of hay on top of 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 are held, 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. For 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 “marriage contract” was concluded, the bride was called yarashylgan kyz - the matched girl. Preparations for the wedding began. The groom collected bride price, bought gifts for the bride, her parents and relatives, bought things in 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 at 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 submission to fate lyrical song. The groom's mother (kodagiy), her sisters (kodagiylar), and the groom's older sister (olya 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. The elder sister (olya kodagiy) or the groom's mother held a freshly baked loaf of bread and a cup of honey in her hands. 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.

Every nation has its own traditions with customs, rooted in the distant past, but resurrected today as national holidays. The Tatars have two words that mean holiday. Religious, that is, Muslim holidays are called here with the word gaet or aet. For example, Uraza Gaete is a holiday of fasting, and Korban Gaete is a holiday of sacrifice. As for folk, that is, non-religious holidays, in Tatar they are called beyrem, which means “spring beauty” or “spring celebration”.

Religious traditions of Tatarstan

Muslim festivities among the Muslim Tatars include collective morning prayers, in which only men participate. Then they go to the cemetery and there they pray again near the graves of their relatives or friends. On this day, women prepare a festive dinner for them at home. Like the Russians, here on holidays they go to the houses of relatives and neighbors with congratulations. On the days of the so-called Korban Bayram, that is, the holiday of sacrifice, the Tatars tried to treat the maximum number of people to the meat of the killed lamb.

Ramadan and Ramazan

Ramadan or Ramadan, which is also called Eid in the Turkic dialect, is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar. This is the month of fasting. And according to Islamic tradition, at this time the first of the divine revelations was transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibril, which was later included in the holy book of the entire Islamic people - the Koran.

Religion of the Tatar people

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the key duties of any Muslim. It is needed in order to strengthen all Muslims and increase their self-discipline, as well as teach them to accurately carry out the orders of Allah. Throughout the daylight hours, from sunrise to sunset, it is strictly forbidden to eat and drink, smoke, indulge in pleasure, or indulge in other entertainment. During the day one should work and pray, as well as read the Quran and engage in various pious thoughts or actions. You should also donate something to charity.

Eid al-Adha is also called the festival of sacrifice. This is the Islamic celebration of the end of the Hajj, celebrated on the 10th day of the twelfth Islamic month. lunar calendar. According to the Koran, the angel Gabriel appeared in a dream to the prophet Ibrahim to convey to him the command of Allah that he should sacrifice his first son Ismail. And upon waking up, Ibrahim immediately went to the Mina valley to the very place where Mecca stands today to begin preparations. But this turned out to be only a test of Allah, and therefore, when the sacrifice was almost made, the merciful Allah replaced the sacrifice with a son for Ibrahim and told him to slaughter the lamb. The holiday symbolizes the mercy and majesty of God and also the fact that faith is the best sacrifice.

Celebration

Celebrating such a day begins with the onset of morning. Muslims go to the mosque for morning prayer. The ritual of this holiday begins with a general prayer, it is called namaz. At the end of it, the imam, who read the prayer, asks Allah for fasting, forgiveness of sins and prosperity. Next, all believers, going through the tasbih, read dhikr together. By the way, it is performed according to a special formula and in a special way, both out loud and silently and is always accompanied by specific body movements. After completing the morning prayer, all believers solemnly return home.

Advice

At home, a ram is slaughtered, although according to tradition it would be necessary to slaughter a camel or a bull. This must be done with the words “Bismillah, Allah Akbar.” There is also a tradition of giving alms and sharing cooked lamb. According to the tradition that has developed over many centuries, it is customary to cook only a third of the meat to treat your family, and give a third to the poor, and the remaining third is distributed as alms to all those asking.

Do the Tatars have folk traditions, not related to religion?

