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

Culture

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

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

Religious holidays

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

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

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

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

Ramadan

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

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

Eid al-Adha

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

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

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

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

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

National holidays

Now let's talk a little about folk holidays and traditions that do not intersect with faith in any way. The culture of the Tatar people is characterized by the fact that most of these holidays occur in the spring.

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

Wedding

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tea parties

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

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

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

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

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

Applied art of the Tatar people

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

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

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

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

A more classic and understandable art for Russian people is embroidery, which is characterized by a wide variety of motifs and colors. At the beginning of the 19th century, gold embroidery became very popular. But weaving, of which there were several types, also occupied an important place.

Family traditions

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

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

Sabantuy

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

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

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

Classes

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

Farewell to the dead

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

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

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

Music

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

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

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

Since ancient times, Crimea was a multi-ethnic territory. Since the late 18th and early 19th centuries, due to a number of historical events, representatives of various peoples of the Northern Black Sea region began to arrive on the peninsula, who contributed to the development of economic and cultural life. Each ethnic group brought its own uniqueness to the life of Crimea. The history of Crimea shows that the multinational population of Crimea is characterized by the presence of friendly ethnic communities of different nationalities, the unity of economic, social and cultural interests. A person of any nationality is proud of his ethnic origin. Language, beliefs, clothing, holidays, songs, cuisine help him maintain a special connection with the past of his people. Preservation and development of spiritual, cultural and folk traditions associated with the disclosure of the optimal capabilities of the people. Traditions and customs of nationalities are developing, they are diverse and interesting. The church introduced some features without changing the essence. Many customs and rituals of the calendar cycle became part of the traditions of the people and became elements of their life.

This calendar presents some ethnic groups living in Crimea. Their peaceful, harmonious coexistence is possible thanks to an amazing means called dialogue or polylogue of cultures. Many customs and rituals of the calendar cycle became part of the traditions of peoples and became elements of their way of life. Our ancestors knew how one holiday differs from another, they knew how to celebrate them, how to decorate and accompany them. Visits to religious institutions played an important role in the celebration. Numerous rituals also existed outside of religion. A person who is not interested in the history of his people will never understand or be imbued with respect for the history of another people.

Used literature and sources:

In the Crimean ass [Text]: Virmeni. Bulgarians. Greeks. Germans. Ukrainians / ed. T.A. Salista-Grigoryan. - Simferopol: DIAPI, 2007. - 208 p. : ill. - In Bulgaria. — verm. - Greek — nim. - grew up - Ukrainian m.

Crimea inflorescence of national cultures [Text]: traditions, customs, holidays, rituals / comp. M.V. Malysheva. - Simferopol: Business-Inform, 2003 - . Book 1. - 2003. - 392 p.

Peoples of Crimea [Text]: exhibition from the collection of the Russian Ethnographic Museum / Ministry of Culture Russian Federation, Crimean ethnographical museum. - St. Petersburg: Slavia, 2014. - 36 p. : ill., maps.

Vol. first: Peoples of Crimea. - 1995. - 82 p.

Through the centuries [Text]: in 2 volumes. - Simferopol: Crimean Academy of Humanities, 1995 - 1996.
Vol. second: Peoples of Crimea. - 1996. - 88 p.

Polyakov, V. Crimea. The fate of nations and people [Text]: monograph / V. Polyakov. — Simferopol: [b. i.], 1998. - 272 p.

http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/978-966-174-174-3/978-966-174-174-3.pdf

http://ethnocrimea.ru/ru/mosaic.html (Date of access: 03/27/2018)

Noskova, I. Crimean Bulgarians: historical and ethnographic essay [Text] / Inna Noskova; [rec.: A. A. Nepomnyashchy, G. N. Kondratyuk]. — Simferopol: State Autonomous Institution of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Media Center named after. I. Gasprinsky", 2016. - 312 p. : ill.

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6 main holidays in the Crimean Tatar calendar

The basis of the anthropological type is made up of representatives of the Caucasian race; some Crimean Tatars have Mongoloid features. The language belongs to the Oguz-Kypchak branch of the Kipchak group - the Turkic family of languages. They profess Sunni Islam.
The people were formed as a result of consolidation (based on the use of the Turkic language, the adoption of Islam) and synthesis of Turkicized and Islamized non-Turkic tribes (descendants of the Tauro-Scythians, Gotalans, Byzantines, etc.) with Turkic tribes (descendants of the Turko-Bulgars, Pechenegs, Kipchaks, etc.). Thus, as a result of a complex historical process in the IV-XVI centuries. the ethnic core of the Crimean Tatars was formed. Representatives of each group contributed to the formation of family rituals and calendar holidays.

