Sabantuy description of the holiday. Tatar holidaysSabantuy. Sack fight on a log

Sabantuy

“Sabantuy”, translated into Russian as “plow holiday”, is the most famous annual Tatar folk holiday in honor of the end of spring field work.

The origins of the celebration of Sabantuy go back to ancient times and are associated with an agrarian cult. The original purpose of this rite was probably to appease the spirits of fertility in order to favor a good harvest in the new year. 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).

Sabantuy is a beloved and widespread folk Tatar holiday. Therefore, it is celebrated from ancient times to the present day, interrupted only during wars and other difficult periods of life. However, upon the return of peaceful life, the celebration of Sabantuy was resumed. Recent studies show that sabantuy consisted of alternating rituals that were performed in early spring - from the first snowmelt to the start of sowing. There was this holiday in most Tatar villages and large Tatar communities around the world. Local differences were observed in its conduct, caused by the presence or absence of individual rites.

Over time, the traditions of Sabantuy have changed. Gradually, local differences disappeared, and the timing of its holding became uniform: Sabantuy is now celebrated in the summer after the end of spring field work and before the start of mowing during a break in agricultural work. In general, for Tatarstan, a phased Sabantuy is observed: first, it is celebrated in individual villages and villages, collective farms, and a district Sabantuy is held a week later. The celebration of Sabantuy ends in large cities and the capital of Tatarstan - Kazan. Previously, Sabantuy was not tied to a specific day of the week and was celebrated by the villagers on a convenient day for themselves, and now the generally accepted day off is appointed for the celebration of Sabantuy - Sunday.

Over time, the general form of the holiday took shape, which was not the case in traditional life, a number of stages and obsolete rituals disappeared. Gradually, the third version of Sabantuy began to prevail, which consisted of collecting gifts, Maidan and evening youth games. Gradually disappeared such stages as the collection of products for the preparation of "porridge" and the collection of colored eggs from home, in which children participated. This was due to the attribution of a number of rituals to religious and their prohibition by the Soviet authorities, and the fact that the collection of products began to be treated as a begging.

Sabantuy is an international national Tatar holiday, which has become a state holiday in Tatarstan, a federal holiday in Russia and an official city holiday in many cities around the world. In addition, at the initiative of the local Tatar communities, sabantu were held privately in cities such as Washington, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Tashkent, Montreal, Toronto, Prague, Istanbul and many others.

Sabantuy (translated from Tatar as “plow wedding/holiday”) is an ancient rite of the Turkic peoples. Traditionally, it was carried out before the start of sowing. At present, he marks their end with a cheerful celebration, at which national and dances, comic competitions and sports competitions do not cease. The Tatar people managed not only to preserve, but also to enrich this beautiful tradition, so Sabantuy is included in the UNESCO list of masterpieces of cultural heritage.

origins

The Sabantuy holiday has more than a thousand years of history. Back in 921, it was described in his writings by the famous researcher Ibn Fadlan, an ambassador from Baghdad who arrived in the Bulgars. In addition, the existence of this holiday in those days is confirmed by a tombstone in one of the ancient cemeteries. It was discovered in the Alkeyevsky district by local scientists. The inscription on the stone reads: “the deceased reposed in 1120 on the day of Sabantuy.”

Since ancient times, the Tatars considered Sabantuy a big event and prepared for it in advance. Festive events were led by the elders, who established the procedure for holding competitions. To this day, not only in Kazan, but throughout Russia and even abroad, the Tatars noisily and cheerfully celebrate the plow holiday.

The world-famous Tatar hospitality, national identity and good spirit of Sabantuy attract people of various nationalities and religions, uniting and bringing them closer. That is why all the inhabitants of the Republic celebrate Sabantuy with pleasure, which is one of the clearest manifestations of continuity and respect for each culture. From year to year, Sabantuy is enriched with new content, but the main thing is always the same - it is a holiday of labor and friendship of peoples.

Sabantuy is translated from the Turkic languages ​​as "the wedding (triumph) of the plow" - saban(plough) and tui(holiday, wedding). In the Tatar language, the holiday is called tat. sabantuy or tat. sabanthue. Also among the Tatars was the name Saban bairame(bayram also means holiday). The Bashkir name of the holiday has a similar etymology, from bashk. haban - plow.

For the Chuvash, this holiday was previously called Chuvash. dry - plowing (horse Chuvash) and Chuvash. sapan tuyĕ - plow holiday or Sapan (lower Chuvash), now it is called Chuvash everywhere. akatuy. The Mari name of a similar holiday, agapayrem, has a similar etymology. A similar holiday of the Tatarstan Mordovians - Baltai has Tatar etymology and means honey festival. A similar holiday called udm. Gerber also exists among the Udmurts.

The peoples of the North Caucasus, the Balkars and Nogais also celebrate a similar holiday, which they call sabantha. The same word denotes a similar holiday and the Kazakhs.

History of Sabantuy

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).

The origins of the celebration of Sabantuy go back to ancient times and are associated with an agrarian cult. The original purpose of this rite was probably to appease the spirits of fertility in order to favor a good harvest in the new year.

