Tatar national holiday SABANTUI.
Sabantuy is the most favorite holiday of the Tatar people, which is celebrated cheerfully and widely every year. but not everyone probably knows how it appeared and what the word “Sabantuy” means.
The name of the holiday comes from the Turkic words: “saban” and “tuy.” The word “tuy” means holiday. But the word “saban” has several meanings. Firstly, this word refers to an agricultural tool, a plow. And all other values indicate the time of plowing, arable land, time of field work, spring crops. IN recent years Sabantuy is often called the holiday of the plow. But this is not quite the correct name. It would be more accurate to say that this is a “holiday of spring sowing”, “a festival of spring crops”. Because the entire course of the holiday shows that it is held in honor of spring sowing. Our ancient ancestors, being pagans, made sacrifices to the deities of fertility and the spirits of the earth in order to appease them and ensure a rich harvest of grain.
History of the origin of the holiday
In ancient times, when there was no official calendar or division into months and dates, people divided the year into seasons depending on specific agricultural work (preparation for sowing, spring field work, harvesting, etc.). This division of seasons also existed among our ancestors. In addition, they often designated the seasons by the name of the main agricultural work performed during that period. For example, “urak өste”, “pechәn өste” (haymaking) meant summer time, harvest time “Saban Oste” - spring, time of the beginning of field work.
Previously, people believed that the spirit world could help a person in his daily affairs. They tried to appease them with various gifts and sacrifices. The entire life of an agricultural society depended on a good harvest. Therefore, rituals designed to maintain the fertility of the land and ensure a high harvest were especially important for ancient farmers; these rituals were performed before each grain sowing. Over time, they lost their original magical functions and acquired the character of a folk holiday. Sabantuy is one of these holidays.
There are several versions regarding the origin of the Sabantuy holiday. Some scientists believe that Sabantuy came to us from other nations. So, the Mongols have a holiday similar to Sabantuy, called Naadam. The main competitions here are wrestling, horse racing and archery. However, the rules of folk games at the Mongolian holiday differ from ours. Other scientists suggest that Sabantui appeared in Volga Bulgaria itself. There are also versions connecting Sabantui with the traditions of Tengrism.
The main competition of Sabantuy - kuresh - also has ancient history. Among the archaeological finds dating back to the 3rd-1st centuries. BC, images of paired wrestlers were found. In addition, wrestling is mentioned in some ancient Turkic literary works. It is known that the ancient Turks even had special works describing the rules of wrestling.
Thus, Sabantuy is an ancient Turkic holiday that appeared when our ancestors just started farming, and only later it finally took shape and became a traditional folk holiday.
There are several goals for holding a modern Sabantuy: identifying the warriors - the winners in the struggle, folk entertainment with national songs, dances and games, and most importantly - summing up the results of spring field work and rewarding the best farmers. Previously, Sabantuy was celebrated before the start of spring field work. And before the holiday, no one went into the field or began sowing. And instead of the current Sabantuy, another holiday was celebrated - Jien.
Pre-holiday rituals
There was no exact date or specific day of the week for Sabantuy. Everything depended on weather conditions, the intensity of snow melting and the degree of readiness of the soil for sowing spring crops. This usually happened at the end of April. On the eve of Sabantuy, a special ritual “Karga botkasy” was performed, which was considered initial stage holiday.
The ritual of celebrating Sabantuy consisted of two parts. First, magical ceremonies were held, and then competitions, games and mass entertainment. Preparations for Sabantuy began several weeks before the holiday. As a rule, village elders - aksakals - agreed among themselves and decided on the date and location of the holiday. Usually, beautiful green meadows near rivers, lakes and forests were chosen as the place of celebration.
The rite “soran salu” or “soran” occupied the main place among other preparatory rites. It is also called “solge җyyu”, i.e. collecting gifts for competition winners and participants in folk games. The young men, riding around the villages on decorated horses, shouted: “Arapә! Arap! "Arapa!" Sometimes older men also collected gifts. Holding a wooden pole (pole) in their hands, they walked through the streets and collected gifts: embroidered scarves, towels and cuts of material, etc. Along with gifts, they also collected eggs for Sabantuy.