Rarely does a Muslim nation boast such an abundance of national and religious holidays. Among the Crimean Tatars, 6 dates a year are especially revered.
Yil Gejesi (that is New Year)
Crimean Muslims celebrate it on December 22, the winter solstice. It symbolizes the arrival of winter. This family celebration, which does not have complex rituals. Southerners call it Kantar Day (that is, Libra Day).
Families make special dishes for Yil Gejesi: white halva and pies with rice and meat, with an egg in the center. And before the evening family dinner, each family member tries to discreetly smear the face of relatives with soot from under the cauldron.
After the meal, when darkness falls, the boys put on their outerwear inside out and in a crowd they go to the nearest houses to “carol”, loudly shouting at the same time “Those who treated us will have a boy, and those who do not treat us will have a bald girl!” House owners give children sweets and nuts.


Another ritual of this holiday is a coal given by a guy to a girl he likes. If a girl accepts coal, the guy can send matchmakers to her parents.

Navrez

This is the day of all farmers, which is celebrated on March 20 or 21. It announces the beginning of spring and the first day of the year, according to already eastern calendar, symbolizes the beginning of a new agricultural season.
It is now customary for all Turkic peoples to celebrate this day, and the Crimean Tatars have been celebrating it since ancient times.
The main version of the origin of this holiday says that when in ancient times the Turks were driven out by their enemies from their native lands, they for a long time they were sad and forced to live in sadness in the mountains, until one day a warrior-blacksmith showed them the way home. But an iron ore mountain lay on their road. And only after completely melting it, the Turks were able to return to their native land and marked this as the beginning of their new life and a new day (nav is translated as “new”, and rez is translated as “day”).
This holiday consists of several stages:
1. Conducted old year. The housewives are putting the house in order, the men are preparing to plow the land, the boys are preparing themselves a goat costume (they put on fur coats turned inside out, sew a tail to the back) and make a mask. Housewives bake meat pies and cookies shaped like a twisted horn.
In the evening, large fires are lit near the houses and boys jump over them. And when it gets dark, they put on their goat masks, the girls take bouquets of snowdrops - the children go to their acquaintances and friends to congratulate everyone on this holiday, the owners give sweets to the little guests. Singing a song about a goat, the children jokingly try to get into the house and steal the birthday cake, and the hostess also jokingly drives them away.
2. On the eve of this day, the girls prepare for fortune telling.
3. Welcome the new agricultural year. At the end of morning prayers, elderly Muslims visit cemeteries and clean the graves of their deceased loved ones. During the day, children go to the houses of friends and relatives, congratulate them on the New Year and sing songs.
On the same day, the men, going out into the fields, give the respected elder the right to lay the first furrow of the year, thus beginning plowing.

Hydyrlez

This holiday is celebrated in the first week of May, when the first ear of grain appears on the field. Holiday of economy and social activities.
Muslims tidy up their utility rooms, fumigate the barn with smoke, pour grain on the window sills, and spray the entrance to the barn with milk.


Residents gather together in a clearing where there is a hillock. It is considered necessary to wear green clothes or at least have something green on yourself. Girls ride on swings, boys and men compete with each other in fighting competitions, and women shower each other with greenery. Then they roll the bread down the mountain. If it fell upside down, the harvest this year will be good, but if not, the year will not be productive.

Derviza

Celebrated during the autumn solstice, September 22. The celebration necessarily takes place near a sacred place with the sacrifice of an animal (in Crimea this is a ram).
Before the celebration dear Old man must throw a stone tied to his belt at the side, saying at the same time: “So that everything bad this year goes away like this stone.”


At the celebration, singers, dancers, poets perform, sing ditties, and compete in national wrestling. After this holiday, cattle are returned from summer pastures.

Eid al-Fitr

One of the 5 obligatory conditions observed by Muslims is fasting. It begins in the month of Ramadan and lasts from the first day of the new moon for the next 30 days. For Muslims at this time there are a number of restrictions: it is forbidden to eat, drink liquids, smoke, use foul language, engage in intimacy, etc. All this is allowed only in the dark: after sunset at night and two hours before dawn.
“Ramadan” (Ramadan) is translated as “burn,” that is, Muslims believe that during this fast one can cleanse oneself of all one’s sins and burn them. The doors of heaven open at this time, and the doors of hell are closed for those who fast.
In addition to fasting, Muslims must also perform good deeds during this period: invite those who are fasting to their place to break the fast and feed them dinner, feed the hungry, help the suffering, etc.