Spring is a time of nature's awakening, when people's expectations are renewed. So a good spring means a good harvest, in other words, a prosperous life. As in the cultures and traditions of other peoples, all Tatar villages were on the banks of rivers. Therefore, the very first “spring celebration” or beyram was associated with ice drift. This holiday is called “boz karau” or “boz bagu”, in other words, “watch the ice”. Then there was “boz ozatma” - this is a farewell to the ice, after which came “zin kitu”, which meant the drift of ice. Everyone came out to the river bank to watch the ice drift country people. Young people even dressed up and played accordions. Straw had to be laid out and set on fire on floating ice floes.

Another tradition was the rule according to which in early spring children went from house to house in their village and collected cereals, butter and eggs. From the food they collected on the street, with the help of older cooks, they cooked porridge in a large cauldron and then ate it. A little later, the day of collecting “colored eggs” arrived. The housewives had been painting them since the evening. And most often, a decoction of onion peels or birch leaves was used for this. At the same time, pretzel buns were baked. In the morning, the children began to go around the houses and bring wood chips there, scattering them on the floor. This was done so that “the yard would not be empty.” Along the way, they shouted such chants and chants, for example, “Kyt-kytyk, kyt-kytyk, are grandparents at home? Will they give me an egg? Let you have a lot of hens, and let the cockerels trample them. If you don’t give me the egg, then there’s a lake in front of your house, and you’ll drown there!”

Perhaps the most widespread and popular holiday today, which includes folk festivities with various rituals and games, is Sabantuy. Literally it means “Feast of the Plow.” Because saban is a plow, and thuja is a holiday. Previously, it was celebrated before all spring field work began, that is, in April, today Sabantuy is celebrated in June, that is, at the end of sowing.

Sabantuy and its celebration

Sabantuy celebrations begin in the morning. Women put on their holiday jewelry, ribbons are woven into the horses' manes, and bells are hung from the bow. Everyone dressed up gathers in a large meadow. It's called Maidan. There is a great variety of entertainment here. The main thing is the national struggle called kuresh. To win here, strength and cunning with dexterity are required. There are also strict rules. So, opponents wrap each other with wide belts called sashes; the point is to be able to hang the opponent on your own belt in the air, and then put him on his shoulder blades. The winner is called a hero and receives a live ram as a reward. However, now more and more often such a prize is replaced with other, more valuable gifts. You can participate in other competitions to demonstrate strength and agility, as well as courage.

Sabantuy traditional competitions

• fight with bags of hay riding on a log. The goal is to knock the enemy out of the saddle
• Running in sacks
• pairs competition: one leg must be tied to the partner’s leg, and then run like this to the finish line
• walking along a swinging log for a prize
• a game called "Break the Pot". Here the participants are blindfolded and given a long stick in their hands, with which they need to break the pot
• climbing a pole with prizes tied to the top
• run with egg and spoon. There is a raw egg on a spoon. Whoever comes running first without breaking his fragile cargo wins
• competitions organized for Tatar beauties. For example, who can cut noodles the fastest and best?

In the clearing where the festivities take place, you can eat shish kebab and pilaf, as well as homemade noodles and national treats like chak-chak, echpochmak, balish and peremyach.

Rituals and rules regarding the birth of a child

A number of obligatory rituals accompany the birth of a child. Previously, midwives handled childbirth. Their name was Bala Ebise. The occupation of midwives was called ebilek. The midwife had to cut and tie the umbilical cord, wash the baby, and wrap him in his father's undershirt. Then a ritual was performed called avyzlandyru, that is, “let me taste.” A lump of bread chewed with butter and honey was wrapped in the thinnest cloth, a pacifier was made and given to the baby to suck. Sometimes they even simply coated the child’s mouth with oil and honey, or a honey solution. This was called "zemzem su".

The next day they performed the ritual of “babyai munchasy”, that is, “children’s bath”. The bathhouse was heated, then the midwife helped the woman in labor wash herself and buy her baby. After several days, the ceremony of isem kushu, that is, naming, was held. The mullah and guests - men who were relatives and acquaintances of the family - were invited to attend, and a table was set with various treats. The mullah had to read a prayer, after which a child would be brought to him. He turned to the great Allah, urging him to take this newborn under his protection. Next, he whispered his name into the baby’s ear, but in Arabic sound. Children's names were selected, as a rule, by mullahs who had special naming calendars. It was believed that this would depend on future life child.

