Many believe that a person's name to some extent determines his fate. In the culture of every nation, the choice of a name is taken very seriously.
About what names exist in the Chuvash culture and how to get a second national name in our time, Oleg Tsyplenkov, honorary chairman of the Union of Chuvash Youth "Suvar" spoke.
pagan tradition
Yulia Kudryashova, AiF-Chuvashia: Why such a tradition - to give people Chuvash names?
Oleg Cyplenkov. Photo: From the personal archive
The Chuvash have an old tradition of giving the child two names. Everyone knew one name. Second - only parents. There is a belief that if the devil looks for a person with two names, he will not find it. I thought that this could become a good tradition of our union. To join the Union of Chuvash Youth "Suvar", you need to take the Chuvash name. But this does not mean that in order to take a middle name, you need to join the ranks of the Chuvash youth. People who are simply interested in the Chuvash culture and history travel with us. Some at first perceived the rite of taking a second name as a change of religion, and there were also its opponents. Here I immediately say that this rite does not concern the issue of religion at all. Religion does not change. This is a tribute to the ancient Chuvash traditions.
- How to get a Chuvash name?
Previously, according to Chuvash traditions, a child was given a name on the seventh day after birth. On this day, all relatives were invited.
On the table there were always freshly baked bread, cottage cheese, porridge, beer was brewed, a sheep was slaughtered - ritual food. The rite was performed by the most respected person in the village, the oldest. He asked the parents what name they want to give the child, or suggested a name himself. The child was chosen “pysăk atte” and “pysăk anna”, in Orthodoxy these are godfather and mother. According to the rite, the child was passed across the table to his godparents.
During the naming of a child, bread was thrown into the four corners of the room. The elder blessed the child. It was believed that the words spoken by him would come true. Therefore, they wished good, success, health. If it was a boy, then he should be fit for military service; if it was a girl, he should be a prominent bride.
The ceremony of taking the name takes place in the evening either at the memorial pillar, or at the spring, or near the fire. Joining the ranks of Suvar members or simply taking a middle name, young men and women take an oath in an arbitrary form to honor the Chuvash traditions, study the history of the people, voice the name they accept, ask their comrades-in-arms to call it by it. I was the first to take the name. I was given the name Ultiyar, which translates from Chuvash as leader.
good luck
- And godparents choose?
Before adopting a name, young people choose “pysăk atte” and “pysăk anne” for themselves. Then the three of them, holding hands, make a circle in the sun around a pillar or fire. After this ritual is performed by everyone who wants to take a name, everyone becomes one big round dance and makes two more circles to the song “Alran kaimi” (per. endless). In total they make three circles. The ceremony of taking a second name ends here.
- Tell us how to choose the right Chuvash name for yourself?
Back in 1906, Magnitsky published the book "Chuvash Pagan Names". There are collected about ten thousand names with their meanings. The Internet can also become an indispensable assistant. In general, by name you can trace the entire history of the Chuvash people. You can find Chuvash names with both Russian and Islamic roots, there are even Iranian and Caucasian origins. If they ask me to help in choosing, I ask what the grandfather was called among the people, for example. In the villages, each person has additional nicknames. My name was Oleg Chape (trans. chicken), for example.
Young people choose a name for themselves to sound beautiful. Older people are already choosing names according to their character, according to their occupation. Many members of folk groups travel with us, they choose vociferous names: Chӗkeç (trans. swallow), Shăpchăk (trans. nightingale). Popular male names Atner, Etner, Kashkăr, Timor, Açtakhar. Pinerpi, Narspi, Ilemli, Sinerpi are very beautiful and sonorous female names.
"Strong as oak"
Now you rarely meet a person with such an unusual name. When did the Chuvash stop naming children by national names?
After the Christianization of the Chuvash people, national names began to be forgotten, they were replaced by other names. Although Russian names came to their senses. Alexandra, for example, was called Sashuk among her friends. There are many such examples. In Soviet times, it was difficult to get a birth certificate with a Chuvash name. The registry office provided a list of names that can be given to the child, among them there were no Chuvash.