Recent studies show that Sabantuy consisted of an alternation of rituals that were performed in early spring - from the first snowmelt to the start of sowing. There was this holiday in most Tatar villages and large Tatar communities around the world. Local differences were observed in its conduct, caused by the presence or absence of individual rites.

It was first recorded in writing among the Bashkirs in the eighteenth century in the travel records of the Russian lexicographer, naturalist and traveler Lepekhin Ivan Ivanovich and the German ethnographer, scientist Georgi Johann Gottlieb

Sabantuy options

The first version of Sabantuy

Batyr Sabantuy with a prize

As soon as the snow melted, the old aksakals gathered and agreed on the dates for the Sabantuy. On the appointed day, the children went home to collect cereals, milk, butter, and eggs. From these products, some woman prepared porridge for children in the field near the water (sometimes in the house). This porridge was called dere or zere botkasy(meaning of terms dere, Zere unclear; perhaps there is a relationship with the Turkish dere - river - porridge was cooked by the water), and in the eastern and southeastern regions of Tatarstan - hag botkasy- “rook porridge” or “crow porridge”. Since the origins of the holiday lie in archaic, pre-Islamic beliefs, and one of them, the cult of birds - crows.

The next day, at dawn, the children put on new clothes (necessarily new bast shoes with white cloth stockings - tula oek), went home to collect colored eggs. Each had a bag in his hands, sewn from the red end of the war (woven with patterns) - kyzyl bashly selge- towels. All housewives not only painted eggs, but also baked buns, nuts from dough especially for children - baursak and made sweets.

In some villages, the hostess put the first boy who entered the house on a pillow, saying: “Let your leg be light, let there be many hens and chickens ...”. The first one was always given eggs, and he got more gifts than the rest.

On the same day, before dinner, after the children had finished their rounds, the young men rode out on smart horses. The so-called sōren sugu(collection of eggs by young men). In groups of 8-10 people they went around the village. Stopping at each house, sometimes stopping by the yard, they asked for eggs. Each hostess took out several raw eggs, which were put in a special purse. When the detour of the village was completed, one of the riders, more dexterous and faster, grabbed his purse and rushed at full speed beyond the outskirts. The task of the rest of the young men was to catch up with him. If this failed, all the eggs went to the winner, which rarely happened, but usually the young men arranged a joint treat.

Apart from sōren sugu on horseback in some villages arranged soren on foot - zheyaule soren. Several masqueraded men went from house to house, where they collected eggs and demanded treats. The one who did not give it was threatened with various troubles, but usually they were rarely refused.

A few days later, when the time for sowing was approaching, the young men on horseback rode out to collect gifts for the winners of the competitions. The villagers willingly gave away things prepared in advance: scarves, cuts of cloth, stockings, eggs, etc. The most valuable gift was considered to be a towel with swear patterns. It must have been prepared by young people ( yash kilen), married between the last two Sabantuys. The collection of gifts was accompanied by cheerful songs, jokes, jokes.

The next day, competitions were held: as a rule, maidan(place of competition) was in the area of ​​the fallow field. By the appointed time, people flocked there from all sides: they walked, families rode on horseback, residents not only of this village, but of the whole district. In order to be able to visit the Maidan in neighboring villages, the sequence in its conduct was observed. Arches, manes of horses were decorated with patterned towels, colorful cuts of chintz. All those present that day took out the best clothes and jewelry from the chests.

Competitions began with races. Sabantuy did not do without them in any Tatar village. Horses participating in the competition were taken to a certain distance, 5-10 kilometers from the village. The finish was arranged near the Maidan. While the horses were away, there were running competitions on the Maidan, which were started by boys or old people: the participants in the competitions were always grouped by age.

The best prizes were intended for the winner of the races, as well as the batyr, who became the one who won all the fights in national wrestling.

The tradition of Russians, Udmurts, Maris, Chuvashs, Bashkirs, Uzbeks living in the vicinity of the Tatars to participate in the Sabantui has become widespread.

Sabantuy as a public holiday

Presidents of Tatarstan and Russia M. Sh. Shaimiev and V. V. Putin at Sabantuy in Kazan, 2000

V. V. Putin at Sabantuy in Kazan, 2000

At present, Sabantuy has acquired the status of a state holiday in Tatarstan: it is held in almost every locality, decrees and resolutions are issued on the preparation, timing and venues, organizing committees are appointed from leaders of the highest rank at each level (village, settlement, district, city, republic), funding sources are determined.

The main Sabantuy is arranged in the capital of Tatarstan Kazan (now in the Birch Grove of the village of Mirny). Sabantu are also held outside of Tatarstan in places with a significant Tatar population. Also, the Federal Sabantuy is officially held annually alternately in one of the regions of Russia with a large Tatar diaspora.

Sabantuy procedure

The old traditions of Sabantuy are gradually supplemented by modern ones, however, the basic order of the celebration is preserved. As a rule, in the cities Sabantuy is celebrated for one day on the Maidan, and in the village it consists of two parts - the ritual collection of gifts and the Maidan. Sabantuy in the village is the time for receiving guests: relatives and friends, so they prepare for it in advance: they clean and whiten the house, prepare treats for guests.

