Sabantuy - History of the holiday, customs. Tomorrow is Sabantuy
Sabantuy is translated from Turkic languages as “wedding (celebration) of the plow” - saban(plough) and thuja(holiday, wedding). In the Tatar language the holiday is called tat. Sabantui or Tat. saban tue. The name was also common among the Tatars Saban beyreme(bәyrәm also means holiday). The Bashkir name of the holiday has a similar etymology, from bashk. haban - plow.
Among the Chuvash, this holiday was previously called Chuvash. Sukhat - plowing (mountain Chuvash) and Chuvash. sapan tuyĕ - festival of the plow or Sapan (lower Chuvash), but now everywhere it is called Chuvash. akatuy. The Mari name for a similar holiday - agapayrem - has a similar etymology. A similar holiday of the Tatarstan Mordovians - Baltai has a Tatar etymology and means honey holiday. 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 Sabanta. The Kazakhs also use the same word to denote a similar holiday.
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 its end (in June).
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.
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.
First recorded in writing among the Bashkirs in the eighteenth century in the travel notes of the Russian lexicographer, naturalist and traveler Lepekhin Ivan Ivanovich and the German ethnographer, scientist Georgi Johann Gottlieb
Sabantui options
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First version of Sabantuy
Batyr Sabantuy with a prize
As soon as the snow melted, the old aksakals held a gathering and agreed on the timing of the sabantuy. On the appointed day, the children went home to collect cereals, milk, butter, and eggs. From these products, some woman would prepare porridge for children in a 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 prepared by the water), and in the eastern and south-eastern regions of Tatarstan - hag botkas- “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 first light, the children, having put on new clothes (necessarily new bast shoes with white cloth stockings - tula oek), went home to collect colored eggs. Everyone in their hands had a bag made from the red end of the bran (woven with patterns) - kyzyl bashly selge- towels. All housewives not only painted eggs, but also baked buns and nuts from dough especially for children - baursak and prepared sweets.
In some villages, the mistress sat the first boy to enter the house on a pillow, saying: “May your feet be light, may there be many hens and chicks...”. The first one was always given eggs, and he received more gifts than the others.
On the same day, before lunch, after the children had finished their rounds, the young men rode out on smart horses. The so-called Shoren Sugu(collection of eggs by young men). In groups of 8-10 people they traveled around the village. Stopping at each house, sometimes driving into the yard, they asked for eggs. Each housewife brought out several raw eggs, which were placed in a special bag. When the detour of the village was completed, one of the riders, more dexterous and faster, grabbed his wallet and rushed at full speed beyond the outskirts. The task of the other young men was to catch up with him. If this failed, all the eggs went to the winner, which happened rarely; usually the young men arranged a joint treat.
Besides Shoren Sugu on horseback in some villages they staged Shoren on foot - zheyaule soren. Several mummers went from house to house, where they collected eggs and demanded food. Those who did not give it were threatened with various misfortunes, but usually they were rarely refused.
A few days later, when the time was approaching sowing, the young men rode out on horseback to collect gifts for the winners of the competition. The villagers willingly gave away things they had prepared in advance: scarves, pieces of cloth, stockings, eggs, etc. The most valuable gift was considered to be a towel with braided patterns. It had to be prepared by young women ( Yash Kilen), who got married between the last two Sabantuis. The collection of gifts was accompanied by cheerful songs, jokes, and jokes.
The next day competitions were held: as a rule, Maidan(the place of the competition) was located in the area of the fallow field. By the appointed time, people flocked there from all sides: residents of not only this village, but also the entire surrounding area, walked, families rode on horseback. In order to have the opportunity to visit the Maidan in neighboring villages, the order in which it was held was observed. The arches and manes of horses were decorated with patterned towels and colorful pieces of chintz. Everyone present that day took out the best clothes and jewelry from their chests.
The competition began with horse racing. Sabantuy could not do without them in not a single Tatar village. The horses participating in the competition were taken to a certain distance, 5-10 kilometers from the village. The finish line was located near the Maidan. While the horses were far away, there were running competitions on the Maidan, which were started by boys or old people: the participants in the competition were always grouped by age.
The best prizes were intended for the winner of the races, as well as the hero, who became the one who won all the fights in national wrestling.
