What customs exist in the Astrakhan region. About the most interesting New Year and Christmas traditions of Astrakhan

The multinational composition of the population of our region is explained, on the one hand, by the late settlement of the Lower Volga, when settlers from different parts of the Russian state rushed here, to the former Astrakhan Khanate. The local nomadic population gradually switched to a settled way of life, mixing with the Little Russians and Great Russians who moved to our region. On the other hand, the border position of the Astrakhan province contributed to the appearance of immigrants from the south of the country in our area. For hundreds of years, Russians and Ukrainians, Kazakhs and Tatars, Volga Germans have been living side by side in Astrakhan, in the last century the peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia, Koreans have been added to them. Such a diversity of the national composition of the population, such a mixture of cultures, probably does not know any region. Folk culture at all times has been the basis of all national culture, its historical basis. This simple truth must be remembered in these difficult times, when the integrity of folk culture has been destroyed. The disunity of people of different nationalities is the result of a low level of formation and development of a sense of national identity. Only by respecting the memory of their ancestors, they respect the memory of another people. The knowledge accumulated over millennia was consolidated in the form of folk traditions and passed on from one generation to another as a collective socio-historical experience, a system of knowledge about nature and society, a code of moral norms. These traditions and customs have been transformed over time, changed, some have been lost, others are carefully preserved in many families. Knowledge about the performance of rituals and observance of customs was passed down from generation to generation. Migration of people, changes in the environment, life, modern means of communication, transportation, living have changed and are changing before our eyes the details of many customs and rituals. New ones appear, and those that are not respected are discarded. But the essence and spirit of the old traditions remain. In recent decades, there has been a process of revival of national traditions and folk holidays. Many of them are connected with the religious beliefs of peoples. Among the holidays especially revered by the people are such as Easter, Christmas, Maslenitsa, Nauryz, Eid al-Adha, Ramadan, Sabantuy. An intermediate position between European Russia and Asia, centuries-old parallel interaction with the Christian West and the Muslim pagan East left a peculiar imprint on the history of the region. The Astrakhan region played a special role in the historical life of different ethnic peoples and states. The Great Silk Road in the IX-X centuries. connected the civilizations of the West and the East. In the Lower Volga region, the civilizations of the Huns and Sarmatians, Khazars and Pechenegs, Polovtsy and Tatar Mongols clashed.

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Savidova E.

Customs and traditions of the peoples inhabiting our region

According to the 2002 census, the majority of the population of the Astrakhan region are Russians (70%), Kazakhs (14.2%) and Tatars (7%). From other groups - Ukrainians (1.3%), Chechens (1%), Azerbaijanis (0.8%), Kalmyks (0.7%), Armenians (0.6%), Nogais (0.5%), Avars (0.4%), Lezgins (0.4%), Dargins (0.4%).

The multinational composition of the population of our region is explained, on the one hand, by the late settlement of the Lower Volga, when settlers from different parts of the Russian state rushed here, to the former Astrakhan Khanate. The local nomadic population gradually switched to a settled way of life, mixing with the Little Russians and Great Russians who had settled in our region. On the other hand, the border position of the Astrakhan province contributed to the appearance of immigrants from the south of the country in our area. For hundreds of years, Russians and Ukrainians, Kazakhs and Tatars, Volga Germans have been living side by side in Astrakhan, in the last century the peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia, Koreans have been added to them. Such a diversity of the national composition of the population, such a mixture of cultures, probably does not know any region.

Folk culture at all times has been the basis of all national culture, its historical basis. This simple truth must be remembered in these difficult times, when the integrity of folk culture has been destroyed. The disunity of people of different nationalities is the result of a low level of formation and development of a sense of national identity. Only by respecting the memory of their ancestors, they respect the memory of another people. The knowledge accumulated over millennia was consolidated in the form of folk traditions and passed on from one generation to another as a collective socio-historical experience, a system of knowledge about nature and society, a code of moral norms. These traditions and customs have been transformed over time, changed, some have been lost, others are carefully preserved in many families.

Knowledge about the performance of rituals and observance of customs was passed down from generation to generation. Migration of people, changes in the environment, life, modern means of communication, transportation, living have changed and are changing before our eyes the details of many customs and rituals. New ones appear, and those that are not respected are discarded. But the essence and spirit of the old traditions remain.

In recent decades, there has been a process of revival of national traditions, folk holidays. Many of them are connected with the religious beliefs of peoples. Among the holidays especially revered by the people are such as Easter, Christmas, Maslenitsa, Nauryz, Eid al-Adha, Ramadan, Sabantuy.

Nativity

D For the Orthodox Church, January 7 is a great day, the church widely celebrates the Nativity of Christ. They begin to prepare for the holiday with the Nativity fast. Fasting begins on November 15 and runs until December 25 - this is according to the old style, and according to the new one - from November 28 and ends on January 7. Previously, those who were richer ate beluga, sturgeon, pike perch, and those who were poorer - herring, bream, catfish. On Christmas Eve, around Christmas, everyone expected the first star to appear in the east. According to legend, before Christmas, an unusual star appeared in the east of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of the Savior. When the first star appeared, it was possible to start the traditional meal. Dinner on Christmas Eve has always been plentiful and varied, which is why it was called a generous evening or a rich kutya. Kutya was an obligatory dish: it was prepared from grain boiled wheat, barley, rice with honey, and more often with full, i.e. honey with crushed poppy. Another obligatory dish was a vzvar - a compote of dry apples, pears, plums, cherries, raisins, etc.

Christmas Eve was celebrated on the last day before Christmas.

Christmas time

D 12 days after the feast of the Nativity of Christ are called Svyatki, that is, holy days, since they are consecrated by the great events of the Nativity of Christ.

The people call them holy evenings, because, according to ancient custom, Orthodox Christians stop their daytime activities in the evening, in remembrance of the events of the Nativity and Baptism of the Savior, which were at night or in the evening. Winter Christmas time is a multi-layered holiday that incorporates rituals and customs associated with mythological and religious ideas that have developed in various historical eras.

It is interesting .

Here is how the well-known everyday writer, ethnographer A.A. Korinfsky describes the holy element: “Merry Christmas time is noisy, from the very day of the Nativity of Christ to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, with games and dances, and with songs in the light Russian expanse they amuse themselves, with prophetic fortune-telling, secret decrees of fates open to honest Orthodox people . Feasts are buzzing - intricate pavilions, poured with green wine, splashed with beer, braga, set mead. Whatever the day at Christmas time, then their beliefs, whatever the hour - a new tale, tenacious roots rooted in the heart of the people. Walking, "holiness" loving "fun" mother - Russia; it is supposed by grandfathers, great-grandfathers, it is commanded to walk - to have fun for the broad Russian soul according to the whole Christmas tradition. And as if it is resurrecting these days, throwing off the shroud of age-old oblivion from the millennia-old shoulders, the ancient old man ... "

In Russia, during the days of Christmas time, fortune-telling, games with dressing up, folk festivals were accepted.

On the eve of Christmas, a spectacular-playing tradition of a folk holiday was already manifested, coming from the depths of pagan times: they began to perform rituals of divination, disguise, and caroling. This tradition originates from the festivities dedicated to the sun: in December it turns into summer, the day is added, people are looking forward to the resurrection of nature. The evening of Christmas Eve was popularly called Kolyadas.

It is interesting.

“Kolyada,” writes A.A. Korinfsky, is a mysterious word. Not only writers of everyday life, but also the people themselves date various concepts to this word. The most common interpretation: carols is a modified Latin Kalendae, Kalenda, originally the first day of each month, later the designation of the January calendars (from December 14 to January 1) as the starting point of the year. In the Middle Ages, this word meant Christmas games. In the Russian North, - writes A.A. Korinfsky, - "they call Christmas Eve a carol, caroling - a rite of going home on Christmas with congratulations and songs, with a star." More often, the festive tour of the courtyards took place after the Vespers or Matins, that is, early in the morning already on the day of the Nativity of Christ on December 25th. Christmas carols called the newborn Christ.

In the Great Russian provinces, according to A.A. Korinfsky, by the end of the 19th century, the custom of Christmas caroling, or Christ-worship, "became the exclusive property of the village children, who enthusiastically perform it for their elders." “And now you can still see on the night before Christmas,” the everyday writer noted in 1901, “in some places there are crowds of guys, one of whom carries a lit lantern in the form of a star on a stick, and all the others run after him to every yard, wherever they are. hosts are allowed.

In the evenings and at night, mummers went from house to house - carolers, especially in order to receive ritual food from the owners and express good wishes to them in the coming year. It was believed that the prosperity of the family next year depended on the degree of generosity of the owner of the house and gifts for carolers. But still, the central moment of the Christmas celebrations was a family meal. An odd number of dishes were prepared, the main of which was kutya - a kind of steeply boiled porridge made from barley or wheat groats (and sometimes prepared from a mixture of different types of grain), pancakes and oatmeal jelly were also prepared.

Christmas time was considered the most favorable time for divination. According to Russian beliefs, God, rejoicing at the birth of a son, releases the dead and evil spirits from the other world "to walk around the wide world." The invisible presence of spirits among living people provided, according to popular belief, the opportunity to look into their future, which explains the numerous forms of Christmas divination.

Everyone always wants to have a little glimpse into the future. Most often they told fortunes on the night before Christmas, on New Year's Eve and on Epiphany, as a rule, at midnight.

The topics of fortune-telling ranged from questions of life, death and health to the offspring of livestock, however, the main part of the fortune-telling was devoted to marriage issues - the girls tried to find out the most detailed information about their betrothed.

Fortune-telling was based on the belief that, under certain conditions, “signs” of fate would be received, which, if correctly interpreted, would open the veil of time and suggest the future. "Signs" could be anything - dreams, random sounds and words, forms of melted wax and protein poured into water, animal behavior, the number and even-odd of objects, etc.

They threw a shoe out of the gate: in which direction he would point with his toe - there and get married. They asked the owners of neighboring houses the name of the betrothed. And we guessed about the temper of the future husband by the behavior of the rooster: they poured grain in front of him and poured water into the saucer. If a rooster pecks grain, there will be an economic husband, and a drunkard will approach the saucer. In order to have a prophetic dream, it was necessary to put a comb or a cup of water under the bed or under the pillow.

With having taken a well from twigs, they put a lock next to it, and the key to it - under the pillow. Going to bed, they said: "Narrowed, mummers, come get some water." If the betrothed appears in a dream, be married this year.

Ate before going to bed anything salty or oversalted food. Going to bed, they said: "Who is my betrothed, who is my mummer, he will give me a drink."

The holy season ended with Epiphany Christmas Eve. It was the evening of parting with Christmas fun. For the last time, mummers went from house to house, Christmas carnivals were noisy: evening came, full of secrets, exciting riddles, fortune-telling. At Vespers that day, the consecration of water was performed in the temple. The consecrated water was carried home and considered to be curative for all kinds of diseases, it was sprinkled with living quarters, people, pet sheds, all household services and buildings, cellars, etc. A large complex of baptismal customs was associated with the rite of church consecration of water in reservoirs. To do this, a large hole was cut through the ice of the river, it was called the Jordan - in honor of the famous river, where Christ was baptized. The priests, together with the villagers, made a solemn procession around, then a prayer service was served and the water was blessed. It was believed that both the hole itself and the place around it had miraculous powers, and the water had healing powers.

The Feast of Epiphany ended the winter cycle of the Great Annual Feasts. And then they waited for Maslenitsa.

Maslenitsa

Original Russian holiday - Maslenitsa. He came to us from paganism. This is a mischievous, wild and cheerful farewell to the cold, boring winter and at the same time a meeting of the long-awaited spring, sun and warmth. Maslenitsa is celebrated in the last week before Lent and seven weeks before Easter. In different cities and villages she was called differently: honest, broad, cheerful, Semikov's niece, a commoner. But more often met, of course, the name Shrovetide or cheese week.

Each day of Maslenitsa had its own name and ritual meaning. Monday, called the "meeting". On this day, they began to dress up a scarecrow, built snowy towns, swings, mountains, baked pancakes. The first pancake was given to the poor in remembrance of the dead. On this day, relatives went to each other to agree on how to spend the week.

On Tuesday - a game: people started to ride the slides, swing on the swings, ate pancakes everywhere. From that day on, various kinds of entertainment began: sleigh rides, folk festivals, performances. In large booths on Yarmarochnaya Square, performances were given led by Petrushka and Shrovetide grandfather. On the streets there were large groups of mummers, in masks, driving around familiar houses, where merry home concerts were impromptu. Another simple entertainment was held in high esteem - skiing from icy mountains.

Wednesday was called "gourmet". She opened treats in all houses with pancakes and other dishes. Each family laid tables with delicious food, baked pancakes. Sons-in-law went to their mother-in-laws for pancakes that day. Other guests came along with them. There were stalls everywhere. They sold hot sbitni (drinks made from water, honey and spices), roasted nuts, and honey gingerbread. Here, right under the open sky, one could drink tea from a boiling samovar.