Sabantuy begins to cook on the eve of the holiday on Saturday or even Friday. One of the stages - collecting gifts - Ayber җyyu, yaulyk җyyu. In some villages, for example, Leninogorsk, Menzelinsky districts, up to 50 or more of the best horses are saddled to collect gifts. Young men with songs drive from one end of the village to the other, collecting towels, scarves, cuts of cloth, etc., which are attached to the bridles of horses. The more gifts collected, the richer the rider's horse is decorated, and therefore the young men try to get as many gifts as possible, agreeing on them in advance with their neighbors, relatives, and acquaintances. If there is no horse, then the young men are tied crosswise over their shoulders with two towels, on which gifts are hung. In some villages near Kazan, gifts are collected by old aksakals who go around the houses and hang gifts from a pole on their shoulders. Most often, the host or hostess themselves take out the gifts and wait for the pickers at the gate. The young men thank those who give gifts with songs, and at the end of the collection they pass through the village with songs, music, showing everyone how many things were collected.

A gift from a young daughter-in-law is obligatory - yash kilen, which traditionally gives an embroidered towel. The best towel was later presented to the winner of the Sabantuy competition, which was a great honor for both the Sabantuy batyr and the girl who embroidered the towel. In recent years, due to the disappearance of home-made woven towels for Sabantuy, shirts have been given as gifts.

One of the collected towels (traditional towels with red patterned ends - kyzyl bashly selge are still found among the collected gifts) are hung on a long pole at the entrance to the village as a notification of the upcoming Sabantuy.

The tradition of ritual collection of eggs, which are given both with a gift and instead of it, has been preserved. Some of the eggs are sold, and the money received is used to buy the things needed for the Sabantuy. The rest of the eggs are used on the Maidan during comic competitions: wrestlers drink them, etc.

The venue for the celebration is appointed and equipped in advance. Maidan is cleared of stones and leveled, sometimes a tribune is installed on it. Often the place for the Maidan is permanent, and Sabantuy is celebrated on it from year to year. On the day of Sabantuy, a table with prizes and gifts for the winners is set up on the Maidan, and there are also stalls and buffets.

The Sabantuy opens, congratulating those gathered on the national holiday, one of the leaders of the district or city, and at the main Sabantuy in Kazan - the President of Tatarstan.

After the solemn opening of the holiday, the entertainment part begins: singers, dancers, who are participants in amateur performances or professional artists, perform.

After the end of the concert, the place and time for the competition will be announced. Due to the large gathering of people and the large number of people wishing to take part in the competitions, they cannot be held on the Maidan, however, prizes are awarded to the winners only on the Maidan.

One of the most popular types of competitions on Sabantuys is still the national wrestling - koresh. Competitions are started by two young boys (sometimes two old men), and then schoolboys, young men, and middle-aged men alternately compete.

The culminating moment of the struggle and the entire Sabantuy is the struggle of the batyrs - the winners in the preliminary bouts and, finally, the two finalists. Fights on the Maidan show the strength, dexterity, skill, courage of the batyrs, as well as their nobility and respect for the opponent.

The winner of the competition gets the most valuable gift of Sabantuy, which is quite significant these days: cars, expensive consumer electronics, carpets, washing machines, etc. Traditionally, the winner is given a live ram as a prize.

Maidan served as the beginning of a sports career for many famous wrestlers, and the Tatar wrestling koresh has become a sport in which individual and team championships of Tatarstan and Russia are held.

On the Maidan they compete in weight lifting: weights (pood, two-pood), sometimes barbells.

Comic competitions, which are also held on the Maidan, are widespread. These are various races in running: running with a spoon in the mouth with an egg laid on it, running with buckets on the yoke filled with water, running in bags, running in twos, when the left leg of one is tied to the right leg of the other. They compete in battle with sacks stuffed with hay, grass, which they lead on a slippery log; they compete in a game during which, blindfolded, they need to break an earthen pot standing on the ground with a stick. Also popular are tug-of-war, sticks, climbing a high smooth pole with a prize at the top. A live rooster in a cage, boots, etc. are used as a prize.

Conduct competitions of singers, readers, dancers; organize round dances, dances; together with craftsmen they are engaged in various national crafts, for example, forging.

Usually Maidan lasts from 10-11 am to 2-3 pm. It sells sweets and other goodies, often arrange family tea parties over a samovar.

After the end of the Maidan in the evening, young people gather for evening games - kichke uen(evening Sabantuy) - on the edge of the village, in the meadows, on the site of the day Maidan or in the club. There are also competitions of singers, dancers, reciters.

Federal Sabantuy

2001 - Saratov,

2002 - Tolyatti (Samara region),

2003 - Dimitrovgrad (Ulyanovsk region),

2004 - Yoshkar-Ola,

2005 - Nizhny Novgorod,

2006 - Saransk,

2007 - Chelyabinsk,

2008 - Astrakhan,

2009 - Ulyanovsk,

2010 - Izhevsk,

2011 - Yekaterinburg,

year 2013 - ...