The tradition of Russians, Udmurts, Maris, Chuvashs, Bashkirs, and Uzbeks living in the neighborhood of the Tatars participating in Sabantuy has spread widely.
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
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-ranking 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 (now in the Birch Grove of the village of Mirny). 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 cities Sabantuy is celebrated on one day 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 a time for receiving 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 - ayber җyuyu, yaulyk җyu. 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 the horses’ 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 those who give gifts 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.
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 of home production of woven towels, shirts have begun to be donated for sabantuy.
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 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 - sidekick. 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, courage of the warriors, as well as their nobility and respect for their opponents.
The winner of the competition receives the most valuable gift of Sabantuy, which these days is quite significant: cars, expensive consumer electronics, carpets, washing machines, etc. According to tradition, the winner is given a live ram as a prize.
Maidan served as the beginning of a sports career for many famous wrestlers, and Tatar wrestling Koresh 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; compete 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; Together with the craftsmen, they are engaged in various national crafts, for example, forging.
Usually the Maidan lasts from 10-11 am to 2-3 pm. It sells sweets and other goodies, and often hosts family tea parties around the samovar.
After the end of the Maidan in the evening, young people gather for evening games - Kichke uyen(evening sabantuey) - on the edge of the village, in the meadows, on the site of the daytime Maidan or in a club. Competitions of singers, dancers, and readers are also held here.
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 - Ekaterinburg,
year 2013 - ...
All-Russian Rural Sabantuy
IV (2013) - ...
Sabantui outside Russia
Sabantuy takes place not only in Russia, but throughout 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, on the initiative of local Tatar communities, Sabantui began to be held annually privately in cities such as Washington, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Tashkent, Montreal, Toronto, Prague, Istanbul and many others.
see also
- Bypass rituals
Notes
- Akatui
- Shipova E.I. Dictionary of Turkisms in Russian. Alma-Ata: Nauka, 1976, P. 268.
- See 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., Nikishenkov A.A. Traditional etiquette of the peoples of Russia. XIX – early XX centuries. M.: Stary Sad, 1999, P.77, Kuchemezov B.Kh. Agriculture among the Balkars // Ethnographic Review. 2001, no. 1. P. 73.
- Sabantuy (origin of Sabantuy, etymology of Sabantuy) “Etymological dictionary of the Russian language. Vasmer Max (online version) « Russian language « Classes.ru
- Sabantui in Encyclopedias Chelyabinsk
- Agapairem - meeting place
- Baltai - a holiday of honey and butter
- Gerber: about the traditional summer holiday of the Udmurts
- Traditions of the peoples of the CBD
- 1gb.ru hosting - first page
- Urazmanova R.K. Modern rituals of the Tatar people (Historical and ethnographic research). - Kazan: Tatar book. publishing house, 1984, P.52.
Sabantuy (translated from Tatar as “wedding/festival of the plow”) is an ancient ritual of the Turkic peoples. Traditionally, it was carried out before the start of sowing. Currently, it marks their end with a cheerful celebration, where national dances, comic competitions and sports competitions do not subside. The Tatar people managed not only to preserve, but also to enrich this beautiful tradition, which is why Sabantuy is included in the UNESCO list of masterpieces of cultural heritage.
Origins
The Sabantuy holiday has a history of more than a thousand years. Back in 921, it was described in his works by the famous researcher Ibn Fadlan, an ambassador from Baghdad who arrived in the Bulgars. In addition, confirmation of the existence of this holiday in those days is a tombstone in one of the ancient cemeteries. It was discovered in the Alkeevsky district by local scientists. The inscription on the stone reads: “the deceased died in 1120 on the day of Sabantuy.”
Since ancient times, the Tatars considered Sabantuy a great event and prepared for it in advance. The festive events were led by the elders, who established the order of the competitions. To this day, not only in Kazan, but throughout Russia and even abroad, Tatars noisily and cheerfully celebrate the holiday of the plow.
The world-famous Tatar hospitality, national identity and good spirit of Sabantuy attract people of various nationalities and religions, uniting and bringing them closer together. Therefore, Sabantuy is celebrated with pleasure by all residents of the Republic, which is one of the brightest 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.
