Photo of the appearance of the traditional dwelling of the peoples of Bashkiria. Traditional home decor

And common sense tells us that there are factors that make year-round living in a nomadic yurt problematic, to put it mildly. One of these factors is the long, snowy and cold Bashkir winter. Reaches - 40 degrees. Let's consider the points:

1. Heating. The yurt is heated by an open hearth, smoke (and most of heat) from which it escapes through a hole in the roof. It is necessary to make a six-month supply of dry firewood, because. drowning with dried horse waste (as, for example, they do in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan or Tibet) is a certain cold death. So, you can not move away from the forest.

2. Nutrition. The only animal available for nomadic breeding in this climate zone is the horse. Only she can survive in the cold under open sky on scarce pasture. Question: where will you look for your herd (to taste fresh meat) in an open field knee-deep in snow? So you must create a supply of food for your family for the whole winter. And for this, it is necessary to dig a reliable glacier next to the yurt for storing mushrooms, berries, fish, dried and frozen meat, otherwise your stocks will become easy prey for rodents, foxes, wolves and connecting rod bears. And it is not an easy job to do it every year in a new place. A source of drinking water should be within walking distance: a stream or a river. Because melted snow is distilled water, unsuitable for food.

3. Design. In conditions of heavy snowfall, there is a high probability that the arch will be crushed by a mass of snow - after all, snow does not tend to roll off a rough surface. Residents should clean it regularly. regardless of the cold, wind and time of day.

Agree, all this bears little resemblance to a free and carefree nomadic life.

By the way: in an open hearth, in a few months, all your clothes and belongings will be smoked beyond recognition. In this respect, the yurt is not much different from the Chukchi tent. That is why the colorful decoration of the exhibition Bashkir yurts has little in common with life.

From all of the above, we can draw the only conclusion: the yurt, in the conditions of the Bashkir climate, is a purely summer dwelling, i.e. mobile summer house. And the Bashkir winter is more comfortable and safer to spend in a wooden frame. And the official historical science supports us in this conclusion. We read everywhere: from nomadic image The life of the Bashkirs switched to semi-nomadic. Those. they spent the winter in stationary warm dwellings that met all the requirements listed above, and in the summer they roamed after their herds, carrying a yurt with them. Yes, that's right, most readers will say. No, it's not like that, I say. Why? Because all these nomadic and semi-nomadic terms are invented by people who wrote similar historical tales in warm rooms and never lived in subsistence farming. There is not and cannot be in the conditions of the Bashkir climate either a nomadic or semi-nomadic way of life, but only a sedentary one. BASHKIRS HAVE NEVER BEEN NOMADERS! Let me explain:

In the summer you graze your herd, count the offspring - everything is fine. Autumn is coming, you need to return to winter apartments and stock up for the winter. Question: WHAT TO DO WITH A TABOON?! The answer is unexpected and the only possible one: DROP IN THE OPEN FIELD! No options! Alone with wolves, winter cold and starvation, horses are not geese and do not fly south. Paradox? But you are a nomad and do not prepare forage for the winter. Yes, and with all the desire to do this is impossible: you have neither a tractor, nor even a scythe ... And you don’t know metal either. And if they knew, then we are talking about a herd and not about one horse, and this is a completely incommensurable scale. And where do you look for your herd in the spring, or rather, what is left of it? And will it remain... After all, it is impossible to reduce the number of wolves with the help of a bow and arrow, and horse stealing has always been an easy and profitable criminal business. In addition, a horse is not a domestic animal and it can easily do without a person in nature, and in the spring it will not return to you. And Bashkiria is not an African Serengeti park, where, at the end of winter, you will go and catch a new herd.

And what to do? And you, dear nomad, need to moderate your appetites from a herd to a couple of pigs, a couple of cows, a dozen hens or geese, a dozen sheep (it’s only unclear where to get them - after all, they don’t occur in nature, neither domestic pigs, nor cows, nor sheep, no chicken or geese?) and one horse. Settle in a society of your own kind (so that it is not so scary) in a wooden frame (unless, of course, you have an ax, even a stone one, and the strength to build it), since life in a dugout is contraindicated for human health, and in a yurt it is cold, damp, smoky, dark and unsafe, on the banks of the river, so that there was a place to catch fish, near the forest, so that there was where to go for mushrooms, berries and firewood, and all summer not to sunbathe in the sun, looking at the grazing flocks, but to water the land abundantly - mother with her own sweat, preparing fodder for the cattle for the long winter (although I have little idea how this can be done without a metal scythe). Plant a garden for yourself and your family (with a wooden shovel you can). Prepare firewood and wild plants. And if, God forbid, you already know the cereals, then write wasted: you are no longer a man, but a working animal and will end your life in a furrow. Because such physical exercise what cheerful men have prescribed for you from historical science in their textbooks, no human organism is able to withstand.

Imagine, your humble servant lived a similar (with a big stretch, of course) life in a remote Trans-Baikal village in the 70s of the last century. In order to feed 5 cattle, 2 pigs and a dozen chickens in winter, my father and I waved scythes all summer. And there was also a vegetable garden, and an endless potato field. Daily care of all this cattle - I remember how once winter night(-42) helped the first heifer to give birth, pulling the calf by the front legs .... And the parents still worked at the state farm. And the cows must be milked at 5 in the morning, and drinking water should be brought in a two-hundred-liter barrel on a cart (on a sleigh) from the river several kilometers away ... And a car of firewood should be brought for the winter 120 kilometers away, sawed and chopped. Etc. Continuous physical labor that cannot be postponed until tomorrow. And this is in the presence of electricity, technology and civilization - at first it even worked public bath! And they didn’t bake bread, but bought it in a store - it was brought from the regional center 50 kilometers away.

1. The Bashkirs have never been either nomads or semi-nomads, because such a way of life is impossible in the climatic conditions of Bashkortostan.

2. The yurt is not the national dwelling of the Bashkirs, since there was no need for it. People simply did not have time to go out into the countryside with a yurt and smell the flowers - in the summer hard labor on the ground awaited them.

3. Why do Bashkirs consider themselves nomads? I think that SOMEONE (or SOMETHING) HAVING POWER OVER US just put this thought into their (and our) minds.