All-Russian Rural Sabantuy

IV (2013) - ...

Sabantuy outside of Russia

Sabantuy takes place not only in Russia, but all over the world. This holiday is an international national Tatar holiday, which has become a state holiday in Tatarstan, a federal holiday in Russia and an official city holiday in many cities around the world. In addition, at the initiative of the local Tatar communities, sabantui began to be held annually in private in cities such as Washington, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Tashkent, Montreal, Toronto, Prague, Istanbul and many others.

see also

• bypass rites

Notes

1. Akatuy
2. Shipova E.I. Dictionary of Turkisms in Russian. Alma-Ata: Nauka, 1976, p. 268.
3. See Urazmanova R. K. Rites and holidays of the Tatars of the Volga region and the Urals (Annual cycle. XIX - early XX centuries). Historical and ethnographic atlas of the Tatar people. Kazan: Publishing House PIK "Dom Printing", 2001. P. 50., Nikishenkov A.A. Traditional etiquette of the peoples of Russia. 19th – early 20th centuries M.: Stary Sad, 1999, p.77, Kuchemezov B.Kh. Farming among the Balkars // Ethnographic Review. 2001, No. 1. S. 73.
4. sabantuy (origin of sabantuy, etymology of sabantuy) "Etymological dictionary of the Russian language. Fasmer Max (online version) « Russian language « Classes.ru
5. Sabantuy in Encyclopedia Chelyabinsk
6. Agapayrem - meeting place
7. Baltai - a holiday of honey and butter
8. Gerber: about the traditional summer holiday of the Udmurts
9. Traditions of the peoples of the KBR
10. 1gb.ru hosting - first page
11. Urazmanova R.K. Modern rituals of the Tatar people (Historical and ethnographic research). - Kazan: Tatar book. publishing house, 1984, p.52.

Every year throughout the country and even abroad, in the month of June, the Tatars arrange their national holiday - Sabantuy .

Sabantuy - This is a colorful spectacle in which everyone can find an activity of interest. During the holiday, various competitions are organized: running in bags, tug of war, sports such as chess and volleyball.

The main competitionSabantuy - this is the identification of the strongest person of the holiday on the Tatar national wrestling - koresh . The winner receives a ram as a reward, which he must lift on his shoulder and make a circle of honor with him around the square. Sabantuy – Maidan .

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When did the tradition of celebrating Sabantuy ?

“According to some studies, this ancient holiday has a thousand-year history. So back in 921, it was described in his works by the famous researcher Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in the Bulgars as an ambassador from Baghdad. Also in the Alkeyevsky district of Tatarstan, scientists discovered a tombstone, the inscription on which said that the deceased reposed in 1120 on the day of Sabantuy.

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).

The origins of the celebration of Sabantuy go back to ancient times and are associated with an agrarian cult. This is evidenced by its name: saban means "spring", or in another sense, - "plow", and tui - "wedding", "triumph". Thus, the meaning of the word sabantuy is a celebration in honor of the sowing of spring crops.

The original purpose of the rite, apparently, was to appease the spirits of fertility in order to favor a good harvest in the new year.

With the change in the economic way of life, magical rites lost their meaning, but many of them continued to exist as folk amusements and holidays. So it happened with Sabantuy.

In the 19th century, Sabantuy was already just a fun folk holiday, which marked the beginning of very complex, labor-intensive agricultural work. Survival ceremonies have been preserved only in some places, indicating the initial connection of Sabantuy with magic.

Recent studies show that sabantuy consisted of alternating rituals that were performed in early spring - from the first snowmelt to the start of sowing. There was this holiday in most villages of the Kazan Tatars and Tatar-Kryashen (baptized Tatars). In the villages of the Tatar-Mishars (Nizhny Novgorod Tatars), the Sabantuy was not performed, although individual spring rituals included in it were also found there (collection of colored eggs by children, games with eggs, etc.) Local differences were observed in its conduct, caused by the presence or absence of individual rituals.

Similar to Sabantuy Chuvash Akatuy, Bashkir Khabantuy and Udmurt Gerber”.

Source :

Again the songs sounded

Sing along and dance.

In the yard Folk holiday -

Our cheerful Sabantuy!

Sabantuy is a spring holiday,

Holiday of friendship and labor.

Sing, play and laugh out loud

And dance like never before!

The noise of fun over the fields,

Have fun, batyr, rejoice!

Gives joy to all nations

Glorious holiday Sabantuy.

And the fun will last

In Sabantuy until dark.

For everyone who wants to have fun

We give songs and flowers!

The Motherland gave birth to us,

Friendship is strong like granite.

This friendship is our strength.

Our friendship is forever.

And let the fun go

Every year again and again.

Our brothers, our sisters

We give songs and love!

Holiday Sabantuy

The favorite holiday of the Tatar people, Sabantuy, is an ancient and new holiday, a holiday of labor, in which the beautiful customs of the people, their songs, dances, and rituals merge into one.

