Udmurt myth about the creation of the world. Gods and mythological creatures of Udmurt myths and legends
Melody of Heavenly Dew
Udmurt legend
Once upon a time there lived in a dense forest an old wise spruce. Her name was Mudor-Kuz- Les's mother. They say that the Forest began with her, and perhaps the Earth itself. The sun rested on its branches. From under its roots a timid spring was born, which later turned into the mighty White Kama.
People came from far and wide to worship Mudor-Kuz. But one day the stepmother of the Sun, Evil Lightning, scorched with terrible fire Mudor-Kuz. El has died.
But a man came and revived her. He made Gusli out of it Kreuz and put his human soul into them. This is how people got Bydzym Krez- Great Gusli. When they sounded, the Sun approached the Earth to listen to them. When they sang Invu Utchan Gur" - "Melody of Heavenly Dew", The sky cried with rain.
How the earth was created
The myth of the creation of the earth
It was so long ago that no one even remembers when it was. No land, no people in the whole world: only sky, water and sun. The master of the sky lived in the sky Inmar. His name itself consists of the words “in” and “mar”. Anyone who learns to understand the Udmurt language will recognize the “in” as the sky, and the “mar” as the what. What is in the sky is Inmar.
And the owner of the water lived in the water Vukouzo. The sky was clear, clear, like snow, white, white like a birch tree. It hung so close to the water that Inmar, without descending, he scooped up water with a golden ladle with a long handle and watered the clouds so that they would not dry out from the sun. The owner of the sky did not care. And Vukuzyo didn’t know any work, all he did was dry his green beard all day long: he hung the end of his beard on a cloud, and he lay down on the water and lay there, dozing.
Although the beard Vukouzo was longer Inmar was considered older among them, and therefore the owner of the water had to obey him. So they lived for many centuries in the neighborhood. One was tending the clouds, the other was drying his beard and muddying the water from time to time.
Once I felt sad Inmaru, and it occurred to him to change his occupation. He hung the ladle on his favorite cloud, which he always kept at hand, took off his beard Vukouzo from the cloud and ordered him to dive deeper - to get the earth from the bottom.
Did not like Vukouzo, What Inmar prevented him from drying his beard and basking in the sun to his heart's content, but he did not dare to contradict the elder. He obeyed - he obeyed, but he harbored a grudge. "Look, since he Inmar agay(Udmurt - elder brother), then he urges! - he thought, sinking to the bottom. - Get him some land and give him even a grain. Everything for him, but for me, I'll take it out(Udmurt - younger brother), - nothing?” He took two handfuls from the bottom and, in order to hide it from Inmar, he put some of the earth behind his cheek and emerged.
Inmar He carefully accepted the delivered soil, placed it on his palm, leveled it, waited for it to dry, and then began to blow it away in all four directions. Having fallen on the water, warmed by the sun and the breath of Inmar, the earth began to swell and grow. It became more and more, so much that there was no end in sight. Although it was visible from afar: the earth turned out to be smooth, smooth, like a frying pan - no mountains, no hills, no ravines, no swamps.
The land that Vukouzo hidden behind his cheek. It grew, grew, and was about to blow my head off. It would probably have happened if you hadn’t guessed it. Vukouzo spit as much as you can. And that land scattered in different directions, fell onto the flat land of Inmar in mountains and swamps, hummocks and ravines. Don't cheat, don't disobey Vukuzö Inmara, the people would get a completely flat land - without hills and lowlands, without mountains and swamps.
Inmar, pleased with the accomplishment of an unexpected idea, did not even notice the change that happened to the earth due to Vukouzo. He had already begun his usual occupation: he began to move the clouds from place to place. I just noticed that they don’t whip well, they don’t curl a lot, it’s time to pour some water on them. Took it Inmar a ladle with a long handle, drove away the clouds so that they would not interfere with drawing water. Only then did I see what had become of the earth, only then did I understand why the clouds had become crumpled and torn: the mountains scratched their bellies, crushed and tore them apart. There was no need to guess whose trick it was: only two lived in the world. “Well, you slacker, well, you couch potato! Just wait!” - got angry for the first time Inmar. He left everything he was doing and began to think about how to teach him a lesson once and for all. Vukouzo so that it would be discouraging to act without permission.
Evil spirit of epidemic diseases
- personifying the house and outbuildings:
- Korkamurt (Korka kuzyo) - brownie
- Gidkuamurt (Guide Kuzyo) - manor man
- Munchomurt (Muncho kuzyo) - bath man
Ideas about mother spirits:
- By mumy - mother of water
- Pyzep mumy, Chupchi mumy - mothers of the rivers Pyzep and Chupchi
- Vozho muma is the mother of a special transitional time - the summer and winter solstice;
- Muzyem muma - mother of the earth
- Puzhmer muma - the mother of frost and wind
Celestial Mothers:
- In mumy - mother of the sky
- Shunda muma - mother of the sun
- Tolez mumy - mother of the moon
- Gudyri muma - mother of thunder
- Inwu mumi - mother of heavenly water
Higher deities
At the top of the Udmurt Olympus stood a powerful god Inmar. Researchers translate the word “Inmar” in different ways: “in” - sky, “mar” - what, i.e. “what is in the sky”.
Obviously, the image of the Udmurt Inmar goes back to the Proto-Finno-Ugric deity, whose name is associated with the name of the sky, air (ilma, yuma): 1) Finnish, Kar. - Ilmarinen, Sami. - Ilmaris, Komi - Yon, Khant. - Ilem, mans. - Elem; 2) Finnish - Yuma-la, est. - Yummal, Sami. - Yubmel, Mar. - Yumo.
Initially, Inmar was simply one of the deities representing the upper tier of the world - the celestial sphere. Apparently there were even a few inmars: Kaba-inmar(ka-, ba, kava, in some Udmurt dialects means the clearing of the sky at night, such as the northern lights, the deity of fate; Alyak-inmar- intercessor of people, bringing news about earthly affairs - later they were perceived as helpers Bydym Inmara- Great Inmar, who became the owner of many epithets: vylys, yugyt, muso, bydym - supreme, bright, white, dear, great. Very often Inmar was pronounced in combination Kozma(meaning lost) - Kozma-inmar, Kylchin-inmar(Creator Inmar), sometimes Badӟym vorshud Inmar- great ancestral Inmar.
The rise of Inmar over other deities is a later phenomenon; it occurred under the influence of Islam and Christianity, it was they who contributed to the formation of the Udmurts’ ideas about a single god. The baptism of the Udmurts was of great importance in this process; it was during this period that Inmar acquired the features of a Christian god. But the transformation of Inmar - the god of air - into the single supreme god was a long process, it was not completed even by the 19th century.
Along with Inmar, the supreme triad included Kyldysin/Kylchin - a good spirit who promotes the offspring of livestock. . The image of Kyldysin, one of the oldest, was initially associated, obviously, in general with the creative principle, creation (hence “kyldyny” - create, create) and goes back to the root “kyl” - word. It was the word that was given the magical function of creation, creation; the world was created in the process of naming. Gradually, the image of Kyldysin acquired complex mythological content. Being one of the most popular in the religious-mythological system, he had a fairly significant number of incarnations: Vukylchin - the Creator of water, Yurtkylchin, Gidkylchin - the keeper of the house, stable, barnyard, Nunykylchin - the deity who patronizes childbirth or children in general. However, the most famous are the ideas about two Kyldysins: 1) Kyldysin, living in the sky; 2) Mukyldysin (close to him is Yukyldysin, in charge of grain crops), living underground.
Together with Inmar and Kyldysin, the northern Udmurts and Besermians revered Kuaz - the deity of the atmosphere and weather phenomena. The triad of gods Inmar, Kyldysin, Kuaz was sometimes perceived as a kind of unity.
The concept of vorshud occupied a special place in the beliefs of the Udmurts.