The Eid al-Fitr holiday begins at the end of fasting. After the festive prayer, Crimean Tatars distribute alms to the suffering, the poor, orphans, the homeless, and lonely old people. On this day, everyone who was in a quarrel asks for forgiveness from each other and makes peace.
4 days before the holiday, the Crimean Tatars begin to put everything in order - men visit and clean the graves of deceased relatives, women clean the house, begin to prepare holiday dishes, clean up, buy food for children new shoes and clothes, sweets. On the eve of the holiday, everyone must wash themselves, put themselves in order, and put on new things. Neighbors exchange holiday dishes. You should definitely feed your dog these dishes. Young women should serve festive coffee to guests.

Eid al-Fitr holiday

Celebrated on the 10th day in the month of Zulhija. The celebration lasts 3 days. One of the main Muslim holidays.
On this day, a devout Muslim slaughters or asks another Muslim to slaughter a bull, goat, sheep or camel (in Crimea, as throughout Russia, this is most often a ram). The meat of the sacrificial animal is then divided into parts - 2/3 is distributed to the poor, lonely old people and orphans, and 1/3 is left for their family and all guests are treated to soup from this meat. Thus, Muslims atone for all their sins and ask Allah for blessings for their deeds.


Crimean Tatars prepare for the sacrifice several days in advance - they put their house, barn, yard, and themselves in order.
The ritual of sacrifice usually takes place after the morning holiday prayer on the day of Kurban Bayram, but according to Sharia it is allowed to do this on the next two days. The sacrificial animal must be at least 1 year old and without any defects. Before slaughter, a special prayer is said.
Then Muslims exchange congratulations, visit the graves of deceased relatives and go to aziz (holy places).

Yil Gejesi

It occupies a special place in the system of calendar holidays - this is an ancient family holiday. Has simple rituals. Celebrated as the beginning of winter at the very long night in the year - December 22.

Crimean Tatars This holiday was celebrated throughout Crimea, but in different regions it was called differently. For example, on the South Coast this holiday was called Kalenda (Latin for “first day of the month”), and the day of December 22 was called Kantar, which means “scales.” This refers to balance (winter solstice). In other places of Crimea it was called Yyl bashi or Yyl gejesi.

For the Yil Gejesi holiday, housewives prepare kobete - a pie with chicken meat and boiled rice. An unpainted egg is placed on top in the center of the kobete. White halva is being prepared. Before the festive table, family members try to discreetly smear each other's faces with soot from under the cauldron. Noise rises, jokes and fun begin. When darkness falls, the boys put on their fur coats inside out and walk in a crowd from house to house, shouting: “Kalenda, Kalenda!” Approaching the house, they say: “If you give me a treat, let you have a boy, but if not, then a bald girl.” The hostess gives the children nuts, candies and sweets. The girls sing carols this night. A guy secretly visits his girlfriend in the evening and asks her if she is ready to accept a match from him. If the girl agrees to marry him, then he gives her a coal as a sign of consent to take her as the mistress of his hearth. It is believed that dreams seen on this night come true.

In the morning, the housewife prepares a traditional soup of small dumplings, an obligatory component of which is an egg. This is how the Crimean Tatars celebrate the beginning of winter and the beginning of the astronomical year.

Navrez

An ancient holiday of farmers. Celebrated as the beginning of a new economic year and spring. Navrez is an Iranian word: nav - new and rez (ruz) - day. The holiday is held on March 21, the day the Sun enters the constellation Aries (Sheep), in Crimean Tatar - K'ozu, when day is equal to night. The custom of celebrating Navrez among the Crimean Tatars arose no later than the 12th-13th centuries, along with the adoption of Islam.