On Thursday, which was called "wide", Maslenitsa unfolded in full force. The main fun began: they rode horses, sang ditties, went caroling. This day was the middle of games and fun. Perhaps it was then that the hot Shrovetide fistfights, “fists”, originating from the traditions of Ancient Russia, took place. They also had their own strict rules. It was impossible, for example, to beat a recumbent (remember the proverb “they don’t beat a recumbent”?), attack one person together (two fight - don’t get the third one), beat below the waist (there is a saying: blow below the belt) or beat on the back of the head. There were penalties for violating these rules. It was possible to fight "wall to wall" or "one on one".

On Friday, which was called “mother-in-law’s evening,” unlike Wednesday, the opposite happened: the sons-in-law invited their mothers-in-law to visit and treated them to pancakes.

Saturday was called "sister-in-law gatherings." Let's start with the fact that the "sister-in-law" is the husband's sister. On this Sabbath day, young daughters-in-law hosted their relatives. The wives of sons for the mother of their husbands were daughters-in-law, that is, those who did not come from here, from their village, for example, but from who knows where - this was customary in some places earlier: "Do not marry your own, local." On this day, daughters-in-law were supposed to give gifts to their sister-in-laws.

AT
the last day of Maslenitsa, which is called Forgiveness Sunday, they burned a straw effigy - a symbol of winter, thereby seeing off winter until next year. Burning an effigy was the most popular type of wire. A variety of stuffed animals were burned at the stakes. It could be just a heap of straw, a wheel dressed on a pole, poles wrapped in straw and rags. This Sunday, everyone asked each other's forgiveness.

Pancakes were the main treat for Maslenitsa. Pancake is considered a symbol of the sun, as it has a round shape and is as hot as a heavenly body. People believed that after tasting a pancake, they ate a piece of the sun and acquired a piece of its power. Pancakes were baked everywhere and in huge quantities. Almost every housewife had her own recipes for pancakes and they kept them a secret from their neighbors. Pancakes were served on the table, piping hot. They were made with sour cream, butter, mushrooms, caviar, sturgeon. There were buckwheat, lenten, royal pancakes, with eggs, onions and smelt, wheat, semolina.

A significant part of the customs on Maslenitsa, one way or another, was connected with the theme of family and marriage relations: newlyweds who got married during the past year were honored on Maslenitsa. The young people were arranged a kind of bride: they put them at the gate posts and forced them to kiss in front of everyone, they were “buried” in the snow.

There were also Shrovetide customs dedicated to the punishment of boys and girls who did not marry during the past year (in fact, they did not fulfill their life purpose). For example, in our area, the most famous custom was “tying” the shoe, when a guy or girl was tied to the leg with a “box” - a piece of wood, a branch, a ribbon, etc., and forced to walk with it for some time. To untie the block, the punished paid off with money or treats.

The Maslenitsa rituals that have survived to this day are very interesting and unusual. Even the centuries-old efforts of powerful Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and many other organizations with great power and influence could not eradicate the glorious, cheerful bright holiday.

It is interesting.

At different times Masons, feminists, atheists, communists, Zionists fought with Maslenitsa. In Turkmenistan, Thailand and several US states, Maslenitsa celebrations are currently prohibited at the government level. In China and in some Emirates people celebrating Maslenitsa are sentenced to death. And in Egypt, if a person is caught on the eve of the holiday with a bag of pancake flour, they cut off the back of his hands and throw him under the scorching sun.

Easter

The date of the celebration of Easter moves within 35 days, ("Easter limits"), they start on March 22 (April 4) and end on April 25 (May 8). And any Sunday can fall on this period, it all depends on which of these days the first Sunday after the spring equinox and full moon falls on.

The Christian Easter is based on the myth of the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross by the verdict of the Jewish court, approved by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

It is interesting.

The name "Passover" is a direct transfer of the name of the Jewish holiday, celebrated annually during the week, starting from the 14th day of the spring month of Nissan. The name "passover" itself is a Greek modification of the Hebrew word "pesah", which was interpreted as "passing"; it was borrowed from an older shepherd's custom of celebrating the transition from winter to summer pastures.

On Easter, swings were set up in the yards for children, poles were installed on which ropes were hung and boards were attached. They led round dances, danced, the youth walked merrily, playing in the open air. Also on Easter they loved, as in our days, to go to the cemetery. Food consecrated in the temple was left on the graves: Easter cakes, colored eggs, sweets, flowers. According to legend, the sun sparkles early in the morning on Easter, thereby, as it were, sharing the joy of the great holiday with people.

L The people greeted each other with the words "Christ is risen" and gave colored eggs. Why eggs? This symbol is of ancient origin. Ancient philosophers showed the origin of the world with the image of an egg. In Christianity, the egg reminds us of the future resurrection after death, and the red color means the joy associated with our salvation, the risen Lord.

By the way, the custom of christening and gifting with eggs is a distinctive feature of Russia. There is nothing similar in other countries.

Ramadan

In Islam, there are many holidays and rituals that are observed by Muslims. This is Eid al-Adha, Nauryz, Ramadan or Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Fitr is a sacred holiday for Muslims. Every Muslim must fast once a year, that is, deny himself food during the daytime. You can only eat before dawn and after sunset. Be sure to pray five times a day, do not swear, do not be rude, do not commit unseemly acts. If a person, due to illness, could not fast during Uraza, he can do it at another time. During this month, alms should be distributed. At the end of the fast, Muslims celebrate Ramadan. They prepare all kinds of dishes, sweets, go to visit, congratulate each other, give gifts. The holiday lasts three days, and then, after 70 days, the Eid al-Adha holiday comes.

Eid al-Adha

Kurban-bayram (in Turkic "the holiday of sacrificial animals"), the main religious holiday of Muslims, which begins on the 10th day of the month of Dhu-l-Hijja and lasts three to four days. Historians believe that it originated in pre-Islamic Arabia. In Islam, it is considered a time of affirmation in faith, the liberation of the soul from unrighteous intentions and gaining sincerity. The holiday is associated with legends about Ibrahim, who was about to sacrifice his son, and about the construction by Ibrahim and Ismail of the main Muslim temple of the Kaaba in Mecca. It coincides with the day of the pilgrimage to Mecca.

On Eid al-Adha, all believers must sacrifice animals. In our country, for obvious reasons, many Muslims replace the slaughter of cattle with a contribution to the mosque or slaughter small animals. Muslims fast for ten days before the holiday. Celebration of the day of sacrifice begins early in the morning. At a little light, Muslims go to the mosque for morning prayers, but before that it is necessary to perform a full ablution and put on new clothes. At the end of the morning prayer, believers go home. The second time they return to the mosque or to a special platform where the mullah delivers a sermon. At the end of the sermon, Muslims usually visit the cemetery to pray for the dead. Returning from the cemetery, they begin the sacrificial rite. The sacrificial animal must be at least one year old. Mostly use a ram, goat, cow or bull. The donation of livestock is considered a good deed: the more such sacrifices a Muslim makes during his life, the easier it will be for him after death to go to paradise along the Sirat bridge thrown over the abyss, "thin as hair and sharp as a sword." At the same time, the animals that were sacrificed by a Muslim will support him and will not let him fall into the hellish abyss. In Eid al-Adha, every Muslim must taste a meat dish. On this holiday, they visit friends, relatives and present gifts. The spirit of generosity and hospitality reigns in every house on this day.

To Azakh holiday of spring equinox Nauryz

In ancient times, the Kazakh people lived in the steppes in yurts. At that time, spring was determined by the sun: as soon as the warm rays of the sun penetrated into the yurt through its upper opening. According to the old calendar, this day usually coincided with March 21 - the day of the vernal equinox. It was believed that on this day there is a renewal in nature. Nauryz is the oldest natural holiday celebrated by many nations in the modern world.

Nauryz contains a lot of folk morality and ethics, developed by mankind for centuries in the pre-religious era, at the same time, it absorbed the positive elements of morality developed by religious ideas.

According to the ancient ideas of the Kazakhs and their ancestors - the Turks, each year was divided into 6 months of summer and 6 months of winter. The boundary of this division was the first day of the New Year - Nauryz ("the day of the vernal equinox"). Symbolically, Nauryz acts as the first day of the onset of good, its victory over evil. The traditional greeting on this day is necessarily with alternating hugs over both shoulders, you must shake hands with each other with both hands.

Nauryz is a day of joy. Nauryz is a day of renewal of nature and, accordingly, for people it is a holiday of renewal and cleansing of body, clothing, home from dirt, cleansing from evil, hatred, sins. He calls people to cleanse their souls, cleanse them from hatred, to forgive people their sins and evil. Therefore, on the eve of the holiday, people put things in perfect cleanliness and order in the house, paid off debts, put up those who were in a quarrel. On the night before the celebration, as a sign of the wish for an abundance of milk, harvest and rain, all containers were filled with milk, ayran, grain, spring water, and on the day of the holiday they embraced each other, expressed the best wishes so that all hardships and troubles would pass them.

At noon, at a designated place near the village, a bull was slaughtered and a dish “belcoterer” was cooked from its meat, which means “straightening camp”, since the bull was considered one of the strongest animals, and food from it gave people strength and endurance. On this day, the young tried to communicate more with the elders, who were highly experienced in life affairs. Nauryz is a celebration of respect for the elder, love for the younger.

Men train for six days for various competitions. Whoever knocks down the golden plaque on the pole with the first arrow becomes the king on that day, etc. Nauryz could not do without wrestling, in which girls could also participate. The girl challenged the horseman to a competition with the condition that if he wins, he will acquire the right to her hand and heart, and if she wins, then the horseman must obey her and fulfill any of her desires. And in such cases, Nauryz turned into wedding celebrations.

It is interesting.

"Nauryz" is an international holiday, which people have already forgotten about. In addition to the ancestors of the Kazakhs - the Turks, Iranians, ancient Greeks, Sogdians, Buryats, Burmese and other peoples celebrated it. It is known that the British celebrated a very close date - March 26 - as the New Year beforeXVIIIcentury.

The day ended with a performance, where two akyns in poetic form competed in songs. Their competition ended at sunset. Then a fire was kindled, and people with torches lit from it went around all the surroundings of the village, sang and danced, thereby completing the holiday of spring renewal and the equinox.

With
abantuy

Sabantuy is the favorite holiday of the Tatar people. The holiday is ancient, its name comes from the Turkic words: saban - a plow and tui - a holiday. Previously, Sabantuy was celebrated in honor of the beginning of spring field work (at the end of April), but now - in honor of their end (in June).

AT In the old days, the celebration of Sabantuy was a great event, and preparations were made for it for a long time. All winter girls, young women prepared gifts - weaving, sewing, embroidering. In the spring, before the start of the holiday, young horsemen collected gifts around the village for future winners in competitions and folk games: embroidered scarves and towels, shirts, pieces of calico. A towel embroidered with a national pattern was considered the most honorable gift. The collection of gifts was accompanied by songs and funny jokes. Gifts were tied to a long pole. Aksakals appointed a jury to award the winners, kept order during the competition. Competitions were very different - in running, jumping, national wrestling, horse racing.

Features, ethno-social, confessional and cultural traditionspeoples, inhabitingouredge presented in an integrated form. ... students' knowledge about peoples, inhabitingouredge about their culture, traditions and customs. The next section includes...

"Children's Home No. 1", Astrakhan
Professional competition of educators

All-Russian Internet Competition of Pedagogical Creativity

(2012 – 2013 academic year)
Competition nomination: organization of leisure and extracurricular activities .
Author of the work: teacher Gorshunova Nadezhda Vladimirovna
Scenario of the event on the topic:
"Customs and traditions of the Astrakhan people"
Target:

• 
  acquaintance with the national culture of the region, the main holidays of the city;
• 
  education of patriotism on the example of pride in one's land and people, aesthetic culture and tolerance;
• 
  development of children's creative abilities and increase their self-esteem.

The venue is divided into sections, each filled with attributes of a given nationality (elements of a costume, household utensils, folk crafts.) A presentation has been prepared.

Course progress.

Leading:

Today our lesson is devoted to the topic " Customs and traditions of the Astrakhan people"

We will get acquainted with the main holidays of the peoples of Astrakhan and the traditions of the people. But first, we will learn what the words "custom" and "tradition" mean.

Custom- rooted, repeated for a long time in any society, action ...

Tradition(from Latin Traditio - transmission; tradition), elements of social and cultural heritage that are passed on from generation to generation and preserved in certain societies, classes and social groups for a long time ...

What nationalities live in Astrakhan?

