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This is a historical and geographical area within the Asian part of Russia, which was inhabited in the Stone Age. Siberia first mentioned in " Secret story Mongols", which talks about the "forest peoples", including the Shibir or Sibir people. Since the 16th century, Russian explorers have been flocking to Siberia, rapidly exploring the harsh unexplored regions. The beginning of the systematic scientific study of Siberia was laid in 1696 by the decree of Peter I, who Tobolsk boyar son Semyon Remezov was ordered to compile a geographical atlas of Siberia.
In natural terms, and stands out. Eastern Siberia occupies the territory from the Yenisei to the ridges of the Pacific watershed. Climate of Siberia mostly harsh, sharply continental. Temperatures in January can drop to -30°, -40°C.
Historically ethnic population Siberia is mixed; the indigenous people call themselves Siberians. Life among the harsh nature has left its mark on the Siberians, “What frightens others in Siberia is not only familiar to us (native Siberians), but also necessary; we breathe easier if there is frost in winter, not drops; we feel peace, not fear in the untouched, wild; immeasurable expanses and mighty rivers formed our free, restive soul" - V. Rasputin. A distinctive feature of Siberians is their peacefulness, honesty, goodwill and hospitality. According to the law of the taiga, they are always ready to help; most Siberians, especially hunters and fishermen, in comparison with their European compatriots, have greater endurance and resistance to disease. The Siberians also distinguished themselves in the historical battle near Moscow in the Great Patriotic War, showing examples of courage and heroism on the battlefields. Paul Carell in “The History of the German Defeat in the East” considers one of the reasons for the defeat of the Germans near Moscow to be the entry of Siberian divisions into the battle.
Siberian cuisine
For a long time, local Siberians fed on the gifts of the taiga and lake. The prepared dishes did not differ in variety, but were nutritious and practical. Hunters and fishermen know many exotic recipes for cooking over a fire, using hot stones and coals. Siberians smoked, dried and salted the meat and fish they caught, and made supplies for the winter from berries and mushrooms. The combination of fish, game and taiga seasonings distinguish the Siberian table from European cuisine. These differences are more pronounced when eating in Siberia on the shore of a lake, but some dishes can also be tried in a restaurant.
The local highlight of Lake Baikal is the lightly salted Baikal omul, the fame of its delicate taste is known far beyond the borders of Siberia. There are different ways to salt Baikal omul, gutted and ungutted, depending on the cooking recipe and the time that has passed since the day of salting, the taste of the fish changes greatly. Freshly salted Baikal omul is so tender that even those who usually avoid fish eat several tails of it at a time. Among gourmets it is valued as an ideal snack for chilled vodka. Many tourists try to take away Baikal omul as gifts for family and friends.
Siberian dumplings and Siberian-style meat are also widely known. In the old days, hunters Siberia When going to the taiga in winter, they took with them frozen dumplings in canvas bags, which they just had to throw into boiling water, and after they surfaced, a dish with large and fragrant dumplings was ready. In most restaurants you can order dumplings prepared according to a more complex recipe: in bone broth with liver, in pots covered with freshly baked flatbread. Fried dumplings are also very tasty.
A special feature of cooking meat in the Siberian, taiga style are taiga seasonings made from fern and wild garlic, which are rolled into the meat. The meat is served with oven-baked potatoes and frozen berries, usually lingonberries or cranberries. Hunters in Siberia, according to one of the recipes, cut wild meat into thin long pieces, sprinkle it with salt, mix it in a pot and string it on wooden splinters or branches. Sticks of meat are stuck around the coals of the fire and dried in the smoke. Meat prepared in this way can be stored for a long time in the summer. While moving, it is good to gnaw on slices of meat to maintain strength and restore the lack of salts in the body.
The home cooking of Siberians is very different from restaurant menus. As a rule, a lot of pickles are prepared at home for the winter. If you visit Siberians, the table will definitely have tomatoes in their own juice, cucumbers, cabbage, salted milk mushrooms and saffron milk caps, pickled boletus, homemade zucchini caviar, and taiga berry jam. Sauerkraut is sometimes prepared together with lingonberries or cranberries. Less commonly you can find a salad made from fern and wild garlic.
And, of course, a table is unthinkable without homemade pies. They can be of the most intricate shapes and with various fillings: with lingonberries, fish, wild garlic, rice, mushrooms and eggs.
Traditionally, lingonberry drink or fruit drink is placed on the table. Add frozen sea buckthorn or lingonberries to tea.
Buryat food, as a rule, is easy to prepare and nutritious; meat and dairy dishes predominate. Popular in, especially widespread in, Buryat poses. To prepare them, minced minced meat is made from pork, lamb, and beef. The minced meat is rolled into the dough so that there is a hole at the top for steam. The poses are quickly prepared by steaming boiling fat in a covered pan. Rarely, you can still find in villages tarasun - an alcoholic tonic drink made from milk, which has a specific smell, and salamat - a dairy product prepared from high-quality sour cream over a fire with the addition of salt, flour and cold water when boiling.
Authentic Baikal fish soup with smoke, grilled fish, and fresh wild garlic salad can only be truly appreciated by a taiga fire during a trip to Lake Baikal. An exotic Baikal-style dinner includes a weak firelight, several old newspapers on which a simple table is set, a blackened pot with boiled potatoes, a bunch of wild garlic and lots and lots of lightly salted omul.
