National Bashkir holidays: history, description and traditions

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

The ancient Turkic people, the Bashkirs, were able to preserve many traditions, language, rituals over their centuries-old history. Bashkir holidays are a complex mixture of pagan and Muslim origins. The culture of the people was also influenced by the years of existence as part of 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 guarding their territories. Historians believe that these are the Bashkirs. Documented sources confirm that already in the 9th century, an 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, butold pagan traditions were harmoniously woven into the new religion.

There was no single conversion of the people to Islam, 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 received 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, gradual incorporation into the Russian Empire began.

First, the Bashkirs of the west and northwest became subjects of the Russian tsar, and later the whole 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 the whole subsequent fate of this people was connected with Russia.

Culture and traditions

A long and complex history has shaped a unique Bashkir culture. This people initially led a semi-nomadic lifestyle, and this influenced their everyday habits. Islam has largely formed the ethical basic principles. The Bashkirs have always had family relations as the main ones, they are surrounded by a huge number of rules and rituals. The older generation is surrounded by great honor 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 existed for a long timeas a non-literate culture, a very rich and complex epic has been preserved, which tells about the emergence of the people and their heroes. Bashkir traditions and holidays have absorbed into their structure and ideology not only Muslim customs, but also ancient pagan, totemic ideas. 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 improve relations with everyone. Therefore, the Bashkirs still believe that you need to be able to maintain peace with everyone and be able to negotiate with them. At the same time, the people retained their identity and pride, not yielding to any pressure from outside.

Festive and household rituals

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 rituals for all important occasions: the birth of children, weddings, funerals, the beginning and end of the agricultural year.

There are original scenarios of holidays in the Bashkir language, which have preserved a description of a clear sequence of actions for all occasions. The plot is characteristic of dances and songs accompanying the 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 inRepublic noisily and according to all the rules celebrate all significant holidays, and there are many of them.

Eid al-Fitr

Like many Bashkir folk holidays, Eid al-Fitr came along with Islam. This is one of the most important holidays of the year, on this day the breaking of the fast takes place after a long fast. 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, part of the food is necessarily distributed to the needy, and the poor need to be given money so that they have something to praise Allah. The holiday is associated with helping the elderly and the needy, with good deeds. Bashkirs on this day always prepare dishes from beef and horse meat, put on festive costumes, and dance a lot. On this day, there is no place for despondency.

Eid al-Adha

This Muslim and Bashkir holiday is celebrated in September, and it is associated with sacrifices and pilgrimages to Mecca. It means the highest point of the path to the holy places. In the morning in all the mosques of Bashkortostan, festive services and a special ritual of sacrifice are held. Then tables are set in each house, on this day it is necessary to give gifts to someone in need. Often the head of the family buys the carcass of an animal at the market: a ram, a cow, a horse, and, carving its part, gives it to the poor. After that, the Bashkirs go to visit each other, where they praise the Lord at the festive table.

Kargatuy

Almost inAll cultures have a holiday that marks the end of winter. Kargatuy is a Bashkir holiday dedicated to the arrival of rooks. Translated from Bashkir, this day is called “The Rook's Wedding”. On this day, it is customary to have a lot of fun. People dress up in national costumes, go outside to sing and dance together. Traditionally, the Bashkirs decorate trees on this day with ribbons, silver, beads, scarves. Also be sure to prepare and lay out food for birds everywhere. Bashkirs on this day ask nature for favor, a good harvest. Folk 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 sumptuous meal of national dishes.

Sabantuy

Many Bashkir holidays are associated with seasonal agricultural cycles, Sabantuy or the 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. The festivities are held on large squares where the entire population of the village can gather. It is customary for families to come to this holiday. The fun includes traditional songs, rituals and dances. Also on this day, it is customary to hold comic competitions in wrestling, running in bags, and other types of competitions. The prize for the most dexterous and strong is a live ram. On this day, you should definitely smile and joke a lot, the Bashkirs have special songs that call for the mercy of the gods.

Yiyin

If many holidays of the Bashkir people arose under the influenceother cultures, then Yiyin is a primordial, very ancient holiday of this particular people. It is celebrated on the day of the summer solstice. The holiday originated from the people's assembly, at which all the important issues of the community were decided. Only men participated in it, later this tradition was weakened. For the celebration, a platform was arranged in the form of a circle, where all the respected men of the village could sit down. Today, the holiday has ceased to be a kind of folk assembly, but has remained a gathering, during which young men proved their worth as dexterous, skillful and strong members of the community. They are subjected to various tests. Often, decisions about future weddings are made during Yiyin.

Public holidays

In addition to the fact that the Bashkir national holidays are celebrated in the republic, over the years of existence, traditions have also appeared within the framework of Russian culture to celebrate state holidays. In a completely familiar format, the celebration of the New Year (January 1), Defender of the Fatherland Day, March 8, Victory Day, National Unity Day is held. The main difference lies in the festive menu. Bashkirs are very fond of their national cuisine and therefore, even on such secular, civil holidays, they put their favorite folk dishes on the table: kazy (sausage), gubadia, baursak, belish with meat.

Religious holidays

Bashkirs are Muslims, so they celebrate events that are significant for this religion. So, in Bashkortostan, the already mentioned Uraza and Eid al-Adha, as well as Mawlid, Safar, the day of Arafat and others are celebrated. Bashkir holidays are in many ways similar to similar events in Tatarstan, cultures have developed very similar religious traditions. The difference lies most of all in songs, costumes, dances, which the Bashkirs have retained their national flavor.

Family holidays

Since the family is the most precious and important thing the Bashkirs have, there are many complex and unique traditions to celebrate birth events here. Family Bashkir holidays are distinguished by a long history and carefully prescribed rituals. Even modern city dwellers return to their roots on the day of a wedding or the birth of a child and repeat rituals with centuries of history. Weddings, the birth of children, funerals are always celebrated by the whole family, i.e. going 3-4 generations of the family. Each holiday is associated with the presentation of gifts, treats, and the praise of the gods. For each of these events, there are special costumes, many special songs and a strict sequence of actions.