As we have already said, before Sabantui a ritual of sacrifice was performed, where a white horse, a white duck or a goose was sacrificed. In addition, a certain area of the field was selected, and on the day of Sabantuy, ritual plowing was carried out. Large ones were placed in the furrow chicken eggs, which were then collected by children with wishes for a rich harvest. Probably, in ancient times this was a cultural ritual of feeding the spirits of the earth in the hope that from this the grains in the ears would be as large as eggs. It was this part of Sabantuy that was previously the main, most important, and games and competitions only decorated and emphasized the importance of the holiday. However, all pagan rituals and sacrifices were forgotten over time, underwent changes, and only folk games, competitions and entertainment.
Competitions.
Over time, the competitions held on the Sabantuy holiday have changed. However, the main ones are still national wrestling - kuresh - and horse racing.
Before the adoption of Islam, women could also participate in the fight, they even defeated men. For example, in the 12th century, the daughter of the emir of Volga Bulgaria, Shamgun-Saina, defeated her husband-batyr during a struggle.
The main gift that is given to the strongest wrestler is, as you know, a ram. But why a ram and not some other prize? Among the ancient Turks, the ram was a sacred animal. It was believed that it protects the body from evil spirits, and some animal bones have magical power. That’s why the ancient Turks presented their guests of honor with a boiled lamb’s head.
The competition began with horse racing. Various horse games were widespread among all nomadic peoples. In between migrations, they selected the best horses and held competitions in speed and agility. This not only helped identify the most resilient and powerful animals, but was also good training for the Riders.
It is impossible to imagine the life of nomads without a horse. The horse was the closest assistant, the breadwinner of a person, and during a battle a good horse could save his life. Our ancestors believed that deities, just like people, rode horses. Therefore, horses themselves were also considered sacred animals.
The preparation of horses for the upcoming races began with the so-called warm-up (“at ayagi kyzdyru”). How they rode out on horseback and staged something like a race. This went on for several days. Thus, they trained the horses, preparing them for the main competitions.
All competitions held on Sabantui certainly meant and symbolized something. For example, archery is not just training for future warriors and hunters. In the distant past, the ability to shoot a bow meant that young men had reached adulthood. The bow also symbolized the first rays of the sun.
The children also tried their hand at various games: pole climbing, sack running, tug of war.
So, you learned that Sabantuy, which began to be celebrated by nomads, then turned into a holiday of farmers, and has come down to us simply as a cheerful folk festival. This is one of the national holidays, which, undergoing changes, changing with time and people, has come down from ancient times to the present day.
The Sabantuy holiday is very ancient and came to Kazan in its present form from pagan culture. Previously, it was celebrated directly with the arrival of spring and the main rituals that accompanied it were offerings and prayers to the god of the sun and sky, Tengre. Also on this day, the spirits of deceased ancestors were appeased.
The word “Saban” translated from Turkic means “spring”, and “tuy” means “wedding”. It turned out that literally the holiday symbolized union with nature. The very first entertainments were of a sacred nature; they all came from the nomadic and semi-nomadic life that existed at that time. Running was an indispensable component of the entertainment program of that time. Jumping, horse racing and kuresh wrestling were also encouraged.
Over time, the Sabantuy holiday absorbed culture different nations, the traditions of the Udmurt, Chuvash, Mordovian, Tatar and Russian ethnic groups were mixed into it. Similar spring holidays began to appear everywhere.
Moving away from pagan canons and the worship of the god Tengra, the people sought to ensure a good harvest, care for livestock and continue their family line. Ancient rituals gradually faded into oblivion, in particular, sacrifice disappeared. Its place was taken by the tradition of giving hand-made gifts, especially decorating and painting eggs, which children then collected from home. The winners of the competition were also awarded.