And such exotic things as stroganina (raw frozen roe deer meat) or raskolok (raw frozen Baikal fish), which are eaten raw with spices, can only be tasted in winter on the lake Baikal while hunting or fishing. You should avoid trying bear meat, even heat-treated, if there is no veterinary examination.
The local population values salted omul most of all. In the summer, they prefer omul on rods.
Siberian bath
From the Tale of Bygone Years, 12th century - “I saw an amazing thing in the Slavic land on my way here. I saw wooden baths, and they would burn them red hot, and they would undress, and they would be naked, and they would douse themselves with leather kvass, and they would lift up young rods on themselves, and They beat themselves, and they finish themselves off so much that they barely come out alive and douse themselves with cold water, and that’s the only way they will come to life. And they do this every day, not tormented by anyone, but they torture themselves, and then they perform ablution for themselves, and not torture. ".
The Baikal bathhouse on the shore of Lake Baikal is a must-have exotic attribute for those who come to Lake Baikal. Many are tempted by the opportunity to plunge into the clear, icy water of Lake Baikal, running straight out of the steam room. Where else in the world do baths have such a huge natural pool! Particularly strong impressions remain from swimming after a steam room on Lake Baikal in an ice hole in winter. Most of the existing bathhouses on the coast of Lake Baikal are heated in white, but in the old days many of them were heated in black, i.e. the smoke remained inside the bathhouse, saturating the air with heat and smell.
If you go to a bathhouse with Siberians, get ready for intense heat, a steam room with a birch broom and mandatory periodic swimming in the icy water of Lake Baikal or in the snow.
Siberian customs
The customs and traditions of Siberians go back to cultural heritage ancient peoples who inhabited the territory in the past modern lake Baikal. Some of the customs are, in fact, echoes of ancient shamanic and Buddhist rituals, the religious content and purpose of which were lost over time, but certain ritual actions are observed and still exist among the local population.
Many beliefs and prohibitions have common roots of Central Asian origin, and therefore are the same among the Mongols and Buryats. These include the developed cult of obo, the cult of mountains, and the worship of the Eternal Blue Sky (Huhe Munhe Tengri). Heaven, according to the Mongols, sees all the actions and thoughts of a person who can never hide from heavenly justice: that is why the Mongols, feeling right, exclaimed: “Heaven, you be the judge.” You must stop near the obo and respectfully present gifts to the spirits. If you don’t stop at the obo and don’t make a sacrifice, there will be no luck. According to Buryat belief, every mountain and valley has its own spirit. A person without spirits is nothing. It is necessary to appease the spirits that are everywhere so that they do not harm and provide assistance. The Buryats have a custom of “sprinkling” the spirits of the area. As a rule, before drinking alcohol, drop a little drop of alcohol onto the table from a glass or with one finger, usually the ring finger, lightly touch the alcohol and splash upwards. Accept that you will have to stop and “splash” alcohol in the most unexpected places during your trip.
Among the main traditions is the sacred veneration of nature; one must not harm nature, catch or kill young birds, cut down young trees near springs, or unnecessarily tear up plants and flowers. You cannot throw garbage or spit into the sacred waters of the lake. Baikal, leave behind traces of presence, for example, overturned turf, garbage, fire. Near the Arshan water source you cannot wash dirty clothes, you cannot break them, dig them up, touch the serge - hitching post, or light a fire nearby. One should not desecrate a sacred place with bad actions, thoughts or words, one should not shout loudly or get very drunk.
Particular respect must be shown to elders; one must not offend the elderly. Offending elders is the same sin as depriving a living creature of life.
The ancient customs of the Siberians have been preserved respectful attitude to the fire of your hearth. Fire is credited with a magical cleansing effect; cleansing by fire was considered a necessary ritual so that guests would not create or bring any evil. There is a known case from the history of Siberia when the Mongols mercilessly executed Russian ambassadors simply for refusing to pass between two fires in front of the khan’s headquarters; purification by fire is still widely used today in Siberian shamanic practices. You must not thrust a knife into the fire, or touch the fire in any way with a knife or sharp object, or remove meat from the cauldron with a knife. It is considered a great sin to splash milk into the fire of the hearth; you cannot throw garbage or rags into the fire of the hearth. It is forbidden to give fire from the hearth to another house or yurt.
There are certain rules when visiting Buryat yurts. When entering, you cannot step on the threshold of the yurt - this is considered impolite; in the old days, a guest who deliberately stepped on the threshold was considered an enemy, announcing his evil intentions to the owner. Weapons and luggage, as a sign of your good intentions, must be left outside; you cannot enter the yurt with any burden; it is believed that the person who did this has the bad inclinations of a thief, a robber. The northern half of the yurt is more honorable; guests are received here; you cannot sit down without permission, without an invitation, on the northern, honorable side. The eastern half of the yurt (usually to the right of the door, the entrance of the yurt is always facing south) is female, the western half (usually to the left of the door) is male, this division continues to this day.
The local population is hospitable and always treats its guests when they come to the house or visit; it is customary to take off their shoes at the doorstep. Usually a table is set for guests with hot dishes, a variety of pickles and snacks, and vodka will be present on the table. During a feast, guests do not have the right to change their places, you cannot leave without trying the hosts' treats. When bringing tea to the guest, the hostess gives the bowl with both hands as a sign of respect, the guest must also accept it with both hands - by this he shows respect for the house. In Mongolia, there is a custom of the right hand; the bowl during the greeting ceremony is passed only right hand. And naturally, you need to accept any offering with your right hand or both hands.