The main stages of the Navrez celebration:

Farewell to the old business year

A week before the holiday, the housewife begins to prepare for it: she whitewashes, cleans the utility rooms, and sets aside old, unusable things for burning. Men are preparing for plowing, repairing agricultural equipment. The boys prepare masks and goat costumes (fur coat inside out with a tail attached to it). On the eve of the holiday, women boil eggs, but do not paint them. They bake kobete (layered meat pie) and all kinds of national cookies. On a festive evening, they make a fire, burn old things in it, and splash water on each other. At the beginning of darkness, the boys gather in groups of 3-7 people. One of them dresses up as a goat, the others put on prepared masks. In their hands they hold branches with strengthened snowdrop flowers. Boys move in groups from one yard to another and sing New Year's songs. The owners treat the children with sweets and nuts. Two days before Navrez, the girls gather in one of the houses where they make preparations for fortune-telling. New Year's Eve. To do this, they throw their rings or necklaces into a jug of water, and this jug is placed under a rose bush on the night before Navrez. The next night, on the eve of Navrez, the girls gather near this bush. The youngest of them is blindfolded, and she pulls out jewelry from a jug, jokingly predicts the fate of their mistress in the coming new year (whether she will get married this year, what her betrothed will be like, what house she will end up in)...

New Year's Eve

On the day of Navrez, after morning prayers, elderly people visit the cemetery, where they tidy up the graves, read funeral prayers in which they ask God and the spirits of the departed for a good harvest and an increase in the herd. Thus, the living seem to communicate with the souls of the departed. On the eve of the holiday, women boil eggs, prepare white halva, bake kobete, and prepare chicken noodle soup; It is considered a good omen if the noodles “run away” from the pan: this means that the year will be fruitful. On this day, girls and boys wear festive green outfits, symbolizing the awakening of nature.

First furrow

Navrez is the first month of the start of field work. The men went out into the field. The most respected elder, having read a prayer, made the first furrow and threw the first handful of seeds of the future harvest into the ground. Ethnographic materials indicate that Navrez (March 21) for the Crimean Tatars originally meant the economic new year, which ended on September 22 - after the Derviz holiday.

Hydyrlez

The Khydyrlez holiday reflects the complex ethnic history Crimean Tatars. Its rituals and customs trace the origins of beliefs, social life and economic activities of the people. The holiday is celebrated on Friday of the 1st week of the month of Kuralai (May). After Hydyrlez, the social year begins. The day before, the housewives begin a thorough cleaning of the entire house, since, according to legend, Hydyrlez does not visit a dirty house. It is believed that if a pregnant woman breaks this tradition, the birth may be difficult. In the evening, housewives bake round bread (kalakai), kobete. In villages near the jami (mosque), young people are preparing to light a fire. In the evening, residents of the entire village gather at this place. After the evening namaz (prayer), the most respected resident of the village lights a fire and is the first to jump over it, followed by the rest of the men, then the young men and boys. Jumping, they say: “Difficulties for the Gentile, but prosperity for me.” Then the men leave. During this time, the flames die out, and then women and girls begin to jump over the fire.

According to legend, on the night before the holiday, children, fearing terrible dreams, smear garlic on their heads, lips and feet and read prayers for the night. In the evening, housewives scatter a handful of wheat on the windowsill, the cattle are taken out of the barn and fumigated with smoke from the “evil eye.” On the day of the holiday, after morning prayer, the housewife milks the cow and sheep and sprinkles the entrance to the barn with milk. On this day, every family tries to plant a tree (men - an apple tree, women - a pear) or flowers. Crimean Tatars try to celebrate this holiday in nature, near a spring. A swing is pre-installed in the clearing. The girls cover them with flowers and swing on them. Women sprinkle each other with greens and slide down the slide. An integral part of the holiday is the descent of pre-baked bread from a hill. If the loaf falls face up, then there will be a good harvest, but if on the contrary, then the year will be a bad harvest. Men compete in wrestling (kuresh). At this holiday, boys and girls get to know each other, brides are viewed and their choice takes place. The general fun ends with the obligatory performance of the general dance Khoran (group dance forming a circle).

From ethnographic materials it follows that the Crimean Tatars spring holidays Navrez and Hydyrlez represent a complex of rituals and customs that are aimed at appeasing the forces of nature in order to obtain a rich harvest and increase the number of livestock. They show elements of the culture of the farmer and pastoralist.

Derviza

The specifics of calendar rituals are complemented autumn holiday- Derviza. It is celebrated on September 22, the day of the solar equinox. After this day, the “dying away” of the forces of nature begins, i.e. autumn begins. The name Derviz consists of two words: “der” means door, gate. The second word is “visa” - permission to enter. In other words, in accordance with the functional purpose of this day, Derviza means “entering a new world.”