It happened that a fast racer could injure his leg, for this he was entitled to a gift, as was the one who was the last to reach the finish line. Bright scarves or towels were hung around their necks. Recently, the traditions of the Russian and Tatar people have become closely intertwined, as will be evidenced by Sabantuy in Kazan 2012, as well as last year’s celebrations.
During the time of the Kazan Khanate, Sabantuy was the most important holiday. So he follows his path from century to century, passing on his traditions from generation to generation. It is filled with new traditions, but at the same time retains the meaning of the original ones. Creative features make the holiday bright and stand out from everyone.
When the Muslim faith was adopted in Bulgaria, the perception of the holiday changed somewhat. Sharia laws do not deny the presence of such celebrations among peoples, but they began to be celebrated according to a different calendar. Nowruz is celebrated in Kazan - New Year, whose date does not coincide with Orthodox calendar, so in the life of Tatarstan there are two bright holiday entry into a new period. Sabantuy was moved to the beginning of May and it became a holiday of the beginning of spring and sowing. When Russia began to live according to the Gregorian calendar, the beginning of spring was marked by the holiday of Nauruz.
Starting from the 20s of the twentieth century, Sabantuy became closer and closer to summer. In the end, it came to the day summer solstice. During this journey, he absorbed the best of the elements of the Jiena holiday, which delved deep into the Turkic roots, but at the same time preserved all the Tatar rituals and traditions of the celebration.
In 1990, Sabantuy was approved as a national holiday in Tatarstan, and in order to attract public interest in it, Russian presidents visit it one after another.
Sabantuy
“Sabantuy” translated into Russian as “festival of the plow” is the most famous annual Tatar folk festival 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 the agrarian cult. The original purpose of this rite was probably to appease the spirits of fertility in order to favor 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 its end (in June).
Sabantuy is a beloved and widespread Tatar folk holiday. Therefore, it has been 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. Research in recent years shows that Sabantui consisted of an alternation of rituals that were performed early spring- from the first melting of snow to the beginning of sowing. This holiday existed in most Tatar villages and large Tatar communities around the world. In its implementation, local differences were observed, caused by the presence or absence of individual rituals.
Over time, the traditions of Sabantuy have changed. Local differences gradually disappeared, and the timing of its celebration became uniform: Sabantui 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 there is phased implementation Sabantuy: first it is celebrated in individual villages and hamlets, collective farms, a week later the regional Sabantuy is held. The celebration ends with Sabantuy in major cities and the capital of Tatarstan - Kazan. Previously, Sabantuy was not tied to a specific day of the week and was celebrated by villagers on a day convenient for them, but now a generally accepted day off is designated 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 outdated rituals disappeared. Gradually, the third version of Sabantuy began to prevail, which consisted of collecting gifts, Maidan and evening youth games. Gradually, stages such as collecting food to prepare “porridge” and collecting colored eggs from house to house, in which children participated, disappeared. This was due to the classification of a number of rituals as religious and their prohibition by the Soviet authorities, and to the fact that the collection of food began to be treated as hoarding.
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, on the initiative of local Tatar communities, sabantuis were held privately in cities such as Washington, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Tashkent, Montreal, Toronto, Prague, Istanbul and many others.
On June 23, Kazan will host the traditional Tatar holiday Sabantuy, which annually attracts thousands of people to its venues. This great opportunity learn a little more about the culture of the Tatars, finally try national sweets and take part in competitions.
However, Sabantuy is not only about games, free (but this is not certain) chak-chak and reckless warriors. It has a thousand-year history and traditions that not everyone knows about. Enter delved into history and found out how the plow holiday appeared, why it is still celebrated today, and what paganism has to do with it.
Sabantui. What is this anyway?