Vorshud- a complex concept that meant: 1) a ancestral or family shrine kept in a kuala. Usually this is a vorshudny box that contained several silver coins, a squirrel skin, hazel grouse wings, a pike jaw, black grouse feathers, ritual utensils, a piece of sacrificial bread, flour, cereal, and a tree branch. In a word, a kind of materialized objective information about the surrounding world was concentrated here at all its most important structural levels, this is a symbolic model of the world, its microcosm, a kind of “Noah’s Ark”; 2) an abstract patron deity of a clan or family and a set of ideas and ideas associated with it; 3) a specific ornitho-, zoo-, anthropomorphic image of a deity: a goose with a silver beak, a bull with golden horns, some kind of idol, etc.; 4) an exogamous association of maternal relatives who have one patron. Each vorshud had his own name. Researchers have recorded about 70 such names (Mozhga, Bigra, Purga, Kaksya, Bonya, Vortcha, etc.), apparently originating from totemic ancestors. In honor of the patron saint, prayers were held on every occasion of any importance.
Having apparently taken shape in the era of maternal-clan organization as a totem group, Vorshud, losing its socio-economic functions, gradually turned into a purely cultic institution, which later became part of other forms of religious formations. All Udmurts knew which Vorshud they belonged to. If representatives of several Vorshuds lived in the village, there were correspondingly the same number of ancestral sanctuaries - bydym kua/ or religious buildings in honor of Vorshud, which were built in the priest’s courtyard or, more often, in the forest near a stream or spring not far from the village.
This diversity of gods required appropriate comprehension, interpretation, and the development of norms of cult etiquette - all these issues were in charge of the clergy. They were, to a large extent, the direct creators of certain religious and mythological ideas, their disseminators among their fellow tribesmen, as well as original intermediaries between the deities and the general mass of believers.
Evil spirits
In the religious and mythological system of the Udmurts, a very unique place was occupied by Iskal pydo murt - a creature whose upper half is human and the lower half is cow, Kuz pinyo murt - a bloodthirsty creature with long teeth, Kukri Baba - something like Baba Yaga, Palesmurt - half a man : one-armed, one-legged, one-eyed creature.
Palesmurts have enormous growth (or the ability to change body size, just like Nyulesmurt and Ludmurt), they are somewhat stupid, very funny, they love to make others laugh: they can tickle them to death, they love to ride horses grazing in the meadow at night. They are not particularly dangerous to people, they only frighten lonely travelers, especially in the forest. There was a belief that Palesmurt could not be killed: every drop of his blood turns into a new Palesmurt.
Obviously, mainly through long-term Turkic mediation, such images as Albasty, a demonic female creature of enormous stature, penetrated to the Udmurts (cf. Tat., Bashk., Chuv., Kazakh., Leg., Kumyk., Albasly, Mar., Uzbek, Uig. Alvasta, Abaz Albasty, Taj. Aktash - evil spirit, literally, white stone (cf.: Tat. aktash, karatash - spirits mentioned in conspiracies); Akshan - evil spirit of twilight; Busturgan - witch (cf.: Chuv., Tat. bastyrgan, Russian dial. busturgan, Hung. boscorkan, boscorkany); Keremet - an evil spirit, Satan, the enemy of Inmar (cf.: Tat., Chuv., Bash., Mar., Komi Kiremet, also found among all Muslim ml clans of Central Asia, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus), Obyda - goblin, often in the image of a woman with huge breasts, long hair and shaggy fur (cf.: Tat. atapa, Chuv. upata, Mar. ovyda, other Uyg. abita, amita, Sanskrit amithaba); Ubir - ghoul, witch, cannibal (cf.: Tat. Ubyr, Chuv. Vupar, m;f. Vuver, Uver, Russian ghoul); Shaitan - Satan, devil, the antipode of Inmar (cf.: Tat., Kazakh., Kyrgyzstan, Turkish. Shaitan); Shayan - good or evil spirit of the dead (cf.: Tat., Chuv., Mar., Komi, Mordvinian. Nayan, Nayan; Zhayan, Zayan).
Contacting the otherworldly and earthly worlds
Contacts between the otherworldly and earthly worlds occur as a result of a person’s violation of behavioral stereotypes, tacitly established within space-time boundaries, as a prediction of the future in particularly important life circumstances (ill health, personal relationships). Of the time periods, dawn (ӟardon), midnight (uishor), and twilight (akshan) were endowed with “terrible” properties. It was believed that then the likelihood of meeting with representatives of another world increases:
Uncle vukoe wenem. Izsa took kylem. Miller soy kӧlny kosem: ber ni, pe. Kalym (nyuk nim) pӧrtmaske ni. 12 o'clock luem. Kalym nyuk syury potem no, pumitaz kyz ӝuzhda mark ke, pe, vaska. Val "sor-r" ne kare<....>Father went to the mill. There he was late. The miller persuaded him to spend the night: it was already late, and in the ravine Kalym was already imagining. It's midnight. As soon as he crossed the Kalym ravine, someone as tall as a spruce was moving towards him. And the horse sensed something was wrong and began snoring.<....>(FE UdSU - 78)
A dangerous place that could affect a person's fate was the space outside the village. The spirits of the forest and water were clearly hostile. The motif of wandering people is one of the most common in epics and travel stories at the present time:
<....>Mamaelen suzerez ozy luem uk<....>Yshem sooslen yzzy<....>Tare so yizh utchany mynsa, yyromem kad luem. Soe Nules Nynya tolez mynda nulllem.<....> - <...>This happened to my mother's sister once<....>Their sheep went missing<....>She went to look for her. And I kind of got lost. The goblin led her through the forest for a month<....>(FE IYAL-95, no. 530, l. 82)
People endowed spirits with the ability to imitate human behavior. Representatives other world could manifest themselves through tactile sensations (touch):
<....>Memey tani milyam veraz. Mynchoyn eton shukkysa pukisko lapcha yilyn. Pyd bordam, pe, kutskiz nebyt kiyn, nebyt, pe, kiyz but, kezyt. -<.... >Mother told me. In the bathhouse, flax was crushed on the shelf. Someone touched the leg with a soft hand, the hand was soft but cold. (FE IYAL - 95, no. 530, l. 20)
By touch, according to beliefs, one could learn about the relationship of a mythological creature to a person. They believe that if a brownie touches the owner with a bare, cold hand, it means that he does not like him, and if the touch is soft, warm, he loves him and wishes him well.
Another world could also appear in visual images (vision, apparition):
Shap vadisysen vale dugdӥz. Otysen tuzh: ӝuzhyt adamyez adӟi.So syӧd dӥsen val, ymnyrze ӧy adӟy.<....>- Suddenly the horse stopped near the cemetery. I saw a very tall man dressed all in black, but I didn’t see his face.<....>(FE UdGU-90)
Most often, the other world made itself known through sound signals. It could be laughter, crackling, screaming, rustling, calling out, playing musical instruments, dancing, direct conversation, etc.:
Chokal gurte vit vil monyaos kunoe vetllam. Tare soos ӝyt berto yin. Paymyt luem. Gurte vuim ni shusa, pe, we’ll pierce the crust<....>Korkan balalaika, argan shude. Pyrsa ektelliam, kalyk, pe, rope. Ektykuzy kin ke but usem but "Osto", pe, shuilliam but - typy ule kyilliam<....>- Five people from New Monya went to visit the village of Chokal. They drove home too late; it became completely dark on the way. Thinking that we had already reached the village, we went into the house. They play the balalaika and accordion there. They also danced; there were a lot of people in the house. While dancing, one of them fell, and they said, “Lord,” and they found themselves under an oak tree.<....>(FE UDGU-78)
The range of sounds from another world is varied: from individual sounds to the ability to reproduce human speech:
Atay kulyku, vyzhulyn cheryk pyrdaskiz. Pyriskom - nomyr ӧvӧl. - It was before my father died. The sound of breaking glassware came from underground. We went in and there was nothing there. (FEUdGU-90)
Tanya Gurezmy Van. Otyn Akmar Yakolen lulyz potez. So vadsyn shula, tazi ik, pe. shula. - Here we have a slide. That's where Yakov Akmarov gave up his ghost. They say there's a whistle there, a real whistle<....>(FE IYAL-95, d. Ns 530, l. 51)
Representatives of another world can imitate a familiar voice and call out:
Saraiyn mark ke no les'tosko val. "Memkey!" Shusa Toma keskiz, ozy ik "memkey" shusa. "Ew!" - shui no pomӥ. Otӥ-tatӥ uchki, nokytyn but Tome ӧvӧl. Tӥni collect the card kuliz. - I worked in the barn. "Memkey!" - Tom’s granddaughter called out to me. “Hey!” I responded and left. I looked everywhere in the yard, but Toma was nowhere to be found. After this, the husband died. (FE IYAL - 95, no. 530, l. 81)
Representatives of another world can enter into direct dialogue with a person. They often appear in the form of a familiar person and take the person who gets in their way to dangerous places.