Anyone who does not agree with my conclusions, let him explain: why did the Bashkirs suddenly change their free, well-fed and carefree nomadic life to a sedentary life full of hardships, hard labor and poverty? WHAT DID THEY EXCHANGE THEIR HERDS FOR?!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bashkir national dwelling- buildings, places of residence of the Bashkirs.

Story

Archaeological research shows that dwellings appeared on the territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan in the Stone Age.

Dwellings were built in different times according to the level of development of the population:

In the Paleolithic - in caves, rock crevices with log ceilings (Surtandin sites).
In the Neolithic and Eneolithic - dugouts were built
IN bronze age and the Iron Age, above-ground log buildings, dugouts and semi-dugouts with 1-4 pitched roofs were built. The dwellings had open hearths, about 1 meter deep, and utility pits.

Cultures of the Bronze Age:

The population of the Srubna culture built dugouts, semi-dugouts, ground dwellings of a rectangular or oval pillar structure made of logs, with a 1- or 2-pitched roof (Tavlykaev settlement).

The population of the Fedorovka culture built semi-dugouts and ground dwellings of a pillar construction of a square or rectangular shape;
The population of the Petrine culture built rectangular ground dwellings;

The population of the Alakul, Prikazan, Cherkaskul, Gamayun, Pyanyobor, Imenkov cultures built above-ground log-frame log frame structures with outbuildings.

Leading a nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle, the Bashkirs needed permanent and temporary dwellings. Accordingly, permanent and temporary dwellings were built. Temporary dwellings were built in the summer camps of the Bashkirs. These included yurts; conical bark, bast, birch bark cone huts-plagues; booths; log huts (burama); koshom tents (satyr), felt tents kosh. On the southern spurs of the Ural Mountains in the Zilairsky, Zianchurinsky and Kugarchinsky regions of the Republic of Belarus, prefabricated alasyks were built. Yurt was a universal dwelling.

Permanent dwellings were built of frame construction. The gaps were filled with wood, earth, clay, straw, adobe. The foundation was log, made of stones or stone slabs. The floor is planked, sometimes earthen silt made of adobe. Roofs on slats or rafters. To protect the coating from decay, the roofs were made without gables. In the mountain-forest regions of Bashkortostan, there were no ridge logs on the roofs. As a utility room for cooking and storing food, asalyk was built from bast, tyn or wattle fence with the house.

In the 19th century, depending on the places of settlement, the Bashkirs built houses of the following types: stone - rectangular in shape with higher facade walls; log cabins - a 4-wall hut (dүrt mөyөshlo өy, һynar yort) with a canopy (solan); adobe (saman өy) - made of raw bricks, with a flat or sloping roof; wattle - from stakes braided with willow and smeared inside and out with clay; sod or plast houses (kas өy) - from turf laid down with grass. Sod for strengthening was laid with poles.

The permanent dwellings had windows. According to the beliefs of the Bashkirs, one could be exposed to a severe evil eye through them, so one should not talk through the window.

Yurt

Bashkirs built yurts from wool, wood and leather. In its lower part there was a lattice fastened with straps. Above is a wooden circle for the passage of smoke and light. A curtain (sharshau) divided the yurt into two parts. The right, smaller part was female, it had a bedroom with household items, clothes and supplies. The left part was for men - a guest room.

The entrance to the yurt was located on the south side.

home decoration

The red color had a protective function among the Bashkirs. In red - Brown color they painted the skeleton of the yurt, the door, to make them impassable for impure forces.

The facade of the house was decorated more than the side facing the courtyard. Starting from the 19th century, the windows of the Bashkir huts were decorated with decorative platbands with patterns based on motifs that have symbolic meanings (rhombus and circle). Particular attention was paid to the decoration of their upper parts. The window board was ornamented with notched carvings, rhombuses, and squares. Basic hallmark in the design of modern platbands - coloring. Contrasting colors are most often chosen: dark and light. If the platband is painted in dark colors (dark blue), then the overhead figures are light, and vice versa.

The Bashkirs used embroidered carpets, towels, festive clothes, jewelry, hunting accessories, horse harness and weapons to decorate the inside of their dwellings.

Interior decoration

Northern part Bashkir dwelling, opposite the entrance, was considered the main one and was intended for guests. In the center of the dwelling there was a hearth, above it - a smoke hole. If the hearth was in the courtyard, then a tablecloth was spread in the center of the dwelling, pillows, soft bedding, saddlecloths were laid out around it. There were rugs and pillows on the floor. Textiles, carpets, rugs, felts, tablecloths, curtains, napkins and towels were in the house meaning- made the house a protected area.

In the male part of the dwelling there were chests on wooden stands with rugs, felt mats, blankets, pillows, mattresses. Holiday clothes were hung on the walls. In a conspicuous place are saddles, inlaid harness, a bow in a leather case and arrows in a quiver, a saber. Kitchen utensils flaunted on the women's side.

The main accessories were wooden bunks on props. The bunks were covered with felts and rugs, pillows, mattresses, and quilted blankets. They slept and ate on the bunks. The edges of the bunks were decorated with geometric ornaments with symbolic rhombuses denoting the four cardinal directions.

In permanent dwellings, heat in the house during the cold season was provided by a stove. The most common form of stove was the chimney stove (suval). According to the ancient ideas of the Bashkirs, a brownie lives in the oven, and through the chimney the shaitan can enter the house. Therefore, all openings in the furnaces after the firebox were closed. Stoves are also installed in modern Bashkir houses in case centralized heating ends.