Chuvash Christian women sometimes still gave their children national names. My grandmother was very religious, literate, which was rare for that time, from a wealthy family. Her children died at an early age. In desperation, the fifth child, a boy, she gave the name Yuman (oak), so that the child would be just as strong. He survived. There is one wisdom among the Chuvash people. If children die in infancy, then the next one needs to be given a Chuvash name, then the Chuvash gods will protect him, and he will survive.
You may or may not believe this. Once at a celebration, I met an elderly woman. Her name was Chakeç (trans. swallow). I asked her how many children her parents had killed before her. She was very surprised and said that, indeed, two children had died before her, after which she was given that name.
Giving a name to a child, they often chose totemic animals to endow the child with his qualities, for boys this is Yuman (“strong like an oak tree”), Arăslan (“brave, courageous, like a lion”), Upa (“mighty like a bear”), Aztahar ("strong as a dragon").
- Oleg Mikhailovich, in your opinion, is it possible to revive interest in national names today?
Chuvash rite name naming. Photo: From the personal archive
Many members of our society officially give their children Chuvash names. My friend named his son Atner. Another comrade named his son Atilla. There are certain questions about baptism. In Christianity, there are often no such names. Although here you can sometimes find similar names.
So, we learned that in ancient Rome there was a martyr Attilus. The child was christened in his own name. There are more and more examples when children are given Chuvash names. My grandchildren have Christian names, their parents insisted on this. In the family, I call them Azamat and Attila. The older they get, the more they like their middle names. Even in kindergarten, one of them is already called Azamat by everyone.
- It is interesting to know what lies behind the intricate names?
The name Azamat is originally Chuvash, although both Tatars and Bashkirs have such a name. This name can be deciphered as "asamlă atte", which translates as "mysterious or magical father", and this is God. There is Mount Aramazi in Georgia. According to the Chuvash epic, the hero Ulyp lived exactly near this mountain. When he was surrounded by enemies, a blacksmith named Azamat helped him leave. He forged a bridge for Ulyp from the Caucasus to the Volga.
Ulyp left along this bridge with his people. In the Chuvash language, a rainbow is “azamat kepere” (translated from the bridge of Azamat). The name Narspi means “born in February”, Narpi means “sunny”, Pinerpi in Chuvash stands for “pin hörten esӗ pörri”, which translates as “the only one out of a thousand girls”, Ahah Pi is a “diamond” girl. Chuvash names are not only beautiful and sonorous, but also influence the fate of a person with their meaning.
The Union of Chuvash Youth "Suvar" has existed since 1992. The Union sets as its goal and objectives the promotion of the Chuvash language, culture and traditions. He conducts his work on the preservation and development of the Chuvash culture.
“Recently, there has been a tendency to choose old, once forgotten names for children,” says Olga Gennadievna Ivanova, head of the registry office of the administration of the Leninsky district. “This is both a tribute to the history of your country and an indicator of love for your family. After all, it is often in honor of grandparents, great-grandparents and great-grandparents that parents name their children.
Cheboksary newborns they call both Russian and Old Slavic names, and those with Greek, Latin and Jewish roots. Parents increasingly began to call their children: Elisha, Tikhon, Matvey, Gleb, Zakhar, Arseny, Makar, Miroljub, Svyatoslav, Yaroslav, Timofey, Uliana, Vasilisa, Barbara, Lyubava, Zlata, Yaroslav. There are also rarer old names - Akim, Nil, Luka, Akila, Dobromir, Aksinya, Avdotya, Pelageya. In the Leninsky district, a child with an unusual name Manassey was registered. The parents of the child, believing people, explained their choice by his religious origin: in the Bible, Manasseh was the ruler of ancient Israel. Receiving the first document of his son - a birth certificate, the young father shared his dream - to raise his first child in deep faith and service to the Orthodox Church.
In families where with special respect belong to the Chuvash traditions, parents prefer to give their children Chuvash names.