The name of the holiday comes from the Turkic words: saban - plow and tui - 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).

This ancient holiday was described in his works in 921 by the famous researcher Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in the Bulgars as an ambassador from Baghdad.

Holiday Sabantuy

In the old days, the celebration of Sabantuy was a big event, and it took a long time to prepare for it. 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, pieces of calico, shirts, chicken eggs. A towel embroidered with a national pattern was considered the most honorable gift. The collection of gifts was usually accompanied by cheerful songs, jokes, jokes. Gifts were tied to a long pole, sometimes jigits tied themselves with collected towels and did not take them off until the end of the ceremony. Aksakals, a kind of council of Sabantuy, appointed a jury to award the winners, kept order during the competitions. The culmination of the holiday was Maidan - competitions in running, jumping, national wrestling - keresh, and, of course, horse racing.

Gradually, Sabantuy became a universal and interethnic holiday - today it is celebrated in villages, towns, regions, cities, the capital of Tatarstan, Moscow, St. Petersburg and in many other regions of the country, as well as in different parts of the world where Tatars live.

At present, Sabantuy has acquired the status of a public holiday: decrees and resolutions are issued on the preparation, dates and venues, organizing committees are appointed from the leaders of the highest rank at each level (village, township, district, city, republic), sources of funding are determined. The ancient holiday is gradually supplemented by modern traditions, but the main features of the celebration are preserved, passing from century to century.

In the Republic of Tatarstan Sabantuy takes place, as a rule, in June, in three stages. On the first Saturday after the end of spring sowing, the holiday is held in the villages and villages of the republic, a week later - in large cities of Tatarstan, and a week later the main Sabantuy is held in the capital of the republic, Kazan. In all administrative districts of the city, Maidans are organized for competitions, platforms for performances by masters of culture and arts of Tatarstan, folk festivals. Races are held at the central hippodrome of the city.

During his visit to Kazan in June 2003, UNESCO Director-General K. Matsuura supported the initiative of the President of Tatarstan M. Sh. List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of UNESCO.

Competitions on Sabantuy

Thanks to the active participation of representatives of other nations in Sabantuy, its playing repertoire is constantly enriched.

In this regard, sports games, which have been used by folk pedagogy for many centuries as a means of educating the younger generation, are of particular value. Moreover, their characteristic feature is completeness (prologue - game - epilogue) and strict regulation, with a focus on competition and achievement of victory.

Holiday Sabantuy

All this suggests the presence in the Maidan games of their oral folk rules, passed down from generation to generation. Already in the medieval period, there were both written rules and methodological manuals that regulated the development of traditional games. Many Maidan games, as a rule, of common Turkic origin, have a long history and rich traditions, they are preserved in folklore, their names are recorded in dictionaries. Sources X-XI centuries. they say that even then the main game components included in the modern Sabantuy were formed. In addition to the main competitions - kuresh and horse racing, Sabantuy is replete with traditional sports and entertainment games. Traditionally, Sabantuy sports are running for speed and endurance over a variety of distances, racing uphill, over obstacles, and others. Participants of the Sabantuevs are eager to compete in cross-country races. Often the distance is determined by eye - "from village to village." And everywhere runners are accompanied by riders or motorcyclists who provide assistance if necessary. It was with foot running that Sabantuy began at the beginning of the 20th century. There were several races in different age categories: children started, like all Sabantuy competitions. The distance was determined by eye: from about half to one verst and from one to two versts. Competitions tauga chabysh (running uphill) are recorded in the dictionary of M. Kashgari (XI century). Running uphill as one of the types of batyr competitions also appears in Tatar folk tales (“Alpamsha”, “Kamyr batyr”, etc.).

The origin of this type of running is rooted in the distant past and is associated with the worship of the “spirit of the mountain”. Hill running is included in the programs of many Sabantuevs (where there are hills).

For a long time on Sabantuy they competed in lifting weights - stones. Competitions to raise stones are still preserved on holidays in a number of regions. Competitors must lift a stone weighing approximately 25-30 kilograms with one hand. The rules of the competition are simple and public: each participant first lifts the stone with both hands and places it comfortably on the right palm raised to the shoulder. And after that, slowly straightening the arm, lifts the weight. Most Sabantuys use kettlebells or barbells in weightlifting competitions. In many areas, competitors prefer to lift twenty-four-kilogram and two-pound kettlebells.

Another old folk tradition is being revived in the district Sabantuy: youth and veterans actively participate in competitions for carrying weights (kettlebells). Only men over 25 were allowed to participate in the tournament.

Sikeresh (jumping), as well as other national sports of the ancient Turks, were mentioned in the dictionary of M. Kashgari. There are high jump and long jump competitions.

More and more confidently declares itself on Sabantuy and wrestling on the hands. If in the international arena of sports this kind is known as arm wrestling, in the Tatar people it has long been known as “kul koreshteru”. Its rules are simple: in order to defeat an opponent, you need to press his hand to the table, on which a special pillow is placed.