Museums

Materials on the history of the Bashkir dwelling are presented in the museums of the Republic of Belarus:

Museum of Chelyabinsk University

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Literature

Bashkir encyclopedia. Ch. ed. M. A. Ilgamov vol. 1. A-B. 2005. - 624 p.; ISBN 5-88185-053-X. v. 2. V-Zh. 2006. −624 p. ISBN 5-88185-062-9.; v. 3. Z-K. 2007. −672 p. ISBN 978-5-88185-064-7.; v. 4. L-O. 2008. −672 p. ISBN 978-5-88185-068-5.; v. 5. P-S. 2009. −576 p. ISBN 978-5-88185-072-2.; v. 6. Councils of people. economy. -U. 2010. −544 p. ISBN 978-5-88185-071-5; v. 7. F-Ya. 2011. −624 p. scientific. ed. Bashkir Encyclopedia, Ufa.
Rudenko S. I. "Bashkirs: Experience of an ethnological monograph". Part 2. Life of the Bashkirs. L., 1925
Rudenko S. I. Bashkirs: Historical and ethnographic essays. M.-L., 1955;
Shitova S. N. Traditional settlements and dwellings of the Bashkirs. M., 1984.
Maslennikova T. A. Decoration Bashkir folk dwelling. Ufa: Gilem, 1998. 9.6 pp.

Notes



culture

resettlement

Bashkir language

Miscellaneous

An excerpt characterizing the Bashkir national dwelling

In the abandoned tavern, in front of which stood the doctor's wagon, there were already about five officers. Marya Genrikhovna, a plump blond German woman in a blouse and nightcap, was sitting in the front corner on a wide bench. Her husband, the doctor, slept behind her. Rostov and Ilyin, greeted with cheerful exclamations and laughter, entered the room.
- AND! what fun you have, ”said Rostov, laughing.
- And what are you yawning?
- Good! So it flows from them! Don't wet our living room.
“Don’t get Marya Genrikhovna’s dress dirty,” the voices answered.
Rostov and Ilyin hurried to find a corner where, without violating the modesty of Marya Genrikhovna, they could change their wet clothes. They went behind the partition to change their clothes; but in a small closet, filling it all up, with one candle on an empty box, three officers were sitting, playing cards, and would not give up their place for anything. Marya Genrikhovna gave up her skirt for a while in order to use it instead of a curtain, and behind this curtain, Rostov and Ilyin, with the help of Lavrushka, who brought packs, took off their wet and put on a dry dress.
A fire was kindled in the broken stove. They took out a board and, having fixed it on two saddles, covered it with a blanket, took out a samovar, a cellar and half a bottle of rum, and, asking Marya Genrikhovna to be the hostess, everyone crowded around her. Who offered her a clean handkerchief to wipe her lovely hands, who put a Hungarian coat under her legs so that it would not be damp, who curtained the window with a raincoat so that it would not blow, who fanned the flies from her husband’s face so that he would not wake up.
“Leave him alone,” said Marya Genrikhovna, smiling timidly and happily, “he sleeps well after a sleepless night.
“It’s impossible, Marya Genrikhovna,” answered the officer, “you must serve the doctor.” Everything, maybe, and he will take pity on me when he cuts his leg or arm.
There were only three glasses; the water was so dirty that it was impossible to decide when the tea was strong or weak, and there was only six glasses of water in the samovar, but it was all the more pleasant, in turn and seniority, to receive your glass from Marya Genrikhovna’s plump hands with short, not quite clean nails . All the officers really seemed to be in love with Marya Genrikhovna that evening. Even those officers who were playing cards behind the partition soon abandoned the game and went over to the samovar, obeying general mood courtship of Marya Genrikhovna. Marya Genrikhovna, seeing herself surrounded by such brilliant and courteous youth, beamed with happiness, no matter how hard she tried to hide it and no matter how obviously shy at every sleepy movement of her husband sleeping behind her.
There was only one spoon, there was most of the sugar, but they did not have time to stir it, and therefore it was decided that she would stir the sugar in turn for everyone. Rostov, having received his glass and poured rum into it, asked Marya Genrikhovna to stir it.
- Are you without sugar? she said, smiling all the time, as if everything she said, and everything others said, was very funny and had another meaning.
- Yes, I don’t need sugar, I just want you to stir with your pen.
Marya Genrikhovna agreed and began to look for the spoon, which someone had already seized.
- You're a finger, Marya Genrikhovna, - said Rostov, - it will be even more pleasant.
- Hot! said Marya Genrikhovna, blushing with pleasure.
Ilyin took a bucket of water and, dropping rum into it, came to Marya Genrikhovna, asking her to stir it with her finger.
“This is my cup,” he said. - Just put your finger in, I'll drink it all.
When the samovar was all drunk, Rostov took the cards and offered to play kings with Marya Genrikhovna. A lot was cast as to who should form the party of Marya Genrikhovna. The rules of the game, at the suggestion of Rostov, were that the one who would be the king had the right to kiss the hand of Marya Genrikhovna, and that the one who remained a scoundrel would go to put a new samovar for the doctor when he wakes up.
“Well, what if Marya Genrikhovna becomes king?” Ilyin asked.
- She's a queen! And her orders are the law.
The game had just begun, when the doctor's confused head suddenly rose from behind Marya Genrikhovna. He had not slept for a long time and listened to what was said, and apparently did not find anything cheerful, funny or amusing in everything that was said and done. His face was sad and dejected. He did not greet the officers, scratched himself and asked for permission to leave, as he was blocked from the road. As soon as he left, all the officers burst into loud laughter, and Marya Genrikhovna blushed to tears, and thus became even more attractive to the eyes of all the officers. Returning from the courtyard, the doctor told his wife (who had already ceased to smile so happily and, fearfully awaiting the verdict, looked at him) that the rain had passed and that we had to go to spend the night in a wagon, otherwise they would all be dragged away.
- Yes, I'll send a messenger ... two! Rostov said. - Come on, doctor.
"I'll be on my own!" Ilyin said.
“No, gentlemen, you slept well, but I haven’t slept for two nights,” said the doctor, and sat down gloomily beside his wife, waiting for the game to be over.
Looking at the gloomy face of the doctor, looking askance at his wife, the officers became even more cheerful, and many could not help laughing, for which they hastily tried to find plausible pretexts. When the doctor left, taking his wife away, and got into the wagon with her, the officers lay down in the tavern, covering themselves with wet overcoats; but they didn’t sleep for a long time, now talking, remembering the doctor’s fright and the doctor’s merriment, now running out onto the porch and reporting what was happening in the wagon. Several times Rostov, wrapping himself up, wanted to fall asleep; but again someone's remark amused him, again the conversation began, and again there was heard the causeless, cheerful, childish laughter.