The majority of the region's population (70%) are Russians. The second largest nation is the Kazakhs (14.3%), the Astrakhan region is the historical place of residence of the Kazakhs, it is the largest Kazakh community in the subjects of the federation. The Astrakhan region is also a historical place of residence for Tatars (including Astrakhan and Yurt speakers who speak separate dialects) (7%), Nogais (in most Karagash) and Turkmens.
Number in 2002, thousand people

Russians 700 561 (70.0%)

Kazakhs 142,633 (14.3%)

Tatars 70,590 (7.0%)

Ukrainians 12,605 (1.2%)

Chechens 10,019 (1%)

Azerbaijanis 8,215 (0.8%)

Kalmyks 7,165 (0.7%)

Armenians 6,309 (0.64%)

Nogais 4,570 (0.45%)

Gypsies 4 331

Avars 4 218

Lezgins 3 646

Dargins 3 550

Persons who did not indicate nationality 2,963

Belarusians 2,651

Turkmens 2 154

Koreans 2 072

Astrakhan Tatars 1980

Germans 1,389

Kumyks 1 356

Georgians 1,212

Chuvash 1 171

Turks 1 128

Uzbeks 1,030

Jews 1011

The tasks of preserving traditional culture are closely connected with the problems of reviving national cultures. There are regional national-cultural societies (NCOs), of which there were more than 30 in the region by the beginning of 2010 (Kazakh society - "Zholdastyk", Tatar - "Duslyk", Turkmen - "Vatan", Uzbek - "Uzbekiston", Azerbaijani - "Azerbaijan" , Turkish - "Aydin", Armenian - "Arev", Dagestan - "Dagestan", Kalmyk - "Halmg", German autonomy "Einheit", youth center of Nogai culture "Edige, etc.).
Traditional regional holidays and festivals are held in Astrakhan, such as the Tatar “Sabantuy”, the Kalmyk “Tsagan Sar”, the Turkic-Iranian “Navruz / Nauryz”, etc. Since 1992, the days of the Turkic enlightener A.Kh.-Sh. Dzhanibekov "Dzhanibekov readings", since 2010 "Biryukov readings" in memory of the ataman of the Astrakhan Cossack army I.A. Biryukov, as well as events in honor of the Uzbek educator Alisher Navoi. In the early 1990s, regional contests of children's Kazakh (“Anche Balapandar”), Nogai (“Sheshekeiler”) and Tatar (“Yana Isemner”) creativity were held.
Maslenitsa- a holiday that has survived from pagan times. It is celebrated during the week before Lent. The custom of celebrating Shrove Tuesday dates back to ancient times - from Greek and Roman bacchanalia. The pagan Slavs also celebrated a spring holiday during this period - a meeting of spring and seeing off winter. Shrovetide has always been a fun time among the people. It was believed that those who refuse to celebrate it will live "in bitter misfortune and end badly."
(Scene from the Maslenitsa holiday)
Arising long before the birth of Islam, the holiday Nauryz personifies the spring awakening of nature, its renewal. According to an old belief, on the days of the vernal equinox, when the Sun enters the constellation of Aries, the world is created anew and the New Year begins for the Eastern peoples. where, according to the established tradition, representatives of the regional national cultural societies set up colorful national yurts on one of the April days. There will be ten of them, and each of them will have its own national color, its semantic and content content (Iranian, Kazakh, Turkmen, Azerbaijani, Turkish , Tatar, Tajik, Nogai, Dagestan, Uzbek). The ancient culture of the people - a nomad, life, custom, nature, songs, legends, epic, the art of craftsmen, jewelers became a source of creative inspiration for Kurmangazy.

(The record sounds - “Memoirs of Savishchev”

composer Kurmangazy Sagyrbaev)

On this day, Astrakhan residents and guests of the holiday will see national dishes, household items and products of arts and crafts presented by each nation. Officially, Navruz is simply a national holiday. And it has long since lost its religious character, like a holiday of fire-worshippers. Before the start of the holiday, every house was put in order, wells and ditches were cleaned in villages and villages, trees and flowers were planted, garden tools were repaired and updated, etc. It is believed that when Navruz enters a cleaned clean house, to a good owner, illnesses, failures and hardships bypass him. On the eve of the holiday itself, a dastarkhan was laid in each family - a tablecloth with various dishes. For the treats of neighbors and relatives, traditional festive national dishes were prepared - pilaf, shish kebab, boiled peas, sumalak, etc. On this day, people forgive old grievances, help those in need of mercy.

(Kazakh dance performed by children)

Among the Astrakhan Tatars, the big holiday of Spring was called - Amil. This holiday was also not associated with Muslim religious rituals. The holiday usually began in the center of the city and constantly moved to the outskirts, and then from village to village. People greeted each other with a handshake of both hands. On the festive table on this day, every Tatar family served dishes with pumpkin and rice: pilaf, pies - “kubak burek”. The youth participated in traditional competitions in horse racing - "yat yarysh", wrestling - "kuryash". Young people also competed in climbing a high pole - "altyn kabak", and the one who became the owner of the coveted coin, fixed on the top of the pole, received the main prize - usually a ram. Until the evening, students (shakirds) went from house to house, delighting the owners with songs, for which they received money, some treats.

(Competitions in wrestling and battle with bags on a log)

"Sabantuy"

(From the Turkic "saban" - a plow and "tui" - a holiday, a holiday among the Tatars and Bashkirs, after the end of spring field work)

The history of Sabantuy is as ancient as the Tatar (Bulgarian) people themselves. Already two weeks before the holiday, the collection of gifts for the winners began, preparations for the holiday. "The horse senses the approach of Sabantuy in advance," says a Tatar proverb. The culmination of the holiday was Maidan - competitions in running, jumping, national wrestling - koresh and, of course, horse racing, sung in poems and songs, causing admiration and delight - the decoration of the Tatar holiday. The beginnings of the Sabantuy holiday go back to the mists of time, and originally it was called "seken" - a rite with chicken eggs (a symbol of fertility). Its essence was as follows: the eggs had to be taken out of a vessel with thick sour cream without the help of hands. Other elements of the holiday have acquired a valiant, daring character, such as: climbing a pole (formerly a symbol of the sun), horse racing and horse riding, characteristic Turkic belt wrestling - “kuresh”, as well as songs, dances and treats with national dishes, the arrival of numerous guests.
"TSAGAN SAR ON ASTRAKHAN LAND"
"Tsagan Sar" is one of the best Kalmyk holidays. They say about its history in different ways: it has many legends and traditions. There is an opinion that Buddhists all over the world have been celebrating it since the time when the Great Buddha, having gained enlightenment, completely refuted the six false teachers in a dispute and showed miracles to the people. And according to folk legends, Kalmyks also celebrate Tsagan Sar as the victory of the legendary maiden Gall-Okon-Tengri over a tribe of cruel and treacherous giants - mongooses, personifying the power of evil.

Tsagaan Sar predicted the beginning of spring. Therefore, during the holiday, the Kalmyks, when meeting, greet, and then ask: “Did you have a good winter?”. “Yes, they overwintered well,” they usually answer. And although winter has not yet taken the reins of government, in the Astrakhan region on the hospitable Liman land with the arrival of Tsagan Sara on February 12, they met spring and remembered the traditions laid down by our ancestors. Here are some of them: Since ancient times, everyone was preparing to celebrate the holiday: they did a general cleaning in the house, sewed or bought new clothes, chose a fat ram, cooked meat, washed all things. On the eve of the holiday, women washed their hair, combed their hair and put on shivrlg (hair covers). They wore shirts with white collars. Before the Tsagaan Sar holiday, the hostess of the house, having made wrestlers, sorted out the rosary, because this day is called “Matsg Odr” - the day of prayers, purification, the last day of winter.

Early in the morning, on the day of Tsagan Sar, the hostess of the house brews Kalmyk tea. While the tea boils, she opens the chest, takes out new clothes and hangs them on a pre-stretched rope. It was the custom to weather the clothes once a year. In the morning, when the whole family wakes up, the mother calls the children to her and kisses them on the right cheek, saying: “Be happy (a), live long, next year I will kiss you on the left cheek.” Next year is coming. She says the same words again. These words contain the wisdom of the people: to live safely for a year, and again congratulate each other. We wished each other health and happiness.

An important moment of the holiday was the preparation of the national flour dish - wrestlers. They were made from rich dough and fried in boiling fat. The shape of the wrestlers had a deep meaning. Bortsok "huts", molded in the form of a ram figurine, meant the wishes of a large offspring; "whale" - resembled a part of horse entrails, "ovrtya tokhsh" - symbolized cattle, "moshkur" - twisted, reminiscent of ram's entrails, symbolizing the "knot of happiness", "tsatsl" - a brush, a symbol of a brush on the headdress of Kalmyks.
Traditional "Day of the vobla"

In Astrakhan - a big holiday. Traditional "Day of the vobla" celebrated for the 15th time. Whole families come to see him. Many - with fishing rods, hoping to catch the fish so beloved in this city. On the embankment of the Volga staged a competition. Participants came from all over Russia with their gear and lures.

Game: Catch a fish

Children use a fishing rod to catch fish. Who is bigger and faster.
Fisherman's Day

On the second Sunday of July, Russia traditionally celebrates Fisherman's Day.

on the embankment of the Volga River, the traditional "Festival of fish soup" will be held, in which representatives from all regions of the region will take part. The Regional Fisheries Agency has prepared a show-competition “Catch, fish!”, where participants will be offered to chase fish released into the city fountain with their bare hands. At the same time, the international festival of folk art "Living Water - 2012" will be held on the main stage. The evening will end with a festive concert with the participation of Astrakhan soloists.

(Scene "Neptune visiting the fishermen")

Wedding traditions.

One of the most romantic places in Astrakhan is the bridge of lovers. A small bridge, stretching from one bank of the Kutum River to the other, has become a popular place for lovers in recent years.

Carved pillars and benches in the Pushkin style look very attractive, and an incredible view of the Red Embankment opens from the bridge of lovers. Before the appearance of the bridge, there was a tradition among the newlyweds to tie a ribbon on a branch of one of the birches that grew on the square. After a while, the birch could not withstand such a “ribbon oppression” and died: they began to tie knots on a nearby birch, but it could not withstand such an attack. In order to avoid the disappearance of the Astrakhan birches, it was decided to give the lovers one of the Astrakhan bridges. Later, in 2005, next to the arch on the bridge of lovers in Astrakhan, a metal tree made to look like bronze was installed, on which the treasured ribbons of family well-being began to be hung.

Then there was another tradition that came to us from the European and Baltic countries - to hang a lock, personifying a strong and happy family life. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, such an original wedding tradition has been fought for a long time: the administration, believing that the castles of lovers spoil the appearance of the bridge, mercilessly cut off piles of bulky iron. In Astrakhan, they began to fight with this quite recently. Back in 2006, there were no locks, but after 5 years a huge number of them accumulated on the bridge of lovers: literally every centimeter of the fences is occupied by a lock with a romantic inscription. However, despite the disputes between lovers and the city administration, the bridge of lovers in Astrakhan does not cease to be one of the most beautiful and favorite places for couples in love.

The Swan Lake

Fraternal garden, recreation center of the Caspian Flotilla.
Day of the city

Astrakhan residents celebrated the holiday beloved by the townspeople, which this year was decided to be held in warm September, for two days. Folk festivals took place in urban areas. Children's and sports games, competitions, concerts with performances by creative teams of the city - in each district of Astrakhan, several venues were organized where Astrakhan residents could have fun. The main celebration unfolded in the park of culture and recreation "Arcadia". Here, the guests of the holiday observed a real miracle of sand. The festival "Sand Sculpture of the Ponizovye" was held in Astrakhan for the first time. It was attended by students of Astrakhan art schools. Many of them worked with sand for the first time, they were helped by artists from St. Petersburg, who were specially invited to the City Day. In total, Astrakhan and St. Petersburg residents created 12 sand figures, led by the three-meter "Chernomor".

On the same Saturday, in honor of the City Day, a procession was held, which ended in the Kremlin. Here, at the Assumption Cathedral, the Cossacks solemnly took the oath. On this day, the Mayor of Astrakhan, Mikhail Stolyarov, who is a hereditary representative of the Orthodox community, was also dedicated to the Cossacks.

Toward evening, a jousting tournament was held in the Ulyanov Square on Oktyabrskaya Square. Representatives of historical reconstruction societies demonstrated to the audience a knightly battle in real armor.
On the second day of the Astrakhan holiday, the townspeople were treated to delicious treats. The Astrakhan watermelon festival was held on Lenin Square, where Astrakhan residents could see delicious berries of the most unusual shapes and sizes. Guests of the holiday could try unusual watermelon cocktails and admire the outlandish patterns that carving masters carved on watermelons. Two other delicious festivals were held by the Astrakhan City Hall on the Volga embankment. Here, to the sounds of folk songs, one could try various types of Astrakhan fish soup, which was prepared for the guests of the holiday by the districts of the city and the region. According to the competition jury, the most delicious was the fish soup prepared by the Kirov region. And after that, everyone could try different types of tea. Russians, Kazakhs, Tatars, Armenians, Chechens, Azerbaijanis, Nogais, Uzbeks and Kalmyks - representatives of various nationalities who have been living in peace and friendship on the territory of Astrakhan for hundreds of years, prepared treats and tea, according to their traditions.

The facilitator sums up and invites guests to the tour

Guests are invited to the tables, where the children, together with the teacher, prepared treats and tea, according to their national traditions.
Appendix No. 1

King Neptune enters to the music, makes a circle of honor and sits on the throne.

Neptune.
Proud I am the ruler of the seas,
Fish, dolphins master.
My palace at the bottom of the sea
All strewn with amber.
I congratulate you on the holiday of Neptune!
I wish you a fair wind
Seven feet under the keel and
Bypass all the sea reefs!

Mermaids enter to the music.

Neptune.
What are you sad, are you today? Has anyone offended you? Just say. I will turn the whole kingdom of the sea upside down. I will find the offender and punish him.

mermaid.

No need to look for anyone and turn the kingdom of the sea upside down. No one offended us and no one caused harm.