- In our district of the city, - says the head of the registry office of the Moscow region Anchikova Zinaida Nikolaevna, - a newborn Azam was registered, who already has six older brothers and sisters: Attil, Almush, Aneslu, Aslan, Atlan, Alman. The parents explained the choice of native Chuvash names by their belonging to the Chuvash nation and the desire that their children bear the names of their ancestors. In another family, the old Chuvash name Attilla was chosen for the baby at the family council. The unusual name does not frighten parents at all, but on the contrary, they are sure that it will favorably distinguish their child from their peers.
According to the head of the registry office Kalininsky district of Krasnova Galina Mefodievna, in one of the Cheboksary families, parents named their daughter Pinerpi in honor of the heroine of the work of P.N. Osipov "Aidar".
- Parents respect national traditions so much, - said Galina Mefodievna, - that they even held the solemn ceremony of their marriage in their native Chuvash language. The bride and groom came to the registry office in national costumes and played a wedding in the Chuvash wedding traditions. In another family, the couple preferred the name Sarpi for their daughter, which is translated from Chuvash as “beautiful girl”.
Often, never being able to choose a suitable name for their baby, parents resort to the help of the Internet, - this fact was noted in all departments of the registry office of the city. They carefully get acquainted with the meaning of the name and the qualities that are inherent in its owner. For example, one of the Cheboksary families named their daughter Olivia (from Latin - “olive, olive tree”), because of the beauty of the sound and the qualities that distinguish its owners: sociability, responsibility and independence. In another family, it was decided to call the girl a beautiful name Tamila (from the Slavic “languid”). The owners of these names are reasonable and sensitive natures. They easily find a common language with people, parents are sure. But the father and mother of a baby named Dominic (from the Latin “belonging to the Lord”) hope that their son will be sensitive, responsive and persistent in achieving goals. At least the exotic name promises to endow him with just such character traits.
Influence on naming They also provide films, series, cartoons, books, - emphasized in all departments of the registry office of the city. Apparently, in the wake of the popularity of the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's bestseller "Twilight" in the family of the Kalininsky district, they decided to name their son Edward. Although in real life this name is often found.
Recently released cartoons about Russian epic heroes contributed to the fact that fathers and mothers began to increasingly recall the old Russian name Dobrynya. Probably, by naming their children in this way, parents hope that they will have a “heroic strength” and the same health.
In honor of the heroes of the series The names that were probably chosen were Nicole, Danielle, Camilla, Brian. And one of the Cheboksary families was inspired to choose a name for their daughter by Alexander Grin's novel Scarlet Sails. Now their baby is named the same as the main character of the work - Assol.
Some moms and dads prefer to call their children double names: Adelina - Oya, Alesya - Anastasia, Pavel - Enrico. Some explain this as a good remedy against damage and the evil eye, while others are attracted by the beauty of the combination. But, perhaps, there is also a fashion for compound names, which originated in Hollywood. For example, Uma Thurman's daughter's name is Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalun Florence Luna.
What is going on with traditional names? Some of them stay and some leave. Among the most common names that Cheboksary residents prefer to call their babies, they still occupy strong positions: Artem, Alexander, Mikhail, Maria, Anastasia, Daria, Sofia, Anna.
But there are alsowhich are hopelessly out of fashion. For example, in the Moscow region, the last time a girl was named after Zinaida was in 1996. This unpopular name is also accompanied by: Galina, Peter, Leonid, Vasily, who for some reason are less and less popular with young mothers and fathers.
“There was such a case,” they told us in the registry office of the Leninist administration. - In one Cheboksary family, mom and dad chose a very unusual Scandinavian name for the child, Thor, which means “Divine”. We asked you to think carefully about this decision. However, the parents insisted on their own. In addition, according to the family code, we do not have the right to prohibit the choice of a particular name. But a little time passed, and the couple again turned to us: they, apparently, weighed all the pros and cons and decided to give the child a different name.
In choosing the names of Cheboksary , although they try to show imagination, they do not reach outrageousness. Whether this is good or bad, it is difficult to answer in one go. We can only say that in the pursuit of originality, parents should not forget that the child needs to live life with this name.
The Chuvash people are quite numerous, more than 1.4 million people live in Russia alone. Most occupy the territory of the Republic of Chuvashia, the capital of which is the city of Cheboksary. There are representatives of the nationality in other regions of Russia, as well as abroad. A hundred thousand people each live in Bashkiria, Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk Region, a little less in the Siberian Territories. The appearance of the Chuvash causes a lot of controversy among scientists and geneticists about the origin of this people.