Before the holiday, as usual, the house and yard are thoroughly cleaned. Housewives bake bread, kobete. On the day of the holiday, girls in elegant clothes scatter ashes on the field, in the vegetable garden, in the garden and vineyards. The boys clean the barn and fumigate it with smoke. This holiday is organized jointly by residents of several villages that are part of one community - “jamaat”. As always, the holiday begins with prayer and the sacrifice of a ram. After this, several girls aged 10-12 years put on sheepskin coats, symbolizing the approach of winter, while simultaneously announcing the beginning of the holiday. Women roll a sieve (elek) from the hills. If the sieve lies upside down, there will be a good harvest, but if upside down, then a small harvest is expected, if it stands on its side, the grains will grow tall. At this festival, competitions of dancers, singers, poets, and ditty connoisseurs are held, and competitions in national kuresh wrestling are organized. Only on this holiday do they compete in throwing a stone into the distance, saying: “May the dark days return when this stone returns,” in other words, never. Fairs are a must. Usually the holiday ends with a general dance - a khoran, which appears as a dance of the unity of the people in achieving a common goal.

On this day, the Crimean Tatars sum up the results of their work from Khyderlez to Derviza, that is, they complete the sowing of winter crops, receive their sheep from the shepherds who have descended from the yayla, and the owners make mutual settlements with the shepherds. After this, the whole village chooses a new shepherd or remains the same. Then the wedding season begins.

Eid al-Fitr

Fasting is the fourth of the five obligatory conditions observed by Muslims. Fasting begins in the month of Ramadan (Ramadan) on the first day of the new moon and is observed for 30 days. The word Ramadan (Ramadan) means to burn, that is, during this month, when fasting is observed, all sins are “burned out,” the doors of heaven are opened, and the doors of hell are closed. Along with fasting, Islam encourages a Muslim to engage in good deeds: feed the hungry, invite at least one person to his house who is fasting, and feed him dinner in the evening.

After the 30-day fast, the Eid al-Fitr holiday begins. The day before Eid al-Fitr or on the day of the holiday, after the festive prayer, Crimean Tatars give fitr - alms - based on the cost of 1 kg of wheat for each family member. Fitr is distributed to the poor, orphans, and lonely old people. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated for 4 days and falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. On this day, reconciliation occurs between those who were in a quarrel. Everyone asks each other for forgiveness for voluntary and involuntary insults.

4 days before the holiday, they begin to thoroughly clean the house, court premises, barns, and clean the livestock. After cleaning is completed, all family members are required to bathe, put on clean underwear, tidy up their hair, and cut their nails. Women dye their hair, the first phalanx of their fingers, with henna. This is how they prepare for the most sacred night of the month of Ramadan, which falls on the 27th of Ramadan - Kadir Gejesi, which means “the night of deciding human destinies, the night of power” - the night of predestination.

In the evening, housewives fry khatlama and chibereki. Children bring them to relatives, mutual exchange of dishes occurs. This custom is called “so that there is a smell of food in the house.” It is mandatory to feed this dish to your dog. On Eid al-Fitr festive table mainly consists of sweet baked dishes: khurabie, khatlam, sweets, fruits, all kinds of jams. Holiday coffee is a must.

Eid al-Adha

It is one of the main holidays of Muslims. Begins on the tenth day of the month of Dhu-l-Hijjah and is celebrated for 4 days. Every wealthy Muslim slaughters a sheep, goat, bull or camel, depending on his means. He distributes the meat to the poor, orphans, and lonely old people, wanting to atone for their sins and receive God’s blessing in their deeds.

During the sacrifice, certain rituals are observed. In Crimea, during the Eid al-Adha holiday, rams are most often sacrificed. The animal intended for this purpose must be without any defect, with intact teeth; if there are horns, they must not be damaged. The animal must be a one-year-old male. Beforehand, a special prayer is read over the animal. A number of rules are also followed:

Knives must be well sharpened in advance. You cannot sharpen a knife near a sacrificial animal.

The animal's eyes are tied with a scarf.

Henna is applied to the head and a lollipop is placed in the mouth.

It is necessary to dump the animal on its left side next to the hole, tie two front and one hind legs.

If there are several sacrificial animals, then the rest should stand at a distance from that place and should not see the act of sacrifice.