Conclusion:

The Tatars treat all ancient traditions sacredly, they honor rituals and consider them, to this day, mandatory. Let it go modern life brings a lot of new things into their life; there is always room for the old.

Every nation has its own customs and traditions. Many of them are unusual and interesting. To live in peace with their neighbors, people need to know what characteristics they have and respect them. In this article we will look at the Tatar people.

According to one scenario

In the vastness of our homeland, its representatives live almost everywhere. They are found from Tambov to Omsk, from Perm to Kirov, in Astrakhan. The religion of this people is Islam. Although there are also groups that have converted to Orthodoxy. The culture and traditions of the Tatar people are associated with both religion and secular life. Usually religious holidays are very similar to each other. During their holding, the customs and traditions of the Tatar people are observed. Let's briefly list them:

• morning prayer;
• visiting a cemetery;
• preparing food;
• congratulations to all relatives and neighbors, paying special attention to parents;
• distribution of gifts.

Religion and secular life

A famous religious holiday is Eid al-Adha. On this day, believers must sacrifice an animal, as well as visit the mosque and give alms there. The holiday in honor of Muhammad's birthday is called Mawlid. It is celebrated by all Muslims, so it has great significance for this religion. Tatars celebrate Navruz. This is a holiday in honor of the day spring equinox. On this day, it is customary to have fun from the heart, because the happier people are, the more gifts they will receive from nature. Another national holiday is the Day of the Republic of Tatarstan. Its celebration is similar to our celebrations, dedicated to the day city, and ends with fireworks.

Echoes of antiquity

Previously, when the Tatars had pagan beliefs, they had interesting rituals, aimed at appeasing spirits and making natural forces manageable. One of them was Yangyr Teleu. It was carried out if there was a drought. For this purpose, ritual participants gathered near a water source. They turned to Allah, asking for rain and a good harvest. Then they ate treats together and doused themselves with water. For a stronger effect, a ritual of sacrifice was performed. Also in our time there is still a tradition of mutual assistance. Tatars get together to build or repair a house and participate in meat procurement. True, in our time there are fewer and fewer people willing to help unselfishly.

General joy

Probably the most famous is the holiday called Sabantuy. It is widely celebrated in cities where Tatars live, even in Moscow and St. Petersburg. It is associated with the beginning of agricultural work. When spring came, people rejoiced at the end of winter, at the fact that they could again start working on the land, growing crops that would feed their families during the cold season. If you translate the name of the holiday into Russian, you get “wedding of the plow.” After all, “saban” is a plow, and “tui” is a wedding. In our time, the customs and traditions of the Tatar people have undergone changes, so Sabantuy means the end spring work, and not their beginning, and is held in the summer. This holiday consists of two parts. Although in big cities passes in one day. In the villages, first they collect gifts, and then comes the Maidan. The traditions and customs of the Tatar people in different regions have always been slightly different from each other. Therefore, in one area, gifts were collected by a young man on foot, in another by a young man on horseback, in a third by an elderly man.

Each woman who got married within a year after the previous Sabantuy prepared a richly embroidered and ornamented towel. It was considered the most valuable gift. On the second day, the Maidan was held. The traditions of the Tatar people suggest that various competitions will be held on this day: national wrestling Koresh, long and high jumps, running, horse racing. They were intended only for men; women remained outside observers. The customs and traditions of the Tatar people can be seen even in these sporting competitions. The best horses take part in the races because this competition is considered very prestigious. Spectators and participants gather at a special place 5 kilometers from the village. Riders are usually boys 8-12 years old. The finish is traditionally located near the village, and the start is in the field. The prize was a towel sewn by a married woman, obtained during the collection of gifts.