Story
It is believed that the ancestors of the Chuvash were the Bulgars - the tribes of the Turks, who lived from the 4th century BC. on the territory of the modern Urals and in the Black Sea region. The appearance of the Chuvash speaks of their relationship with the ethnic groups of Altai, Central Asia and China. In the XIV century, the Volga Bulgaria ceased to exist, the people moved to the Volga, to the forests near the rivers Sura, Kama, Sviyaga. At first, there was a clear division into several ethnic subgroups, over time it smoothed out. The name "Chuvash" in Russian-language texts has been found since the beginning of the 16th century, it was then that the places where this people lived became part of Russia. Its origin is also associated with the existing Bulgaria. Perhaps it came from the nomadic Suvar tribes, who later merged with the Bulgars. The opinions of scientists were divided in explaining what the word meant: the name of a person, a geographical name, or something else.
ethnic groups
The Chuvash people settled along the banks of the Volga. The ethnic groups living in the upper reaches were called viryal or turi. Now the descendants of these people live in the western part of Chuvashia. Those who settled in the center (anat enchi) are located in the middle of the region, and those who settled in the lower reaches (anatari) occupied the south of the territory. Over time, the differences between sub-ethnic groups became not so noticeable, now they are the people of one republic, people often move, communicate with each other. In the past, the way of life of the lower and upper Chuvashs was very different: they built dwellings in different ways, dressed, and organized life. According to some archaeological finds, it is possible to determine which ethnic group the thing belonged to.
To date, there are 21 districts in the Chuvash Republic, 9 cities. In addition to the capital, Alatyr, Novocheboksarsk, Kanash are among the largest.
External features
Surprisingly, only 10 percent of all representatives of the people are dominated in appearance by the Mongoloid component. Geneticists claim that the race is mixed. It belongs mainly to the Caucasoid type, which can be said from the characteristic features of the appearance of the Chuvash. Among the representatives you can meet people with light brown hair and eyes of light shades. There are also individuals with more pronounced Mongoloid features. Geneticists have calculated that the majority of the Chuvashs have a group of haplotypes similar to that characteristic of the inhabitants of countries in northern Europe.
Among other features of the appearance of the Chuvash, it is worth noting short or medium height, stiff hair, darker eye color than Europeans. Naturally curly curls are rare. Representatives of the people often have epicanthus, a special fold at the corners of the eyes, characteristic of Mongoloid faces. The nose is usually short in shape.
Chuvash language
The language remained from the Bulgars, but differs significantly from other Turkic languages. It is still used on the territory of the republic and in nearby areas.
There are several dialects in the Chuvash language. The Turi living in the upper reaches of the Sura, according to the researchers, “okay”. The ethnic subspecies of Anatari placed more emphasis on the letter "y". However, there are currently no clear distinguishing features. The modern language in Chuvashia is rather close to that used by the Turi ethnic group. It has cases, but lacks the category of animation, as well as the gender of nouns.
Until the 10th century, the alphabet was runic. After the reforms, it was replaced by Arabic characters. And since the XVIII century - Cyrillic. Today, the language continues to "live" on the Internet, even a separate section of Wikipedia has appeared, translated into the Chuvash language.
Traditional activities
The people were engaged in agriculture, grew rye, barley and spelt (a kind of wheat). Sometimes peas were sown in the fields. Since ancient times, the Chuvash have bred bees and eat honey. Chuvash women were engaged in weaving and weaving. Especially popular were patterns with a combination of red and white colors on the fabric.
But other bright colors were also common. Men were engaged in carving, carved dishes, furniture from wood, decorated dwellings with platbands and cornices. Mat production was developed. And since the beginning of the last century, Chuvashia has been seriously engaged in the construction of ships, several specialized enterprises have been created. The appearance of the indigenous Chuvash is somewhat different from the appearance of modern representatives of the nationality. Many live in mixed families, create marriages with Russians, Tatars, some even move abroad or to Siberia.