In situations of contact, the dependent party is always a person, and therefore he must have some knowledge of neutralizing the influence of representatives of another world. For example, there is such a belief: “Nyuleski yiromid ke, dӥsez myddorin dӥsyano (If you get lost in the forest, you need to turn your clothes inside out).” In the world of spirits, on their territory or in their presence, it is considered dangerous to show your human essence. Clothing turned inside out is already a sign of otherness, so the spirits of the forest can no longer harm a person, since he has accepted their “game” and acts according to their “laws.”
In some situations, silence is also a means of neutralization. “A person who refuses to speak is perceived as a non-human, as a “stranger.” Great importance is attributed to verbal spells, among which the simplest and most common are the exclamations “Osto, Inmare!” or simply “Osto!”, prayers and even their reverse reading.
Odӥg ӝyt munchoe ognam wheatgrass. Munchoys potykum, olokin aldaz - korkame ug adiski<....>Ozy mone ӵaӵӵamurt aldam. “I believe” prayer lydyi, kuaretyo soe no, soku ik tylyos hellish. - One evening I went to the bathhouse alone. I started to leave the bathhouse, something happened - I don’t see my house<...>So the goblin played a joke on me. I read the “I Believe” prayer, cursed, and only then did the lights appear. (FEUdGU-91)
The assimilation of knowledge to neutralize the influence of representatives of another world occurs in the process of mastering the rules of behavior enshrined in beliefs (edifications and taboos), tales and experiences that affirm existing beliefs.
Literature
- Vereshchagin G.E. Votyaks of the Sarapul district of the Vyatka province / Notes of the Russian Geographical Society. - St. Petersburg 1889. - T.XI, issue 3. - P.73.
- Lytin V.I., Gulyaev E.S. Brief etymological dictionary of the Komi language. - M.: Nauka, 1970. - P. 95.
Description of the presentation MYTHOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT UDMURTS The main deity of the Udmurt pagansInmar on slides
The main deity of the pagan Udmurts. Inmar. This is the source of all good things; he is the creator of the sky, lives constantly in the sun, and is so kind that the Udmurts are not afraid of him. Only grateful sacrifices are offered to him.
Etymology of the name In the 19th century, the most common etymology was in+mar “sky-what”. Some scientists believed that the name Inmar comes from Inmurt “heavenly man”. But according to M. G. Atamanov, the word Inmar arose as a result of the merger of Udm. in(m) “sky” and ar “man” (from Bulgarian). Currently, the most acceptable hypothesis is that the word Inmar retains the ancient suffix -*r, and the word itself comes from the Finno-Permian name of the heavenly deity (*ilmar, cf. Ilmarinen).
Thus, the most appropriate name our first ancestor is Ilmar. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, he was replaced by Elijah the Prophet, riding a chariot across the sky during the rain and the roar from this chariot generates thunder. A distant descendant of Ilmar - in the genetic and etymological sense - is Ilya Muromets - Il-Mar.
Vukuzyo (“master of water”) - in Udmurt myths - the ruler of the water element, an inhabitant of the primary ocean. In dualistic cosmogonic myths, Vukuzyo is the opposite of Inmar, who retrieved the earth from the bottom of the ocean. According to myth, Vukuzyo will spoil the Alangasar giants created by Inmar by deceiving the dog guarding them. Imitating Inmar's creation - a dog, he created a goat, and then the water spirits of the Wumurts. Vukuzyo was represented as an old man with a long green beard.
Everyone knows the cheerful holiday - Neptune Day, but not everyone knows Vukuze Day, which is celebrated in Izhevsk for the second year in a row in the middle of summer! Vukuzyo (“master of water”) in Udmurt myths is the ruler of the water element, settled in our city. This summer you can meet Vukuze and his friends in the Summer Garden, in his renovated house.
Nyules-Murt (nyul - forest, thicket) lives in the forest, has his own farm and family. In clothing and lifestyle, he is similar to people. As people, the Nyles-Murts marry and feast. The route taken by the Nyles-Murtov wedding is marked by many broken trees. Nyles-Murts are distinguished from people by their high stature (the height of the tallest trees) and black skin color. Nyules-Murts allow animals to lie down in holes and dens; They send prey to hunters, food to cattle, and help the army to win thanks to their special ability to produce wind and throw sand into the eyes.
Nyulesmurt stood out in its significance among all other creatures of Udmurt mythology. Sometimes he was called “Great Grandfather, Father.” Some researchers even believed that “the first and most main god in the galaxy of pagan gods of the Uglyazov Votyaks - the god of forests and winds. All this is explained by the huge role of the forest in the life of traditional Udmurt culture. Nyulesmurt is the owner of the forest, and since the forest practically made up the entire natural environment of the Udmurts, Nyulesmurt was in charge of all this, he is the owner of the animals, hunters turn to him for help and assistance in the hunt. The well-being of livestock also depended on Nyläsmurt. Sometimes he was even somehow connected with deceased ancestors. The rubble of the forest, where a hurricane or tornado passed through, was called Nyulesmurt's road, which is why sometimes Nyulesmurt was considered the deity of the wind.
Lud-Murt (lud - field) - field worker. He is a small man, no taller than a five-year-old child. Its growth can vary depending on the place where Lud-Murt is located: between the tall ears of Lud-Murt it is higher, in the young grass of the meadow it is very small. In the spring, when driving cattle into the Lud-Murt field, a prayer is read: “keep the animals well, lead them well into the field, do not give them to animals (wolves).”
Korka-Murt (ko rka - hut) is a spirit like a brownie (among Russians), in charge of men's and women's work performed in the hut. Sometimes he does work for the mistress of the house - plucking wood, chopping wood, spinning, etc. Corca-Murts sometimes replace their children with people.
In appearance, the korkamurt looks like an elderly man in a sheepskin coat with the fur turned outward. If a korkamurt moved with its owners from an old hut, it is called. Vuzhmurt (at dm. Old man). The transition from the old hut to the new Uudmurt was accompanied by a special ceremony in honor of the korkamurt; As a relic in this ritual, the memory of sacrificing a korkamurtubka when moving to a new home was preserved.
Vu-Murt (wu - water) - water man; all waters on earth are subject to his jurisdiction; it lives in lakes, small rivers, ponds, mainly in deep places. He has an incredibly beautiful wife, sons and daughters. The Vu-Murts marry their sons to the daughters of the Vu-Murts from neighboring waters; weddings take place mostly in autumn and spring, and the wedding train, directing its path through the water, breaks mill dams and raises the water level in all oncoming rivers. Vu-Murts are not averse to becoming related to people and in general often appear among people.
Vumurt (Udmurt vu - “water”, murt - “man”) - in Udmurt myths, a water spirit with long black hair, sometimes in the form of a pike. Created by the “master of water” Vukuzyo. Lives in the depths of large rivers and lakes, but likes to appear in streams and millponds. It can drown people and send diseases, wash away dams, destroy fish, but sometimes it helps people. In the water he has his own house, great wealth and a lot of livestock, a beautiful wife and daughter. Vumurt appears among people at fairs, where he can be recognized by the wet left side of his caftan, or in the village at dusk; its appearance portends misfortune. Vumurt is driven away by banging sticks and axes on the ice. To pay off the vumurt, animals, birds, and bread are sacrificed to him.