Neptune.
Share, beauty, with me your grief. Why are you sad? Tell me, maybe I can help you.

mermaid.
Ah, the father of the king. And to say something ashamed. For a long time I have not seen how people have fun, I would like to see.

Neptune.

Well, it's not difficult. Look (the dance "Sailor" is performed)

Neptune.

We cannot be without water for a long time. Farewell! It's time for us, and you continue to have fun. (Leave

The formation of this distinctive phenomenon began long before the 17th century. The origins of the culture of the population of the Lower Volga region should be sought in the Khazar Khaganate. It was during the period of its existence in our region that the main differences between the culture of the nomadic and the culture of the settled population were laid. These differences persisted until the 20th century. and to a certain extent have not lost some of their characteristics today.

Another main feature that arose back in the Khazar Khaganate, and which distinguishes the regional culture from many others, is its polyethnicity.

If the Tatars and Nogais for the Lower Volga region were already quite the “old” population, originating in the Kypchak (Polovtsian) ethnic group, then the Kalmyks in the 17th century. on the Lower Volga were a relatively "young" population that appeared here no earlier than 1630. However, culturally, these ethnic groups had a lot in common. The main occupation of all these peoples was nomadic cattle breeding. Although it should be noted here that certain groups of Tatars were engaged in both fishing and gardening, continuing on the Lower Volga the agricultural traditions laid down in the Khazar Khaganate.

The Nogais, as a nation that played a major role in the development of a vast territory from the Black Sea region to Southern Siberia, formed from the middle of the 14th century. based on Eastern Kypchak ethnic groups with some additions of Western Kypchak ("Polovtsian"). Soon after its formation, the Astrakhan Khanate was actually squeezed between the Nogai nomads - both from the east and from the west, and the rulers of the Khanate were often only henchmen of the neighboring Nogai murzas.

Later, when the Astrakhan Khanate became part of Russia, large groups of Nogais sought protection here from the internecine strife of their Murzas, or migrated here during unsuccessful wars with other Kalmyk nomads (Oirats).

The English navigator Christopher Barrow, who visited Astrakhan in 1579-81, noted the presence of a semi-sedentary camp - the settlement "Yurt" (approximately on the site of modern Zatsarev), where 7 thousand "Nogai Tatars" lived. The same settlement, replenished with new settlers from the restless steppes, in the 17th century. was described by the German Holsteiner Adam Olearius and the Flemish Cornelius de Bruin, and in the 18th century. - the scientific traveler S.E. Gmelin.

The Yurtians, including the Yedisans (representatives of the nomad camps of the early 17th century), came from the Great Nogai Horde. These groups of Nogais switched to settled life in the middle of the 18th and early 19th centuries. And only a small part of them - the Alabugat Utars - for a long time preserved a semi-nomadic life in the steppe ilmens and the Caspian "basins".

The Yurt Nogais established various connections with the Middle Volga Tatars-settlers, who opened the Kazan trading yard in Astrakhan. They got the name "Yurt Nogai Tatars" or simply "Yurts". Even in 1877, according to the information of the Tsarevsky volost foreman Iskhak Mukhamedov, their historical self-name was preserved as “yurt-nogai”.

The Yurts had 11 settlements that arose in the middle of the 18th and early 19th centuries: Karagali, Bashmakovka, Yaksatovo, Osypnoy Bugor, Semikovka, Kulakovka, Three Channels, Moshaik, Kilinchi, Solyanka, Zatsarevo.

Another ethnic group of Nogais, immigrants from another, the Lesser Nogai Horde, "Kundrovtsy", according to the modern name - "Karagashi", appeared on the borders of the Astrakhan Territory, leaving the Crimean Khanate in 1723. They obeyed the Kalmyks until 1771, and then moved directly to the Krasnoyarsk district of the Astrakhan province.

Two semi-nomadic villages of Karagash (Seitovka and Khozhetaevka) were founded in 1788. At the same time, several families of Karagash continued their year-round nomadism on the Caspian coast until the revolution of 1917. But in 1929, all Nogais were transferred to settled life.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, with the settled earlier yurts, the karagashi. they almost did not contact, but they were aware of their common origin with them, calling the suburban residents “Kariile-nogai”, i.e. "Nogai-Chernoyurt"

Thus, all ethnic groups of Nogai origin in the Astrakhan region, having a single cultural community, experienced a similar development in the process of their sedentarization (transition to settled life).

With the transition from semi-nomadic and nomadic pastoralism to sedentary agriculture, the social structure of this population changed, obeying general laws, the way of life and traditions. At the same time, unusual, new socio-cultural and ethno-cultural variants and phenomena sometimes arose.

During the life of the Karagash in the Astrakhan region, a radical simplification of the tribal structure from the “five-membered” (people - horde - tribe, cube - branch - clan) to the “two-membered” (people - clan) took place.

The Yurt people already at the beginning of the 18th century. a transitional structure arose, uniting the military-neighborly (the so-called "tabun") and tribal tribal. When settling, the “herd” formed a village, and the tribal groups included in it formed its quarters (“mahalla”). It so happened that representatives of the same clan, having fallen into different hordes, formed the same name "mahalla" in different villages.

Archival documents show that in the middle of the XVII century. 23 kinds of Yurt people were known. By the middle of the XIX century. only 15 "herds" survived, which were identical to the settled yurt villages around the city.

Each "makhalla" kept its own customary legal norms, had its own mosque and court-council of elders ("maslagat"), where the mullah was an ordinary member. In each "mahalla" teenage boys' unions were created, the so-called. "jiens". There were also unofficial places of worship - Sufi holy graves - "aulya".

At the same time, the number of “mahallas”, mosques in yurt villages, “jiens” and even “aulyas” is approximately the same (in different years 25-29) and corresponds to the number of previous births in yurt “herds” (24-25).

The legends of the Karagash have preserved the names of the two "hordes" in which they came from the North Caucasus (kasai and kaspulat). Sources of the end of the XVIII century. four “cubes” (tribes) are called, apparently two in each “horde”.

In the middle of the XIX century. 23 clans and subdivisions were known to have their own tamgas.

The social structure of the Nogai groups, which retained nomadism and semi-nomadism for a long time, was quite homogeneous.

A different situation could be observed among the yurts. Their social organization in the XVII-early XIX century. had three structural elements: “white bone” (Murzas and Agalars), “kara halyk” (common people) and dependent “emeks” (“dzhemeks”).

The "Murz" families from the surnames of the Urusovs and Tinbaevs descended from the founder of the Nogai Horde, Biy Yedigei. They led several "herds" of the Edisan stage of resettlement.

Less noble families of the best warriors - "batyrs" (the so-called "agalars")

replaced "Murz" at the head of many "herds"; they headed almost all of the yurt proper, and the batyr Semek Arslanov - the founder of the village of Semikovka - and one of the Edisan "herds".

In addition to ordinary Nogais (“black bone”), under the Yurt, Edisan “herds” there was a dependent social stratum of people of mixed origin, descendants of prisoners, or who had nailed to the Yurt residents and were obliged to serve them and supply them with food. That is why they were called "emeks" ("dzhemeks"): from the word "em, jam" - "food, food, feed."

Emeks were the first permanent residents of the Yurt settlements. According to their names and other indirect signs, the settlements of the Emeks can be considered "Yameli aul", i.e. Three Channels, "Kulakau" - Kulakovka and "Yarly-tube", i.e. Scree Hillock.

With the transition to a settled way of life, in the middle of the 18th century, the Murzas and Agalars tried to enslave the Emeks into personal dependence on themselves, following the model of Russian peasants.

Astrakhan scientist - governor V.N. Tatishchev wrote about the yurt people that "they have subjects called yameks, but herd heads are responsible for those."

Herd head Abdikarim Isheev at the beginning of the 19th century. reported the following about his dependent population: “... from the tribe of various kinds of people, when our ancestors, not yet being in All-Russian citizenship, (had subordinate groups of people), taken prisoner by internecine strife from different nations, somehow lyazgirs (Lezgins - V.V.), Chechens and the like.

Although the social term "Emeki" was firmly forgotten by their successors, but according to some indirect data, it is possible to establish their probable descendants and habitats.

The Russian government, having limited the rights of the former murzas, went on to fundamentally equalize the rights of all Yurt residents: the status of emeks according to the VI revision in 1811 was raised to state peasants, and according to the VIII revision in 1833-35. Murzas were also transferred to the same category of peasants. Naturally, this act provoked a protest from many of them, including, for example, Musul-bek Urusov from Kilinchi, one of whose ancestors was granted the Russian princely dignity back in 1690 by the Russian tsars John and Peter Alekseevich.

Musul-bek even went to Nicholas I, but he only achieved the right to be exempted from taxes and Cossack service, but he was not restored to princely dignity.

Moving from a nomadic to a sedentary way of life, the Karagash and Yurt people basically preserved the old traditions in culture and life. Their dwellings have not undergone major changes since semi-nomadic and nomadic times. Characteristic for all groups of Nogais during their nomadic pastures was a non-separable, small-sized yurt.

Karagash in the second half of the XVIII century. gradually there was a transition to a large collapsible yurt, which they kept until 1929, and in some families of remote villages - until the 70s. XX century. Moreover, the Karagash, as well as the Nogais of the North Caucasus, retained the bride’s wedding cart “kuyme”. In the memory of the old-timers, the name of the last master who made such carts, Abdulla Kuymeshi from Seitovka, was also preserved. Almost all fragments of such a “kui-me”, brightly colored and decorated with rich ornamentation, are kept in the collections of the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore (Inventory No. 5882).

Researchers consider this marriage cart to be the last stage of the historical and cultural evolution of the same non-separable wagon, which was distributed under the name "kutarme" in the campaigns of the Mongols of the era of Genghis Khan.

Among the Astrakhan Turkmens, under the influence of neighboring Nogais, the wedding tent-palanquin of the bride "kejebe" was also transformed into a wagon, which, however, retained its traditional name.

Karagash clothes also kept old traditions. Karagash men usually wore trousers, a waistcoat, a beshmet over it, belted with a leather or cloth sash. Leather galoshes or morocco "ichigi" were put on their feet.

As an everyday men's headdress, the skullcap became more and more widespread, although the massive fur hat typical of the Nogais was also preserved. Married women also had a more elegant fur hat with a fox or beaver edge. A camisole-type women's top dress with embroidered hemlines and wide sleeves made of cloth or velvet was characteristic of the legs of a young age. It was distinguished by a large number of metal decorations on the chest, especially coins of pre-revolutionary minting "aspa".

The well-known Polish writer, traveler and orientalist-researcher Jan Potocki, who visited the Karagash on a roam in the Krasnoyarsk district in 1797, noted: “The clothes of these young girls were very strange because of the many silver chains, plates, handcuffs, buttons and other similar things with which they were burdened." The “alka” earring was worn in the right nostril by both karagashkas and yur-tovkas - girls and young women in the first 3-4 years after marriage. The girls wore a braid, weaving a thread with decorations and a red headdress into it, young women wore a white one, laying the braid around their heads.

Yurt girls and women who lived closer to the city were much more likely to find purchased factory-made dresses that were more similar to the clothes of Kazan Tatars. Although here, too, some proper Nogai features of life continued to be preserved for quite a long time.

Food remained traditional among these peoples. During the period of nomadic and semi-nomadic life, horse meat prevailed in the diet of the Nogais. Even lamb was then considered a more festive food and was distributed at the feast, according to a complex ritual. Fish, vegetables and salt were practically not eaten then, in contrast to the post-revolutionary period and the modern period. Of the drinks, special preference was given to "Kalmyk" slab tea. A special role for all Nogais was played by "talkan" - mushy food made from millet. Baked dumplings - "baursak", a meat dish like dumplings - "burek", and later - pilaf - "palau" were common among karagash.

From the Golden Horde times, according to tradition, the Sufi cult of “holy places” - “aulya” passed to the Yurts, then to the Karagash (and from them to the Kazan and Mishar settlers). Both those and others worshiped the “Dzhigit-adzhe” sanctuary, located on the site of the former Horde capital Sarai-Batu. For the yurts, the grave located near Moshaik was revered, attributed to the legendary great-grandfather of the founder of the Nogai Horde, Biy Edigei - “Baba-Tukli Shaiilg-adzhe” (“hairy, hairy grandfather”).

Among the Karagash in the first half of the 18th century. its own “aulia” was formed - “Seitbaba Khozhetaevsky”, who really lived at that time, a kind and skillful person, whose descendants serve the grave even now. Located a few meters from the grave of the Kazakh leader Bukei Khan, it eventually combined both places of worship, which are now revered by both Kazakhs and Nogais.

Among the Karagash, exclusively female (unlike the Kazakhs) shamanism-quackery (“baksylyk”) has firmly come into use and has survived to this day. In a dry summer, the Karagashs, in the same type as the Kazakhs, hold “kudai zhol” - a prayer for rain, but using not a cow, but a sacrificial ram.