At three o'clock, no one had yet fallen asleep, when the sergeant-major appeared with the order to march to the town of Ostrovna.
All with the same accent and laughter, the officers hurriedly began to gather; again put the samovar on dirty water. But Rostov, without waiting for tea, went to the squadron. It was already light; The rain stopped, the clouds dispersed. It was damp and cold, especially in a damp dress. Leaving the tavern, Rostov and Ilyin both at dusk looked into the doctor's leather kibitka, glossy from the rain, from under the apron of which the doctor's legs stuck out and in the middle of which the doctor's bonnet was visible on the pillow and sleepy breathing was heard.
"Really, she's very nice!" Rostov said to Ilyin, who was leaving with him.
- What a lovely woman! Ilyin replied with sixteen-year-old seriousness.
Half an hour later, the lined up squadron stood on the road. The command was heard: “Sit down! The soldiers crossed themselves and began to sit down. Rostov, riding forward, commanded: “March! - and, stretching out in four people, the hussars, sounding with the slapping of hooves on the wet road, the strumming of sabers and in a low voice, set off along the large road lined with birches, following the infantry and the battery walking ahead.
Broken blue-lilac clouds, reddening at sunrise, were quickly driven by the wind. It got brighter and brighter. One could clearly see that curly grass that always sits along country roads, still wet from yesterday's rain; the hanging branches of the birch trees, also wet, swayed in the wind and dropped light drops to the side. The faces of the soldiers became clearer and clearer. Rostov rode with Ilyin, who did not lag behind him, along the side of the road, between a double row of birches.
Rostov in the campaign allowed himself the freedom to ride not on a front-line horse, but on a Cossack. Both a connoisseur and a hunter, he recently got himself a dashing Don, large and kind playful horse, on which no one jumped him. Riding this horse was a pleasure for Rostov. He thought of the horse, of the morning, of the doctor's wife, and never once thought of the impending danger.
Before, Rostov, going into business, was afraid; now he did not feel the least sense of fear. Not because he was not afraid that he was accustomed to fire (one cannot get used to danger), but because he had learned to control his soul in the face of danger. He was accustomed, going into business, to think about everything, except for what seemed to be more interesting than anything else - about the impending danger. No matter how hard he tried, or reproached himself for cowardice during the first time of his service, he could not achieve this; but over the years it has now become self-evident. He was now riding beside Ilyin between the birches, occasionally tearing leaves from the branches that came to hand, sometimes touching the horse's groin with his foot, sometimes giving, without turning, his smoked pipe to the hussar who was riding behind, with such a calm and carefree look, as if he were riding ride. It was a pity for him to look at the agitated face of Ilyin, who spoke a lot and uneasily; he knew from experience that agonizing state of expectation of fear and death in which the cornet was, and he knew that nothing but time would help him.

Nomadic Bashkirs spend only the coldest months of the year in wooden houses. Most of the year they use temporary housing. Tirme, a traditional Bashkir yurt, always endows nomadic cattle breeders with warmth on cold nights and pleasant coolness in the summer heat. It deservedly enjoys a reputation as an ideal temporary housing: it is easy to transport, easy to assemble (dismantle), resistant to piercing steppe winds and hurricanes. The cover of the yurt reliably keeps a stable temperature inside.

The design of the Bashkir yurt

The basic principle of building housing for nomadic peoples is simplicity. A yurt is made up of several irreplaceable structures:

skeleton. It includes four to six folding lattices (ropes) made of wood. The construction of a prosperous family may consist of eight or nine of these components.
roof. Traditionally made in the shape of a cone. The bottom edge is attached to the frame. It consists of a set of uks (thin poles) of a certain length. At one end they rest on the wooden lattices of the base, and at the top they adjoin the sagarak (wooden circle). The last element forms an opening that serves as both a window and an exhaust hood for smoke from a fire.
felts. As a rule, they are made of natural sheep wool (natural felt). Coatings serve as insulation on the walls and on the floor of the structure.

The felt mats are knitted to the skeleton of the yurt with the help of specially provided ropes, which are sewn to the corners of the felt covering and in the middle of each of the edges. To give strength from the outside along the entire length, the felt mats are entangled with hair ropes. The ends of the twine (lasso) are attached to pegs driven into the ground. Only three attachment points are installed: this ensures the highest resistance to wind loads.
Sagarak is not covered during the day. Only at night or in bad weather is it covered with a quadrangular felt mat. When airing is necessary, the felt is slightly lifted by a long pole. If it dawned or the weather changed to sunny, the felt rolls up, but remains on top of the yurt.
A single-leaf door was most often made of wood and painted in red or dark red. The base of the dwelling was also painted in the same color. Less commonly, the Bashkir yurt is found with a folding felt door.

Distribution of living space

Traditionally, the entrance is located on the south side of the yurt. The part of the dwelling on the opposite side is considered the main one and is intended for guests. The invariable place of the hearth is in the center of the yurt opposite the smoke outlet. In cases where the hearth is taken out into the street, a beautiful tablecloth is spread in this place, which plays the role of a table. Around her were scattered saddles, soft pillows or fabric bedding.

Sharshau has always been considered a very important element of a nomadic dwelling. This is a dense fabric curtain that divides the Bashkir yurt into two unequal parts:

female. According to the customs of the people, it is always smaller and is located invariably along right side from the entrance. It stores items necessary for housekeeping: kitchen utensils, food supplies, children's and women's clothing And so on
male. The left side is larger and is always used as a living room. Colorful carpets, tablecloths, towels and bedding are hung throughout the room. The lattice walls are covered not only with patterned works, but also with the equipment of a warrior, decorated with national ornaments. Here you can see arrow quivers, gunpowder cases, shot pouch and horse harness.

A place of honor for guests - uryn - is located opposite the entrance. There is also a carved wooden chest on a beautiful stand. The most valuable things are stacked on it: carpets, rugs, blankets and pillows. They are carefully tied with a patterned ribbon with colored ornaments on a red or black background.

The meaning of the yurt for nomads

Since ancient times, for nomadic peoples, the yurt has been the center of the universe on earth. This is reality, not big words. It is here that the path of the steppe dweller begins, and here it ends. For a long time she embodied the model of the world. At first it was flat (single-tiered), then it was three-dimensional: at the bottom - the earth, at the top - the sky and stars.