Suits
The appearance of the Chuvash is associated with their traditional types of clothing. Women wore embroidered tunics. From the beginning of the 20th century, grassroots Chuvash women dressed in colorful shirts with assemblies from different fabrics. There was an embroidered apron on the front. Of the ornaments, the Anatari girls wore tevet - a strip of fabric trimmed with coins. They wore special caps on their heads, shaped like a helmet.
Men's pants were called yem. In the cold season, the Chuvash wore footcloths. From footwear, leather boots were considered traditional. There were special outfits worn for the holidays.
Women decorated their clothes with beads and wore rings. From shoes, bast bast shoes were also often used.
original culture
Many songs and fairy tales, elements of folklore remained from the Chuvash culture. It was customary for the people to play instruments on holidays: bubble, harp, drums. Subsequently, a violin and an accordion appeared, and they began to compose new drinking songs. For a long time there have been various legends, which were partly connected with the beliefs of the people. Before joining the territories of Chuvashia to Russia, the population was pagan. They believed in various deities, spiritualized natural phenomena and objects. At a certain time, sacrifices were made, as a token of gratitude or for the sake of a good harvest. The main among other deities was considered the god of Heaven - Tura (otherwise - Thor). The Chuvash deeply honored the memory of their ancestors. The rites of remembrance were strictly observed. On the graves, usually, pillars made of trees of a certain species were installed. Limes were placed for dead women, and oaks for men. Subsequently, most of the population adopted the Orthodox faith. Many customs have changed, some have been lost or forgotten over time.
Holidays
Like other peoples of Russia, Chuvashia had its own holidays. Among them is Akatuy, celebrated in late spring - early summer. It is dedicated to agriculture, the beginning of preparatory work for sowing. The duration of the celebration is a week, during this time special ceremonies are performed. Relatives go to visit each other, treat themselves to cheese and a variety of other dishes, beer is pre-brewed from drinks. All together they sing a song about sowing - a kind of hymn, then they pray to the god of Tur for a long time, asking him for a good harvest, the health of family members and profit. Divination is common on the holiday. Children threw an egg into the field and watched whether it broke or remained intact.
Another holiday among the Chuvash was associated with the veneration of the sun. Separately, there were days of commemoration of the dead. Agricultural rituals were also common, when people caused rain or, on the contrary, wished it to stop. Large feasts with games and amusements were held at the wedding.
Dwellings
The Chuvash settled near rivers in small settlements called yals. The layout of the settlement depended on the specific place of residence. On the south side, the houses lined up along the line. And in the center and in the north, a nested type of layout was used. Each family settled in a certain part of the village. Relatives lived nearby, in neighboring houses. Already in the 19th century, wooden buildings began to appear in the style of Russian rural houses. The Chuvashs decorated them with patterns, carvings, and sometimes painting. As a summer kitchen, a special building (las) was used, made of a log house, without a roof and windows. Inside there was an open hearth, on which they were engaged in cooking. Bathhouses were often built near the houses, they were called munches.
Other features of life
Until Christianity became the dominant religion in Chuvashia, polygamy existed on the territory. The custom of levirate also disappeared: the widow was no longer obliged to marry the relatives of her deceased husband. The number of family members was significantly reduced: now it included only spouses and their children. Wives were engaged in all economic affairs, counting and sorting products. The duty of weaving was also assigned to their shoulders.
According to the existing custom, the sons were married early. Daughters, on the contrary, tried to marry later, because often in marriage wives were older than their husbands. The youngest son in the family was appointed heir to the house and property. But the girls also had the right to receive an inheritance.
In the settlements there could be a mixed type of community: for example, Russian-Chuvash or Tatar-Chuvash. In appearance, the Chuvash did not differ strikingly from representatives of other nationalities, therefore they all coexisted quite peacefully.
Food
Due to the fact that animal husbandry in the region was developed to a small extent, plants were mainly used for food. The main dishes of the Chuvash were porridge (spelt or lentil), potatoes (in later centuries), vegetable and green soups. The traditional baked bread was called hura sakar, it was baked on the basis of rye flour. It was considered a woman's duty. Sweets were also widespread: cheesecakes with cottage cheese, sweet cakes, berry pies.