Lopsho Pedun is a fairy-tale hero of the Udmurts. According to legend, a long time ago there lived a man in one of the Udmurt villages. Life was difficult for him, but fun, because one day he learned the secret of life. The Udmurts know that long ago they had a Holy Book, according to which they built their lives. Over time, it was lost, and the leaves of the Holy Book scattered all over the world. During his next walk around his family, he was lucky enough to find one of the pages of this wise book, on which it was written: “Don’t take everything to heart, look at everything cheerfully, and luck will not bypass you.” From then on, any work in his hands was a success, and he became a source of inexhaustible humor, wit, and worldly cunning. People called him Lopsho Pedun.
KREZ is the name of a traditional song, as well as a musical instrument such as GUSLI among the Udmurts. With the modern growth of national self-awareness, the traditional instrument is increasingly attracting interest and becoming known to a very wide circle of listeners. Before our eyes, this amazing instrument is being revived virtually from complete oblivion. With joy one can observe how krez becomes an integral part of not only Udmurt musical folklore, but also cultural life in general, and in the near future it will enter every Udmurt home, as it was at the beginning of the last 20th century.
The Udmurt people have a rich cultural heritage. Many people - scientists, local historians, teachers, students and schoolchildren - collected and described oral folk art Udmurts in order to preserve and convey it to future generations.
Udmurt mythology is an extremely interesting system of heroes, spirits, giants and heroes. It consists of a huge number of legends and tales. And in the same way, Udmurt mythology is a cultural heritage Udmurt people, which is a source of themes and inspiration for artists, playwrights, sculptors and a whole world for study by philologists, ethnographers and linguists.
Fairy tale heroes
fairy-tale hero of the Udmurts.
According to legend, a long time ago there lived a man in one of the Udmurt villages. Life was difficult for him, but fun, because one day he learned the secret of life. The Udmurts know that long ago they had a Holy Book, according to which they built their lives. Over time, it was lost, and the leaves of the Holy Book scattered all over the world.
During his next walk around his family, he was lucky enough to find one of the pages of this wise book, on which it was written: “Don’t take everything to heart, look at everything cheerfully, and luck will not bypass you.”
From then on, any work in his hands was a success, and he became a source of inexhaustible humor, wit, and worldly cunning. People called him Lopsho Pedun.
Batyrs - frequent characters in Udmur fairy tales and heroic epics. There are legends about batyrs.
When warriors began to appear on earth, then Eshterek was one of the first. Tall, broad-shouldered, strong - he was a real hero Pazyal. Not just anywhere - just in our area, once upon a time, two brothers, two warriors lived. The eldest of them was called Micol, junior - Danil. Mardan and Tutoy. In ancient times, batyrs had to defend themselves from enemy attacks. It was then that their leader appeared Yadigar. Once upon a time, to the north of the possessions of the Donda tribe, the tribe's warriors lived Kalmez. Idna-batyr, the son of Donda, lived in the area, which later began to be called Idnakar after him. Idna was engaged in one hunt. Batyrs from the tribe Chud were characterized as “they were very tall in stature, exorbitant in strength, and independent in character.”
Creation Myth
in Udmurt mythology - supreme god, creator of all that is good and kind in the world. The name Inmar is related to the names of other demiurges of Finno-Ugric mythology - En and, possibly, Ilma (Ilmarinen, etc.). The heavenly god takes care of the clouds: he draws water with a golden ladle and waters them so that they do not dry out from the sun's rays. This good god confronts his brother Keremet(Lud, or Shaitan, sometimes - “master of water” Vukouzo), the creator of evil. Initially, both gods were good. At the behest of Inmar, Keremet took earth from the bottom of the World Ocean, bringing it in his mouth. He spat out some of the earth, and hid some of it. When the earth, by the will of Inmar, began to grow, Keremet was forced to spit out the rest, which is why mountains appeared on the flat surface of the land. Inmar also created plants and animals.
Another myth talks about how Inmar sails a boat on the World Ocean. Suddenly, out of nowhere, appears Shaitan. At the behest of Inmar, he dives to the bottom of the ocean for land: under the water, Shaitan meets a crayfish, and he assures the diver that he has not seen any land. Shaitan dives even deeper and finally gets some sand. He hides part of it in his mouth and creates mountains on the earth, which tear the clouds with their peaks. Inmar had to raise the sky higher - it became unattainable. The first creature Inmar created was a dog, but it had no skin. Shaitan skins her.
Christian and Muslim apocrypha (Greek apokryphos - secret, hidden) influenced the mythological picture of the world of the Udmurts. According to their beliefs, a large black (or red) bull lives underground - muzyem utis osh(“bull guarding the earth”). He stands on the back of a giant fish swimming in the World Ocean, and holds the Earth on his horns. When he moves his horns, an earthquake occurs.
Characters and cult objects of Udmurt mythology
- in Udmurt mythology, the supreme god, demiurge (Greek demiurgos - one who makes things, a worker, a creator, a master, an artisan). Inmar is the supreme deity in Udmurt mythology (or his epithet), the creator god, the creator of all good things, he opposes Keremet (Lud, Shaitan).
Alangsar- a giant whose body, cut into pieces by enemies and scattered on the ground, is sought by his wife, riding on a cart drawn by two gray-gray oxen. With their gigantic horns they tear up the ground, hence the presence of dunes and uneven surfaces. It was not possible to resurrect the giant because his wife did not find his head. Its bones, as well as the giant cauldron and tagan, protrude from the water at low tide.
Vorshud (shud vordys)- in Udmurt myths, an anthropomorphic spirit is the patron of the clan, family. He lives in a prayer house (kuala), where his idol was possibly kept in a special “Vorshud box”; in the kuala they sacrificed animals and birds, bread and pancakes - a treat for Vorshud. The owner who acquired a separate house invited him to his new kuala, organizing a feast on this occasion and transferring a handful of ash - the embodiment of Vorshud - from the hearth of the old kuala to his own; Vorshud's move was accompanied by wedding ceremonies and songs. Vorshud was asked for patronage in all enterprises (especially during illness). He can persecute those who offend Vorshud (including those who converted to Christianity), strangle them at night, send illness, etc. (analogy: Slavic brownie). Vorshud is associated with the cult of ancestors: in some prayers Vorshud was invoked along with the ancestors.
Vukuzyo ("master of water")- in Udmurt myths, the ruler of the water element, an inhabitant of the primary ocean. In dualistic cosmogonic myths, Vukuzyo (in other versions - Keremet, Lud, Shaitan) is an opponent of the demiurge Inmar, who retrieves earth from the bottom of the ocean. Spoils (spits on) the Alangasar giants created by Inmar, deceiving the dog guarding them. Imitating Inmar's creation - a dog, he creates a goat, then water creatures - woo-murts. Vukuzyo was represented as an old man with a long beard (analogy: Slavic merman).
Vu-murt (Udmurt vu - “water”, murt - “person”)- in Udmurt myths, a water anthropomorphic spirit with long black hair, sometimes in the form of a pike. Created by the “master of water” Vukuzyo. Lives in the depths of large rivers and lakes, but likes to appear in streams and millponds. It can drown people and send diseases, wash away dams, destroy fish, but sometimes it helps people. In the water he has his own house, great wealth and a lot of livestock, a beautiful wife and daughter (analogy: Mansi Vit-kan); Vu-murt weddings are accompanied by floods, etc. Vu-murt appears among people at fairs, where he can be recognized by the wet left field of his caftan (analogy: Slavic waterman), or in the village, at dusk; its appearance portends misfortune. Vu-murt is driven away by banging sticks and axes on the ice. To pay off the vu-murt, animals, birds, and bread are sacrificed to him.