Like space, the yurt is vertically three-leveled: the floor symbolizes the earth, the inner space is like air, and the dome personifies the sky. For nomadic tribes, gender has always been of particular importance compared to cultivators. On the floor took the most dear guests ate and slept. Holidays and sad events were celebrated here, people were born and died here.
That is why special attention was paid to its design, and care was reverent. The floor was always covered with bright felt mats, patterned carpets and droshky. Compared to the walls, it looked smarter and brighter. It was the floor that formed the artistic interior of the ancient dwelling.
The walls were covered with homespun rugs and fabrics with patterns traditional for the people. Smaller embroidered towels flaunted against the background of large canvases in the Bashkir yurt. Stored here holiday costumes, expensive harness, family heirlooms. Together with the patterns on the floor, a peculiar ensemble was created. The dome symbolized the firmament, and the hole for the exit of smoke personified the sun. Sagarak had a sacred meaning and was passed down from generation to generation through the paternal line.
The yurt as a traditional dwelling of the nomadic peoples of Bashkiria has practically not survived today. Housing decorated in folk traditions can only be seen at the spring festival "Sabantuy" or in the museums of the country. However, it did not disappear without a trace, and its significance for the nomads of Bashkortostan remained unchanged.

Due to the narrow specialization of the community (which is great), here I will gradually transfer selective materials from my travels in 2007-2008. And I would like to start with a rather little-studied area in terms of wooden architecture - the mountains Southern Urals. Indeed, in the vast mountainous areas, mainly in Bashkiria, there was traditionally a lot of forest and there were no big cities, and the South Urals were inhabited by Bashkirs - nomads and Muslims. Therefore, the local wooden architecture should be of some interest.

We will talk about rural houses of Russians and Bashkirs, wooden mosques and graves, as well as beekeeping and beekeeping, which also left monuments of wooden architecture here.

South Ural - territory historical settlement Bashkirs, in the past part of a single Great Steppe, which also included Altai, Sayan, Tien Shan and many other highlands. The Bashkirs were an ancient Kypchak population, mainly cattle breeders - part of the Bashkir tribes roamed in the steppes of the Trans-Volga and Trans-Urals (their nomad camps once stretched from the Volga to the Irtysh basin, and the Bashkirs themselves were often called "Kyrgyz"), some were highlanders. The Bashkirs adopted Islam in the 11th century - they were baptized by the missionary Husseinbek from Turkestan. By the 16th century, Bashkiria was dominated by the Kazan Khanate, and relations between the Tatars and the Bashkirs were hostile - the Tatars considered the Bashkirs to be primitive savages. From the east, they were attacked by the Nogais - and it is not surprising that Bashkiria became part of Russia voluntarily. Despite the numerous wars and uprisings of the 17-18 centuries (when the Nogai threat was eliminated), over time, Bashkiria became very close to Russia and Tatarstan.

Typical rural landscape of Mountainous Bashkiria:

This is the village of Sargaya in the Burzyansky district (about 150 km south of Beloretsk). It is interesting as a rare example of a village with a mixed Russian-Bashkir population. In the frame below, two estates are visible: on the left is a Bashkir, on the right is a Russian.

Until the 19th and 20th centuries, the Bashkirs lived in yurts (which, according to tradition, were painted green), but gradually they switched to a settled economy and began to settle in huts. In principle, the Bashkir hut is a variation of the Russian hut, and yet there are some differences: the Bashkir huts are usually smaller, the roof is gable, and they are always brightly painted, as can be seen in the frame above.

The Bashkir village of Usmangali - Bashkir villages are characterized by a disorderly layout, tangled crooked streets, and a short distance between houses.

The Russian village of Uzyan - straight streets and a clear layout are clearly visible.

The Russians appeared in Mountainous Bashkiria in the 1770s, with the penetration of the Demidovs, who were engaged in the construction of mining plants along the Belaya Valley.

The largest and most picturesque Russian village in Mountain Bashkiria is Kaga. It is located 100 km south of Belortsek and was in the past the informal capital of Mountainous Bashkiria. However, in 1911, a terrible fire that started at a copper smelter destroyed the village, and it never revived. Once upon a time, 11 thousand people lived in Kaga - now there are about 900.

However, the authenticity and safety of the wooden buildings are amazing - many buildings were obviously built before the war, and maybe immediately after the fire.

Typical estates that belonged to the Orenburg Cossacks, who traditionally made up the "backbone" of the population of Kaga - many people pass on the memory of the Pugachev uprising from generation to generation.

There is also a stone church and a wooden chapel in Kaga - but more about Orthodox architecture later.

Bashkir villages look completely different. For example, Kagarman (30 km north of Kaga) is the capital of the Tamyans, one of the seven Bashkir tribes.

Or Starosubkhangulovo (Subhangol, among the Burzyan people) is the center of the Burzyan region and the capital of the tribe of the same name. Now the largest village in the mountains - 4000 inhabitants, hidden in a secluded valley.

Typical Bashkir huts. If on the plain the Bashkirs mostly moved to brick houses, then in the mountains huts still prevail.

Kagarman:

Wooden mosques differ little from houses, the design of which was borrowed from the Tatars. Such mosques are essentially squatters, because in the 16-18 centuries, from Ivan the Terrible to Catherine II, Islam was banned, and the Tatars rebuilt ordinary rural houses into mosques. Such a mosque was created at minimal cost and in as soon as possible Therefore, in Mountainous Bashkiria there is a wooden mosque in almost every village. But stone, capital, compared with rural Tatarstan, there are few.

Kagarman:

Starosubkhangulovo:

Ancient wooden cemeteries also survived in remote villages: the Bashkirs built special grave log cabins, the meaning of which was the frailty of existence: "we came from nowhere, we will go nowhere" - the graves must decay, like those who are buried in them.

But the Orthodox architecture of the Southern Urals is very poor. In principle, there were no masterpieces here even before the Revolution. It is interesting that if earlier the Bashkirs learned from the Russians to build houses, now the Russians are learning from the Bashkirs to build temples - a church in the village of Uzyan or a chapel above the well in Kaga - the same "self-building" as the Bashkir mosques.