There are several versions of where the word “Sabantuy” came from. Some sources claim that “saban” is translated as “spring”, while others say “plow”. Another translation option is “spring” or everything related to the time of plowing. The second part of the three letters, “tui,” also causes a bit of controversy. It can mean both a holiday and a wedding. The latter is quite logical - some ancient Turkic tribes had a ritual marriage with nature. Nowadays everything is interpreted more simply - most often Sabantuy is called the holiday of the plow.
Historians again disagree on when and where Sabantuy came from. There are versions with sacrifices in honor of the god of the sun and sky Tengri, and parallels with the Greek Olympic Games. Some suggest that it all started with rituals and prayers to appease the spirits before the start of spring field work.
Some scientists believe that initially it was simply good opportunity for the warriors to find out who is the strongest here, and they associate their origin with sports competitions. In any case, both the Tatars and Bashkirs, who continue to celebrate Sabantuy, have something to be proud of - almost all sources agree that it has a history of more than a thousand years. So, at this year’s Plow Festival, you can pour yourself some katyk (or herbal balm) and raise a mug (glass) for the successful preservation of age-old traditions.
The history of the Plow Festival in brief
Several sources indicate that Sabantuy was described in his writings back in 921 by the famous explorer Ibn Fadlan, an ambassador from Baghdad who arrived in the Bulgars. Also, in an ancient cemetery of those times in the Alkeevsky district, a tombstone was found with the inscription: “the deceased rested in 1120 on the day of Sabantuy.” But historians can still only guess about the exact time periods of the origin of the holiday.
Until the 19th century, its celebration was accompanied by pagan rituals, which were designed to direct the forces of nature to help people. Especially if it concerned a good harvest. Over time, such rituals with magical background began to become a thing of the past. Largely due to the attitude of religious leaders and Russian Tsars- Sabantuy began to be called both a mortal sin and the wedding holiday of the shaitan. Particularly active ones proposed banning the holiday altogether.
Sabantuy also had a difficult fate in Soviet times. There was no longer any call to cancel it, but ideological notes crept into the national holiday. The authorities tried to make him another propaganda tool. It is precisely because of this, historians believe, that the timing of its celebration has shifted - instead of the end of April before the start of spring field work, Sabantuy began to be celebrated in the summer, after its completion. This shift in dates is associated with the fact that at the holiday it was possible to publicly honor distinguished workers - a good example for others. Many of folk customs in the past they were even classified as “religious”.
Currently, the dates of the holiday are not chosen by elders, as was the case in XIX-XX centuries, but a special organizing committee. The changes occurred due to the fact that Sabantuy acquired the status of a public holiday. However, some villages still gather for unofficial Sabantuy.
Sabantui outside Russia
Representatives of other nationalities were first invited to the Tatar Sabantuy even before the revolution, and in the 20th century this became a common practice. So the holiday gradually expanded its geography. Now it is celebrated not only in Russia, but also abroad. For example, the Tatar flavor was felt in Washington, New York, Berlin, Montreal, Prague, Rome, Geneva, Paris and more. This year Sabantuy will be held in 36 cities around the world.
In 2017, Sabantuy, which took place in Paris on the Champ de Mars, attracted about 20 thousand people. About 20 million rubles were spent on it. Representatives of the Tatar diasporas from 12 countries came to eat their native chak-chak and hear Tatar music.
In addition, residents of California also love Sabantuy. Those who have Tatar roots treat guests to the holiday with gubadia and echpochmaks. On this day in the city you can meet dozens of Americans with skullcaps on their heads. And at Sabantuy in Geneva, artists from Switzerland sing in Tatar, Bashkir and Russian. You can also hear the sound of kurai.
Sabantuy in Paris, 2018
Analogues of Sabantuy
Bashkir Sabantuy is a brother of the Tatar. It is celebrated around the same time as in Tatarstan. It is also associated with the end of spring field work. Among the Bashkirs, the first mentions of the plow holiday are found in the 18th century.
The Chuvash have a similar holiday dedicated to agriculture called Akatui. The people from the neighboring Republic are lucky - they celebrate for a whole week. A visit to the guests, refreshments and conscientiously brewed beer are required. But the idea is the same - hope for a rich harvest.