To emphasize special respect, as a sign of greeting, the guest is presented with two hands folded with palms, as in a Buddhist bow; shaking hands in this case is also done with both hands simultaneously.
When visiting Buddhist datsans, you need to move clockwise inside the temple and before visiting, walk around the temple area in the direction of the sun, rotating all the prayer wheels. You cannot go into the center of the temple during services and take photographs without permission. Inside the temple, you should avoid moving and fussy activities, talk loudly, and you should not enter the temple in shorts.
At tailagans, or shamanic rituals, one should not try to touch shamanic clothing, a tambourine, and especially not to put on any of the shamanic attributes on oneself in order to take a photo. Even a shaman will rarely put on something belonging to someone else’s shaman, and if he does so, it is only after an appropriate cleansing ritual. There is a belief that certain objects, especially those associated with magic, carry a certain amount of power. Strictly prohibited to the common man For fun, saying shamanic prayers out loud is called durdalga.
And Ulan-Ude organizes various tours around Siberia and Lake Baikal.
For many centuries, the peoples of Siberia lived in small settlements. Each individual settlement had its own clan. The inhabitants of Siberia were friends with each other, ran a joint household, were often relatives to each other and led an active lifestyle. But due to the vast territory of the Siberian region, these villages were far from each other. So, for example, the inhabitants of one village already led their own way of life and spoke a language incomprehensible to their neighbors. Over time, some settlements disappeared, while others became larger and actively developed.
History of population in Siberia.
The Samoyed tribes are considered to be the first indigenous inhabitants of Siberia. They inhabited the northern part. Their main occupations include reindeer herding and fishing. To the south lived the Mansi tribes, who lived by hunting. Their main trade was the extraction of furs, with which they paid for their future wives and bought goods necessary for life.
The upper reaches of the Ob were inhabited by Turkic tribes. Their main occupation was nomadic cattle breeding and blacksmithing. To the west of Baikal lived the Buryats, who became famous for their iron-making craft.
The largest territory from the Yenisei to the Sea of Okhotsk was inhabited by Tungus tribes. Among them were many hunters, fishermen, reindeer herders, some were engaged in crafts.
Along the shore of the Chukchi Sea, the Eskimos (about 4 thousand people) settled down. Compared to other peoples of that time, the Eskimos had the slowest social development. The tool was made of stone or wood. The main economic activities include gathering and hunting.
The main way of survival of the first settlers of the Siberian region was hunting, reindeer herding and extraction of furs, which was the currency of that time.
By the end of the 17th century, the most developed peoples of Siberia were the Buryats and Yakuts. The Tatars were the only people, who, before the arrival of the Russians, managed to organize state power.
The largest peoples before Russian colonization include the following peoples: Itelmens (indigenous inhabitants of Kamchatka), Yukagirs (inhabited the main territory of the tundra), Nivkhs (inhabitants of Sakhalin), Tuvinians (indigenous population of the Republic of Tuva), Siberian Tatars (located in the territory of Southern Siberia from Ural to Yenisei) and Selkups (residents of Western Siberia).
Indigenous peoples of Siberia in the modern world.
According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, every people of Russia received the right to national self-determination and identification. Since the collapse of the USSR, Russia has officially turned into a multinational state and the preservation of the culture of small and endangered nationalities has become one of the state priorities. The Siberian indigenous peoples were not left out here either: some of them received the right to self-government in autonomous okrugs, while others formed their own republics within new Russia. Very small and endangered nationalities enjoy full support from the state, and the efforts of many people are aimed at preserving their culture and traditions.
As part of this review, we will give a brief description of each Siberian people whose population is more than or approaching 7 thousand people. Smaller peoples are difficult to characterize, so we will limit ourselves to their name and number. So let's begin.
- Yakuts- the most numerous of the Siberian peoples. According to the latest data, the number of Yakuts is 478,100 people. IN modern Russia The Yakuts are one of the few nationalities that have their own republic, and its area is comparable to the area of the average European state. The Republic of Yakutia (Sakha) is geographically located in the Far Eastern Federal District, but the Yakut ethnic group has always been considered an indigenous Siberian people. The Yakuts have interesting culture and traditions. This is one of the few peoples of Siberia that has its own epic.
- Buryats- this is another Siberian people with their own republic. The capital of Buryatia is the city of Ulan-Ude, located east of Lake Baikal. The number of Buryats is 461,389 people. Buryat cuisine is widely known in Siberia and is rightfully considered one of the best among ethnic cuisines. The history of this people, its legends and traditions is quite interesting. By the way, the Republic of Buryatia is one of the main centers of Buddhism in Russia.
- Tuvans. According to the latest census, 263,934 identified themselves as representatives of the Tuvan people. The Republic of Tyva is one of the four ethnic republics of the Siberian Federal District. Its capital is the city of Kyzyl with a population of 110 thousand people. The total population of the republic is approaching 300 thousand. Buddhism also flourishes here, and the Tuvan traditions also speak of shamanism.
- Khakassians- one of the indigenous peoples of Siberia numbering 72,959 people. Today they have their own republic within the Siberian Federal District and with its capital in the city of Abakan. This ancient people has long lived on the lands west of the Great Lake (Baikal). It was never numerous, but that did not prevent it from carrying its identity, culture and traditions through the centuries.