Other competitions

According to the tradition of the Tatar people, they compete in running, divided into three age groups- from boys to old people. As you know, men do not compete just for fun. It is very important for them to determine who is the strongest. The best way to achieve this is to participate in the koresh fight. This type of competition very well illustrates the customs and traditions of the Tatar people. This is a national fight on sashes, instead of which towels are now used. Men of any age, starting from five-year-old boys, can take part in this type of strength competition. The only limitation is old age. The participants stood in pairs and began to fight, grabbing the opponent around the waist with a towel and trying to put him on his shoulder blades. The duel continued until one of the fighters was defeated or recognized himself as such. Then the winner was recognized as a hero and awarded one of the best prizes. The customs and traditions of the Tatar people, which make it possible to organize such a holiday, for which the whole world is preparing, are quite worthy of respect.

No one is offended

During Sabantuy, not only men should have fun, therefore, in addition to the main competitions, many others were held in which women could also take part. This is a tug of war, climbing a smooth pole for a gift, comic competitions. Many of them are familiar to other peoples. They are often used by toastmasters at weddings. For example, running with an egg on a spoon held in the mouth, running in bags, fighting with pillows or bags of straw. If we continue the description of the above-mentioned tradition of the Tatar people briefly, we can say that Sabantuy is a bright and cheerful folk festival, somewhat reminiscent of Maslenitsa. Dancing with round dances, competitions between singers and dancers, and at the end a treat with delicious dishes - this is what else awaits the participants of this holiday.

Customs and traditions of the Tatar people in family life

Such families are patriarchal. In them the main role reserved for men. In this area, the traditions of the Tatar people are briefly reduced to two holidays, such as weddings and the birth of a child. Marriage is a bright event that has its own rituals: bride price, dowry, Nikah and others.

Unit of society

This type of wedding has a number of features. During the event, the customs and traditions of the Tatar people are observed. Nikah is a Muslim ritual performed by a mullah in a mosque or home. In our time, this is a tribute to our ancestors. It has no legal force and requires official registration in the registry office. For it to take place, certain conditions must be met. The bride and groom should not have intimacy with him, much less live together. At such a wedding they do not drink alcohol or eat pork. Only freshly prepared dishes are eaten, including those that are customary to eat, observing the customs and traditions of the Tatar people. Briefly: peremyachi, gubadi, kaymak, tokmach ashi, belesh, ochpochmaki, court, katyk, chak-chak, kosh-tele, sour dough bread. In fact, there are much more treats on the table than those listed.

Men at the Nikah ceremony must wear skullcaps. The bride wears a closed dress with long sleeves and a scarf on her head. The ceremony itself is performed by a mullah. After he declares the bride and groom husband and wife, the parties exchange gifts. They go to each of the relatives, men are given skullcaps, and women are given scarves or shirts. Then a general feast begins, where all the guests eat and have fun.

When is the baby born

The traditions and customs of the Tatar people for children are associated with the ceremony during which the child receives a name. They have been going on for a long time, and their order has not changed to this day. On the holiday, dedicated to the birth child, a mullah must be present. He must read a prayer and name the baby with the name chosen by the parents. After the end of this ceremony, guests are offered a treat on a tray. They should take the treat and instead put money towards a gift for the child.

How to become a man

If a boy is born, he will be circumcised at the age of 3-6 years. This tradition is associated with the requirements of Sharia and is carried out strictly in accordance with them. Probably, so that the boy would not feel so bitter, this day is celebrated very solemnly. The child’s relatives and friends prepare for it in advance. Previously, a special Sunnetchi person was invited home to carry out a mini-operation. Now the boy is taken to the surgical department, where the foreskin is circumcised under sterile conditions, which reduces the risk of postoperative complications. After everything is done, the child is put into a clean bed, putting a long shirt on him. After the wound has healed, a special celebration is held. Previously, such a celebration was held on the same day. There are two possible scenarios for the holiday. According to the first of them, men and women sit separately. There are no alcoholic drinks on the table. The second one is more fun. Guests are treated to sweets, musicians are invited, they sing and dance.