Arkan (rope, bau) tartysh (tug of war). In the ancient Turkic dictionary, it is designated by the terms uruq (rope, rope) and uqruq (lasso).

Uk atysh (archery). M. Kashgari wrote about this truly popular sport in the following way: “curam is archery at a distant target; curam oqi is a light long arrow for long-range archery.”

Yodryk sugyshy (fist fight). Speaking of truly national sports, one cannot fail to mention fisticuffs, which have been cultivated among the Tatars, as well as among other Turkic peoples, since ancient times.

Running with a yoke is a comic competition, but it has a certain subtext: since the buckets are not empty, but full to the brim with water and mainly young girls of marriageable age and daughters-in-law compete, their accuracy is also tested here. The pea fight is one of the most favorite competitions. The task is to break the pot while blindfolded.

For the most dexterous, there is such a competition as climbing a pole, on top of which a red flag or a valuable gift is attached. Moreover, the height of the pillar sometimes reaches 15 meters.

A fun competition to find a coin in a bowl with a katyk. The referees tightly blindfold the player and offer to put their hands behind their backs. At the referee's signal, the player bends over the plate and, "diving" his face into the katyk, begins to look for a coin with his lips. He has only a strictly limited time for this. Especially loved by children is such fun as running with an egg in a spoon, while holding the spoon in your mouth.

Comic competition fight with bags of straw, sitting on a log, also requires a certain dexterity. A round log is installed on the Maidan. Two contestants sit astride a log opposite each other, holding sacks filled with straw in their hands. At the referee's signal, the players begin to beat each other with bags, trying to knock the opponent off the log to the ground. Whoever manages to keep his opponent on the ground, he is declared the winner. There are also many different competitions associated with the availability of certain technical means and conditions that allow them to be held. Such, for example, as competitions in pair sledding, horseback riding, trotting under saddle, kyz kuu (a rider rider must catch up with a girl rider and kiss or tear off an embroidered scarf tied on a sleeve), running along a well crane and others.

The history of the Sabantuy holiday

The origin of the Sabantuy calendar holiday among the Tatars' ancestors is associated with the rites of public prayers and sacrifices in honor of the sky and sun god Tengre and the spirits of ancestors. Sabantuy from the very beginning was a spring holiday associated with the awakening of nature and the beginning of spring work (saban - "spring"). Its origin is connected with the rites of ritual marriage with nature, which were common among a number of ancient Turkic tribes and other peoples of the world. Therefore, initially the games and competitions of Sabantuy were sacred. In this context, tui should be interpreted precisely as a “wedding” (“marriage”).

The most ancient and main competitions on Sabantuy, connected with the nomadic and semi-nomadic life of the ancestors of the Tatars and previously having a sacred meaning, are running, the national wrestling kuresh, horse racing (“at chabyshlary”) and jumping. This is explained in many respects by the similar ideology of pagan rites and holidays associated with the beginning of the spring-summer cycle of agricultural work among the Tatar, Bashkir, Chuvash, Mari, Udmurt, Mordovian and Russian ethnic groups. There was a mutual enrichment of the content of Sabantuy and similar holidays among other peoples of the Volga region.

Putin at the Sabantuy holiday

At the heart of the Sabantu rite of donations, which replaced the pagan sacrifices to the god of the Sun and sky Tengra, is the desire to procreate, ensure the fertility of livestock and the fertility of the earth. The motive of giving gifts, which replaced sacrifices, is the basis for collecting gifts on Sabantuy. Moreover, the very collection of gifts by young men, who were called “birne zhyyuchy”, “solge zhyyuchy”, became a kind of prelude to the holiday. Sabantuy gifts - embroidered white towels, scarves, eggs and, finally, a ram destined for the batyr Sabantuy. The runner who injured his leg and especially the horse that crossed the finish line last was sure to be rewarded. The necks of such horses were decorated with embroidered towels and scarves. Despite the influence of certain elements (Muslim, Christian, Soviet) on the Sabantuy holiday in different eras, the transmission of the tradition of rituals, games and competitions of Sabantuy remained uninterrupted, as evidenced by many types of historical sources (written, archaeological, ethnographic, etc.). During the existence of the Kazan Khanate, Sabantuy received the status of the most massive national holiday.

Since that time, it has been wandering from century to century, enriched with new content and forms, turning into a truly international, creative, sports, gaming, and humanitarian forum. After the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria, which in principle did not prohibit ancient customs that did not contradict Sharia, the ruling elite changed their value orientations in relation to the genealogical and cultural pagan heroes, the former khans, which could not but affect the ritual, i.e. main part of calendar holidays. It was with the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars that the folk calendar changed. The New Year began to be celebrated as the holiday of Nauruz, or Hamal. Sabantuy moved back to the beginning of May, becoming a holiday of the beginning of spring and sowing. After the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Soviet Russia on February 14, 1918, the Tatars began to celebrate Nauruz as a holiday of meeting spring.