Pay attention to the design of the source, and in the chapel there is an amazing iconostasis made of paper icons, Orthodox calendars, etc. (these are sold in church shops), simply pasted on the wall in accordance with the canons of the iconostasis.

Another of the wooden architecture of Mountainous Bashkiria is the complex of buildings in the upper part of Kaga: before the Revolution it was a Zamskaya hospital (surviving a fire), in Soviet times it was a rural school, and now it is a camp site. Very, I must say, comfortable.

Finally, last group of monuments is connected with the reserved place Shulgan-Tash in the Burzyansky district. This reserve is now famous for the petroglyphs of the Kapova Cave, which are at least 14-15 thousand years old, but initially (before the discovery of the petroglyphs) Shulgan-Tash was created to protect the Burzyan bee and associated with it beekeeping.

Old authentic decks are exhibited in the open-air reserve:

Including richly decorated, made by craftsmen:

In a special pavilion, a board is presented - that is, an artificial hollow for bees, hollowed out in the trunk of a living tree:

And also tamgas - generic signs with which each beekeeper marked a new tree as his property:

The Southern Urals, and Mountainous Bashkiria in particular, are one of the areas where wooden architecture still dominates stone architecture, and most importantly, it does not degrade, but, on the contrary, develops. In the local villages, people still prefer to live in huts, the local religious traditions contribute to the creation of churches and mosques by "people's forces", and in general, although the Southern Urals cannot be compared in its wooden heritage with the Russian North or the Mining Urals, the local traditions are unique in many ways.

Entertainment and leisure contain elements of an economic, labor, educational, aesthetic, religious nature. Their main tasks were to strengthen the unity of the people and preserve the originality of culture.

What language is spoken in Bashkiria?

The Bashkirs speak Bashkir, which combines features from the Kypchak, Tatar, Bulgar, Arabic, Persian and Russian languages. It is also the official language of Bashkortostan, but it is also spoken in other regions of the Russian Federation.

The Bashkir language is divided into Kuvank, Burzyan, Yurmatin dialects and many others. There are only phonetic differences between them, but despite this, the Bashkirs and Tatars easily understand each other.

The modern Bashkir language took shape in the mid-1920s. Most of the vocabulary consists of words of ancient Turkic origin. There are no prepositions, prefixes and gender in the Bashkir language. Words are formed with the help of affixes. in pronunciation big role plays the accent.

Until the 1940s, the Bashkirs used the Volga Central Asian script, and then switched to Cyrillic.

Bashkiria within the USSR

Before joining Bashkiria, it consisted of cantons - territorial-administrative units. The Bashkir ASSR was the first autonomous republic in the territory former USSR. It was formed on March 23, 1919 and was administered from Sterlitamak in the Ufa province due to the lack of an urban settlement in the Orenburg province.

On March 27, 1925, the Constitution was adopted, according to which the Bashkir ASSR retained the canton structure, and the people could, along with Russian, use the Bashkir language in all spheres of public life.

On December 24, 1993, after the dissolution of the Supreme Council of Russia, the Republic of Bashkortostan adopts a new Constitution.

Bashkir people

In the second millennium BC. e. the territory of modern Bashkortostan was inhabited by the ancient Bashkir tribes of the Caucasoid race. Many peoples lived on the territory of the Southern Urals and the steppes around it, which influenced the customs and traditions of the Bashkirs. Iranian-speaking Sarmatians lived in the south - pastoralists, and in the north - landowners-hunters, the ancestors of the future Finno-Ugric peoples.

The beginning of the first millennium was marked by the arrival of the Mongol tribes, who had great attention on the culture and appearance of the Bashkirs.

After the Golden Horde was defeated, the Bashkirs fell under the rule of three khanates - Siberian, Nogai and Kazan.

Formation Bashkir people ended in the 9th-10th centuries AD. e., and after joining the Muscovite state in the 15th century, the Bashkirs rallied and the name of the territory inhabited by the people was established - Bashkiria.

Of all the world religions, Islam and Christianity are the most widespread, which had an important influence on the Bashkir folk customs.

The way of life was semi-nomadic and, accordingly, housing was temporary and nomadic. Permanent Bashkir houses, depending on the locality, could be stone brick or log houses, which had windows, in contrast to temporary ones, where the latter were absent. The photo above shows a traditional Bashkir house - a yurt.

What was the traditional Bashkir family like?

Until the 19th century, among the Bashkirs dominated small family. But it was often possible to meet an undivided family, where married sons lived with their father and mother. The reason is the existence of common economic interests. Usually families were monogamous, but it was not uncommon to find a family where a man had several wives - with bays or representatives of the clergy. Bashkirs from less prosperous families remarried if the wife was childless, became seriously ill and could not take part in household work, or the man remained a widower.

The head of the Bashkir family was the father - he gave orders regarding not only property, but also the fate of the children, and his word was decisive in all matters.

Bashkir women had in the family different position, depending on age. Everyone revered and respected the mother of the family, along with the head of the family, she was initiated into all family matters, and she supervised household chores.

After the marriage of a son (or sons), the burden of household chores fell on the shoulders of the daughter-in-law, and the mother-in-law only followed her work. The young woman had to prepare food for the whole family, clean the house, take care of clothes and look after the livestock. In some regions of Bashkiria, the daughter-in-law did not have the right to show her face to other family members. This situation was explained by the dogmas of religion. But the Bashkirs still had some degree of independence - if she was mistreated, she could demand a divorce and take away the property that was given to her as a dowry. Life after the divorce did not bode well - the husband had the right not to give up the children or demand a ransom from her family. In addition, she could not remarry.

Today, many traditions associated with the wedding are being revived. One of them - the bride and groom put on the Bashkir national costume. Its main features were layering and variety of colors. It was made from home cloth, felt, sheepskin, leather, fur, hemp and nettle canvas.

What holidays do Bashkirs celebrate?

The customs and traditions of the Bashkirs are vividly reflected in the holidays. They can be conditionally divided into:

State - New Year, Defender of the Fatherland Day, Flag Day, Ufa City Day, Republic Day, Constitution Adoption Day.
Religious - Uraza Bayram (holiday of the completion of fasting in Ramadan); Kurban Bayram (holiday of sacrifice); Mawlid an Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad).
National - Yinyn, Kargatuy, Sabantuy, Kyakuk Syaye.