- Altaians. Their place of residence is quite compact - the Altai mountain system. Today Altaians live in two regions Russian Federation- The Altai Republic and the Altai Territory. The number of the Altaians ethnic group is about 71 thousand people, which allows us to speak of them as quite large people. Religion - shamanism and Buddhism. Altaians have their own epic and a clearly defined national identity, which does not allow them to be confused with other Siberian peoples. This mountain people has a centuries-old history and interesting legends.
- Nenets- one of the small Siberian peoples living compactly in the area of the Kola Peninsula. Its population of 44,640 people allows it to be classified as a small nation whose traditions and culture are protected by the state. The Nenets are nomadic reindeer herders. They belong to the so-called Samoyed people's group. Over the years of the 20th century, the number of Nenets approximately doubled, which indicates the effectiveness of state policy in the field of preserving the small peoples of the North. The Nenets have their own language and oral epic.
- Evenks- people predominantly living on the territory of the Republic of Sakha. The number of this people in Russia is 38,396 people, some of whom live in the regions adjacent to Yakutia. It is worth saying that this is approximately half of the total number of the ethnic group - approximately the same number of Evenks live in China and Mongolia. The Evenks are a people of the Manchu group who do not have their own language and epic. Tungusic is considered the native language of the Evenks. Evenks are born hunters and trackers.
- Khanty- indigenous people of Siberia, belonging to Ugric group. The majority of the Khanty live on the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, which is part of the Ural Federal District of Russia. The total number of Khanty is 30,943 people. About 35% of the Khanty live in the Siberian Federal District, with the lion's share of them in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The traditional occupations of the Khanty are fishing, hunting and reindeer herding. The religion of our ancestors is shamanism, but in lately More and more Khanty consider themselves Orthodox Christians.
- Evens- people related to the Evenks. According to one version, they represent an Evenki group that was cut off from the main halo of residence by the Yakuts moving south. A long time away from the main ethnic group made the Evens a separate people. Today their number is 21,830 people. Language - Tungusic. Places of residence: Kamchatka, Magadan region, Republic of Sakha.
- Chukchi- nomadic Siberian people who are mainly engaged in reindeer herding and live on the territory of the Chukotka Peninsula. Their number is about 16 thousand people. The Chukchi belong to the Mongoloid race and, according to many anthropologists, are the indigenous aborigines of the Far North. The main religion is animism. Indigenous industries are hunting and reindeer herding.
- Shors- a Turkic-speaking people living in the southeastern part of Western Siberia, mainly in the south of the Kemerovo region (in Tashtagol, Novokuznetsk, Mezhdurechensky, Myskovsky, Osinnikovsky and other regions). Their number is about 13 thousand people. The main religion is shamanism. The Shor epic is of scientific interest primarily for its originality and antiquity. The history of the people dates back to the 6th century. Today, the traditions of the Shors have been preserved only in Sheregesh, since most of the ethnic group moved to the cities and was largely assimilated.
- Muncie. This people has been known to Russians since the beginning of the founding of Siberia. Ivan the Terrible also sent an army against the Mansi, which suggests that they were quite numerous and strong. The self-name of this people is Voguls. They have their own language, a fairly developed epic. Today, their place of residence is the territory of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. According to the latest census, 12,269 people identified themselves as belonging to the Mansi ethnic group.
- Nanai people- a small people living along the banks of the Amur River in the Russian Far East. Belonging to the Baikal ethnotype, the Nanais are rightfully considered one of the most ancient indigenous peoples of Siberia and Far East. Today the number of Nanais in Russia is 12,160 people. The Nanais have their own language, rooted in Tungusic. Writing exists only among the Russian Nanais and is based on the Cyrillic alphabet.
- Koryaks- indigenous people of the Kamchatka Territory. There are coastal and tundra Koryaks. The Koryaks are mainly reindeer herders and fishermen. The religion of this ethnic group is shamanism. Number of people: 8,743 people.
- Dolgans- people living in the Dolgan-Nenets municipal area Krasnoyarsk Territory. Number of employees: 7,885 people.
- Siberian Tatars- perhaps the most famous, but today not numerous Siberian people. According to the latest population census as Siberian Tatars 6,779 people self-identified. However, scientists say that in fact their number is much larger - according to some estimates, up to 100,000 people.
- Soyots- an indigenous people of Siberia, a descendant of the Sayan Samoyeds. Lives compactly on the territory of modern Buryatia. The number of Soyots is 5,579 people.
- Nivkhi- indigenous people of Sakhalin Island. Now they live on the continental part at the mouth of the Amur River. As of 2010, the number of Nivkhs is 5,162 people.
- Selkups live in northern parts Tyumen, Tomsk regions and in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The number of this ethnic group is about 4 thousand people.
- Itelmens- This is another indigenous people of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Today, almost all representatives of the ethnic group live in the west of Kamchatka and in the Magadan Region. The number of Itelmens is 3,180 people.
- Teleuts- Turkic-speaking small Siberian people living in the south of the Kemerovo Region. The ethnos is very closely related to the Altaians. Its population is approaching 2 and a half thousand.
- Among other small peoples of Siberia, such ethnic groups are often distinguished as “Kets”, “Chuvans”, “Nganasans”, “Tofalgars”, “Orochs”, “Negidals”, “Aleuts”, “Chulyms”, “Oroks”, “Tazis”, “Enets”, “Alutors” and “Kereks”. It is worth saying that the number of each of them is less than 1 thousand people, so their culture and traditions have practically not been preserved.
Customs and traditions of Siberia
Zakhar Sukhorukov
Siberia, at its core, is a separate entity with its own culture - its own spiritual and material assets, their customs, traditions, etc.