The Mari celebrate Agha-Pairem. The translation of the name coincides with Sabantui - the festival of the plow. Upon completion of sowing work, the Mari people organize sports competitions - the same races, competitions and games.
The Mordovians, Udmurts, the peoples of the North Caucasus and the Kazakhs also have similar holidays.
Everyone is fighting and jumping in bags. Should I be worried?
Below is not full list folk games that will help you, instead of watching stories on Instagram, indulge in unbridled fun on Sabantuy. They have changed over time, but most have existed for many years.
Horse racing
Brave egetlar (young men - Enter's note) compete in speed and agility - and not only in the ability to overtake an opponent, but also in winning hearts.
Jumping in bags
Explanation: you need to jump in a bag. The one who doesn't get his feet tangled up and ends up first at the finish line wins.
Bag fight on a log
The goal of the competition is to hit your opponent with a bag filled with straw without losing your dignity and coordination. You can't fall off a log!
Breaking pots with your eyes closed
You need to accurately hit the pot with a stick, and preferably not hit anyone around you.
Tug of War
The principle is simple - whose team has more pumped-up heroes, as a rule, it will pull the rope in its direction.
Climbing to the top of a pole
The daredevil will have to show restraint and lack of acrophobia in order to climb to the very top of the pillar where the prize is located.
Bucket run
Participants with buckets filled with water will have to run a short distance. You need to finish first and it is advisable not to splash the judge.
Where and when will Sabantuy 2018 take place?
On June 23, the national holiday in Kazan will be hosted by two sites - the Birch Grove in the village of Mirny and a forested area near Lake Lebyazhye. For the sake of horse racing, you will need to go to the Kazan Hippodrome. Sabantuy will begin at 9:30 in both locations. About 15 competitions will be held there. There will be separate playgrounds with special programs for children. The races start at 15:00: spectators will see 12 races, and those who made correct predictions will be able to celebrate this at a concert after the competition.
Buses will run to Berezovaya Grove from the following stops: “Prospekt Pobedy metro station”, “10th microdistrict”, “Philharmonic Concert Hall” on Pavlyukhina, “st. Glazunov" (Thermal control). You can also get there by train from the Kazan-1 station. Buses No. 36, 46 and 72 will help you get to Swan Lake. Only at the Rempler stop in Zalesnoye you will have to transfer to free shuttles that will take you to the Sabantuy site. They run every five minutes.
How to behave on Sabantuy. A reminder for those who will be there for the first time
- When someone makes a joke in Tatar, you need to laugh politely, even if nothing is clear
- You cannot refuse if you are offered to dance, hit someone on the head with a bag, or drink a mug of tea.
- To please others, at the sound of any Tatar song, you need to start squatting, alternately throwing your legs to the side. Keep your hands behind your back
- You should not take pictures with horses in the background. Perhaps you will be mistaken for a horse racer, put on a horse and sent off to the race.
- It is worth smiling and saying “rәkhmat”, “monda yakhshy”, “min tatarlarny yaratam” more often
- Remember: what happens on Sabantui stays on Sabantui
Completed:
4th grade student
Korneeva Daria
Teacher:
Mukhlisullina M.F.
CONTENT
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………….3
2. Main part……………………………………………………...5
2.1. The history of the Sabantuy holiday……………..5
2.2. Sabantuy at present……………………………...6
2.3. Changing traditions……………………………………………………….7
2.4. Sabantuy as a public holiday………………..8
2.5. Procedure for holding Sabantuy………………………. 9-12
3. Conclusion……………………………………………………….13
4. List of references……………………………14
Introduction
Every nation has its own national holidays, with amazing traditions and customs. Many of these holidays were born in ancient times - several centuries or even a thousand years ago. Everything around: villages and cities, things, clothes, professions, nature are changing, but folk holidays continue and continue to live... Do you know why? Because such holidays are holidays of the heart, the soul of the people.