From generation to generation, the traditional folk musical instrument of the Nogais is "kobyz" - a hand-made product with strings from horse sinews and with a bow, emitting low-pitched sounds and considered sacred, shamanistic. Among the Karagash, the memory of the previously existing "kobyz" was preserved until the 80s. 20th century In the recent past, "kobyz" among all groups of the Lower Volga Nogais was replaced by the so-called "Saratov" accordion with bells. Until recently, the yurt people retained an unusual form of “musical conversation” - “saz” - the exchange of conditional musical phrases, for example, between a guy and a girl.

Folk festivals and holidays among the Nogais are an integral and, perhaps, the most essential part of the national culture. The Sabantuy holiday was not typical for any of the groups of Nogai origin near Astrakhan. Holidays - "Amil" (Arabic - the month of March) among the yurts and "jai-lau" - among the Karagash were held when they went out to seasonal nomad camps.

Amil at the beginning of the 20th century. took place on a "rolling schedule" in all large Yurt villages annually from March 1 to March 10.

An invaluable contribution to the culture and study of the history of the Astrakhan Nogais, as well as other Turkic peoples, was made by such prominent figures as A.Kh. Umerov, B.M. Abdullin, B.B. Saliev. They enriched the culture of the peoples of the Astrakhan region, Russia and neighboring eastern states with their selfless and educational activities.

The life and culture of the Kalmyks have a centuries-old history. Kalmyks - Oirats by the time of their arrival in the Lower Volga were at the stage of early feudal society. This was reflected in the strict social hierarchy characteristic of feudal society, with its division into feudal lords and commoners. The noyons or sovereign princes belonged to the upper class of the Kalmyk feudal lords. This group included, first of all, the "big taishi", who owned huge camps and uluses. Uluses, in turn, were divided into aimags - large tribal groups, headed by zaisangs - junior taishi. Aimaks were subdivided into khotons - close relatives wandering together. The titles of taishi and zaisangs were inherited. An important role in the social life of the Kalmyks was played by the demcheis and shulengs, who were responsible for collecting taxes in kind.

Lamas played a special role in Kalmyk society. Although by the time the Kalmyks arrived in the Lower Volga region, they retained a huge number of remnants of pre-Lamaist beliefs, nevertheless, the positions of the Lamaist clergy among the Kalmyks were very strong. They were revered, they were feared and tried to appease, making very rich gifts to individual representatives of the upper strata of the clergy.

The powerless situation of the people of the “black bone” (“hara-yasta”) was very difficult. The commoner, as a rule, was assigned to his roam and did not have the right to free migration. His life completely depended on the willfulness of this or that official. The duties of the people of the black bone included certain duties, and above all, the military. In the 17th century the commoner was also obliged to pay his feudal lord an annuity in kind. In fact, ordinary Kalmyks were in the most severe serfdom from their noyons.

About the material culture of the Kalmyks, first of all, their dwellings give an idea. The main dwelling of the Kalmyks almost until the 20th century. there was a yurt - a wagon of the Mongolian model. The skeleton of the wagon was made of light folding bars and long poles. It was covered with felt mats, leaving the entrance to the yurt on the south side uncovered. The yurt had a double-leaf door covered with a felt canopy from the outside. The interior of the yurt depended on the wealth of its owner. The floor of the yurt was lined with carpets, felt mats or reed mats (chakankas). In the center of the wagon there was a hearth, and the whole space was divided into two halves, the right (male) and left (female). The northern part of the wagon was considered the most honorable. Here was a family altar with sculptural images of lamaist deities and saints. At any feasts, the northern part was assigned to the most honored guests. In the northeast, there was also a sleeping place for the owner of the yurt.

In a number of cases, dugouts and huts served as dwellings for the Kalmyks.

In the 19th century Kalmyks, moving to a settled way of life, began to settle in adobe houses, roofed with reeds. Wealthy Kalmyks built wooden and even stone buildings.

The traditional settlement of the Kalmyks had a circular layout, which was determined primarily by the nomadic way of life. Such a layout in the event of an attack helped to most optimally contain the onslaught of the enemy and protect the cattle driven into the center of the circle. Later, in the second half of the 19th century, outbuildings began to appear among some Kalmyks, which significantly changed the structure of the Kalmyk settlement.

The clothes of the Kalmyks were peculiar. For men, it consisted of a narrow fitted caftan, linen pants, a shirt with a collar, and soft felt trousers. In winter, this costume was complemented by a fur coat, insulated trousers and a fur hat.

Kalmyk women's clothing was much more varied and elegant. As a rule, it was made from more expensive fabrics than men's. Outerwear was a long, almost to the toe, dress, which was worn with a long sleeveless camisole and a sleeveless jacket. Particular attention in women's clothing was given to rich embroidery and decoration. The costume, as a rule, was complemented by a beautiful belt, which served as a kind of hallmark of its owner, an indicator of his nobility and wealth. A special role in the Kalmyk woman's costume was assigned to her headdress. According to P.S. Pallas, the women's hat consisted of "a round, pubescent sheepskin, a small flat top that covers only the uppermost part of the head. The nobles have rich ones made of silk fabric, moreover, somewhat taller than simple ones, hats with a wide front and back split fold, which is lined with black velvet" . Pallas did not find any special differences between women's and girl's headdresses.

However, in the XIX century. the situation has changed dramatically, women's costume and

headgear, in particular, has become more diverse.

Women's scarves, both factory printed and decorated with hand embroidery, were widely used.

The craft of the Kalmyks was predominantly natural. In each family, women were engaged in the manufacture of felt felt, used both for covering yurts and for laying on the floor. Ropes, clothes, bedspreads were made from sheep and camel wool.

The Kalmyks knew how to dress leather, perform simple carpentry operations, and weave mats from reeds. Blacksmithing and jewelry were very developed among the Kalmyks. Khosheutovsky ulus was especially distinguished by its jewelers, where there were gold and silver craftsmen.

The food ration of the Kalmyks was determined by the specifics of their economic activity, so meat and dairy food prevailed among them. Both meat and dairy products were very diverse. Kalmyk housewives cooked more than 20 different dishes from milk alone. From it, the Kalmyks produced an alcoholic drink - Kalmyk milk vodka - araka, and even alcohol. The invention of araka is attributed to Genghis Khan, therefore, after making a drink and offering (treats) to the spirits of fire, sky, dwelling, the fourth cup was intended for Genghis Khan. Only after that it was possible to start treating the guests.

Pressed green tea, which was brewed with the addition of milk, butter and salt, was widely used in the daily diet of Kalmyks. By the way, this tradition also passed to the Russian population with the name Kalmyk tea.

Meat was consumed in the most diverse form, numerous dishes were prepared from it.

According to religious beliefs, Kalmyks are Lamaists, which is one of the offshoots of Buddhism. It should be noted, however, that Lamaism in general and the Lamaism of the Kalmyks in particular were strongly influenced by shamanism. This was facilitated by the remoteness of the Kalmyks from the main lamaist centers in Tibet and Mongolia, and the nomadic lifestyle of the common people. This is evidenced by the widespread dissemination of ideas associated with the cults of local spirits, the spirits of the family hearth, etc.

Lamaism began to penetrate among the Kalmyks as early as the 13th century. and connected with the spread of Buddhism. But this teaching turned out to be too complicated because of its theoretical postulates and did not find a wide response in the souls of pastoral nomads.

The adoption of Lamaism by the Oirats of Western Mongolia should be attributed only to the beginning of the 17th century. and it is associated with the activities of Baibagas Khan (1550-1640) and Zaya Pandita (1593-1662).

In 1647, the monk Zaya Pandita, the adopted son of Baibagas Khan, visited the Kalmyks on the Volga, which to some extent contributed to the strengthening of the influence of Lamaism among them.

The name of Zaya Pandita is also associated with the creation of the Oirat writing itself. While translating Lamaist religious texts, Zaya Pandita keenly felt the need to reform the old Mongolian script in order to bring it closer to the spoken language. He began to implement this idea in 1648.

Initially, the supreme lama of the Kalmyks was appointed in Tibet in Lhasa, but due to remoteness, fragile ties and the policy of the tsarist government towards the Kalmyks, the right to appoint the supreme lama was removed from the end of the 18th century. Petersburg.

Some isolation from the main centers of Lamaism led to the fact that the role of the Lamaist church did not become as comprehensive as in Mongolia and Tibet. A large role in the daily life of the common people was played by various kinds of soothsayers, astrologers, folk healers. In the 19th century Lamaism, despite the opposition of St. Petersburg, became widespread among the Kalmyks. The tsarist government, fearing the strengthening of the lamaist church, was forced in 1834 to adopt a special decree limiting the number of monks in 76 khuruls (monasteries).

Despite the wide spread of Lamaism among the Kalmyks, pre-Lamaist shamanistic cults continued to be preserved in everyday life, associated with the veneration of the spirits of the elements, the spirits of localities, especially the spirits of mountains and water sources. The veneration of the owner of the lands and waters Tsagan Avga (“white old man”), included even in the lamaist pantheon, was associated with these ideas. With the cult of this mythological character, ideas about the mountain as the center of the world and about the world tree are closely intertwined. One of the descriptions of the world tree growing from the underworld, we find in the Kalmyk epic "Dzhangar". Even in Dzungaria, the Kalmyks absorbed the mythological ideas of the Tibetans, Chinese and even Indians, in addition, the beliefs of the Volga peoples continued to influence their mythological ideas.

A large group of the population of the Astrakhan region was made up of Kazakhs - one of the Turkic peoples of Eastern Kypchak origin.

The ethnic core of this people with the ethnonym "Cossack" (i.e. "free man", "nomad") arose in the 16th century. in the southern part of modern Kazakhstan, in the valleys of the Chu and Talas rivers, near Lake Balkhash, relatively quickly spreading to all the descendants of the Kipchaks, up to the Irtysh and Yaik (Urals). Bukhara writer Ruzbekhan at the beginning of the 17th century. mentioned the Kazakhs, pointing to their constant wars with kindred Nogais and steppe, also "Kypchak", Uzbeks.

By the middle of the XVI-beginning of the XVII century. a nomadic Kazakh people was formed, consisting of three groups corresponding to the three historical and economic zones of Kazakhstan: South (Seven Rivers), Central and West. Thus, three Kazakh "zhuzes" ("hundred", "part") appeared: the Senior (Big) in the Semirechye, the Middle - in Central Kazakhstan and the Younger - in the West. A Kazakh proverb says: “Give a pen to the elder zhuz and make him a scribe. Give the middle zhuz a dombra and make it a singer. Give the younger zhuz a naiz (peak) and make him a fighter.”

The senior zhuz for a long time remained under the rule of the Dzungars-Oirats, and after the defeat of their state by the Chinese in 1758, under the rule of the Kokand Khanate and the Tashkent beks. The middle zhuz was under the influence of the Bukhara and Khiva khanates, and the tribes of the Younger zhuz until the middle of the 16th century. were part of the Nogai Horde.

But at the beginning of the XVII century. the lands where the Nogais lived were captured by the Kalmyks-Oirats. They also took a small group of Ural Kazakhs to the right ("Caucasian") bank of the Volga, some of them converted to Islam, some converted to Buddhism-Lamaism. The lands of the left bank turned out to be free after the flight in 1771 of 30 thousand Kalmyk wagons back to Dzungaria.

The Kazakhs began to penetrate here even earlier, from the middle of the 18th century, making nomadic attacks on Krasny Yar and its environs, and in the winter of 1788 a conflict arose between them and the Nogai-Karagash over the division of the skins of those who died in the steppe from frost and starvation more than 3 thousand horses. Such clashes between the Kazakhs and the surrounding population were not uncommon.

The situation on the Lower Volga stabilized at the beginning of the 19th century: in response to the request of some sultans of the Younger Zhuz, Emperor Paul I gave them permission to occupy the lands of the Volga left bank, and under Alexander I such migration was carried out. The Kazakhs, led by Sultan Bukei Nuraliev, crossed the Ural River in 1801, forming in fact a new separate zhuz - the Inner (Bukeevskaya) horde, included in the Astrakhan province.

The resettlement of the Kazakhs to the territory of the Astrakhan Territory and the gradual transition to settled life supplemented the traditional features of the life and spiritual culture of the peoples living here, and also introduced some new elements to them.

The social structure of the Kazakhs after their resettlement in the Astrakhan region has undergone few changes. Kazakh zhuzes were traditionally subdivided into clans, which numbered over 130. They, in turn, were divided into smaller parts, divisions and generations.

Each clan had its own territory of residence, roaming routes, tribal forms of government (council of elders), its own emblem-tangu for branding livestock and marking property, and its own military units. The genus was strictly exogamous, i.e. marriages between members of the same clan were strictly forbidden. Their family cemeteries were also preserved.

Newly created at the beginning of the 19th century. in the Lower Volga region, the Bukeev horde was made up of representatives of all 26 clans, from 3 main groups included in the Lesser Zhuz.

The military-class and clan-genealogical organization was the basis of the then Kazakh society. There were relatively few hereditary heirs of the khan's family and professional Islamic clergy in the new horde.

But in the Kazakh society, its own imperious aristocracy soon arose in the person of judges and military leaders, on whom ordinary nomads depended. In an even greater degree of dependence were the ruined poor, groups of foreigners, as well as slaves from prisoners of war.

In the Bukey Horde, the most numerous group of the population in comparison with other places of residence were the "tyulengits", the descendants of former prisoners of war of non-Kazakh origin. Although they were limited in their rights, however, more often than others they were involved in the performance of supervisory functions.