Theme of my individual project– customs and traditions of Siberia. Customs and traditions not only of individual peoples and ethnic groups, but also ordinary people related to any profession; subcultures such as, for example, stolbists.
During the work done, both specialist guides and ordinary people passionate about their work.
The result is presented in the form of a collection, a list of certain rituals and traditions with a detailed description.
Many perceive Siberia as, in to a greater extent, a raw material appendage rather than a storehouse of culture and traditions.
The life and work of Siberian old-timers had a number of significant features that predetermined the formation of special values and traditions. Interweaving of Pomeranian, Central and Southern Russian, Ukrainian-Belarusian and other cultural traditions moved towards the merging of cultures. Many traditions disappeared by the 19th century. in European Russia, here they were not only “mothballed”, but revived.
The harmony of the rights and responsibilities of the old-timer, active participation in public self-government, the supremacy of “laws” - traditions, a peculiar division of powers in the community - all this allows us to conclude that there are cells - societies living according to the principles of civil society. At the same time, the consciousness of the old-timers of Siberia surprisingly resembled the “polis” consciousness of the Greeks. Here, too, there was a line between the “citizen”-builder and the settler. A special feature is the self-isolation of Siberians from the state.
The main problem and threat to the cultural heritage of Siberia is their loss. Many peoples literally “die out” and take these traditions with them to the grave. This reason is not due to any deformations or internal wars, but because these peoples are forgotten and are not given due attention. Most likely, this isolation from the state to which you belong led to most of the problems of Siberians.
Having visited the fishing village of Kononovo, I asked one fisherman if they had any special traditions in the village that “attract” the catch or, conversely, rituals after a successful catch. That was the answer.
Fisherman Misha: “There are no shurum-burum before fishing, but a successful catch used to be washed. But I don’t drink anymore, it’s better for my health.”
Having visited the Stolby Nature Reserve, we came into direct contact with both Stolby and Stolby. Stolbism is a subculture that appeared in the Stolby reserve, Krasnoyarsk, and which is based on rock climbing. This activity contributed to the formation of a separate society, separate image life based on unity with nature. Perhaps because of this, the stolbists are engaged in rock climbing (albeit mainly on the territory of the reserve) without insurance.
We were lucky enough to meet one of the columnists and have a pretty close conversation.
Valery Ivanovich (representative of the Stolbism subculture): “Of the main rituals of our subculture, I can single out only two. The first of them is initiation into the circles of stolbists. After a person independently (without insurance) overcomes his first pole, he is given a personal pair of galoshes, with which he will be hit on the butt once or twice. The second is punishment. The columnist is again hit with galoshes on the loin a certain number of times. The number of blows depends on the severity of the offense.”
In Novosibirsk we visited the Institute of Philology and the Department of Folklore. One of the participants in the annual expeditions to the “outback” of Siberia told us about the local population in order to understand and study the life, culture and ethnicity of the indigenous Siberians. Here's what I found out:
1) “Bear holiday” - exists among each of the peoples who hunt bears. It is, as a rule, a three-day event, accompanied by the performance of various rituals, traditional songs, skits, etc. The skin of the killed bear is “planted” in the corner of the tent and accepted as a person. In front of the skin there are all sorts of treats, gifts in the form of some kind of fakes, fabrics, etc. The ritual itself represents the accompaniment of the spirit of the bear to the other world, the giving of honors.
2) Buryat ritual of initiation or improvement of the “qualification” of a shaman, ritual. In the Buryat system of shamanism there were nine “classes”, nine levels of shaman. With the performance of any rituals or assistance to a “full-fledged” shaman, the level rose. We saw two types of ritual - men and women.
The woman shaman was possessed by the spirit of an old man, and she drove him out. The “examinee” was nearby and was taking notes. different actions shaman (a reminder for the future), then helped her with something.
The second rite is the man’s ritual. First, the man was dressed in large, bulky clothes, a special suit made from animal skins (deer, bear, etc.). In addition to the well-known shamanic songs with a tambourine, during the ritual a ram was slaughtered and a grove of sacred young birch trees was burned.
3) “Fly agaric dances” of the Koryaks. After eating dried fly agarics, people have an intoxicating effect and they dance and sing. The fly agaric was divided into two parts and given to two people to eat, so that while in the astral world they would not get lost alone.
4) Joint prayer of several shamans. It is carried out among the Khanty, Yakuts, etc.
5) Koryak Baptists - songs with a tambourine and guitar.
6) Ysyakh is the holiday of the beginning of summer. "Schedule" of the holiday:
1) Since summer is the most favorable time for cattle breeders, the cattle are blessed and washed so that they do not “let down” the owner in the coming summer. The shaman also blessed the common people so that they would not have problems.
2) Traditional Yakut games.
3) Horse racing.
4) Sports competitions. For example, traditional wrestling and standing jumping are carried out, which the Yakuts love and adore so much.
5) Circular dances (in other words, round dances), such as “hedye” and “osuokhai”, which are a reference to the ancient solar cult, the cult of the Sun.
6) Ysyakh ends with the drinking of blessed kumis from special horses, which were also blessed by the shaman.
We can conclude that these traditions came to us from ancient times, when a person endowed all surrounding objects with a soul. It is this fact, for example, that causes the “bear holiday”. The endowment of souls to animals and nature as a whole led to unity with it. Shamans are nothing other than guides in the world of souls. Therefore, the clothing of shamans consists mainly of animal “elements”.