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 the culture of different peoples; 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 horse 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 law does not deny the presence of such celebrations among peoples, but they began to be celebrated according to a different calendar. Kazan celebrates Nauruz - New Year, the date of which does not coincide with the Orthodox calendar, therefore in the life of Tatarstan there are two bright holidays of the 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. As a result, it came to the day of the 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 has long been the favorite holiday of the Tatar people. According to some researchers, it has a thousand-year history. In any case, back in 921 this holiday was described by the Baghdad ambassador Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in ancient Bulgar. Now Sabantuy falls in June, when sowing works end, but in previous years it was celebrated before they began, at the end of April.
The origin of the calendar holiday Sabantuy among the ancestors of the Tatars is associated with the rituals of public prayers and sacrifices in honor of the god of the sky and sun Tengre and the spirits of ancestors. From the very beginning, Sabantuy 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 that existed among a number of ancient Turkic tribes and other peoples of the world. Therefore, initially the games and competitions of Sabantuy were of a sacred nature. In this context, thuja should be interpreted precisely as “wedding” (“marriage”).
The most ancient and main competitions on Sabantui, associated with the nomadic and semi-nomadic life of the ancestors of the Tatars and previously having sacred significance, are running, national wrestling kuresh, horse racing (“at chabyshlar”) and jumping. This is largely explained by the similar ideology of pagan rituals 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.
The basis of the Sabantuy ritual of giving, which replaced the pagan sacrifices to the god of the Sun and sky Tengre, is the desire for procreation, ensuring the fertility of livestock and the fertility of the earth. The motive of gifting, which replaced sacrifices, is the basis for collecting gifts on Sabantui. Moreover, the collection of gifts by the 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 intended for the hero Sabantuy. The runner who injured his leg and especially the horse who crossed the finish line last were 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 continuous, 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 widespread national holiday.
Since that time, it has wandered 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 do not contradict Sharia, the ruling elite changed its value orientations in relation to the genealogical and cultural pagan heroes, the former khans, which could not but affect the ritual, i.e. the main part of calendar holidays. It was with the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars that the folk calendar also changed. The New Year began to be celebrated as the holiday of Nauruz, or Hamal. Sabantuy moved back to the beginning of May, becoming the holiday of the beginning of spring and sowing. After the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Soviet Russia on February 14, 1918, Nauruz began to be celebrated among the Tatars as a holiday to welcome spring.
Since the 20s of the 20th century, Sabantuy, approaching the summer solstice, has absorbed the best components of the second Tatar folk holiday - Dzhien, which also has ancient Turkic roots. It 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 legislatively 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 nationwide holidays.
The visit to Tatarstan and the direct participation in Sabantuy of the Presidents of the Russian Federation B.N. played a big role in strengthening public interest in Sabantuy. Yeltsin in 1995 and V.V. Putin in 2001.
Despite the fact that Sabantuy is an original Tatar national folk holiday, representatives of other nationalities are also welcome to participate in it. Sabantuy is held in villages and cities of the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as outside it - 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 Tatar traditional culture, its ethics and values. At the same time, throughout history it has absorbed elements of other ethnic cultures.
The Sabantuy model as a form of technology of cultural communication can serve as the basis for initiating a new type of international holidays, like the annual Carnival in Rio de Janeiro or the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture in Bulgaria.
From the history of Sabantuy
Sabantuy has long been the favorite holiday of the Tatar people. According to some researchers, it has a thousand-year history. In any case, back in 921 this holiday was described by the Baghdad ambassador Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in ancient Bulgar. Now Sabantuy falls in June, when sowing works end, but in previous years it was celebrated before they began, at the end of April. This holiday was celebrated in most villages of the Kazan Tatars and Kryashen Tatars. Its name comes from the Tatar words “saban” (“spring” or “plough”) and “tui” (“celebration”, “wedding”). The Tatar Sabantuy is in many ways reminiscent of the Chuvash Akatuy, the Bashkir Khabantuy and the Udmurt Gerber.Our ancestors, whose well-being depended on the harvest, tried to appease the spirits of fertility. By worshiping the snow-free land into which grain grains would soon fall, people tried to earn the favor of natural forces. Gradually, the ancient rituals were forgotten, but subsequent generations continued to happily celebrate the holiday of the spring plow before the start of difficult field work. By the 19th century it had become a joyful folk festival, although some echoes of ancient beliefs remained. As soon as the snow melted in the fields, the old elders agreed on the timing of Sabantuy.