Since the 20s of the XX century, Sabantuy, approaching the time of the summer solstice, has absorbed the best components of the second Tatar folk holiday - Jiena, which also has ancient Turkic roots. It has preserved the best examples of the cultural heritage of the Tatar people - songs and dances, games, competitions and original physical exercises.

Since 1990, Sabantuy has been included in the list of legally approved republican holidays, which allows us to consider it as a historical phenomenon not only in the system of calendar customs and rituals of the people, but also as an integral part of the republican holidays.

The visit to Tatarstan and the direct participation in Sabantuy of the Presidents of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin in 1995 and V.V. Putin in 2001.

Despite the fact that Sabantuy is the original Tatar national folk holiday, representatives of other nationalities are welcome to participate in it. Sabantuy is held in villages and cities of the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as outside its borders - places of compact residence of the Tatar population (in the regions of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Germany, USA). Sabantuy is a concentrated expression of the Tatar traditional culture, its ethics and values. At the same time, throughout history, it absorbed elements of other ethnic cultures.

The Sabantuy model as a form of technology for cultural communication can serve as a basis for initiating a new type of international celebrations, like the annual Carnival in Rio de Janeiro or the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture in Bulgaria.

Sabantuy: traditions and innovation

Cheerful, wise Sabantuy is an unsurpassed invention of the Tatar people. Having arisen in the mists of time, it has come down to our days as a holiday that has the magical property of constantly being updated and enriched, absorbing the material and spiritual achievements of society at this stage. Sabantuy, as a truly mass holiday, gives every person, no matter what nationality, religion or age, the opportunity to have fun, participate in competition games or just be a spectator.

Over the past few decades, Sabantuy has further strengthened its position as an all-Tatar holiday, celebrated along with Tatarstan and in many countries near and far abroad where Tatars live. It is becoming, one might say, all-Russian, attracting every year more and more representatives of different nations and peoples of Russia, in some regions the official authorities are already taking on the role of organizers of the action.

Yes, all this can not but rejoice. But I would be insincere if I didn't mention the things that make me anxious. For more than three decades now, the radio performance "Sabantuy" based on my poem of the same name has been aired annually, in recent years it has been broadcast more than once on the all-Russian air. So, even during this historically short period of time, significant changes have taken place in the organization of Sabantuy, and, in my opinion, not all of them are positive. What exactly are we talking about?

Sabantuy is dear and valuable to us, first of all, as a democratic, folk holiday, in which or with the help of which we come into contact with folk traditions of communication and fun. There are traditions - there is a people, no traditions - there is no people. It's an axiom! Preserving and protecting the age-old traditions of the Tatar people, their rituals and customs, native language and songs, we strengthen our foundations as a nation and people, destroying them - destroying ourselves. Therefore, the balance of traditional and innovative in the organization and conduct of Sabantuy, which incorporates almost all forms of creativity of the Tatar people, must always be precisely verified.

The days of Sabantuy in our republic are determined by the decree of the President of Tatarstan. Then preparations for the holiday begin in the municipalities. The timing of the Sabantuy is strictly observed, and thus the social and economic life of the republic does not get out of the usual rut. Such an approach to the national holiday is, as it were, a modern continuation of ancient traditions, but already at the state level.

The venues of the Sabantuy are determined by municipalities, and the more familiar and permanent these places are, the better the aura of the holiday, the deeper the perception of its significance by both participants and organizers.

Through the centuries, the main types of competitions, the games of Sabantuy, have come down to us. Of the competitions, these are horse racing, wrestling on sashes, running in bags, running with an egg in a spoon, running with buckets of water on a yoke, climbing a smooth post, fighting with bags on a log; from the games - breaking a pot with a blindfold with a stick, searching for a coin in a katyk with a mouth. Also traditional are the competitions of singers, dancers, performers on folk musical instruments - accordionists, kuraists, kubyzists.

Special mention should be made of the traditions of hospitality and feasts. To this day, on Sabantuy, you can meet family feasts with their own samovars and treats on a tablecloth spread right on the grass, with songs accompanied by talyanka.

As a rule, competitions, games of Sabantuy are started by children, teenagers pick up the baton, then they are replaced by young men, and only then do adults take action. I would call this tradition of generational continuity one of the most important in our Sabantuy, which must be observed under any circumstances and conditions. Sabantuy spirit of competition, having once settled in the heart of a person in childhood, will help him all his life. I know this for myself. In order for a person to be able to maintain his face and dignity under any circumstances, he must always be ready for both victories and defeats, be able to measure his desires with his capabilities. In this sense, Sabantuy is the elementary school of life.

From time immemorial, the main prize of Sabantuy was a live ram, and it was intended for the absolute batyr. The winning horse at the races was always awarded the brightest, most beautiful, expensive towel, and then for a whole year until the next holiday, everyone had the names of both the winner-dzhigit, along with the nickname of the glorious horse, and the hostess who made the award towel. I cannot say that this tradition is followed everywhere today.