So, in the Kamyzyaksky district of the Astrakhan region and on the border with the Volgograd region, families live among the "tyulengites" who still remember their origin from the Kalmyks. Among them there are also descendants of natives of Central Asia, as well as other places.

In the Bukey Horde, new, additional tribal communities arose and survived, formed from fugitives who left the Russian service and found refuge in the steppes of the Bukey Horde.

In 1774-75. a part of the Nogai fled here from near Orenburg, who at one time was transferred by the Russian government to the category of Cossacks, from near Astrakhan - a small group of "Kundra" Karagash, previously subordinate to the Kalmyks. In the Bukey Horde, they formed into an independent clan - "Nugay-Cossack".

Near the "Nugay-Cossacks" around the same years, a new Kazakh clan began to form from Tatar soldiers who fled from the border territories of present-day Tatarstan, Bashkiria and Orenburg.

So the number of tribal and similar ethnic formations in the Bukey Horde increased and reached three dozen.

The Bukeev Kazakhs in their new place of residence entered into various contacts with representatives of other peoples living here, in particular, with the Russians. At the same time, there was a custom of "tumming" or "tumming" - i.e. brotherhood and mutual assistance, which in one way or another affected all aspects of their life and culture.

The influence of the languages ​​and cultures of neighboring peoples, borrowings from their speech can be traced in the terminology of housing, clothing, food and dishes, seasons, etc.

The traditional dwelling for the Kazakh family was a large collapsible wagon-yurt of the "Turkic type" with access to the eastern side.

Kazakh clothing mainly consisted of a shirt, harem pants, beshmet, in cold weather they wore a quilted robe, belted with a sash or a hunting narrow strap. A characteristic winter headdress for men was a fur hat with earflaps. Kazakh girls wore a small hat, usually decorated with a bunch of bird feathers. Young women wore a high pointed cone-shaped headdress. And for women of a more mature age, a closed headdress such as a hood with a full cut for the face was characteristic. An additional turban-like headdress was often worn over the hood.

Everyday women's dress was usually blue, and festive - white. Brighter colors prevailed in girls' clothes. The women's silk shawls with tassels, as well as a long dress with frills, were atypical, since they appeared in the 19th century. in the Senior Zhuz under the influence of the Russian-Cossack population.

The daily food of the Kazakhs was horse sausage, mutton broth - “surpa” served as a hot dish. Wheat and rye bread, baked by them in home ovens, was known among the Kazakhs. A ritual wedding dish of mutton's liver, presented to the bride and groom, was considered special and characteristic for the Bukeevites.

The most commonly used drink was koumiss, a sour drink made from mare's milk. Sometimes on holidays they made milk vodka or an intoxicating drink from millet.

The religion of Islam came to the Kazakhs quite late and often in a "non-classical", Sufi version. As a descendant of the Kazakh khans noted, officer and traveler-researcher Ch.Ch. Valikhanov, - "... in the Middle and Small Horde, Islam became incomparably stronger (than in the main, Bolshoi - V.V.), but even then only during the period of Russian rule under the influence of Tatar mullahs and mosques."

There were practically no mosques in the Bukey Horde; for collective prayers they were replaced by specially designated and appropriately furnished yurts-tents. The people retained faith in the patron spirits of their ancestors and harmful steppe spirits.

A mixed, Islamic-shamanistic character was the collective prayer for rain, often performed in dry summers. At the same time, a cow of black color was brought as a sacrifice to the highest heavenly power.

Male shamans (healers-sorcerers) enjoyed great popularity among the Kazakh population of the Astrakhan region. Only they had the exclusive right to use the ritual string-bowed musical instrument (“kobyz”). Apparently, this explains the fact that over time it disappeared from the everyday life of the Kazakhs.

Instead of "kobyz", the string-plucked "dombra" became common. Usually tunes, folk tunes were performed on it during festive festivities or in the family circle. Some dombra players were known throughout the Astrakhan region. The names of the folk singer Kurmangazy Sagyrbaev (1806-1879) and his talented student Dina Nurpeisova were very famous among the Kazakh population of the Astrakhan region, and Kazakhstan as a whole.

On the grave of Kurmangazy near the village. Altynzhar of the Volodarsky district of the Astrakhan region On October 11, 1996, in the presence of representatives of the two neighboring states, a mausoleum was opened - a symbol of recognition of the talent of the great singer of the Kazakh people.

Thanks to folklore researchers, the heroic folk epic called “Forty Bogatyrs” was basically written down - a treasury of the creativity of the Kazakh people. These are, first of all, the epic legends “Idige”, “Musa”, “Orak and Mamai”, “Karasai and Kazy”, “Kazy-Korpesh and Bayan-Slu”, known in those distant times to Astrakhan Bukeyevites. This statement is based on the fact that the main territory where the restoration of the heroic epic took place was the Lesser Zhuz, which was once part of the Nogai Horde.

This fact emphasizes the closeness and close ties of the current peoples of the Lower Volga in their distant and recent past.

History of the Astrakhan Territory: Monograph. - Astrakhan: Publishing house of the Astrakhan state. ped. un-ta, 2000. 1122 p.

Research

local history

on the topic: "Folklore, rituals of the Astrakhan Kazakhs"

Work completed: Zhilyaeva Daria

Class 8 "B"

Teacher: Rudometova N.P.

The fate of my cherished river

Flowing between two native shores.

Two shores - two wonderful languages,

I'm ready to give my all for them!

So I live in the sun

Where the seeds of friendship germinate,

Where dostarkhan and bread are inseparable...

Two languages, but one Motherland!

M. Utezhanov

(translated by Y. Shcherbakov)

Research work on the topic: "Folklore, rituals of the Astrakhan Kazakhs." Rite, folklore are a distinctive feature of a single people. They intersect and reflect all the main aspects of life. They are a powerful means of national education and rallying the people into a single whole.

The purpose of this work: determine the main rites of the Kazakh people and find out how they have been preserved in the modern world.

To achieve this goal, the following tasks must be completed:

To get acquainted with the Kazakh national customs, folklore as the most important block in the system of spiritual culture of the Kazakh people;

Get an idea about the main rites observed by the inhabitants of my city;

To explore the modern knowledge of the customs of the Kazakh people among the students of the school;

To comprehend the role and significance of customs in the life of an ethnic group in our time.

Relevance The theme under consideration is that society again and again turns back to its origins. The country is experiencing a spiritual upsurge, a search for lost values ​​begins, attempts to recall the past, forgotten, and it turns out that the rite, custom is aimed at preserving eternal human values:

Peace in the family

Love for your neighbor

cohesion,

moral good,

modesty, beauty, truth,

Introduction

We, the younger generation, must join the national culture, because. our today, like our past once, also creates the traditions and customs of the future. Do we, the modern generation, need to know the customs that guided our distant ancestors? Yes, we need it. We must know well not only the history of the Russian state, but also the traditions and customs of the national culture; realize, understand and actively participate in the revival of national culture, self-actualize yourself as a person who loves his homeland, his people and everything related to folk culture, know not only Russian rituals, but also study the rituals of other nations that inhabit our Astrakhan region.

Just in case - your custom.

The main part The population of the Astrakhan region is multinational in composition. Representatives of more than 100 nationalities live here. At different times, residents from Central Russia and Ukraine, from the Caucasus, the Urals, and Central Asia settled in the lower reaches of the Volga. Among the settlers were Russians and Ukrainians, Belarusians, Tatars, Nogais, Chuvashs and Mordovians. Each of these peoples has an interesting culture, customs and traditions.

I would like to dwell on one of these peoples, namely the Kazakhs.

In terms of population in the region, Kazakhs occupy the second place (about 140 thousand people). This is the indigenous population of the Astrakhan region. Before the revolution, they were called "Kyrgyz", and they inhabited the eastern part of the Astrakhan province.

The current Kazakhs speak a language belonging to the northwestern or Kypchak group of Turkic languages. Kazakh beliefs are Sunni Muslims.

In the middle of the 16th century, the ethnic composition of the Kazakhs was replenished with tribes that migrated from the Urals after the collapse of the Nogai Khanate, and tribal groups from Siberia, Eastern Semirechye. As a result of close economic, cultural and domestic ties, there is a mixture of nationalities and tribes. With the fall of the Mongol yoke, the economy of the Kazakhs revived. The destroyed cities were rebuilt. Trade and economic ties between cities and steppe regions were strengthened. A single language and a single economy developed over a vast territory. There was much in common in the life and culture of various tribes and nationalities.

In the worldview of the masses in the XV-XVII centuries. Animistic ideas and the cult of the forces of nature dominated, preserving the features of ancient mythology, in particular, the recognition of the struggle between two principles: good (Kie) and hostile (Kecip). The essence of anemism was the spiritualization of natural phenomena, the idea that behind every natural phenomenon there is a spirit that supposedly controls it. Kazakh mythology forbade tearing green spring grass, because people saw the continuity of life in it. The Kazakhs revered the spirit of the earth (zher ana) and water (su ana). The cult of fire (from ana) was of great importance. The ancient name of the sacred fire - alas - has also been preserved. According to Kazakh belief, fire is the patron of dwellings, hearths. The bride, upon entering a new family, had to bow to the fire in a large house, make a sacrifice to the fire, pouring oil into it (otka mai kuyu).

The Kazakhs have preserved the ancient rite of purification by fire (alas-tau, from the ancient word "alas" - night light, sacred fire). This rite was performed when migrating from wintering to zhailau. Since ancient times, the Kazakhs have developed a belief that people often sin in the winter camps, as there are "unclean forces" in the dwellings that harm a person. And the zhailau is clean, blameless, and one should come there cleansed, therefore, at the beginning of the nomadic road leading to the zhailau, two large fires were lit, between which people and flocks of sheep were passed. Horses were considered "clean animals" and were not subject to purification.

The Kazakhs had many national traditions and customs associated with economic activities, family relations, wedding holidays, which have survived to this day.

Traditions and rituals associated with economic activity.

The main economic activity of the Kazakh people was mainly nomadic cattle breeding. Therefore, the people paid more attention to raising livestock. Since every pastoralist wanted his cattle to be well preserved and multiply, traditions and rituals associated with this appeared. One of these rituals is purification by fire. In the spring, when it was necessary to move from winter quarters to zhailau, a fire was made in several places, and the cattle were driven between the fires. This was before the adoption of Islam, when fire-worshipping cultures still existed. When leaving for the zhailau, each village decorated its wagons with woven carpets. The camel walking in front was covered with a beautiful carpet, a quadrangular crown was made from long pheasant feathers and put on the head. Such a roam was called the “crowned wagon”. The crowned camel was usually led by the most respected woman from the village or the bride. According to legend, the evil eye will not take a roam led by a camel in a crown of pheasant feathers, and the roam will not be in trouble on the way.

According to another custom, in the spring, until the first thunder, plant foods were not allowed to be consumed. Wild onions and other plants began to eat after the first thunder and rain. According to legends, after the thunder, the plants quickly begin to grow, the livestock, eating them, gives more milk, then it is allowed to start using the gifts of God. Therefore, in Semirechye, at the sound of thunder, women were in buckets, saying: “Let there be a lot of milk, little fire,” and walked around the yurt. In Central Kazakhstan, this was called "beating the otau", and women knocked on the kerega of the yurt. According to cosmogonic beliefs, this increased the amount of milk in the udder of cattle.

Another interesting custom was called “mare muryndyk”, or “to appease the stake”. It was held upon arrival at the zhailau, when the foals were tied to a jelly - a stretched rope and they began to milk the mares. And so that the foals and mares were well-fed, there was a lot of milk, and the koumiss was tasty, the top of the stake was smeared with fat.

Before the adoption of Islam, the Kazakhs considered all agricultural tools and devices sacred. So, kuryk for catching horses; zhel for which foals were tied: cogen, in which lambs and kids were kept, fetters, reins; the bakan used to raise the shanyrak of the yurts were sacred, especially women could not step over them, they could not be stepped on.

Family traditions and customs.

Since the hearth was considered the basis of life, there are many customs associated with it.

Matchmaking. According to custom, the girl's parents are a faithful person. He comes to the future matchmakers for negotiations. If the other party accepts the offer, then they set a time for the visit of the matchmakers. Then the groom's father sends matchmakers at the appointed time, who discusses the wedding: the amount of bride price, the cost of the wedding, what devotee the bride will have, sets the time for paying the bride price and the time of the wedding.

After all this agreement between the matchmakers is secured by an oath. To do this, the blood of a sacrificed sheep is poured into the bowl, both sides put their fingers into the bowl and swear that they will not violate the matchmaking agreements.