Keremet (/from Chuvash Kiremet/, Lud, Shaitan) - in Udmurt myths, the creator of evil, opposing his virtuous brother Inmar. Prayers to Keremet were performed during epidemics, etc. in sacred groves - keremets (luds), where a special priest tuno sacrificed black animals to the god. Similar ideas about Keremet (and his cult) existed in Mari mythology, where Keremet is the deity of evil, brother and opponent of the demiurge Kugu-yumo. According to the late Mari legend, Keremet detained the Mari elder Bedoya with a conversation when he was going to the god who distributed religions among the peoples of the earth; for this God forced the Mari to worship Keremet .
Yagperi- one of the creations of Vukuzyo, the spirit or creature of the bora, the pine forest. A meeting with him threatened disaster for a man of the earth.
Vozho they live in abandoned huts and bathhouses, where they rule at night, and do not like to be disturbed. In order not to anger them and not to bring trouble upon oneself, a person should not enter a bathhouse or an abandoned building at night.
Kutys — in Udmurt mythology the spirit of disease. Kutys live in ravines, at the sources of streams and rivers; they terrify people and livestock (sometimes with their terrible screams), while remaining invisible, they inflict diseases (mainly skin diseases). It was believed that you could pay him off if you threw pieces of food, rooster feathers, salt, coins into the river and left without looking back.
Kyldysin (Kyldysin-mu, Kylchin) - in Udmurt mythology god. Lives in the sky, from where he rules the universe. In ancient times, he lived on earth among people, loved to appear in the fields of farmers in the form of an old man in white clothes, walk along the boundaries and straighten ears of bread that had fallen on the boundaries (analogy: Russian ideas about Elijah the Prophet). People, consumed by greed, expanded their fields so much that Kyldysin had nowhere to walk; they stopped dressing like Kyldysin, dyeing their clothes blue, and the offended god retired to heaven (according to other versions, underground; analogy: the myth of two Kyldysins - heavenly and underground, Shaitan). People prayed for a long time to God at the sacred birch tree to come down to them again. Finally they begged him to at least appear to them in some other guise. Then Kyldysin appeared on the top of a birch tree in the form of a red squirrel. Udmurt hunters, intending to force God to stay on earth, shot a squirrel, but it, falling, turned into a hazel grouse, and when they shot the hazel grouse, it turned into a black grouse, then into a perch and disappeared into the river (analogy: shamanic myths about transformations). Among the fetishes kept by the Udmurts in a vorshudny box are squirrel skin, birch chips, hazel grouse wing, black grouse feathers and dried fish - the memory of Kyldysin’s last return. He and Inmar are gods of earth and sky; their images sometimes merged, hence Inmar-Kylchin .
Gidmurt (udm. Stable man) - the spirit of the stable and stable in the traditional beliefs of the Udmurts. Gidmurt is an assistant to the brownie (korkamurt), the patron of courtyard buildings, in particular stables and barns, as well as the cattle living there. Gidmurt can treat different horses differently. If he loves a horse, he will comb and braid its mane, and even transfer hay and oats from neighboring horses. Most often, if a gidmurt loves all horses, then he can carry neighbors’ hay and oats into the stable. If a gidmurt dislikes a horse, then he can ride it all night long and exhaust it with heavy loads.
Nylesmurt — owner of the forest . Sometimes he was called Bydzym nunya -“Great grandfather, father. Nyulesmurt is the master of animals (in particular, he decides where each bear should lie in the den), hunters turn to him for help and assistance in the hunt, and well-being depended on Nyulesmurt, sometimes he was even somehow connected with deceased ancestors. Nyulesmurt's road was called the rubble of the forest where a hurricane or tornado passed through, which is why sometimes Nyulesmurt was considered the deity of the wind. Fierce battles took place between the Nyulesmurts and the Vumurts; it was believed that they usually happened at noon, so people were afraid to swim or enter the river at this time.
Ludmurt(udm. Lugovik, Polevik) - in Udmurt mythology, a creature responsible for meadows and fields. Ludmurt appeared in the form of a small man, no taller than a child, dressed in white. He also guarded animals and monitored crops. In the field he is as tall as an ear of corn, in the meadow he is as tall as grass. Ludmurt is one of Nyulesmurt's relatives or is part of his retinue. Sometimes Ludmurt was called Mushvozmas (Udm. - guarding bees), when they began to cut out honeycombs (August 1), a duck was sacrificed to him in the apiary.
Palesmoort(Udm. Palesmurt "half-man") - a character in Udmurt folklore, an evil one-eyed man living in the forest. Popular fairy tale character. It looks like a person dissected lengthwise - with half a head, half a body, one arm and a leg, the insides are visible (according to another version, the second half is there, but “shines through”). Lives in the forest, can appear at the edge of the forest or even approach the fence around the house and go out to the fire. You cannot shout or whistle in the forest - otherwise he may respond and leave the forest. To protect against it, you need to remember the heavenly god Inmar or hide behind a rowan tree. Appears as a harbinger of misfortune. Calls a person by name, can tickle him to death, like Slavic mermaids. He can pick up animals that have gone to pasture, then they weave one bast shoe for him and hang it on a branch in the forest (donate it) so that the animal returns.
Kuaz (Kvaz)- one of the supreme deities in the traditional beliefs of the Udmurts, associated with weather and atmospheric phenomena. Character from fairy tales (“Kvaz’s Favorite”, etc.). He was the giver of rain. Kuaz is the ruler of the space between heaven and earth, that is, the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena.
Korkamurt (udm. - house person)- brownie in traditional Udmurt beliefs. In appearance, the korkamurt looks like an elderly man in a sheepskin coat with the fur turned outward. There are tales that tell how a korkamurt was caught by a man in the dark, and after the light was turned on, it turned out that the man was holding the sleeve of a fur coat in his hands. In this regard, there is a belief: if you see a korkamurt in the light, then it will have to fulfill all the requests of the person who caught it.
Literature
1. S.Yu. Neklyudov. Mythological dictionary.
2. V. Petrukhin. Myths of the Finno-Ugrians
We dedicated the project “Legends of the Spring Land” to this, organized by “AiF in Udmurtia” together with the Ministry of National Relations of the Urals and the House of Friendship of Peoples.
Each people invests its wisdom, talents and labor in the region where it happens to live. And the main partners and participants of the project are public national associations: it is they who are aimed at the creative activities of the peoples who have recognized Udmurtia as their second homeland. Let's talk together about national traditions and holidays, about the amazing stories that happened to our contemporaries on Udmurt land, about the legends that Udmurtia gives new Age and its new residents.
Happiness comes from the mind
All-Udmurt Association “Udmurt Kenesh” shared with us an ancient Udmurt legend.
Once upon a time there were only two people in the world: Inmar - the Master of the sky and Vukuzyo - the Master of the water. And so Inmar decided to make the earth and living creatures on it. And he ordered Vukuzyo to get the earth out of the water. Thus began the creation of a world in which Vukuzyo constantly spoiled Inmar’s ideal ideas.
It came down to the man. Inmar made a beautiful couple and went away in his worries, leaving the dog to guard the people. The Master of Water immediately appeared, but the dog did not let him near Inmar’s creations, preventing him from touching people. Then Vukuzyo asked: “Let me at least spit on them!” The dog was surprised, but did not sense any evil in it. And Vukuzyo’s saliva was poisonous, and people were covered with ulcers from it. Inmar saw how disfigured his creatures were, thought about how to hide the sores, and turned people inside out, hiding the sores. Since then, all the ailments and illnesses of people are hidden inside.
When the new inhabitants of the earth were already ready for independent life, Inmar remembered his great omission - he did not give people reason. Without reason, people are not people; neither strength nor health can replace it. Without reason, a person will not be able to appreciate the beauty of the earth and therefore will not be happy,” Inmar realized and went for reason, which he had already prepared and lay in a birch bark box. But Vukuzyo was ahead of him. And he decided to destroy the mind: he drowned part of it in water, buried part of it in the ground, and scattered part of it through the air. Then Inmar appeared. Vukuzo was frightened by his anger, but confessed to what he had done. And Inmar burst into a satisfied smile: “You did everything in the best way: intelligence will enter people with air, they will pass it on to their children as an inheritance, and the race will become smarter from generation to generation. When people become completely wiser, they will love the earth and make it beautiful!”