Later, I read the book “Living Antiquity. Everyday life and holidays of the Siberian village." Author – N.A. Minenko.
To protect themselves from the evil spirits, the newlywed couple hired a special sorcerer who inspected the road from the house to the church and back. If he notices a suspicious piece of wood, he will take it, whisper something, spit on it and throw it over his shoulder. And so, literally, with every stone. With almost the same ceremony, the sorcerer leads the newlyweds into the hut and even places them on the wedding bed. In many places this tradition has been abandoned, but where the people are wilder, all this has remained in its primitive form to this day. As you can see, secular and spiritual life were closely intertwined with each other.
IN mid-19th century centuries, the main rite of treatment was called “puffing,” which meant “to treat by whispering and injecting water.” Water was taken from three specific rivers (different in each case), whispered directly and poured over the patient on the threshold of his house. The threshold also appears in descriptions of the massage procedure. Western Siberian peasants called this “cutting the vityun.” The patient was not supposed to eat or drink for a whole day, then they put him “on his belly across the threshold, put a golik on his bare lower back and chop it with a blunt ax, and the patient says: Rub, chop, grandpa.” “Vityun cutting” was also known in Altai; local residents also attached great importance to the chicken roost: the patient was often doused with cold water “in the barn, under the chicken saddle.”
Great value added to the healing country air. Here is an example of treatment for sore throat. At the evening dawn, the patient goes out into the open air and says: “Morning dawn of Marey, evening dawn of Maremyan, take the toad from me, if you don’t take it, I’ll eat the pine, birch with roots and branches,” opens his mouth, takes in air and says: “Bad, boor.” , I’ll eat.”
For water, rub the entire body in a bathhouse with salted cucumbers cut crosswise.
For the evil eye, they take water into a ladle, lower hot coals from the oven, whisper over the water, sprinkle it and give it to the evil eye to drink.
There were a number of rituals regarding the sickness of children. When a child began to suffer from the “English disease” (the locals called it “dog old age”), they made a large ring out of wheat dough, coated the patient with sour cream and, having inserted the child into this ring three times in the bathhouse, they brought in a dog, which eats the ring and licks off the sour cream. from the patient.
If a child screamed often, it was believed that “damage” had been sent to him, and at night, when everyone was sleeping, one of the adults would go out and, turning to the dawn, say the following: “Zorya-zarnitsa, red maiden, take the cry of the servant of God ( child's name)". Or in the evening one of the adults would go to the cellar, stand over the pit and repeat up to three times: “Gray Kochetok, motley Kochetok, red Kochetok, take the cry of the servant of God (name of the child).”
If the child suffered from “gnawing” or “cutting,” they went into the forest with him, found a young oak tree, cut it at the root, and then, a man and a woman, standing on opposite sides of the tree, pushed the child into the crack up to three times. Then the oak tree was tied, and if it grew together, this was understood as a guarantee of recovery. This method of treatment is called “passing through the oak”.
In addition to illnesses, the peasants, of course, also had some entertainment programs. We organized “parties” both in the evening and during the day with one of the participants. Sometimes they agreed with one of the lonely old women that she would “let the evening go” for the whole season.
There was also a ritual of invitation to these evenings. Some dashing young man harnessed a horse to a sleigh, sat down and rode throughout the village singing and playing the harmonica.
During the evening there were often no treats and the whole time was spent singing, dancing and dancing to the tambourine, violin, guitar or harmonica. Also, some songs were accompanied by skits, which, as a rule, were based on the lyrics of the song.
There was another type of “evening” - gatherings or gazebos, to which only girls were allowed. Here the girls “chat about this and that, tell the news, gossip with their friends and most of their absent acquaintances.”
Particularly in Siberia they valued hospitality and cordiality, generosity and respect for the guest. Over time, this turned into a tradition. The norms for “guest visiting” were as follows. Firstly, guests were agreed upon in advance; sometimes the circle of guests was determined for the entire winter, which indicates the organization and orderliness of life over time. Secondly, there was a certain ceremony for receiving guests. Particularly honored guests were greeted on the street, in front of the gate or at the porch. The guest, approaching the house, was obliged to give a sign to the owner with a beetle ring on the gate. Everyone bowed to each other. The men took off their hats, shook hands, bowed to the women, and invited: “You are welcome, have a chat...” The guest was supposed to be moderate in food and drink, not to be arrogant, and to thank for the treat. It was customary for guests to come with “goodies” for children, and guests had to be presented with gifts in return - “goodies.” The gifted item was not discussed; gifts were given in return.
Peoples of Siberia:
national traditions
Siberia is a huge territory in Russia. It extends from the Ural Mountains to the ridges of the Pacific coast. People of the most different nationalities: Russians, Buryats, Yakuts, Tatars, Khakass, Khanty, Evenks and many other peoples….
Peoples and occupations
In total, about 36 indigenous peoples live in Siberia. In the north are the Dolgan and Enets reindeer herders, in the west are the Khanty and Mansi fishermen, Selkup hunters and Nenets reindeer herders, in the east are the Evenks and Evens reindeer herders and hunters. The peoples of southern Siberia have long been engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. In the center of Siberia there is a huge territory - Yakutia - the homeland of northern horse breeders. Since the 17th century, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and other so-called great peoples of Russia began to develop Siberian lands.