Tatar folk holidays always delight with their beauty and the sense of gratitude and respect of people for nature, for the customs of their ancestors, for each other.
The Tatars have two words meaning holiday. Religious Muslim holidays are called by the word barks (Cheers- holiday of fasting and Korban Gaete- holiday of sacrifice). And all national, non-religious holidays are called in Tatar bә yrә m. Scientists believe that this word means “spring beauty”, “spring celebration”. Donation and spring celebration - this is the meaning of the Tatar holiday! Religious holidays of Muslim Tatars include collective morning prayer, which used to involve all men and boys. Then you are supposed to go to the cemetery and pray near the graves of your loved ones. And the women and the girls helping them at this time prepare treats at home. On holidays (and each religious holiday used to last for several days), people went around the houses of relatives and neighbors with congratulations. Particularly important was a visit to my parents' home. Whenever possible, they tried to please each other with gifts, food, and held dinner parties. During the days of Korban Gaete - the holiday, they tried to treat the victims with meat as much as possible more people, the tables remained set for two or three days in a row and everyone entering the house, no matter who he was, had the right to treat himself as much as he pleased...
Spring is the time of awakening of nature, a time of renewal and expectation. Nice spring- to have a good harvest, and therefore a prosperous life.
According to the old, old tradition, Tatar villages and cities were located on the banks of rivers. That's why first bә yrә m- “spring celebration” for the Tatars is associated with ice drift. This holiday is called boz karau, boz bagu- "watch the ice" boz ozatma- ice wires, zine kitu- ice drift.
All residents, from old people to children, came to the river bank to watch the ice drift. The youth walked dressed up, with accordion players. Straw was laid out and lit on floating ice floes. In the blue spring twilight these floating torches were visible far away, and songs followed them. During the ice drift, the Siberian Tatars threw specially made dolls, coins, old clothes into the water, and even plunged into the still icy water: it was believed that the spring river carried away diseases... Nowadays, the holiday of ice drift has lost its former popularity.
The history of the Sabantui holiday
But the spring holiday of the Tatars, Sabantuy, is once again becoming widespread and beloved. This is a very beautiful, kind and wise holiday. It includes various rituals and games. Literally, “Sabantuy” means “Plow Festival” (saban - plow and tui - holiday).
The origins of the Sabantuy celebration go back to ancient times and are associated with the agrarian cult. The original purpose of this rite was probably to appease the fertility spirits in order to favor a good harvest in the new year.
Previously, it was celebrated before the start of spring field work, in April, but now Sabantuy is celebrated in June - after the end of sowing.
Research in recent years shows that Sabantuy consisted of an alternation of rituals that were performed in early spring - from the first melting of snow to the beginning of sowing. This holiday existed in most Tatar villages and large Tatar communities around the world. In its implementation, local differences were observed, caused by the presence or absence of individual rituals.
Sabantui at present
Cheerful, wise Sabantuy is an unsurpassed invention of the Tatar people. Having originated in the mists of time, it has survived to this day as a holiday that has the magical property of constantly being renewed and enriched, absorbing the material and spiritual achievements of society in the past. at this stage. Sabantuy, as a truly mass holiday, gives every person, no matter what nationality, religion or age, the opportunity to have fun, take part in competitive 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 where Tatars live.
It is acquiring a, one might say, all-Russian character, attracting every year more and more representatives of different nations and peoples of Russia.
Changing traditions
Sabantuy is a beloved and widespread folk holiday. Therefore, it has been 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.
Over time, the traditions of Sabantuy have changed. Local differences gradually disappeared, and the timing of its celebration became uniform: Sabantui 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 staged implementation of Sabantuy is observed: first it is celebrated in individual villages and hamlets, collective farms, a week later a regional Sabantuy is held (or on Saturday - in the villages, and on Sunday - in the regional center) Sabantuy. The celebration ends with Sabantuy in major cities and the capital of Tatarstan - Kazan.