Dream of generations
The President's main pride and concern Tatar Community Center UR Fnuna Mirzayanova- central mosque in Izhevsk.
Religion today provides a connection between times and provides the right vector of morality, he believes. - For us, a mosque is not only a religious site, but also a center for communication between people of different cultures, a place of charity. Officially the mosque is on the street. K. Marx will open in 2016. Moreover, in the month of Ramadan already within three years we provide free lunches for all parishioners.
This mosque is the dream of many generations of Tatars in Udmurtia, and it was built with donations from people. Muslims must give 1/40 of their profits to charitable causes. And people donate: a fund was created for the construction of the mosque, and contributions to it varied - from a few rubles to 10 thousand dollars. During the preparations, we collected three buckets of change and changed it in the bank.
Tatar mosque in Izhevsk. Photo: AiF
We want, says Fnun Gavasovich, that a person of any nationality and confession can enter the mosque. There are imams with legal education who can give advice themselves or suggest the necessary specialists. But the main thing that the mosque gives is moral standards. The fact that black ideas are now being passed off as Islam is extremely cynical. Allah created people for creative work and moral life, and not for “cannon fodder.”
About 3,000 members of the Tatar community center are like-minded people in adopting a healthy lifestyle, preserving traditions and holidays, and supporting ties with their historical homeland - Tatarstan and Bashkiria.
Russian song over the Kama
IN Society of Russian Culture UR we were told that the Old Believers, persecuted by the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, in the 17th century went to remote, inaccessible places, including along the rivers Vyatka, Kama and their tributaries. They never accepted church changes and have preserved their faith and culture to this day. Especially many Old Believers live in the north of Udmurtia. The Kez and Krasnogorsk districts can be safely called “Old Believers”. All Old Believers are characterized by strict adherence to the customs of ancient Rus'; their unique traditions and rituals are a valuable intangible heritage of the Russian people.
Back in 2003, the Society of Russian Culture of the Urals (this year it is 25 years old) in the village of Kuliga, Kez district, for the first time held a republican holiday of Old Believer culture “ORIGINS WHAT WE ARE.” The holiday, reviving the traditions of folk life, was such a success that it was reborn into an interregional festival of Old Believer culture.
Representatives of almost all nations living in Udmurtia join the holidays. Photo: From personal archive
And so it has been since then: on fine summer days, guests not only from different parts of our republic, but also from the Kirov region, Perm region, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and even far abroad come to visit the Old Believers living at the source of the Kama. People go to the outback to listen to authentic songs of the Old Believers, take part in fun round dances and games, and taste the delicious mead for which Kuliga is famous.
In 2012, the Society came up with the republican festival of Old Believer culture “Petrovskoe Zagovenye” and holds it in the village of Barany, Krasnogorsk district. The priority in the project is to work with Old Believer youth - the heir and “conductor” of this original culture.
Both holidays have become widely known in Udmurtia. They are joined by representatives of almost all peoples living in Udmurtia. Considering the popularity and social significance of festivals, the board of the Society of Russian Culture of the Urals, headed by Chairman Sergei Fefilov, decided to alternate holidays. This year, “Petrovskoe Zagovenie” was noisy and fun, and next year - you are welcome - come to the “Sources of the Kama”!
Night horse and...weme
Shared an interesting legend National-cultural center “Zakamsky Udmurts”.
It was in Kipchak, maybe in Shudek or in a completely different village. A lonely man once lived there. His fellow villagers were surprised: he knows everything, he can do everything, he never gets sick, and for some reason he doesn’t create a family. At night, residents of that village on the street or near the cemetery often saw a white horse galloping somewhere into the darkness. “Maybe it’s a ghost, or some kind of witch?” - the villagers thought.
One beautiful girl from the same village was preparing to get married. But unexpectedly before the wedding she fell ill. The groom abandoned her and left the village. The same story happened to another girl. The villagers became worried: “Who is muddying the lives of the young like water?” We remembered about the white horse. Isn't it her fault?
At night, residents of that village on the street or near the cemetery often saw a white horse galloping somewhere into the darkness. Photo: AiF/Sergey Prokhorov
One day, several village boys arranged a weme ( free assistance) and catch this horse. That's what they did. One night, almost all the men and young boys took to the streets. Everyone was waiting for the horse to appear and towards midnight they saw it. The men chased her for a long time and still managed to pin the horse to one yard. A blacksmith was immediately invited. He nailed iron horseshoes to the white horse's front legs. The horse was left in the yard, and in the morning it was no longer there. The next night she did not appear in the village.
At the same time, a rumor spread throughout the village: a bore, who until now did not know what it was to be sick, fell ill. The guys decided to visit him. Yes, the man was lying in bed, covered with a blanket. "What is hurting you?" - they asked him. “Nothing hurts,” answered the boby.
The guys came to him several times: the neighbor was lying in the same position, not eating, but not complaining about his health. One of the guys couldn’t stand it and pulled the blanket off him. And everyone saw: there were nailed horseshoes on the man’s hands. And then people drew a circle around the house of this loner with an iron object. After that, no one saw a white horse in the village at night, and the sad stories ended.
Weme is a force that can cleanse all evil spirits. Weme still lives in that Udmurt village and helps residents overcome any difficulties.
Scientists called the Udmurts from Bashkortostan and the Kuedinsky region of the Perm Territory Zakamsky. The Udmurts themselves from those places call themselves “tupal udmurtyos” - those from beyond the river.
Jewish Saturday: Shabbat Shalom!
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, sending a Jewish ethnographic expedition to Izhevsk, said: “In large cities of Russia, Jewish life is still more developed than in the regions. You can often hear the phrase: “I am a Jew, and this means almost nothing to me.” Is it so?
Public Jewish life in Udmurtia is filled with national traditions, social projects to help the elderly and children, and multinational projects aimed at strengthening good relations between people.
The youth of the Community Center for Jewish Culture of the Urals are winners in the Republican drafts tournament and in the game “What? Where? When?”, they are regulars at dance evenings and interethnic events; they can always be found in the front row of discussion platforms and festivals. Every year, schools in the republic hold lessons on the topic of the Holocaust in the Great Patriotic War. The Community Center for Jewish Culture of the Urals is also the organizer of the interethnic project “With Love in the Native Land,” which includes representatives of six national and cultural associations that help low-income and large families in many regions of Udmurtia. In 2015 alone, the community center participated in five large multinational projects together with other NGOs.
The most blessed day among Jews is considered to be Shabbat (Saturday) - the day when a woman lights candles in her home - a symbol of peace and tranquility. On this day, Jews greet each other with the words “Shabbat Shalom!”
Contribution through sport
Sport is important for the health of the nation, says the representative Azerbaijani public center of Udmurtia “Dostlug” Zulfigar Mirzaev. - We are proud that many Azerbaijanis of Udmurtia not only work successfully in the field of medicine, education, and law enforcement, but also have high achievements in sports. The success of young people is important to us, and this year the leadership of the diaspora awarded our graduates who received gold medals and honors diplomas, and the best athletes.
Azerbaijanis are proud of their athletes. Photo: From personal archive
A number of names of Azerbaijani athletes are inscribed in the history of sports in Udmurtia. Among them is the master of sports of the USSR and Russia, 3-time world champion in freestyle wrestling among veterans Gasimov Miradam Mirkamal oglu. His sons are also successful in sports: Mirkamal, 17 years old - champion of Udmurtia and Miraziz, 23 years old - master of sports of Russia.
Athletes of Azerbaijani nationality achieved high results in competitions at the regional, district, all-Russian and international levels in 2015. Amalya Gmbarova, the Kasymov brothers Vugar and Yakov, Gadirli Gadir, Dmitry Mamiev, Omarov Ramazan, Mamedov Munasib, Amishov Javad, Gasimov Mirkamal, Piraliev Amin, Ismailov Rail adequately represented the interests of Udmurtia.