The festive cycle usually began with the symbolic plowing of the first furrow with a wooden plow. Sabantuy consisted of a whole sequence of rituals. On a predetermined day, the children went to the houses of their fellow villagers to collect food, from which they then prepared a special porridge. In the eastern and south-eastern regions of Tatarstan it was called hag botkasy - “rook porridge” or “crow porridge”, which indicates the connection of Sabantuy with the archaic cult of birds. The next morning the children again went from house to house and collected colored eggs. All the housewives warmly greeted the children and treated them to specially prepared delicacies. On the same day, young men rode around the village on horseback, stopping at each house and demanding treats from the owners. When the time was already approaching sowing, young men on horseback collected gifts for the winners of the competition.
A patterned towel was considered the most valuable gift. Such towels certainly had to be prepared by young women (yash kilen) who got married within the last year. The collection of gifts was accompanied by songs and jokes. Finally, the culmination of the holiday came. The Maidan, the place of competition, was located in a meadow or forest clearing. Everyone gathered here in the afternoon, when the old people left the mosque at the end of prayer.
The holiday usually opened with a running competition (yugereu), with participants grouped by age. A horseman galloped ahead and showed the runners the way. The winners often immediately presented the prizes to honored guests or older relatives, who in return presented them with money. There was a struggle (kuresh) in the center of the Maidan. The wrestlers threw a sash (bilbau) over each other's backs, the ends of which they held in their hands, wrapped around the wrist, and tried to put the opponent on his shoulder blades. Those who managed to defeat their opponents then competed with each other. As a result, there was only one winner left - the hero, who became the main hero of the holiday. Sometimes famous warriors came from afar to measure their strength and dexterity. The best prizes were intended for the batyr, as well as the winner of the races (baige). Horses participating in the races were taken several kilometers from the village. At the finish line, a young guy or girl held a white scarf embroidered with multi-colored silk on a pole, which went to the winner.
Other competitions include extracting coins from cauldrons filled with kumiss with your mouth and pulling ropes. After the competition, those present were treated to a traditional treat - bishbarmak and horse sausages. The celebration did not end there. Until late at night, young people sang songs and danced, folk musicians and singers demonstrated their talents.
In some villages, the dates of the holiday did not coincide. This was done intentionally so that the villagers had time to attend spring celebrations throughout the area and visit friends and relatives. Therefore, the Maidan was always crowded. The best outfits, decorated with bright embroidery, which always distinguished both women's and men's Tatar costumes, were taken out of the chests. During the holiday, young people had the opportunity to look at the bride or groom. It was on Sabantuy that acquaintances were made and future married couples were planned. With such a crowd of people, conflicts arose extremely rarely, since order was carefully maintained, and an atmosphere of cordiality and goodwill invariably reigned around.
It can be noted that in different regions the holiday had its own characteristics. For example, in many villages of the Baltasinsky and Arsky districts, a week before the Maidan, horse races were held for young men, and two or three adult men were engaged in collecting gifts for the winners. So that everyone could see the collected gifts, they were hung from a pole, which was carried on the shoulder. In some villages in the Zelenodolsk and Vysokogorsk regions, it was customary to visit cemeteries on the eve of the holiday. Neighboring women congratulated each other on the arrival of spring and treated them to sour cream; colored eggs were distributed to the children of relatives.
In the 21st century, the history of the ancient holiday continues. Nowadays, Sabantuy is celebrated not only in the cities and villages of Tatarstan, but also far beyond its borders, attracting people of various nationalities. There are still songs and laughter, horsemen gallop on fast horses and the Maidan is noisy...
We hear the word “Sabantuy” and immediately imagine a sunny and warm summer day. 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 whole 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 oste”, “pechen oste” (haymaking) meant summer time, harvest time; “Saban Oste” - spring, the 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 an 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 the initial stage of the 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 place of the holiday. Usually, beautiful green meadows near rivers, lakes and forests were chosen as the place of celebration.
The rite “Seren Salu” or “Seren” occupied the main place among other preparatory rites. It is also called “selge zhyyu”, i.e. collecting gifts for competition winners and participants in folk games. The young men, riding around the village on decorated horses, shouted: “Arape! Arape!