Sad ritual

Not all rituals among the Tatars are associated with triumph and celebration. If a sad event occurs in a family, then farewell to a deceased relative takes place according to a long-established tradition. First you need to wash the deceased. This is done by people of the same sex. Then they put on special clothes- cafenleu. It is a cloth hand-sewn onto the body of the deceased. For this they take white fabric, the length of which for men is 17 meters, for women - 12 meters.

They are usually buried immediately on the day of death. Only men are present at the funeral. It is not customary for Muslims to bury in a coffin, so in order to carry the deceased to the cemetery, they use a special stretcher. In Muslim churchyards, graves are directed from north to south; they are dug strictly on the day of the funeral. The tradition of placing the deceased with his head to the north and his feet to the south is associated with a similar location of the Muslim holy places - Mecca and Medina. A depression is made in the grave, into which three close male relatives place the body. According to tradition, soil should not fall on it. Funeral services are held on the 3rd, 7th, 40th day and year. On the first date there are few guests. These are mostly older men; on the seventh day they invite women. On the fortieth anniversary and one year from the day of death, everyone comes to remember the deceased.

What traditions still exist among the Tatar people?

The main custom is respect for elders, especially parents. Also, from childhood, Tatars are taught to help the younger ones and not to offend the disadvantaged. The mother enjoys special honor in the family, but the father’s requests must be fulfilled unquestioningly, because he is the head of the family and all household members obey him. Tatars know how and love to receive guests. If a person is in their house, then he will not be denied anything, even if he is an enemy of their family. According to tradition, the guest is first given water, then offered to wash, and then treated. In Tatar families, modesty and decency are held in high esteem, especially among young girls. Women prepare for the wedding in advance, learn to cook and run the house.

Tasty food

In Tatar families her recipes national cuisine stored and passed on from generation to generation. Best dishes They are made from meat, so they are filling and tasty. It is mainly used in lamb, beef and poultry. The Tatars are former nomads, so they learned to prepare livestock products for future use - katyk, ertek, eremchek, kurut, kumis are prepared from the milk of goats, cows, camels and goats. Tatars also love various broths seasoned with herbs. As for drinks, they prefer tea, both green, black and herbal. Many plants are collected and dried for it: rose hips, currants, linden, thyme, oregano, St. John's wort and others.

Soup is usually cooked as a first course. For example, kullamu. A meat broth is prepared for it from three types of meat: goose, beef and lamb. When it is ready, it is strained and onions, potatoes and noodles are added to it. Boil until done and season with chopped meat. Served with kurut and greens. For tea they bake pies, both sweet and with meat, and also serve sweets, chak-chak, honey, and candies.

Nice clothes

The culture of any nation cannot be imagined without a special feature among the male part of the Tatars is the skullcap. This headdress can be used for home or holiday purposes. It is customary to lay a cord or horsehair between the lines of the skullcap. Various fabrics are used for it, as well as decorations. Usually, skullcaps of bright colors are sewn for young people, and for the elderly they choose material in calm tones.

Women's hats make it possible to determine the age and status of their owner. Girls wear a kalfak with a tassel decoration. Married ladies cover not only their hair with a headdress, but also their head, neck, shoulders and back. Older women usually wear veils under their outer hats. The traditions and customs of the Tatar people oblige them to be worn on holidays. Photos of these hats can be seen in this article. Besides, National Costume Tatars are distinguished by bright colors, rich ornaments, high-quality jewelry, variety of shoes. It depends on which national subgroup the person wearing it belongs to.

In this article we looked at the customs and traditions of the Tatar people. Briefly, of course. Because it is impossible to tell about all the features, rich culture and the identity of the Tatars within one article.

Tatars - Turkic people living in the central part European Russia, as well as in the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, Far East, on the territory of Crimea, as well as in Kazakhstan, in the states Central Asia and in Chinese autonomous republic XUAR. About 5.3 million people live in the Russian Federation Tatar nationality, which is 4% of the total population of the country, they rank second in number after the Russians, 37% of all Tatars in Russia live in the Republic of Tatarstan in the capital of the Volga region federal district with its capital in the city of Kazan and constitute most(53%) of the population of the republic. National language- Tatar (group of Altai languages, Turkic group, Kipchak subgroup), has several dialects. The majority of Tatars are Sunni Muslims; there are also Orthodox and those who do not identify themselves with specific religious movements.