After performing these rituals, the aksakals read the Koran in front of the bowl and follow the blessing. This custom among the Kazakhs is called the “cup of blessing”. In honor of this blessing, the main matchmaker from the side of the zhigit puts a “collar” around his neck or makes a gift called ukitagar - “put on feathers” (apply a brand). This gift represents the fact that their bride is a girl. Now both parties become legal matchmakers, close relatives. To confirm this, the matchmaker serves kuyryk-bauyr - fat tail fat along with the liver, the matchmakers treat each other to it. Before the matchmakers leave, they are given gifts and put on a kite. By this day, a separate yurt was set up and uryn toy was made. In the yurt of a close relative, a traditional evening was held - the departure of the bride. At the end of the evening, the daughters-in-law take the girl to a separate yurt. Young daughters-in-law invite zhigits there. Other women throw a “log” on the way of the groom, and jelly is stretched in front of him. The groom is not allowed to step over them, he must pay a tax to the code. In front of the door of the otau, he must pay "opening". Here the bridegroom meets the mother of the bride and makes him put fat on the fire and offers a drink called ak. After that, the groom also pays for “opening the curtain” covering the bed, “taking the hand”, “stroking the hair”, and other actions corresponding to the matchmaking ritual. But this night the bride and groom spend only in conversations with each other. Zhigit leaves before the bride's parents get up. This evening is called "games of the young". After this urn, both parties begin to actively prepare for the wedding.

By tradition, the Kazakhs have always been very respectful, with great respect for their elders. If the elders are sitting at the table, then the young ones will not start talking before them, will not go over to eat, will not get up from the table. The saying “beware of the son speaking in front of the father, and in front of the mother of the acting daughter” suggests that the Kazakhs paid more attention to the issue of respect for elders.

It was not customary for the Kazakhs for a wife to call her husband's friends by name. The daughters-in-law were not supposed to call all the husband's relatives by their first names. They gave them their nicknames. This custom was called "interrogation of the name."

The hospitality of the Kazakhs is widely known. One could stay in any house and be a respected guest everywhere. If the guest was not satisfied with the reception rendered to him, he could apply to the court of biys. If a guest even entered the house of a blood enemy, then the owner of the house was responsible for his life until his departure. The Kazakhs were widely developed mutual assistance to each other. Such help had various names: vein, nemeurin, mind, asar. So together they could collect livestock for the poor, carry out work on shearing sheep, assist in harvesting, haymaking, and building a home. And today, in auls, Kazakhs often proclaim asar to help their fellow villagers in the construction. No one gets paid for their work, but they are well fed. The Kazakhs have many traditions and customs and traditions associated with the death of a person. According to tradition, relatives and relatives come to the house of the deceased and there is a “farewell”, they ask each other for forgiveness for possible offenses; then, according to custom, there are announcements, condolences, lamentations and lamentations, holding 7 days, 40 days, anniversaries, asa.

Kazakhs, like many Turkic-speaking peoples, celebrate the equinox of day and night on March 22 as the great day of the ulus. On this day, all the best clothes, wish each other well and well-being, forgive old grievances, have fun.

National games .

The Kazakhs have many national games and entertainment.

At the evening, young people play "khan - vizier", "neighbors", "zhaltyr left", "myrshin" and other fun games. The youth plays “aigolek”, “throwing the belt”, “sakkulak”, “distinguish the whisper”, “tynpi”, “altybakan” (swing) all night long. In addition, the Kazakhs have a game "togyz kumalak", which teaches to count.

Kazakhs have a lot of sports entertainment and games. The most popular Kazaksha kures are wrestling, throwing jamba, archery, lasso tugging, foot competitions; many games are played on horseback: baiga, sais, kyz kuu, kokpar, audaryspak. They bring up strength, dexterity, courage. From military-sports games, one can name the toad ata, which develops an eye and accuracy. The most accurate is awarded the title of mergen.

marriage ceremony

One of the most interesting and significant in the Kazakh environment is the marriage ceremony, which, like in a mirror, reflects the characteristic national features of the Kazakh people. In essence, all sources known to us speak of the presence of a monogamous marriage among the Kazakhs, the conclusion of which is subject to certain restrictions that prevent consanguineous marriages. Concerning. according to the Kazakh tradition, representatives of the same clan who are related to less than the seventh generation, or living in territories separated by less than seven rivers, cannot marry. Moreover, even if these conditions are met, marriage requires special permission from the head of the family and the aksakals. Restrictions of this kind contribute to the prevention of consanguinity and ensure healthy offspring and the prosperity of the nation.

A marriage agreement can be reached in two ways: first, by an agreement between the parents of both parties, when the head of the groom's family goes with this proposal to the bride's parents, which usually happens; secondly, the groom's side authorizes a close friend to do so. The conclusion of such an agreement provides, on the one hand, for determining the conformity of the property status of both parties (by the way, also prohibited by law, but widely practiced in recent years), and on the other hand, getting to know the mother of the bride. The last circumstance, which, in our opinion, is not devoid of logic, is reflected in one of the Kazakh proverbs, which in Russian sounds something like this: "A mother is the shadow of a daughter, a good mother will have a good daughter."

The completion of the marriage agreement ends the first act of the ceremony and determines the day when the groom's parents and his closest relatives will have to give the bride's father a kiit - a horse, a robe and other gifts, depending on the family's property status. On this day, the bride's family organizes a feast with the invitation of close relatives, at which all issues related to the upcoming wedding are clarified. An obligatory ritual of this stage of the rite is the slaughter of a brown-white-headed ram (by no means black), which is a good omen. During the toy, the groom's relatives sit sedately behind the dostarkhan, and the bride's relatives serve them, serving tea, koumiss, and meat. An indispensable companion of the final stage of the feast is the carrying of guests with a bowl of ayran, into which a piece of fried fat tail is crumbled, and amusing games on the river of the girls of the female half with the young men of the male. Before leaving, the bride's relatives present the groom's relatives with appropriate gifts, the value of which also depends on the family's property status. This act completes the final conclusion of the marriage agreement and the relationship between the parties enters a new phase.

The groom's side pays the bride's family a conditional bride price, the size of which is in strict accordance with the family's property status. As a rule, fairly wealthy families donate 77 heads of horses, middle-income families - 47, poor families - 17, if there are no horses, their equivalent is given to other types of livestock. When most of the bride price has been paid, the groom's relatives can set the wedding day. At the same time, the groom's side organizes Zhertys-toy, inviting all relatives to see and evaluate the gifts intended for the groom. Friends and relatives also bring gifts, thereby supplementing the missing part of them, which is one of the characteristic features of mutual assistance in the Kazakh environment.

With the completion of this ceremony, the groom's side notifies the bride's relatives that they are ready to bring wedding gifts - dzhartys. Having received such a notice, the bride's family appoints a day when she will be ready to receive guests. On this day, the groom, accompanied by his parents, the closest relatives of his parents, his brothers and sisters, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, goes to the bride. It is not allowed for the groom to enter the yurt of his future father-in-law and mother-in-law at the same time as his parents and older relatives, therefore, before reaching the door of the yurt 300-500 meters, he gets off his horse and steps aside. The bride's parents receive the groom's relatives and bring them into the yurt, and the bride's friends, accompanied by young women, laughingly go to meet the groom. At the door, he is met by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, who, from a large dish in her hands, scatters sweets, baursaks and kurt over the head of the future son-in-law. The youth and children around must vying to pick up food from the ground. This ceremony is called by the Kazakhs a bowl and means that the parents of the bride wish the groom happiness and prosperity. On this day, the bride's side slaughters a ram and arranges a feast in honor of the future son-in-law. Dombra sounds, dances are replaced by aitys and songs. On the second day, the bride's relatives choose two or three experienced young women to sort out the groom's gifts and evaluate them in order to determine whether they correspond to the groom's property status. In addition, the groom's relatives must present a separate gift to each of the bride's relatives, and the bride's mother - a ransom for breastfeeding her (usually in terms of the cost of cattle) and provide an appropriate number of sheep to organize a wedding feast in the bride's house.

After the groom is met and enters the yurt of the bride's parents, he can stay in it, or in a separate yurt, have fun with the youth. However, at the same time, the bride and groom should not talk and contact each other, but can only exchange silent glances. At night, when everyone is asleep, the bride's elder brother's wife brings her to the groom's separate yurt, where they can have sexual intercourse, and the elder brother's wife receives a significant bribe from the groom for her mediation.

After evaluating the wedding gifts, the wedding day is set, usually no more than 15-30 days later. The wedding ceremony itself among the Kazakhs, unlike other Muslim peoples, does not require consecration by a mullah. It is enough for half of the bride and groom, as well as all those present, to sing the wedding song "auzhar". The words of this song may be different, but the melody is always the same. The song is divided into five parts: prologue, consolation, lamentations, parting crying, the song of removing the veil (veil). On the first day of the wedding, the oldest member of the family is invited to the groom's house, who gives parting words to the newlywed, a feast is arranged in his honor. On the second day they go for the bride. Before the bride is taken away, all the neighboring boys and girls gather, refreshments are organized for them, and several singers begin to console the bride, performing the wedding songs "zhar-zhar", which are very diverse in content, but the semantic load is quite definite: in these songs sounds longing for abandoned places and anxiety for the future of his fellow tribeswoman in a strange kind.

When the bride drives up to the house of the future groom, being in the center of those accompanying her, on whose clothes a red cloth is tied, she covers her face with a veil, and the groom's parents who meet her scatter kurt, baursaks and sweets over her head, similarly to how it was done when visiting bridegroom's parents. Entering the yurt, the bride and groom first of all greet the fire of the hearth, and then bow to the older generation and guests. The singer, in whose hands is kamcha, with a red thread woven into it, begins to glorify the bride and describe the gifts brought to her, gradually lifting the veil covering her face.

This ceremony was called betashar by the Kazakhs. The content of the song accompanying the ceremony is also arbitrary, but along with the virtues of the bride, it necessarily lists the duties of the young wife: respect for the elders and relatives of the husband, admiration for husbands, honor and respect for guests and a constant smile on the face, caring for the hearth, caring for the husband etc. In general, the genre of these songs is very diverse and almost impossible to briefly describe. In addition to traditional songs, the wedding ceremony, like any Kazakh holiday, is accompanied by traditional races and horseback riding competitions in various forms, the invariable competition of akyns and a feast. With this, the wedding ceremony ends and the young married couple is singled out into a separate cell of the clan, leading either an independent household or on shares with the husband's parents (in rare cases, the wife).

The very existence of the rite suggests that the husband looks at his wife as part of his property, so family and marriage relations in the Kazakh environment are under the dominant influence of this factor. First of all, this is manifested in the exclusive right of inheritance through the male line and the institution of amengers, in which the widow of the deceased spouse, as if by inheritance, passes to his brother and only if the latter refuses, has the right to choose a new spouse from among the representatives of this family, or, if in the absence of such, to obtain the right to free movement. At the same time, when dividing property between a son and a widow, the latter has the right to receive 1/6-1/8 of the share of property belonging to her spouse. If there are two or three wives, which is extremely rare and mainly in wealthy families, then they are similarly allocated 1=6 property. Unmarried children remain with their mother after the death of their father.

Children's rites

After giving birth, two or three women (from among neighbors or relatives) are invited to the woman in labor, on the one hand, to congratulate her, and on the other, to help with the housework. On the third day after the birth of a child, a feast is arranged for the women of the village - shildekhan, at which women wish the newborn a long and happy life. In the evening and at night, young people gather together, play dombras and sing songs. This celebration continues for three evenings until the child reaches the age of seven.

On the fortieth day, another solemn ceremony is held, again associated with the invitation of neighboring women who bring gifts to the newborn, including: clothes, clasps, strings of pearls, as well as owl plumage. At this official ceremony, the aksakal usually names the baby (according to others sources, the name of the child is given on the seventh day after birth, and on the fortieth they bathe), which is whispered to the child three times in the right ear. Then the eldest and most revered woman puts the baby in the cradle (other sources add that on this day the baby's head is shaved for the first time).

The next rite is associated with the first landing on a horse. It is carried out on the day when the child turns five years old. On this day, they put owl plumage on his head, put him on a horse and send him on a visit to all relatives. Relatives should give the child food and harness for his horse. From this moment on, the child, having his own harness for the horse, begins to ride a two-three-year-old horse. It is this circumstance that allows many authors who wrote about the Kazakhs to call them "a nation in the saddle."

Finally, this seven-year cycle of rites is completed by the ritual of circumcision, which takes place between five and seven years. Before circumcision, owl plumage is put on the head and shoulders of the child and again sent to visit relatives. Relatives should give the child sweets, and also, depending on their property status, present owl plumage, a kid (or a fine-fleeced lamb), a foal, a calf. A foal given to a child must be branded with a special brand on the ear, and after he grows up, he is called a "circumcised horse." Circumcision is performed by a mullah or a hajja. This is what the restored rite looks like:

"Demon i to toys"

"The Feast of Putting the Baby in the Cradle"

Kazakh cradle extremely easy to use and convenient for a nomadic lifestyle. The cradle was made of willow, the side parts (head and foot) were sometimes made of birch.

Before bringing the child into the room and putting him in the cradle, a ceremony was held "alastau" - cleansing the room, the cradle of the child from all evil spirits. "Alas" - night light,sacred fire. Since ancient times, it has been believed that in the dwellings of people there are unclean forces that harm a person. The ceremony was performed by a woman respected in the village, with positive qualities of character. She was served a metal saucer in which sulfur, goat or mutton fat smoked on the coals of dung. A woman with this saucer went around the room, the cradle with the words:

Alas, alas, alas,

Keld i, m i no, balas,

Kosh, kosh p a forest i,

Alas, alas, alas.