In this regard, I would like to touch upon such a problem. With the expansion of the Sabantuy celebration in Russia and beyond its borders and the desire to restore the originality of the national holiday, the need for Tatar towels has sharply increased. In a handicraft, manual way, they cannot be woven in demanded quantities. One Alekseevskaya factory in Tatarstan is not able to meet the needs of the organizers of Sabantuy in towels, both quantitatively and qualitatively. But it is possible to arrange mass production of special Sabantuy towels, which are required for wrestling kuresh, and for prizes at horse races, in other competitions. Let's remember: skullcaps of various denominations were needed in large quantities - and they appeared, the same with carpets with images of the Kazan Kremlin - they, thank God, are also not in short supply today.

On the eve of Sabantuy, young men collected gifts for prizes. It was this custom, which was called "seren sugu", which, in fact, made Sabantuy a national holiday. Times have changed, budgets of different levels began to provide funds for the celebration, and in recent years sponsorship funds have joined this necessary and noble cause, and ... a deeply meaningful custom began to lose its meaning. Because of this, the people lost the status of the organizer of Sabantuy and remained only its participant and spectator. It seems to me that not with the main purpose of collecting gifts, but to create an atmosphere of complicity of the population in organizing the holiday and in order to preserve the tradition, this custom should be returned. After all, it will not be difficult, say, in regional centers and villages on the eve of Sabantuy, to ride with the announcement of the collection of gifts on a troika of horses through the streets with a Sabantuy pole, on which towels-symbols flutter. And in the cities, the top three will be easily replaced by cars.

There was a good custom: when a ram was presented to the batyr Sabantuy, he turned to the Maidan and asked: "Aksakallar, are there rizams?" (Do you, elders, agree with this?). And only after the affirmative answer of the Maidan, the batyr put the ram on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this custom, which was still alive thirty years ago and was reflected in my poem, has now sunk into history. Now kuresh on the Maidan often turns into an over-organized spectacle in which the outcome of the fights is determined by pre-appointed judges, whose decisions are not always objective. The people are excluded from identifying the winners and losers on the Maidan in hot pursuit. Let's go back, as the French say, to our sheep. A gift, as you know, should be both desirable and pleasant for the one to whom it is given. And what kind of ram is often presented to the batyr at the current Sabantuy? One that spent the whole winter lying around on manure, from which the entire Maidan carries far from a “chanel” ... Should this be the main gift to the absolute batyr of the main holiday of the Tatar people known for its cleanliness?

As for the transformation of some Sabantuy competitions into commercial events, where cars, expensive foreign motorcycles and other luxurious things are presented to the winners and prize-winners on a merchant scale as awards, it seems to me that this does not fit in with the nature of Sabantuy as a national holiday.

Until now, in other rural areas of Sabantuy, the custom is alive to reward the horse that came to the finish line last, as a sign of support and consolation. But on Sabantuy of a regional, especially urban scale, this custom is almost never found. It's a pity. This custom, as I understand it, symbolizes the kindness of the soul and kindness of our people.

And in conclusion, a few words about innovation and innovation.

According to its status, Sabantuy is a national holiday, although the state is now its main organizer. Nevertheless, the holiday begins with the solemn hoisting of the symbol of Sabantuy - a white towel with red ends, and not the national flag. And it is right. State flags of Russia and specific regions may be raised in advance. However, the solemnly raised symbol of Sabantuy does not always descend just as solemnly, announcing the end of the national holiday. A trifle? Don't tell!

A good innovation in holding Sabantuy was the awarding ceremony for the leaders of production and the winners of various industry competitions. But, unfortunately, this process is often accompanied by long reports of the district leadership and exhaustingly long awards. The people, waiting for the beginning of the real Sabantuy, get tired and begin to disperse.

Sabantuy is a secular holiday that has nothing to do with religion. I had to participate in Sabantuy, which began with the reading of a prayer by a mullah, although the parishioners of a priest, a rabbi, and a priest were participants in the holiday. And among the Tatars there are many Orthodox. And then Sabantuy continued like any other holiday in Russia, that is, with the adoption "on the chest", unfortunately, not only tea, fruit juices and mineral water. The verses of the Qur'an and the word of God must be treated appropriately.

I like such innovations as competitions for weightlifters, kettlebell lifters, chess and checkers players, cyclists, as well as in volleyball, table tennis, arm wrestling. It is interesting to look at the running competitions of hobbled pairs of boys and girls, runners on stilts, walking on a swinging inclined pole, at the game "kyz kuu".

The new pearl of Sabantuy was racing with the participation of the best trotters of the district, and in Kazan, Nurlat - trotters even from near and far abroad.

In a word, in the bowels of Sabantuy, development processes have taken place and are taking place that delight us and at the same time make us seriously worry about preserving its originality and originality. And it is up to us to balance the traditions of the national holiday with the innovations dictated by the time, which means its further fate.

ARTICLES ABOUT TATARSTAN AND ABOUT THE TATARS PEOPLE:

! GENERAL ARTICLE ABOUT TATARSTAN - HERE!!!

http://1997-2011.tatarstan.ru/

http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/3173294/post174023679/

http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/masloff2006/

http://kukmor.livejournal.com/172007.html

https://lori.ru/cabinet/354197/info