Cultural heritage and family values

Tatar traditions of housekeeping and family life are largely preserved in villages and towns. Kazan Tatars, for example, lived in wooden huts, which differed from the Russians only in that they did not have a canopy and the common room was divided into women's and men's halves, separated by a curtain (charshau) or a wooden partition. In any Tatar hut it was obligatory to have green and red chests, which were later used as the bride’s dowry. In almost every house, a framed piece of text from the Koran, the so-called “shamail,” hung on the wall; it hung above the threshold as a talisman, and a wish for happiness and prosperity was written on it. Many bright, rich colors and shades were used to decorate the house and surrounding area; the interior rooms were richly decorated with embroidery, since Islam prohibits depicting humans and animals; embroidered towels, bedspreads and other things were mostly decorated with geometric patterns.

The head of the family is the father, his requests and instructions must be carried out unquestioningly, the mother has special place of honor. Tatar children from early years They are taught to respect elders, not to hurt younger ones and always help the disadvantaged. The Tatars are very hospitable, even if a person is an enemy of the family, but he came to the house as a guest, they will not refuse him anything, they will feed him, give him something to drink and offer him an overnight stay. Tatar girls They are raised as modest and decent future housewives, they are taught in advance how to manage a household and are prepared for marriage.

Tatar customs and traditions

There are calendar and family rituals. The first are associated with labor activity(sowing, harvesting, etc.) and are held every year at approximately the same time. Family rituals are carried out as needed in accordance with changes that have occurred in the family: the birth of children, marriage and other rituals.

Traditional Tatar wedding characterized by the obligatory performance of the Muslim rite of nikah, it takes place at home or in a mosque in the presence of a mullah, festive table are exclusively Tatar National dishes: chak-chak, court, katyk, kosh-tele, peremyachi, kaymak, etc., guests do not eat pork and do not drink alcohol. The male groom puts on a skullcap, the female bride puts on a long dress with closed sleeves, a headscarf is required.

Tatar wedding rites are characterized by a preliminary agreement between the parents of the bride and groom to enter into a marriage union, often even without their consent. The groom's parents must pay a bride price, the size of which is discussed in advance. If the groom is not satisfied with the size of the bride price and he wants to “save money,” there is nothing wrong with stealing the bride before the wedding.

When a child is born, a mullah is invited to him, he performs a special ceremony, whispering prayers into the child’s ear that drive away evil spirits and his name. Guests come with gifts, and a festive table is set for them.

Islam has a huge influence on the social life of the Tatars and therefore the Tatar people divide all holidays into religious ones, they are called "gaete" - for example, Uraza Gaete - a holiday in honor of the end of fasting, or Korban Gaete - a holiday of sacrifice, and secular or folk "bayram", meaning "spring beauty or celebration."

On the holiday of Uraza, Muslim Tatar believers spend the whole day in prayers and conversations with Allah, asking him for protection and remission of sins; they can drink and eat only after sunset.

During the celebrations of Kurban Bayram, the holiday of sacrifice and the end of the Hajj, also called the holiday of goodness, every self-respecting Muslim, after performing morning prayer in the mosque, must slaughter a sacrificial ram, sheep, goat or cow and distribute the meat to those in need.

One of the most significant pre-Islamic holidays is the plow festival Sabantuy, which is held in the spring and symbolizes the end of sowing. The culmination of the celebration is the holding of various competitions and competitions in running, wrestling or horse racing. Also, a mandatory treat for all those present is porridge or botkasy in Tatar, which used to be prepared from common products in a huge cauldron on one of the hills or hillocks. Also at the holiday it was mandatory to have large quantity colored eggs for children to collect. Main holiday Sabantuy of the Republic of Tatarstan is officially recognized and is held every year in the Birch Grove in the village of Mirny, near Kazan.