Arape! Sometimes older men also collected gifts. Holding a wooden pole (pole) in their hands, they walked the streets and collected gifts: embroidered scarves, towels and pieces of cloth, 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 chicken eggs were placed in the furrow, which were then collected by children with wishes for a rich harvest. Probably, in ancient times this was the ritual of cult 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 and were subject to changes, leaving only folk games, competitions and amusements.
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 protected people from evil spirits, and some of the animal's bones had magical powers. 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 riders.
It is impossible to imagine the life of nomads without a horse. The horse was the closest assistant, the breadwinner of a man, 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”). As soon as the snow melted and the roads dried up, in the evenings the young men rode out on horseback and staged a kind of race. This went on for several days. Thus, they trained the horses, preparing them for the main competitions.
Catch up with the girl (“Kyz kuu”)
Another of Sabantuy’s traditional equestrian competitions is “Kyz Kuu”.
The girl, like a bird, rushes on a fast horse, and the horseman must catch up and catch her, like a golden eagle. And having caught it, take the scarf from the girl’s hands and kiss her on the cheek. If the guy didn’t catch up with the girl within the allotted time, on the way back she could laugh at him and try to knock the hat off his head with a damask. This was considered a great shame for the horseman.
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.
Holidays related to agriculture are also held among other nations. For example, the Udmurts celebrate “Tulys Hera”. This holiday is also held before spring field work. The Mari have “Agavairem”, “Agapayrem” or “Peledysh payrem”, which is carried out after spring field work. The Chuvash Akatui is closest to Sabantui. The word “akatuy” literally translates as “sowing wedding.” The Chuvash had two names for this holiday - Akatuy and Sabantuy - which had a similar meaning. Since ancient times, the Chuvash gathered on this day to congratulate each other, join a common round dance and sing their favorite songs, and swim in the river. Men organized sports competitions: belt wrestling, running, horse racing.
The children also tried their hand at various games: pole climbing, sack running, and 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.
M. Khabibullin. Excerpt from the novel “Kubrat Khan”
Now the time has come for kyzkuyshtuy - the holiday of choice. Ulug Khan, having awarded the winners of the competition, returned to the guests of honor, and Khansha Appak took her place on the Maidan. Now she had the main role. She sat in a place of honor, gifts were piled at her feet for those who would become husband and wife today. The ancient custom of the Bulgars was simple: a line was drawn at the seashore and a girl stood on it, thirty meters from her on the same line a young man stood, and if he caught up with the one that he wanted to call his wife, before she reached the sea, by his will Tangre they became a couple. And if not…
The girl jumped off the red ribbon and, if she didn’t want to fall to any hero, she managed to run to the water and get her feet wet. And then she had the right once again - as many times as she wanted - to stand on the tape again, until the one to whom she agreed to be his wife caught up with her. And the batyr, who did not catch up with his chosen one, lost the right to a wife for a whole year, and another brave man should have thought hard, unless the one with whom he risked going out to the ribbon together had not smiled at him in advance: at the distance of an arrow, it is difficult to catch up with the one who doesn't want to be caught up with her. 
And then the first couple came out... Hansha waved her handkerchief - the girl rushed like a whirlwind towards the strip of water. The hero rushed out of his seat even faster... “He’ll catch up!” - shouted in the crowd. “Hey, turn it up, don’t be lazy!” “It won’t catch up! - others shouted. “He shouldn’t run after his bride, sit at home...” A few steps before the water, the girl looked back... one can say: if she hadn’t looked back, the hero wouldn’t have caught up with her. And then her leg turned out, the girl stumbled - and, limping, was she ready to run? True, when the strong man led her by the hand to the place where Kubrat Khan’s wife Appak was waiting for this couple, smiling, the girl did not look too upset, and the hero was smiling with all his might. Approaching the Khansha, they bowed their heads to each other... Appak gave them generous gifts and sincerely wished them a long life and many children.
And the next couple came onto the tape. And here it all almost ended sadly - at the very edge of the water, at the very last moment, the hero caught up with his chosen one. But the third one didn’t catch up. Just a little, one step remained for him to take, but just this step was not enough for him, and, hanging his head, not looking at anyone, the loser wandered along the sea and walked in an unknown direction until he disappeared from sight.