Previously, Sabantuy was not tied to a specific day of the week and was celebrated by villagers on a day convenient for them, but now a generally accepted day off is designated 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 outdated rituals disappeared. Gradually, the third version of Sabantuy began to prevail, which consisted of collecting gifts, Maidan and evening youth games.
Sabantuy as a public holiday
Currently, Sabantuy has acquired the status of a public holiday in Tatarstan: it is held in almost every locality, decrees and resolutions are issued on preparation, dates and venues, organizing committees are appointed from the highest rank leaders at each level (village, town, district, city, republic), sources of financing are determined.
The main Sabantuy takes place in the capital of Tatarstan, Kazan village. Sabantuis 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.
Procedure for holding Sabantuy
The old traditions of Sabantuy are gradually complemented by modern ones, however, the basic order of the holiday is preserved. As a rule, in Sabantuy cities one day is celebrated on the Maidan, but in the village it consists of two parts - the ritual collection of gifts and the Maidan. Sabantuy in the countryside is the time to receive guests: relatives and friends, so they prepare for it in advance: they clean and whitewash the house, prepare treats for guests.
Sabantuy begins to be prepared on the eve of the holiday on Saturday or even Friday. One of the stages is collecting gifts - ә iberҗ yyu, yaulykҗ yyu. In some villages, for example, Leninogorsk and Menzelinsky districts, up to 50 or more of the best horses are saddled to collect gifts. Young men travel from one end of the village to the other, singing, collecting towels, scarves, pieces of cloth, etc., which are attached to horse bridles. The more gifts collected, the more richly the rider’s horse is decorated, and therefore the young men try to receive 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 tie two towels crosswise over their shoulders, on which they hang gifts. In some villages near Kazan, gifts are collected by old elders, who go around the houses and hang the gifts from a pole on their shoulders. Most often, the owner or hostess brings out the gifts themselves and waits for the collectors at the gate. The young men thank the donors with songs, and at the end of the collection they drive through the village with songs and music, showing everyone how many things have been collected. In the old days, they prepared for Sabantui for a long time and carefully - the girls wove, sewed, embroidered scarves, towels, and shirts with national patterns; everyone wanted it, it was her creation that became the reward for the strongest horseman - the winner in national wrestling or horse racing. A gift from a young daughter-in-law is obligatory - Yash Kilen, which traditionally gives an embroidered towel. The best towel was subsequently given 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 home production shirts began to be donated for woven towels for Sabantuy.
One of the collected towels (traditional towels with red patterned ends - kyzyl bashly withө lie are still found among the collected gifts) are hung on a long pole at the entrance to the village as a warning about the upcoming Sabantuy.
The tradition of ritual collection of eggs has been preserved, which are given both with a gift and instead of it. Some of the eggs are sold, and the money received is used to buy things needed for the sabantuy. The rest of the eggs are used on the Maidan during comic competitions: wrestlers drink them, etc.
The location of the holiday is designated and equipped in advance. The Maidan is cleared of stones and leveled, sometimes a platform 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 trading tents and buffets here.
The Sabantuy is opened by one of the leaders of the district or city, congratulating those gathered on the national holiday, and at the main Sabantuy in Kazan - the President of Tatarstan.
After the grand opening of the holiday, the entertainment part begins: singers and dancers perform, who are participants in amateur performances or professional artists.
After the end of the concert, the place and time for the competition are announced. Due to the large crowd of people and the large number of people wishing to take part in the competitions, it is impossible to hold them on the Maidan, but prizes are awarded to the winners only on the Maidan.
One of the most popular types of competitions at Sabantui is still national wrestling - Toө rә w. The competition begins with two young boys (sometimes two old men), and then schoolchildren, young men, and middle-aged men compete in turn.
The culmination of the struggle and the entire Sabantuy is the struggle of the batyrs - the winners in the preliminary fights and, finally, the two finalists. Fights on the Maidan show the strength, dexterity, skill, and courage of the warriors, as well as their nobility and respect for their opponents.