According to custom, the meat of a sacrificial ram is not washed. It is carefully checked and cleaned of adhered hairs, cut into small pieces (200-250 g). It is boiled in water, adding only onions and salt to the broth, and greens in the summer. Eaten with bread or flatbreads. For three days, the family consumes 1/3 of the meat of the sacrificial ram, treating all guests who came with congratulations on the occasion of the holiday, and 2/3 of the meat is distributed to the poor, lonely, whose income does not allow sacrificing a ram. The skin of the sacrificial ram is presented as a gift to the jami. In addition, trips to Aziz (holy places of the Crimean Tatars) are carried out.

Ashir kunyu

Crimean Tatars celebrate the Ashir Kunyu holiday, which comes after Ashir Gejesi (Night of Ashir), which is one of the 10 blessed nights revered by Muslims. Ashir Kunyu falls on the 10th day of the month of Muharrem (Ashir Ay). This day is celebrated as the day of remembrance of the fallen sons of the prophet Ali: Usein and Asan during one of the wars with the infidels. On this day, the Tatars, unlike the Shiites, do not reproduce the details of their murder, but limit themselves to lighting a candle and reading a prayer. This month, a ritual dish known as “ashir ash” (food on the day of Ashir) is prepared and consumed, and clean spring or well water is drunk.

According to the legend of the Crimean Tatars, during one of the wars against infidels, Muslim soldiers were surrounded by the enemy. The food ran out and hunger began. Everyone began to look in their pockets to see if there was any food left. And in the pockets of the seven warriors various products were found: grains of wheat, beans, corn, peas, walnuts, dried fruits. Having collected everything, we cooked food. In memory of this event, seven mandatory components are used when preparing this dish in the month of Ashir Ai:

Corn; purified, specially processed wheat; Crimean peas; beans; various dried fruits; Walnut; syrup.

Source of publication: Kurtiev R.I. Calendar rites of the Crimean Tatars. -Simferopol: Crimean educational and pedagogical state publishing house, 1996. © 1999 Tauride National University. Vernadsky.

Source

Crimean Tatars are a people that originated on the Crimean peninsula and southern Ukraine. Experts say that these people came to the peninsula in 1223 and settled in 1236. The interpretation of the history and culture of this ethnic group is vague and multifaceted, which arouses additional interest.

Description of the nationality

Crimeans, Krymchaks, Murzaks are the names of this people. They live in the Republic of Crimea, Ukraine, Turkey, Romania, etc. Despite the assumption of a difference between the Kazan and Crimean Tatars, experts claim the unity of the origins of these two directions. Differences arose due to the specifics of assimilation.

The Islamization of the ethnic group occurred at the end of the 13th century. It has symbols of statehood: a flag, a coat of arms, an anthem. On the flag blue color tamga is depicted - a symbol of the steppe nomads.

As of 2010, about 260 thousand were registered in Crimea, and in Turkey there are 4-6 million representatives of this nationality who consider themselves Turks of Crimean origin. 67% live in non-urban areas of the peninsula: Simferopol, Bakhchisaray and Dzhankoy.

They speak three languages ​​fluently: Russian and Ukrainian. Most speak Turkish and Azerbaijani. Native language is Crimean Tatar.

History of the Crimean Khanate

Crimea is a peninsula inhabited by the Greeks already by the 5th-4th centuries BC. e. Chersonesus and Feodosia are large Greek settlements of this period.

According to historians, the Slavs settled on the peninsula after repeated, not always successful, invasions of the peninsula in the 6th century AD. e., merging with the local population - the Scythians, Huns and Goths.

The Tatars began to raid Taurida (Crimea) from the 13th century. This led to the creation of a Tatar administration in the city of Solkhat, later renamed Kyrym. This is how the peninsula began to be called.

The first khan was recognized as Khadzhi Girey, a descendant of the khan of the Golden Horde Tash-Timur, the grandson of Genghis Khan. The Girays, calling themselves Genghisids, laid claim to the Khanate after the division of the Golden Horde. In 1449 he was recognized as the Crimean Khan. The capital became the city of the Palace in the Gardens - Bakhchisarai.

The collapse of the Golden Horde led to the migration of tens of thousands of Crimean Tatars to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Prince Vitovt used them in military operations and to impose discipline among the Lithuanian feudal lords. In return, the Tatars received land and built mosques. Gradually they assimilated with the local residents, switching to Russian or Polish. Muslim Tatars were not persecuted by the church, since they did not interfere with the spread of Catholicism.