A student of the Izhevsk Medical Academy Gambarova Amalya Akhill kyzy grew up in an intelligent family in the village. Vavozh. The girl is extremely talented: a future doctor with honors from IGMA, she is also a master of sports in weightlifting. In July, at the Russian championship in Zelenegradsk, Amelya won a bronze medal. The roots of success are in the family: her father Akhil, having graduated from the Azerbaijan Institute of Physical Education and Sports, taught at the university, then came to Udmurtia.
The massive involvement of members of the diaspora in physical culture, their successes in various competitions are indisputable proof of the vitality and spiritual strength of Azerbaijanis living in Udmurtia.
Nice name
More than 1 million Greeks lived in the Soviet Union, says chairman Greek Societies "Nicaea" Democritus Ananikov. - After the collapse of the country, especially many Greeks remained in Russia and Ukraine (Donetsk and Lugansk regions). Of course, “Soviet” Greeks live in Udmurtia: at one time they came by assignment after graduating from universities. And I must say, everyone had a successful professional career: many became managers and entrepreneurs - there are no unskilled workers among the Greeks.
There are names that are legendary in the history of the region. For example, Victor Vasilievich Kovalenko. A street on the territory of the Izhevsk Automobile Plant is named after him. This man is unique: he devoted 45 years of his life to his native enterprise, 22 years was its chief engineer, and ended his career at IzhAvto at the age of 80! This year he celebrates his 85th birthday.
Kovalenko was born in Ukraine, in the Donetsk region, lived under the German occupation “We, despite the hardships of time, spent days near hostile equipment,” he recalls. “After the hasty escape of the foreign army, a heavy military tractor remained in our yard. The sentries near the commandant's office shot without warning at anyone who approached the tractor. So, literally under fire, I disassembled it down to the last screw.
In Izhevsk, I started working in the design department of a motorcycle production facility. It was not just a department - a whole academy! And in 1965, a car plant appeared. Construction began, we kneaded the mud together and hired the first workers. My main professional achievement? Over the 22 years of my work as the chief engineer of auto production, my team of specialists has not allowed a single case of production failure that lasted more than 1.5-2 hours.
The Greeks of Udmurtia celebrate two main holidays: October 28 - Okha Day, when in 1940 the country's Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxa said "No" to the Italian fascists' offer to surrender. March 25 is Greek Independence Day and liberation from Turkish invaders.
Tyushti Games
Tyushtya is a hero of the Mordovian epic, similar to the ancient Greek Hercules, they told in Society of the Mordovian people UR "Umarina". He taught the Mordovians many crafts and founded a state. When the time came to defend themselves from enemies, he gathered people and taught them the art of war. For all men, he carried out the first tests: those who climbed a high mountain behind him became ushmans, that is, warriors. Competitions were held among the warriors, and those who won them were appointed Ushmandei - military leaders.
After defeating the enemy, games were held where young boys competed in wrestling and weapon skills, measured their strength and prepared themselves for future battles. These were Tyushti's games.
Women danced in circles, men competed: in fist fights, wrestling, or “wall to wall.” Photo: From personal archive
In many villages, games were held a week after Trinity. Women danced in circles, men competed: in fist fights, wrestling, or “wall to wall.” This is how combat skills were developed, and each person, in addition to his main job, was a warrior. In addition, the main thing in a national holiday is to express yourself emotionally. At the same time, an adult will receive a lot of impressions, and in the child’s memory, folk traditions will be preserved as a bright image. This is the most optimal way to preserve folk culture.
For modern children who have swapped walks and movement for computers, folk games can be of great help. Their obligatory competitiveness opens up children emotionally. The games are attractive in their simplicity and do not require prior training. And the equipment for them is the simplest: a board, a stick, a rope.
Mordovian national competitive traditions give modern people the opportunity to realize themselves. It is also noteworthy that the folk principles of the game welcome the presence of parents. Training with the whole family is wonderful, when dads or grandfathers work out with the boys, and mom or grandma sits next to them.
It is national traditions that give us a chance to raise a healthy and successful young generation who knows the traditions of their ancestors and loves their Fatherland.
Paradise for modesty
About 1,000 Uzbeks permanently live in Udmurtia, says the president of the Uzbek National Center for Social Support and Cultural Development “Asia Plus” Mukhutdin Bakhridinov. - They all have families, jobs, raising children - my heart is at peace for them. The main concern of the Asia Plus center is Uzbek migrants. We deal with them so that in Udmurtia, on the one hand, they do not have crime, and on the other, so that they themselves do not become victims of fraud. Uzbeks are good workers: hardworking, modest. They are welcome at any construction site in the republic, but their working conditions are very difficult. And it is important that there are fellow tribesmen nearby who can support and help.
There is a legend about the modesty of Uzbeks. God gave away the land. The Uzbek was one of the first to arrive, but friendly, putting his hand to his heart, he let everyone go forward: “Please, Markhamat. Please pass". When he entered, there was no more land left. God was surprised at the Uzbek’s kindness and said: “I have a heavenly place. I thought about keeping it, but take it!” Since then, Uzbeks have lived on the blessed land.
The Uzbek boldly “appropriated” only one thing for himself - pilaf. Many nations have this dish, but who eats it like an Uzbek? Definitely on Thursday and Saturday at gatherings with family and friends. He has a famous red rice pilaf that grows in water. mountain rivers, there is groom's pilaf...
Uzbeks consider pilaf their dish. Photo: AiF/ Gennady Bisenov
There is a beautiful legend about pilaf. In the 10th century, the son of the ruler fell ill in Bukhara. The young man became weaker and weaker when the famous doctor Ibn Sina, who was able to determine the disease by his heartbeat, was brought to him. The prince's pulse indicated the torments of love, but he did not mention the girl's name. Then, keeping his hand on the young man’s pulse, Ibn Sina asked him to name the quarters of Bukhara, and from the patient’s pulse he guessed the name of the treasured place. Then they listed the names of everyone living there. When the name of the artisan's daughter was heard, the pulse returned to normal. The cause of the disease was unequal love.
Ibn Sina wrote a recipe for an unnamed dish on paper and ordered the young man to be fed it for 7 days, and to have a wedding on the 8th. The dish required 7 ingredients: P yez (bow), A ez (carrot), l ahm (meat), O lie (fat), V eet (salt), O b (water) and w ala (rice). So the young man recovered, married his beloved and was happy. And the nameless dish was named after the first letters of 7 ingredients: it turned out “palov osh” - pilaf.
With prayer to Osh Kugo Yumo
This year marks 415 years since the Mari settled in the Vyatka-Kama region. When they appeared, the local khan began to think: what land should he give to the new people? And he said to the young Mari warrior: “How much land you cover from dawn to sunset, that’s how much you’ll take!” And the batyr ran, trying to ensure that his people got the meadows, forests, rivers, and hills. This is how the Mari received beautiful lands in the south of Udmurtia and live today in the Alnashsky, Grakhovsky and, of course, Karakulinsky districts.
In 1996, in order to preserve the Mari folk culture, traditions and language, our society “Odo Mari Ushem” appeared, says the head Odo Mari Ushem (Union of Mari of Udmurtia) Nina Telitsyna.- Interest in the native culture is not lost even in mixed marriages. Previously, it was actively promoted in schools: for example, in the villages of Mari Vozhay, Byrgynda, Nyrgynda, lessons were taught in the Mari language up to the 8th grade. Now children learn their native language only in primary school and optionally in secondary school. Therefore, it is very important that the family and other adult environment support and develop this interest in roots and love for national culture. And this love, it must be said, is characteristic of the Mari. We are an open, positive, singing and dancing people. And very hardworking.
The Mari are an open, positive, singing and dancing people. Photo: From personal archive
Now the time has come for the revival of traditions: we are restoring places of worship - sacred groves that every village used to have. There are also family places for prayer. The old people remember how they prayed for the harvest of Osh Kugo Yumo - the White Big God. And then on the harvest festival itself the weather was beautiful.