Another traditional dish is khulla. This was the name of the pie in the shape of a circle; fish or meat was used as a filling. The Chuvash people were engaged in cooking various types of sausages for the winter: with blood, stuffed with cereals. Shartan was the name of a type of sausage made from a sheep's stomach. Basically, meat was consumed only on holidays. As for drinks, the Chuvash brewed a special beer. Braga was made from the obtained honey. And later they began to use kvass or tea, which were borrowed from the Russians. Chuvash from the lower reaches often drank koumiss.
For sacrifices, they used a bird that was bred at home, as well as horse meat. On some special holidays, a rooster was slaughtered: for example, when a new family member was born. Even then they made scrambled eggs and omelettes from chicken eggs. These dishes are eaten to this day, and not only by the Chuvash.
Famous representatives of the people
Among the Chuvash with a characteristic appearance, there were also famous personalities.
Near Cheboksary was born Vasily Chapaev, a famous commander in the future. He spent his childhood in a poor peasant family in the village of Budaika. Another famous Chuvash is the poet and writer Mikhail Sespel. He wrote books in his native language, at the same time he was a public figure of the republic. His name is translated into Russian as "Mikhail", but Mishshi sounded in Chuvash. Several monuments and museums were created in memory of the poet.
V.L. is also a native of the republic. Smirnov, a unique personality, an athlete who became the absolute world champion in helicopter sports. The training took place in Novosibirsk and repeatedly confirmed his title. There are also famous artists among the Chuvash: A.A. Kokel received an academic education, wrote many amazing works in charcoal. He spent most of his life in Kharkov, where he taught and was engaged in the development of art education. A popular artist, actor and TV presenter was also born in Chuvashia
Project theme
« Culture and Traditions
Chuvash people"
Ulyanovsk, 2016
Content
Introduction
History of the Chuvash people
Chuvash folk costume
Rites and holidays of the Chuvash people
Chuvash folk games, rhymes, draws
Conclusion
Glossary of terms
Bibliographic list
Application (Presentation)
Introduction
“There is no future for a people who forget their past,” says a Chuvash folk proverb.
The people of Chuvashia have a rich and unique culture, it is not without reason that Chuvashia is called the land of one hundred thousand songs, one hundred thousand embroideries and patterns. Preserving folk traditions, the Chuvash painstakingly protect their folklore, folk crafts. The memory of their past is carefully kept in the Chuvash region.
You cannot consider yourself a cultured intelligent person without knowing your roots, ancient traditions that were born in pagan times, preserved after the adoption of Christianity and survived to this day. That is why the native culture, like father and mother, should become an integral part of the soul, the beginning that generates the personality.
Job hypothesis:
If local history work is carried out, this will lead to the systematization of knowledge about the culture and traditions of the Chuvash people, an increase in the cultural level, awareness, interest in the further search for information, love for the native people and their small homeland.
So there wasobjective of the project:
Preservation and development of the Chuvash folk traditions, deepening the knowledge of the culture of their people.
Project objectives:
1. Get to know the origin of the Chuvash people;
2. Get acquainted with fiction (folk tales, legends and myths, proverbs and sayings);
3. Get acquainted with the products of the Chuvash ornamental art (Chuvash embroidery)
4. Get acquainted with the Chuvash national values, accumulated by generations and concluded in the objective world of culture;
5. Create a multimedia presentation about the Chuvash traditions, and in an accessible form tell peers about the culture of our people.
Project relevance: At present, the actual direction of education is the formation of the beginnings of national self-consciousness in the child, interest in national culture and traditions through the revival of lost values, immersion in the origins of national culture.
Today, adults are less and less likely to pass on the traditions of their people to the younger generation, and parents rarely play the games of their childhood with their children, do not acquaint them with antiquity. In such a situation, the kindergarten becomes a place where the child learns about the culture, traditions and customs of his ancestors, gets acquainted with folk art and antiques in the museum. The most significant and accessible for assimilation by children, capable of evoking their response, are such elements of national culture as fairy tales, songs, games, dances, myths, folk crafts, art, traditions, rituals, etc.