Oral traditions
The indigenous peoples of Siberia did not have a written language. Everything they wanted to convey was told orally. Tales, legends, songs, instructive and funny stories listened in the evenings, gathered in one house or tent. Even in ordinary life It was customary to speak beautifully and figuratively. Evenk can express himself about the dawn like this: “The morning star has died,” and about the rain: “The sky is shedding tears.” The Yakuts, who live on permafrost, have dozens of words for snow.
What do you need to live?
Harsh conditions forced the inhabitants of northern Siberia to come up with warm clothing made from reindeer fur - malitsa. She is being embroidered beautiful patterns.
Horse breeders sew clothes with wide hems. Sea hunters are waterproof capes made from animal intestines. Some peoples had cloaks and hats made from bird skins. Nowadays such outfits can only be seen in museums. But the inhabitants of the North still use yarangas and chums. But today modern technologies connect with these ancient traditions: in the tent you can see a satellite TV, and the reindeer herder navigates the tundra using a GPS navigator.
It is difficult for a small people living surrounded by a large one to preserve their traditions. To protect the endangered cultures of these regions, special schools were created where children are taught not only in Russian, but also in local dialects.
Magic
People of different faiths live in Siberia, but each nation has preserved rituals and holidays of those times when they still believed in many gods and spirits. Spirits lived everywhere: in trees, stones, lakes and even in toys. A person who could speak with spirits - a shaman (or kam) - was especially revered. He beat the tambourine, called upon the spirits and negotiated with them about health, luck, and good weather. And now in the remote corners of Siberia you can find a hereditary shaman who heals or predicts the future with the help of otherworldly forces.
Traditional cuisine
A dish made from grains - talkan - was known to many nomadic peoples. In Altai they still eat it. To prepare a tasty and very healthy talkan, you need to fry sprouted grains of barley or wheat in a frying pan, grind in a mortar or grind in a coffee grinder and cook porridge from the resulting flour. Or you can mix flour with honey to make challah.
Folklore
Tuvan songs are the pride of all Russia. They are performed by throat singing. The singer simultaneously sings with two or even three voices. In heroic legends there are stories about ancient heroes who could sing like a thousand people.
What different peoples inhabit Russia! But they are all united into a single family by a common homeland, mutual respect and friendship.
The first mention of the tea ceremony dates back to 2737 BC. Legend has it that a Chinese emperor accidentally discovered the properties of tea when leaves from a tree fell into a cup of hot water. Since then, tea culture has spread throughout the world and acquired new characteristics in each country. This is how tea traditions are preserved by representatives different nations Siberia.
Tea drinking in a Buryat yurt near a cast iron cauldron
Among the Evenks: “Tea with gifts of nature”
Maria Bodoulovna Badmaeva:
The national cuisine of the Evenks can be called one of the most ancient examples of the culinary art of the peoples of the North, who knew how to fully and rationally use the resources of their native nature.
They drink tea first when arriving at a new place and before starting any business. Today, Transbaikal Evenks have the opportunity to purchase granulated tea by weight from Russians, which, in order to save money, is consumed weakly brewed. In summer, thyme, currant leaves, rose hips and lingonberries are added to the tea leaves.
During tea drinking, if you no longer want tea, you need to turn the cup upside down, otherwise the hostess will endlessly pour tea for you. Tile tea was consumed. They drank several cups of it without sugar before meals. Northern Evenks (tundra groups of Ilim Evenks) and Transbaikal Evenks drank and drink tea with salt. In winter, in places where there was no fresh water, they broke the ice, and at the entrance to each tent there was always a chum with pieces of ice. When migrating and hunting, they also used snow, heating it in a cauldron or kettle.
Reindeer milk was usually poured with tea and poured over flour porridge and mashed berries. If there was a lot of milk, the eastern Evenks put a bowl of milk in a cauldron of boiling water and cooked the milk until it thickened. The thickened milk was eaten with bread. Some Evenks churned milk in a bottle to obtain butter.
The ritual dish was seven, tekemin. It was made from boiled and finely chopped bear meat mixed with boiled fat, and was eaten in no more than 2-3 spoons. In the same way, some Evenki groups prepared a wedding dish from the meat of ungulates. The tastiest pieces and parts were taken for treats. In addition to meat dishes, the Evenki also tried to get fish for the treat, which they served boiled.
In the spring, the Evenks collected birch sap, and in the summer they dug up the roots of umbrella plants, scraped them, dried them, crushed them into flour and brewed them with water in the form of a paste. They ate berries - blueberries, blueberries, cloudberries, etc., washed down with tea; if there was enough milk, they feasted on menin - mashed pigeon doused with reindeer milk.
The first pine nuts were eaten with their shells. Sometimes they were baked in ashes and pounded, and then poured with boiling water until a paste formed.
The Evenki knew how to cook unleavened flatbread even before the arrival of the Russians. They are prepared as follows. Steep dough (flour, water, vegetable oil or margarine, salt, sugar, soda) is formed into a round cake 2-3 cm thick, fried in a frying pan or on a hot stone. To make the cakes bake better, they are pierced in several places on top with a knife or stick. Then, placing the flatbread on its edge and propping it up with a stick, bake it by the fire until a crispy brown crust is obtained.
Among the Buryats: “A home is a friend who drank tea in it.”
Liliya Borisovna Tsydenova, deputy director for scientific work of the Kyakhtinsky Museum of Local Lore named after V.A. Obruchev:
The traditions of drinking tea among the Buryats have been preserved to this day. Gestures, methods of preparation, and most importantly, the moral state of the soul of the person serving tea and his thoughts are of great importance. The tradition of preparing and serving tea is closely related to the religious rites of Buddhists.