State and religious holidays are celebrated in almost the same way throughout the country, and there are practically no traditions and rituals of the Bashkirs in them. Unlike them, national ones fully reflect the culture of the nation.

Sabantuy, or Khabantuy, was celebrated after sowing from about the end of May to the end of June. Long before the holiday, a group of young people went from house to house and collected prizes and decorated the square - Maidan, where all the festive events were supposed to take place. The most valuable prize was considered to be a towel made by a young daughter-in-law, since a woman was a symbol of the renewal of the family, and the holiday was dedicated to the renewal of the earth. In the center of the Maidan, a pole was installed, which was smeared with oil, and an embroidered towel fluttered at the top, which was considered a prize, and only the most dexterous could climb up to it and take it. There were many different amusements on Sabantuy - wrestling with sacks of hay or wool on a log, running with an egg in a spoon or sacks, but jumps and wrestling were considered the main ones - kuresh, in which the rivals tried to knock down or pull the opponent with a wrapped towel. The aksakals watched the wrestlers, and the winner - the batyr - received a slaughtered ram. After the struggle on the Maidan, they sang songs and danced.

Kargatuy, or Karga Butkahy, is a holiday of the awakening of nature, which had different scenarios depending on the geographical location. But common traditions can be considered cooking millet porridge. It was held in nature and was accompanied not only by a collective meal, but also by feeding birds. This pagan holiday existed even before Islam - the Bashkirs turned to the gods with a request for rain. Kargatuy also could not do without dances, songs and sports competitions.

Kyakuk Saye was a women's holiday and also had pagan roots. It was celebrated by the river or on the mountain. It was celebrated from May to July. Women with treats went to the place of celebration, each made a wish and listened to the bird chirping. If it is loud, then the wish was fulfilled. Various games were also held at the festival.

Yinyn was a men's holiday, as only men took part in it. It was celebrated on the day of the summer equinox after National Assembly, which decided important questions for the affairs of the village. The council ended with a holiday, for which they prepared in advance. Later it became a common holiday in which both men and women participated.

What wedding customs and traditions do the Bashkirs observe?

Both family and wedding traditions formed under the influence of social and economic changes in society.

Bashkirs could marry relatives no closer than the fifth generation. The age of marriage for girls is 14 years, and for boys it is 16. With the advent of the USSR, the age was increased to 18 years.

The Bashkir wedding took place in 3 stages - matchmaking, marriage and the holiday itself.

Respected people from the groom's family or the father himself went to woo the girl. Upon agreement, kalym, wedding expenses and the size of the dowry were discussed. Often, children were wooed while still babies and, having discussed their future, the parents reinforced their words with bata - koumiss or honey diluted with water, which was drunk from one bowl.

The feelings of the young were not considered and they could easily pass the girl off as an old man, since marriage was often concluded on the basis of material considerations.

After collusion, families could visit each other's houses. The visits were accompanied by matchmaking feasts, and only men could take part in them, and in some regions of Bashkiria even women.

After most of the bride price was paid, the bride's relatives came to the groom's house, and a feast was held in honor of this.

The next stage is the marriage ceremony, which took place in the bride's house. Here the mullah read a prayer and declared the young husband and wife. From that moment until the full payment of the kalym, the husband had the right to visit his wife.

After the dowry was paid in full, the wedding (tui) took place in the house of the bride's parents. On the appointed day, guests came from the side of the girl and the groom came with his family and relatives. Usually the wedding lasted three days - on the first day everyone was treated by the bride's side, on the second - by the groom. On the third day, the young wife left her father's house. The first two days were spent racing, wrestling and games, and on the third ritual songs and traditional lamentations. Before leaving, the bride went around the houses of relatives and gave them gifts - fabrics, woolen threads, scarves and towels. In return, she was given cattle, poultry or money. After that, the girl said goodbye to her parents. She was accompanied by one of her relatives - her maternal uncle, older brother or friend, and a matchmaker was with her to the groom's house. The wedding train was led by the groom's family.

After the young woman crossed the threshold of a new house, she had to kneel three times in front of her father-in-law and mother-in-law, and then distribute gifts to everyone.

On the morning after the wedding, accompanied by the youngest girl in the house, the young wife went to the local source for water and threw a silver coin there.

Before the birth of the child, the daughter-in-law avoided her husband's parents, hid her face and did not talk to them.

In addition to the traditional wedding, bride kidnappings were not uncommon. Similar wedding traditions of the Bashkirs took place in poor families, who thus wanted to avoid wedding expenses.

Birthing rites

The news of the pregnancy was received with joy in the family. From that moment on, the woman was freed from the heavy physical labor, and she was protected from experiences. It was believed that if she looked at everything beautiful, then the child would certainly be born beautiful.

During childbirth, a midwife was invited, and all other family members left the house for a while. If necessary, only the husband could visit the woman in labor. The midwife was considered the second mother of the child and therefore enjoyed great honor and respect. She entered the house on her right foot and wished the woman an easy delivery. If the birth was difficult, then a series of ceremonies were performed - in front of the woman in labor they shook an empty leather bag or lightly beat them on the back, washed them with water, which was used to wipe the sacred books.

After the birth, the midwife performed the following maternity rite - she cut the umbilical cord on a book, board or boot, as they were considered amulets, then the umbilical cord and placenta were dried, wrapped in a clean cloth (kefen) and buried in a secluded place. Washed things that were used during childbirth were also buried there.

The newborn was immediately placed in the cradle, and the midwife gave him a temporary name, and on the 3rd, 6th or 40th day a holiday of naming (isem tuyy) was held. The mullah, relatives and neighbors were invited to the holiday. The mullah put the newborn on the pillow in the direction of the Kaaba and read his or her name in turn in both ears. Then lunch was served with national dishes. During the ceremony, the baby's mother presented gifts to the midwife, mother-in-law and her mother - a dress, a scarf, a shawl or money.