Turkish-Tatar Union

In 1454, the Crimean Khan concluded an agreement with Turkey to fight the Genoese. As a result of the Turkish-Tatar alliance in 1456, the colonies agreed to pay tribute to the Turks and Crimean Tatars. In 1475, Turkish troops, with the assistance of the Tatars, occupied the Genoese city of Cafu (Kefe in Turkish), and then the Taman Peninsula, ending the presence of the Genoese.

In 1484, Turkish-Tatar troops captured the Black Sea coast. The Budrzycka Horde state was founded on this square.

The opinions of historians regarding the Turkish-Tatar alliance are divided: some are sure that the Crimean Khanate turned into a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, others consider them equal allies, since the interests of both states coincided.

In reality, the Khanate depended on Turkey:

• Sultan - leader of the Crimean Muslims;
• Khan's family lived in Turkey;
• Türkiye bought slaves and loot;
• Türkiye supported the attacks of the Crimean Tatars;
• Türkiye helped with weapons and troops.

The Khanate's long military operations with the Moscow state and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth stopped Russian troops in 1572 at the Battle of Molodi. After the battle, the Nogai hordes formally submitted Crimean Khanate, continued the raids, but their number was greatly reduced. The formed Cossacks took over guard functions.

Life of Crimean Tatars

The peculiarity of the people was the non-recognition of a sedentary way of life until the 17th century. Agriculture developed poorly and was mainly nomadic: the land was cultivated in the spring, the harvest was harvested in the fall, after returning. The result was a small harvest. It was impossible to feed people through such farming.

The source of life for the Crimean Tatars remained raids and robberies. The khan's army was not regular and consisted of volunteers. 1/3 of the men of the khanate took part in major campaigns. In especially large ones - all men. Only tens of thousands of slaves and women with children remained in the Khanate.

Life on a hike

The Tatars did not use carts on campaigns. The carts at home were harnessed not to horses, but to oxen and camels. These animals are not suitable for hiking. Horses themselves found food in the steppes even in winter, breaking the snow with their hoofs. Each warrior took 3-5 horses with him on a campaign to increase speed when replacing tired animals. In addition, horses are additional food for a warrior.

The main weapon of the Tatars is bows. They hit the target from a hundred paces. During the campaign they had sabers, bows, whips and wooden poles, which served as supports for tents. On the belt they kept a knife, a crosshair, an awl, 12 meters of leather rope for prisoners and a tool for orienting in the steppe. For ten people there was one pot and a drum. Everyone had a pipe for warning and a tub for water. During the hike we ate oatmeal - a mixture of flour from barley and millet. From this the drink pexinet was made, to which salt was added. In addition, everyone had fried meat and crackers. The source of nutrition is weak and injured horses. From horse meat they prepared boiled blood with flour, thin layers of meat from under the saddle of a horse after a two-hour race, boiled pieces of meat, etc.

Taking care of horses is the most important thing for a Crimean Tatar. The horses were poorly fed, believing that they were restoring their strength on their own after long marches. Lightweight saddles were used for horses, parts of which were used by the rider: the lower part of the saddle was a carpet, the base was for the head, a cloak stretched over poles was a tent.

Tatar horses - bakemans - were not shod. They are small and clumsy, but at the same time resilient and fast. Rich people used beautiful cow horns for their purposes.

Crimeans on campaigns

The Tatars have a special tactics for conducting a campaign: on their territory, the speed of transition is low, with the concealment of traces of movement. Beyond it, the speed dropped to a minimum. During raids, the Crimean Tatars hid in ravines and hollows from enemies, did not light fires at night, did not allow horses to neigh, caught tongues to obtain intelligence information, and before going to bed, lassoed themselves to horses to quickly escape from the enemy.

As part of the Russian Empire

In 1783, the “Black Century” began for the people: annexation to Russia. In the decree of 1784 “On the structure of the Tauride region,” governance on the peninsula is implemented according to the Russian model.

The noble nobles of Crimea and the supreme clergy became equal in rights to the Russian aristocracy. Massive land seizures led to emigration in the 1790s and 1860s, during the Crimean War, to Ottoman Empire. Three quarters of the Crimean Tatars left the peninsula in the first decade of power Russian Empire. The descendants of these migrants created Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian diasporas. These processes led to devastation and desolation of agriculture on the peninsula.

Life within the USSR

After the February Revolution, an attempt was made to create autonomy in Crimea. For this purpose, a Crimean Tatar kurultai of 2000 delegates was convened. At the event, the Temporary Crimean Muslim Executive Committee (VKMIK) was elected. The Bolsheviks did not take into account the decisions of the committee, and in 1921 the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed.