In October of this year, we opened our Sunday national school in the House of Friendship of Peoples, we want to create a Mari group in Izhevsk kindergarten. Young parents are happy about this. And we, the older generation, like it when our grandchildren ask us Mari words, ask us to sew national costumes for them, and are ready to perform with us at folk festivals. This means that a small but distinctive people has a future.
Giorgoba will come to Udmurtia
"Georgian Community" has existed in Udmurtia for four years, and this summer its official presentation took place.
Our diaspora is small - there are about 200 people in it, says its chairman David Bramidze. - And we communicate with wonderful communities in Tatarstan and Chuvashia. Although there are fewer and fewer Georgians in Russia: the political situation is too difficult, and since 2006 there have been no relations between Russia and Georgia. But we remember not only the events of the last decades, but also the history of the centuries-old friendship of our peoples and countries. Georgia and Russia are united by a single faith: we have the same Orthodox traditions, all the canons coincide, the religious procession has been accepted - it is not without reason that the assimilation of Georgians in Russia, thanks also to religion, is happening very quickly. True, our Orthodox churches have different architectures, but this is influenced by national architectural traditions.
Georgian church. Photo: From personal archive
It so happened that different Caucasian peoples meet in Udmurtia. It would seem that due to the recent conflicts in the Caucasus, clashes are possible between us. And again, we are divided by recent history and united by centuries-old history: Migrels and Abkhazians cannot be separated in it.
In October, Tbilisoba is celebrated - Tbilisi City Day and big celebration for all of Georgia. It is celebrated regularly and magnificently in Moscow. On November 23 and April 23, Giorgoba is celebrated - the Day of St. George, the patron saint of Georgia. This saint is especially revered in Russia. In November, Giorgoba takes place not only as an Orthodox holiday, but also as a celebration in honor of the last harvest. Next year we want to hold it on the central square of Izhevsk and invite professional Georgian dancers from Kazan and Moscow. The opening of the Russian-Georgian center “Izhevsk - Moscow - Tbilisi” will soon take place. Its goal is clear - to help strengthen friendly relations between our peoples. Only peace and harmony give any person the opportunity to live safely and happily.
A place for all religions
A tall, austere building made of pink marble on the street. 10 Years of October has been attracting the attention of Izhevsk residents for several years now. By the way, such marble can only be found in Armenia! But for a big Dream that unites people of different nationalities, nothing is impossible! And therefore, the Armenian Apostolic Church is being built step by step, with the help of many friends of the Armenian national-cultural association.
A courtyard with an exact copy of Lake Sevan and Mount Ararat is being built next to the church. And every evening, people, having finished their business, come to the church under construction, take off their jackets and ties, roll up their sleeves and begin sawing, planing, and mixing concrete.
The Gregorian faith is based on joy and love. Photo: From personal archive
The Gregorian faith, which the Armenians profess, is based primarily on joy. On love. On unconditional trust in one's neighbor. Armenians are ready to build, sing, dance and work hand in hand with their Russian brother. They even address strangers on the street as “brother” or “sister.” They know how to work and how to relax. They get up from the table and interrupt men's conversations if a woman enters the house. They have an unconditional love for children all over the world.
The doors of the Armenian church are always open. White walls, large floor-to-ceiling windows through which sunlight shines, in the middle, between the benches, there is a passage to the altar. Children run around the church laughing. Women in the best dresses are happily discussing something. Men talk on the sidelines about their own things. This place will always welcome people of different nationalities. On Easter, the owners set a large, generous table. On a hot summer day, the guest will be doused with holy water and sprinkled with rose petals. In April, everyone will be invited to a cleanup event and treated to home-style food. “Because God is one. And it is located on a high mountain! - Armenians often say. “And every religion goes to God on its own path!”
Cossack Circle- holy cause!
They are from that rare generation of people who sincerely rejoice in their friends, take care of women and teach children to love and defend their Motherland. These are deeply intelligent people, a mixture of beauty and spirituality. They say in the ancient Russian manner: “Why philosophize?” And when they agree with something, they answer in unison: “I love it!”
The pinnacle of Cossack democracy is the Military Circle, where Cossacks today decide all the issues that life poses to them. The traditional form of gathering in a circle came to us from ancient times and is revered by the Cossacks as the most sacred thing. The Cossack Circle operated on campaigns, at sea (when they sailed to each other on boats), on the road (if they came together, they turned their horses’ heads towards the center). The point of gathering in a circle is for each participant to see the faces of their comrades. And here it is simply impossible to cheat or falter!
Every year the ataman gives gifts to the best. Photo: From personal archive
In addition to the Ataman of the troops, important issues are decided by the Council of Old Men. “Old people are the conscience of the Circle!” - say the Cossacks. The most respected warriors aged 60 years and older are elected here. And every year, in the reporting and election circle, the ataman rewards the best warriors and growing Cossacks with whips, whips, crosses and certificates. And may God grant them the same prowess, strength and endless love for the Fatherland!
Nobility of goals
There are 870 Russian citizens of Tajik nationality living in Udmurtia, and more than 2,000 of those who come here, work and receive a residence permit, says the chairman Tajik public center of Udmurtia “Orien-Taj” (“Noble Ones”) Mirzo Umarov. - The government in Udmurtia is wise: it does everything so that representatives of different nationalities do not feel disadvantaged. The House of Peoples' Friendship is open for all our events, we were provided with a free office with all the conditions for work - this is the attention of the state that is highly valued. We, in turn, try to make the life of the republic more interesting with our resources.
This year alone we held several large-scale events. “Eastern Beauty” was the name of the holiday in the village of Oktyabrsky, Zavyalovsky district: there were national dances and, of course, we treated the residents of the village to real oriental pilaf. At the Railway Workers' Palace of Culture we honored veterans of the Great Patriotic War - everyone who lived in the USSR should love and appreciate this generation of victorious soldiers. And we gathered these wonderful old people at a rich table of oriental cuisine. Many people know our center for the Navruz holiday, which we celebrate on a grand scale and with sports competitions. Recently we invited national associations to competitions in checkers and volleyball. We can only fight in sports arenas, and these “battles” lead us to peace and friendship.
Ulakh: let's have fun together
There are not many Chuvash in Udmurtia - only 2,780 people, says Chairman of the Chuvash National Center Anatoly Igolkin. - But they live in almost all regions of the republic and most compactly in the Grakhovsky district, where not so long ago in the school in the village of Blagodatnoye it was possible to learn the Chuvash language. Nowadays it is not easy to preserve the native culture: people are scattered in the city, there are more and more mixed marriages, and the circle of communication in the native language is narrowing. And a good means of preservation national culture and traditions are holidays. They always bring people together, help them understand each other better, and have a good time together. In the same village of Blagodatnoye, ulah - gatherings - are still held.
A good way to preserve traditions is holidays. Photo: From personal archive
Ulakh is an ancient custom, a nightly gathering of young people in autumn and winter. On these long nights, boys and girls gathered in the bathhouse to spend time together. The girls were spinning, knitting socks and mittens, and embroidering. The guys wove bast shoes and brought some musical instruments. After working, they began games, pranks, songs and dances - this is ulah. Today, ulakh is also held by mature people, and their gatherings (especially with the arrival of guests - Chuvash from other regions) turn into events for sharing experiences, competitions, watching videos of holidays and meetings in Chuvashia.
In the old days, Chuvash youth had another winter holiday - surkhuri. In the recent past, it was accompanied by a special fortune-telling, when in the dark in a barn they caught sheep by the leg with their hands. Previously, it was celebrated on the third Friday after St. Nicholas Day, and later in different places surkhuri began to be called differently: Night before Christmas, Night before New Year, The night before Epiphany. This holiday coincided in time with Russian Christmas and Christmastide with their fortune-telling and already represented a mixture of Chuvash and Russian holidays.
Now holidays are changing and mixing, but the main thing is that they live on in subsequent generations. The Chuvash have a good proverb about this: “If you part with a friend, you will cry for one year, if you are separated from your family, you will cry for ten years, if you separate from the people, you will cry for the rest of your life.”