T i l i zhamannyn t i l i nen alas,

Koz zhamannyn goatsi nen alas,

Otyz omyrtkasynan alas,

Kyryk kybyrgasynan alas,

Alas, alas, alas,

Keld i, m i no, bastards.

They put a mirror under the pillow, a comb with the wish that he be beautiful, comely, scissors - a master of his craft. An amulet from the evil eye was hung on the crossbar. Parents brought the child, the woman put him in the cradle, tied two strings - “bau”, covered7 things:

- with a special blanket so that the child is always warm and has a sound sleep, - “uyuyn moshektey bolsyn”;

- chapan, to be respected among the people: “Zhambyldyn zhasyn bersen, Chokannyn basyn bersin "(" Live as many years as Dzhambul lived, and have such a smart head, like Chokan Valikhanov's")

- fur coat and blanket, to be rich, wealthy;

- put a bridle on top, to grow up quickly;

- kebenek and leg, to become a defender of the interests of his people: “Koblandai batyr bol, kamchaga adai tol!” - “Be a batyr, like Koblandy, grow up to kamcha!”

For carrying out the ceremony “Putting the child in the cradle”, the woman received a reward for a cut on a dress or a scarf. The holiday was accompanied by treats, songs, games, comic entertainment, for example, "Tashtym". For the holiday, they baked special flour balls, which were called "Tashtyma", mixed with kurt (dried salted pieces of cottage cheese), sweets, put them in bags or plates. The woman who was putting the child in the cradle would place a plate or bag under the cradle and ask those present: “Tashtama?” If they answered "tashty", that person was given a treat. So both adults and children received a festive treat.

burial rite

The burial ceremony among the Kazakhs takes place mainly according to the Muslim ritual. The deceased is placed with his face to the west, his chin is tied up and the face is covered with a cleanly washed cloth, the body is surrounded by a tent. The body is in the house for one to three days, and close relatives with lit lanterns stand guard at the body. Everyone who came to express condolences should go into the room, say goodbye to the deceased and express sympathy to relatives. Then they wash the body with clean water, wrap it in a white shroud.

A prayer is read for the atonement of sins, after which the body of the deceased is taken out of the house and a ceremony called zhanaza is performed. All those participating in the ceremony stand around the body, and the ahun conducts it. After the ceremony is over, the relatives of the deceased ask those present: "What was this person like in life?" Those present unanimously answer: "A wonderful person, a good person, we wish him to go to heaven. May he find a haven for himself!". After the completion of this ceremony, the removal of the deceased begins. If the grave is far away, then the body wrapped in a carpet is transported on camels. The grave crypt is dug in the ground in the form of a hole or cave, the body is placed with the head to the south, with the feet to the north, with the face to the west. Before the cave is walled up, each of those present throws a handful of earth on the body, then the cave is walled up.

On the seventh day, a commemoration is held and those washing the body are presented with gifts in the form of clothes or matter. Subsequent commemorations are held on the fortieth day and a year later.

According to tradition, mourning is worn for the deceased for a long time, and his wife or mother is obliged to lament. The wife of the deceased wears black clothes for a year, tying her head with a white scarf. Funeral songs are sung throughout the year, which sound before sunrise and sunset, as well as at the approach of a person who has come to express condolences.

After the burial of the body, relatives and relatives endow the family of the deceased with food, cloth and livestock. If a noble and famous person has died, then a banner of grief is placed in front of his yurt, the color of which depends on the age of the deceased: red for a young man, white for an old man, red-white for a middle-aged man. The beloved horse of the deceased has its tail and mane trimmed and is not allowed to be ridden by other people. During migrations and crossings, the saddle and utensils of the deceased are loaded onto the back of this horse and the wife of the deceased leads it. In addition, a banner of death is taken, the presence of which gives the right to sing a funeral song when approaching other yurts.

A year later, the grave is refurbished, since it is the appearance of the grave that speaks of the position and material wealth of the deceased. Usually the grave is laid out with a stone in the form of a hill; for those who had a significant position in society, the hill is surrounded by an adobe wall; for the most famous persons, a high dome is laid out with tiles on the grave hill.

The commemoration is held especially solemnly every other year. In addition to renovating the grave, they arrange one with the invitation of relatives and relatives. On this day, the horse of the deceased is brought to the yurt, and the wife and children of the deceased cry, saying goodbye to her. Then the horse is slaughtered, and the banner of death is removed, cutting off its shaft. The commemoration is accompanied by races, wrestling, competitions of akyns in memory of the deceased. However, sometimes these events take place so cheerfully that they seem very strange given the well-known reason for the feast. After the ceremony is completed, the wife of the deceased takes off the white veil from her head, and the daughters take off the black clothes. The clothes of the deceased, previously kept in the house, are handed over to the aksakal leading the commemoration ceremony, who wraps it together with the head and hooves of the slaughtered horse of the deceased in the skin of this horse and takes it all to the grave hill.

Holidays

The first holiday, which originates in the pre-Islamic history of the Kazakhs, is Nauryz, or the Spring Festival, which falls on the day of the spring equinox. On this day, a special dish "nauryz" is prepared in every house, which includes seven types of products: chumiza, wheat, rice, barley, millet, meat and kurt. People go from aul to aul, eat this dish, sing the song "nauryz", hug, congratulate each other on the New Year, wish a good offspring in the new year and prosperity in the house.

The other two holidays are already connected with the Islamic ritual and are regulated by the Koran. One of them is raz-ayt or "holiday of breaking the fast", celebrated on the first and second days of the month of Shawwal in honor of the end of the fast of the month of Ramadan. According to the canons of the Koran, every true Muslim must fast for a month every year, which is considered one of the most important duties of a true believer. During the day, it is forbidden to drink, eat, burn incense, indulge in entertainment, and even rinse your mouth with water. Daytime should be devoted to work, prayers, reading the "Quran" and pious meditations. After sunset and before sunrise, it is allowed to drink and eat. On the first day of the month of Shawwal, life returns to normal and a holiday is held on this occasion. The rite of the holiday consists in a special common prayer, followed by a festive meal and the distribution of alms to the poor. On this holiday, the Kazakhs sit on a horse and ride around with greetings from relatives and friends, as well as hold national entertainment events.

The main Muslim holiday is Kurban Ait, or the "Feast of Sacrifice", which falls on 71 days after Razi Ait, that is, on the tenth day of the month of Dhu-al-Hijja. The holiday lasts three or four days. The rite of the holiday has a clear historical basis. According to legend, one of the first ancestors of the peoples of Northern Arabia, Ibrahim, Allah once appeared in a dream, commanding him, in order to test his faith, to secretly climb the mountains and sacrifice his son Ismail to Allah. However, when he climbed into the mountains and was ready to kill the boy, Allah, convinced of his devotion, sent a lamb as a redemptive sacrifice. Since then, on the day of this holiday, sheep and lambs have been sacrificed throughout the Muslim world. The meat is given to the poor and partly used for the family's festive meal. An obligatory ritual of the holiday is a common prayer in the temple, preceding the sacrifice. On the day of the holiday, a meal is prepared in every house, everyone congratulates each other, such a traditional competition as kokpar is necessarily organized.

I conducted a survey among students to determine what they know about customs and rituals. According to the questionnaire, I received the following results:

Only 3% do not know any folk customs and rituals.

The rest named the following:

C wedding (80%), Nauryz (86%), Uraza Bayram (77%), farewell to the army (35%), commemoration (64%), Kurban Bayram (64%), Feast of Conversation » (27%). Many families observe the following customs, rituals, holidays: Nauryz (98%), commemoration (59%), name day ((12%), commemoration days (27%). They know Kazakh customs (43%). Some respondents gastronomic abundance and special dishes were celebrated as festive customs: manti, kainars, ayran, kurt, zhent, containers, kuyrdak, bauyrsak, beshbarmak (5%).

For others, folk festivals and fun are an obligatory attribute of this holiday: “songs, dances”; "mass games", "traditional horse races", entertainment.

To the question: what kind of wedding would you like to arrange for yourself - 53% prefer a modern civil ceremony, 21% - a traditional ceremony with religious registration of marriage, 9% - a civil ceremony with elements of a folk wedding, 7% - without rituals. Pupils know the customs and rituals associated with the birth of a child, such as cutting the fetters (73%), putting a knife, a mirror and a comb in the cradle for a girl (39%), a lamp near the cradle of a child burns for 40 days to protect from evil spirits (fifteen%). All folk customs are honored - 21%, go to the mosque for holidays - 18%, go to the cemetery with their parents on memorial days - 34%, 2% do not honor any customs. 42% know about the burial, that on these days one should wear mourning clothes - 40%, not attend entertainment events - 41%, that the deceased is buried in a mosque - 37%. It was difficult to list modern customs, only 3% named

such as the custom of saying “hello” to adults, 5% - to give way to the elderly in transport, 3% - to listen to the advice of elders, 2% - to throw coins into the fountain for happiness.

Conclusion

We must carefully preserve the traditions and customs of antiquity, so as not to lose the connection between times and generations. For example, among them was and remains our ancient custom to live by honest and useful work, working not only for ourselves, but also for society, not only for the sake of money or fame, but also for the victory and revival of the Fatherland, showing dexterity and skill in the profession, to work , without fail sharing the fruits of his labor with his neighbors, that is, showing the best Russian qualities: patriotism, ingenuity, creative gift, camaraderie, love for God and Russia, catholicity. Or, for example, the ancient custom of hospitality, which has always been famous for any people. The quality is excellent, and we do not change it. Another useful and now almost forgotten custom is chastity before marriage and in marriage, which allows a mother to give birth and raise healthy offspring in physical and moral purity, thereby strengthening the foundation of the family and the whole clan. And it was a good custom in Russia to have as many children as God gives. So were born and raised in families of five, ten or more children! It was this kind and hard work, saving for the wife and husband, that allowed Russia to withstand the trials of the 20th century, to create the great achievements of Russian civilization.

We saw on the example of Kazakh national customs, revered even now, that they help to unite the people into a single whole. True, we also saw something else, that the younger generation has a very vague idea of ​​the true values ​​of culture. In the modern world, shamelessness and arrogance triumph, everything is bought and sold. And there is no place for conscience, honor, or the experience of ancestors, or mercy, or love, or duty, or lofty patriotic feelings ... Young people are well aware that there is no future in such a country, that it is doomed to conquest and plunder. In such a country with such "customs" a Russian person can only die and it is impossible to feel like a master or a full-fledged citizen. And to prevent this from happening, you need to sacredly honor the good Orthodox customs of our Motherland. The Orthodox customs of the people are a way of life formed over the centuries, within which each person opens the way for the proper development of natural abilities, the path to success in life.

Folk custom is usually strict. How can we return the strict customs of our ancestors to our people?

The main task of every person today is to make a spiritual choice: to unite with his people in its thousand-year destiny, in its grace-filled Orthodox customs and traditions, coming from the depths of centuries, to find a saving faith that answers all the pressing questions of life, and to forever join the historical customs and traditions. norms of life of different people. The historical customs of any nation are unique. Folk customs and rituals have been and remain an integral part of the spiritual culture of the people. Can we save them and pass them on? Yes. But only if we realize the lost values ​​are vital in the future. It is folk customs that express the soul of the people, decorate its life, give it originality, strengthen the connection between generations.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Archaeological dictionary of the Astrakhan region / Comp. E.V. Schneidstein. Astrakhan: Astrakhan University Publishing House, 2004.

2. Astrakhan Kazakhs. History and modernity. - 1st ed. - Astrakhan: Publishing House of the State Unitary Enterprise IPK "Volga", 2000.

3. Markov A.V., Lvov S.V. Astrakhan and Kazakhs. - Astrakhan: Publishing House of the State Unitary Enterprise IPK "Volga", 2000.

4. Vaskin N.G. Settlement of the Astrakhan region. -- Volgograd, 1993.

5. Eremeev E.R. Astrakhan: history and modernity. - Astrakhan: Volga Publishing House, 1999.

6. Culture of Astrakhan. / Ed. I.A. Mitchenko. - Astrakhan, 2001

7. Socio-economic situation of Astrakhan. Ed. I.V. Zvereva. Astrakhan, 2002

8. Ushakov N.M., Shchuchkina V.P., Timofeeva E.G., etc. History of the Astrakhan region. - Astrakhan: Publishing house of the Astrakhan pedagogical institute, 1996.

9. Reader of the Astrakhan region / Comp. V.S. Urastaev G.D. - Astrakhan: Publishing House of the State Unitary Enterprise IPK "Volga", 2000.

Appendix:

A few questions about customs and rituals.

1. What Kazakh customs and rituals do you know?_________________________________

2. Do you know Kazakh holidays? Specify which __________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you think, are any customs, rituals associated with the ancient faith observed in our area? If so, which ones?________________________________________________________________________

5. What kind of wedding would you like to arrange for yourself?

Without rites _____________________________________________________________________________

Modern civil rite __________________________________________________________

Civil ceremony with elements of a folk wedding

Traditional ceremony with religious registration of marriage ________________________________

6. What customs and rituals do you know related to the birth of a child?

7. What customs do you honor? __________________________________________________________________________________

8. What do you know about burial? ______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

9. What modern customs do you know? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________