Crimea during the Great Patriotic War

During the occupation, since 1941, Muslim committees were created, which were renamed Crimean and Simferopol. Since 1943, the organization was renamed the Simferopol Tatar Committee. Regardless of the name, its functions included:

• opposition to partisans - resistance to the liberation of Crimea;
• the formation of voluntary detachments - the creation of Einsatzgruppe D, which numbered about 9,000 people;
• creation of auxiliary police - by 1943 there were 10 battalions;
• propaganda of Nazi ideology, etc.

The committee acted in the interests of forming a separate state of the Crimean Tatars under the auspices of Germany. However, this was not part of the Nazi plans, which envisaged the annexation of the peninsula to the Reich.

But there was also an opposite attitude towards the Nazis: by 1942, a sixth of the partisan formations were Crimean Tatars, who made up the Sudak partisan detachment. Since 1943, clandestine work has been carried out on the peninsula. About 25 thousand representatives of the nationality fought in the Red Army.

Collaboration with the Nazis led to mass evictions to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, the Urals and other territories in 1944. During the two days of the operation, 47 thousand families were deported.

You were allowed to take clothes, personal belongings, dishes and food with you in an amount of no more than 500 kg per family. In the summer months, the settlers were provided with food in exchange for the property they left behind. Only 1.5 thousand representatives of the nationality remained on the peninsula.

Returning to Crimea became possible only in 1989.

Holidays and traditions of the Crimean Tatars

Customs and rituals include Muslim, Christian and pagan traditions. The holidays are based on the agricultural calendar.

The animal calendar, introduced by the Mongols, depicts the influence of a specific animal in each year of a twelve-year cycle. Spring is the beginning of the year, so Navruz (New Year) is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox. This is due to the beginning of field work. On the holiday it is necessary to boil eggs as symbols of new life, bake pies, and burn old things at the stake. For young people, jumping over a fire and going home in masks while the girls told fortunes were organized. To this day, the graves of relatives are traditionally visited on this holiday.

May 6 - Khyderlez - the day of the two saints Khydyr and Ilyas. Christians celebrate St. George's Day. On this day, work began in the field, cattle were driven out to pastures, and the barn was sprinkled with fresh milk to protect against evil forces.

The autumn equinox coincided with the holiday of Derviz - the harvest. Shepherds returned from mountain pastures and weddings were held in the settlements. At the beginning of the celebration, according to tradition, prayer and ritual sacrifice were carried out. Then the residents of the settlement went to the fair and dances.

The holiday of the beginning of winter - Yil Gejesi - fell on the winter solstice. On this day, it is customary to bake pies with chicken and rice, make halva, and go from house to house as mummers to buy sweets.

Crimean Tatars also recognize Muslim holidays: Uraza Bayram, Kurban Bayram, Ashir-Kunyu, etc.

Crimean Tatar wedding

A Crimean Tatar wedding (photo below) lasts two days: first for the groom, then for the bride. The bride's parents are not present at the festivities on the first day, and vice versa. Invite from 150 to 500 people from each side. According to tradition, the beginning of the wedding is marked by the bride price. This is a quiet stage. The bride's father ties a red scarf around her waist. This symbolizes the strength of the bride who becomes a woman and devotes herself to order in the family. On the second day, the groom's father will remove this scarf.

After the ransom, the bride and groom perform the wedding ceremony in the mosque. Parents do not participate in the ceremony. After the mullah reads the prayer and issues a marriage certificate, the bride and groom are considered husband and wife. The bride makes a wish during prayer. The groom is obliged to fulfill it within the time frame established by the mullah. The desire can be anything: from decorating to building a house.

After the mosque, the newlyweds go to the registry office to officially register the marriage. The ceremony is no different from the Christian one, except for the absence of a kiss in front of other people.

Before the banquet, the parents of the bride and groom are obliged to buy the Koran for any money without bargaining from the small child at the wedding. Congratulations are accepted not by the newlyweds, but by the bride's parents. There are no competitions at the wedding, only performances by artists.

The wedding ends with two dances:

• national dance bride and groom - haitarma;
• Horan - guests, holding hands, dance in a circle, and the newlyweds in the center dance a slow dance.

Crimean Tatars are a nation with multicultural traditions that go deep into history. Despite assimilation, they retain their own identity and national flavor.