One of the elderly women, most often a neighbor, cut off a bundle of the child's hair and laid it between the pages of the Koran. Since then, she was considered the “hairy” mother of the baby. Two weeks after birth, the father shaved off the baby's hair, and they were kept together with the umbilical cord.

If a boy was born in the family, then in addition to the naming ceremony, a sunnat was performed - circumcision. It was carried out at 5-6 months or from 1 year to 10 years. The ceremony was obligatory, and it could be performed both by the eldest man in the family and by a specially hired person - a babai. He went from one village to another and offered his services for a nominal fee. Before circumcision, a prayer was read, and after or a few days later a holiday was held - sunnat tui.

How was the deceased seen off?

Islam had a great influence on the funeral and memorial rites of the Bashkirs. But you could also meet elements of pre-Islamic beliefs.

The funeral process included five stages:

rituals associated with the protection of the deceased;
preparation for burial;
seeing off the deceased;
burial;
commemoration.

If a person was near death, then a mullah or a person who knew prayers was invited to him, and he read Surah Yasin from the Koran. Muslims believe that this will ease the suffering of the dying and drive away evil spirits from him.

If a person had already died, then they laid him on a hard surface, stretched his arms along the body and put something hard on his chest over his clothes or a sheet of paper with a prayer from the Koran. The deceased was considered dangerous, and therefore he was guarded, and they tried to bury him as quickly as possible - if he died in the morning, then before noon, and if in the afternoon, then before the first half of the next day. One of the remnants of pre-Islamic times is to bring alms to the deceased, which was then distributed to those in need. It was possible to see the face of the deceased before washing. The body was washed by special people who were considered important along with the grave diggers. They were also given the most expensive gifts. When they began to dig a niche in the grave, then the process of washing the deceased began, in which from 4 to 8 people took part. First, the washing people performed a ritual ablution, and then they washed the deceased, doused them with water and wiped them dry. Then the deceased was wrapped in three layers in a shroud made of nettle or hemp fabric, and a leaf was placed between the layers so that the deceased could answer the questions of the angels. For the same purpose, the inscription “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet” was imitated on the chest of the deceased. The shroud was tied with a rope or strips of fabric over the head, in the belt and on the knees. If it was a woman, then before wrapping in a shroud, she was put on a scarf, bib and trousers. After washing, the deceased was transferred to a bast covered with a curtain or carpet.

When carrying out the dead, livestock or money was given as a gift to someone who would pray for the soul of the deceased. They usually turned out to be a mullah, and alms were distributed to all those present. According to popular beliefs, so that the deceased did not return, he was carried forward with his feet. After the removal, the house and things were washed. When there were 40 steps left to the cemetery gates, a special prayer was read - yinaza prayer. Before the burial, a prayer was again read, and the deceased was lowered into the grave on hands or towels and laid facing the Kaaba. The niche was covered with boards so that the earth would not fall on the deceased.

After the last clod of earth fell on the grave, everyone sat around the mound and the mullah read a prayer, and at the end alms were distributed.
The funeral process was completed by a commemoration. They, unlike funerals, were not religiously regulated. They were celebrated on the 3rd, 7th, 40th day and a year later. On the table, in addition to national dishes, there was always fried food, since the Bashkirs believed that this smell drove away evil spirits and helped the deceased easily answer the questions of angels. After memorial meal at the first commemoration, alms were distributed to everyone who participated in the funeral - the mullah, who guarded the deceased, washed and dug the grave. Often, in addition to shirts, bibs and other things, they gave skeins of thread, which, according to ancient beliefs, symbolized the transmigration of the soul with their help. The second commemoration was arranged on the 7th day and took place in the same way as the first.

The commemoration on the 40th day was the main one, since it was believed that until that moment the soul of the deceased wandered around the house, and on the 40th it finally left this world. Therefore, all relatives were invited to such a commemoration and a generous table was laid: "guests were received as matchmakers." Be sure to slaughter a horse, a ram or a heifer and serve National dishes. The invited mullah read prayers and alms were distributed.

The commemoration was repeated a year later, which completed the funeral rite.

What customs of mutual assistance did the Bashkirs have?

The customs and traditions of the Bashkirs also included mutual assistance. Usually they preceded the holidays, but they could also be a separate phenomenon. The most popular are Kaz Umakhe (Goose help) and Kis Ultyryu (Evening gatherings).

Under Kaz Umakh, a few days before the holidays, the hostess went around the houses of other women she knew and invited them to help her. Everyone happily agreed and, having put on all the most beautiful, gathered in the house of the inviter.

An interesting hierarchy was observed here - the owner killed the geese, the women plucked, and the young girls washed the birds at the hole. Young men were waiting for the girls on the shore, who played the harmonica and sang songs. Back to the house, the girls and the boys returned together, and while the hostess was preparing a rich soup with goose noodles, the invitees played “forfeits”. To do this, things were collected from the girls in advance - ribbons, combs, scarves, rings, and the driver asked a question to one of the girls who stood with her back to her: “What is the task for the owner of this phantom?” Among them were things like singing, dancing, telling a story, playing the kubyz or looking at the stars with any of the young people.

The mistress of the house invited her relatives to Kis Ultyryu. The girls were engaged in sewing, knitting and embroidery.

Having finished the brought work, the girls helped the hostess. Be sure to tell folk legends and fairy tales, music sounded, songs were sung and dances were performed. The hostess served tea, sweets and pies to the guests.

What dishes are national?

Bashkir National cuisine It was formed under the influence of wintering in the villages and a nomadic lifestyle in summer. Distinctive features- a large amount of meat and lack of a large number spices.

It led to the appearance of a large number of dishes of long-term storage - horse meat and lamb in boiled, dried and dried form, dried berries and cereals, honey and fermented milk products - horse sausage (kazy), fermented milk drink from mare's milk (koumiss), bird cherry oil (muyyl mayi ).

Traditional dishes include beshbarmak (meat and large noodle soup), vak-belish (meat and potato pies), tukmas (goose meat soup with thin noodles), tutyrlgan tauk (stuffed chicken), kuyrylgan (potato salad, fish, pickles, mayonnaise and herbs wrapped in an omelet).

Bashkir culture today is a reflection of the historical path of the people, which as a result has absorbed only the best.