The winner of the competition gets the most valuable gift Sabantuy, quite significant these days: cars, dear consumer electronics, carpets, washing machines etc. According to tradition, the winner is given a live ram as a prize and makes a lap of honor with it on his shoulders.
Maidan served as the beginning of a sports career for many famous wrestlers, and Tatar wrestling kөrәsh has become a sport in which individual and team championships are held in Tatarstan and Russia.
On the Maidan they compete in lifting weights: weights (one-pound, two-pound), sometimes barbells.
Comic competitions are widespread and are also held on the Maidan. These are various running competitions: running with a spoon in the mouth with an egg placed on it, running with buckets on a 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 bags filled with hay and grass, which are carried on a slippery log; competition in a game during which you need to, blindfolded, break a clay pot standing on the ground with a stick. Also popular are tug of war, sticks, and climbing a tall smooth pole with a prize at the top. A live rooster in a cage, boots, etc. are used as a prize.
Competitions are held for singers, readers, and dancers; organize round dances and dances.
Usually the Maidan lasts from 10-11 am to 2-3 pm. And what would a holiday be without food! Here and there you can taste shish kebab, pilaf and traditional Tatar treats: “өchpochmak”, “bishbarmak”, “chak-chak”, “balesh”, “pәrәmәch”.
It sells sweets and other goodies, and often hosts family tea parties around the samovar.
After the general sabantuy on the Maidan, the fun continues in the houses and guests are sure to be invited, because a holiday without guests is considered a sign of unsociability among the Tatars. And in the evening young people gather for evening games - Kichke uyen(evening Sabantuy) - on the edge of the village, in the meadows, at the site of the daytime Maidan or in a club. Competitions of singers, dancers, and readers are also held here.
Conclusion
The Sabantuy holiday is very significant for my people and for our city. This holiday is an integral part of the cultural life of Nizhnekamsk. Sabantuy helps us feel involved in the history and culture of the Tatar people, instills in us patriotic feelings and helps us to more deeply study the folk traditions, rituals and life of the Tatar people. Every year our family goes to city and regional holidays of the Plow and Labor, which allows us to return to our roots again and again.
The Tatar national holiday Sabantuy is celebrated 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.
During his visit to Kazan General manager UNESCO supported the initiative to nominate the Tatar national holiday “Sabantuy”, which is a living tradition and enjoys the sincere love of the people, among the candidates for inclusion in the UNESCO List of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage.
Sabantuy is included in the Golden Fund of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In a word, development processes have taken place and are taking place in the depths of Sabantuy, which delight us and at the same time make us seriously worry about the preservation of its identity and originality. And the balance of the traditions of the national holiday with innovations dictated by time, and therefore its future fate, depends only on us.
List of used literature
Urazmanova R.K. Modern rituals of the Tatar people (Historical and ethnographic research). - Kazan: Tatar book. publishing house, 1984, P.52.
Urazmanova R.K. Rituals 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 "House of Printing", 2001. P. 50.
Galeev E. Kh., Khanbikov Ya. I. Tatar folk games and holidays. Kazan, Tat. book publishing house, 1985, - 153 p.
Nigmatov Z. G. Use folk traditions in the education of students: Uch. allowance. Kazan: Kazan State Publishing House. ped. Institute 1985, - 259 p.
Nigmatov Z. G. Traditions bring up // Me and my family. – Kazan: Tat. book publishing house, 1984, - 186 p.
Continuity of folk traditions: Materials of reports of the 5th international scientific and practical conference / Ed. Z. G. Nigmatova. – Kazan, N. Chelny, 1998, - 311 p.
Sakhipova R. A Training and education based on folk pedagogy (in Tat.). Kazan, Tat book. publishing house, 2005, - 254 p.
Renat Kharisov, People's Poet of Tatarstan. Newspaper “Republic of Tatarstan”, May 25, 2006