The Buryats, like every nation, have their own tradition of tea drinking, and it is associated with nomadic way life. After the first sanbain (“hello”) and before the last bayarte (“goodbye”), the guest of honor, traveler, friend and brother is generously served tea in a Buryat family. “A home is a friend who has drunk tea in it,” says a hospitable Buryat proverb.
According to one of the recipes - zutaraan sai - tea is brewed from green tea leaves, milk, toasted flour, as well as butter and salt. For nomadic peoples, this method of brewing tea was simply irreplaceable; it provided a large influx of energy into the body, and the calorie content helped to warm up. This tea was an excellent meal replacement. The tea became tastier if it was stirred for a long time. On special occasions, Buryat women boiled tea in a cauldron, stirring and pouring it from a ladle into the cauldron, according to legend, a thousand times, pouring it back in a thin stream.
In the old days, tea was drunk from a bowl (ayaga) and poured almost to the brim. Many elderly Buryat women preserve the ritual - the first cup of fresh tea is presented to Burkhan. Then they treat the fire with tea, and thirdly, the spirits, the owners of the earth. To do this, going out into the street and sprinkling tea in all directions, they ask for well-being not for themselves, but for all living things on earth.
Dairy products and boovs made from flour were served with tea. Today, tasty, fluffy boovs (deep-fried pieces of dough) are an integral part of the Buryat holiday table. However, housewives often prepare it for a regular dinner table in order to please their relatives with a fragrant delicacy. There are a great many ways to prepare this dish, because in every family they are prepared differently.
Boova recipe: grind eggs with sugar until white, pour in a glass of milk, add a teaspoon of salt and soda. Stir well. Grind the margarine, melt and add to the mixture. Gradually add sifted flour. Knead the stiff dough. Roll out the finished dough into a layer about 5 mm thick; First, cut it into long strips, making 2-3 cuts on each rectangle. The ends of the rectangles can be passed through these holes, or you can (I like it this way) leave them as rectangles. Next, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan or frying pan with a thick bottom. There should be enough oil so that the bows do not come into contact with the bottom, that is, they should float. Fry them until golden brown and serve. Bon appetit!
Semeyskie: “Shchi and porridge are our food”
Lyubov Fedorovna Plastinina, director of the Old Believers Center:
The family didn't drink tea for a long time. There were even sayings among the people: “He who drinks tea despairs of salvation,” “He who drinks tea despairs of God.” Instead of tea, they brewed fireweed, Kuril tea, lingonberry leaves, chaga, and dried carrots. However, over time, it became a habit to drink tea. Having tea with an empty table was not the case - tea was served with brushwood, rolls, loaves, tarkas with sweet filling, cheesecakes with cottage cheese, bends with butter and sugar filling, flatbreads stuffed with berries, or sweet pies.
In general, bread is the master on the family table. It was kneaded with dough and baked in a Russian oven. There are also a lot of meat dishes: fried meat, lard, jelly, stews with meat and much more. Semeyskie cuisine is notable for the fact that practically no seasonings are added to meat dishes. Semey family tables are always bursting with various treats, preparations, and drinks.
In the evening you can drink tea with pies or bird cherry cakes.
Tatars: “The tea table is the soul of the family”
Ravil Mubarakshaevich Nuritdinov:
Tatar tea drinking is a discussion of common issues, affairs, complicity and rapprochement. This is a kind of ritual of familiarization with home, an act of trust and unity. It is impossible to imagine Tatar tea drinking in silence and solitude; it is always extroverted.
Chey yany - gaile yaany (“The tea table is the soul of the family”), say the Tatars, thereby emphasizing not only their love for tea as a drink, but also its importance in the table ritual. At the tea table, Tatars usually have national dishes: chak-chak, belyash with meat, echpochmak, kotlama. Tea is mainly from Asia: Indian, Chinese and Azerbaijani. Tea is poured into bowls so that it cools quickly and no one gets burned. To taste, guests pour milk, cream, sugar and cinnamon into the tea, and they can add lemon. In addition to cups, individual plates, a sugar bowl, a milk jug, a teapot, and teaspoons, the subject of the tea table setting is also a samovar. A sparklingly cleaned, noisy samovar with a teapot sets the tone for a pleasant conversation, good mood and always decorates the table - both on holidays and on weekdays.
When drinking tea, you should not talk loudly, much less swear. During the tea ceremony they play national instruments- mandolin and kurai. They sing old folk songs - Sarman Builary, Ogedelem, Umarzaya, and even dance.
Poles: “Tea after a hearty lunch”
Christian Furmanowicz, Polish teacher:
Coffee is popular in Poland, but I prefer tea. If only you knew what delicacies the Poles serve with tea! This is usually an apple pie made with yeast dough. There are pies with prunes and other fruits, which are really plentiful in Poland. A special delicacy is strawberries: if in season, they are served fresh, for example with cream, if in winter, then you have to take the berries out of the freezer. Then you can make a cocktail or add it to a pie. Various buns with poppy seeds and jam are also popular with tea. And besides, the Poles always have a lot of different dishes on the table: this includes broth with noodles, regular and lean borscht, which contains ears - dumplings with mushrooms (a traditional Christmas dish). During Easter you need to eat zurek - white borscht. For the main course, you should try the chops with potatoes and stewed cabbage.