History of the Chuvash people
Do you know such a people
Who has a hundred thousand words
Who has a hundred thousand songs
And a hundred thousand embroideries bloom?
Come to us - and I'm ready
It's all check with you together.
People's Poet of Chuvashia
Peder Khuzangai
Russia is a multinational state, a lot of peoples live in it, among them there are Chuvashs.
The number of Chuvashs in the Russian Federation is 1773.6 thousand people (1989). 856.2 thousand Chuvash live in Chuvashia, significant groups of the ethnic group live in Tatarstan - 134.2 thousand, Bashkortostan - 118.5 thousand, Samara and Ulyanovsk regions - 116 thousand people. 3.2 thousand Chuvashs live in the Udmurt Republic.
The Chuvash language (chăvash chĕlkhi) - one of the state languages of the Chuvash Republic - belongs to the Bulgar group of the Turkic language family. Writing in the Chuvash language appeared in the second half of the 18th century on the basis of the Russian alphabet. The new Chuvash script was created in 1871 by the Chuvash educator I. Ya. Yakovlev.
Many representatives of the Chuvash people gained world fame, among them poets K. V. Ivanov and P. P. Khuzangai, academician I. N. Antipov-Karataev, cosmonaut A. G. Nikolaev, ballerina N. V. Pavlova and others.
The Chuvashs are an original ancient people with a rich monolithic ethnic culture. They are the direct heirs of Great Bulgaria and later - Volga Bulgaria. The geopolitical location of the Chuvash region is such that many spiritual rivers of the east and west flow along it. The Chuvash culture has features similar to both Western and Eastern cultures; it is not identical to any of them. These features are also reflected in the ethnic mentality of the Chuvash. The Chuvash people, having absorbed the culture and traditions of different peoples, “reworked” them, synthesized positive customs, rites and rituals, ideas, norms and rules of behavior, ways of managing and household system, suitable for the conditions of their existence, retained a special worldview, formed a kind of national character . Undoubtedly, the Chuvash people have their own identity - "chavashlah" ("Chuvashness"), which is the core of its uniqueness. The task of researchers is to "extract" it from the bowels of the people's consciousness, analyze and reveal its essence, fix it in scientific works.
The diary entries of the foreigner Tobius Kenigsfeld, who visited the Chuvash in 1740 as part of the journey of the astronomer N. I. Delil, confirm these ideas (quoted from: Nikitina, 2012: 104)
Many travelers of past centuries noted that the character and habits of the Chuvash differed markedly from other peoples. There are many flattering reviews as about hardworking, modest, neat, handsome, smart people. Chuvash people are by nature as trusting as they are honest... Chuvashs are often in complete purity of soul... they almost do not even understand the existence of a lie, in which a simple handshake replaces both a promise, and a bail, and an oath ”(A. Lukoshkova) (ibid.: 163 , 169).
At present, some positive qualities have been preserved in the Chuvash nation. With a noticeable scarcity of living conditions, the Chuvashs are strong in adherence to traditions, have not lost their enviable quality of tolerance, inflexibility, survival, perseverance and hard work, patriarchy, traditionalism, patience, patience, servility, high power distance, law-abiding; envy; the prestige of education, collectivism, peacefulness, good neighborliness, tolerance; perseverance in achieving the goal; low self-esteem; resentment, vindictiveness; stubbornness; modesty, the desire to "keep a low profile"; respect for wealth, stinginess. exclusive respect for other peoples
Traditions and customs of the Chuvash people
Previously, the Chuvash lived in huts-pyurts, which were heated by a stove.
In Chuvash it is called kamaka.
The hut was cut from linden, pine or spruce. The construction of the house was accompanied by rituals. Much attention was paid to the choice of the place where the house would have to stand. They did not build where the road used to pass or there was a bathhouse, since these places were considered unclean. Wool and a rowan cross were laid in the corners of the house. There are copper coins in the front corner of the hut. Compliance with these customs was supposed to bring happiness, comfort and warmth to the owners in the new home. Protect from evil spirits. The house was erected on a wooden foundation - pillars. The floor was covered with logs. The roof was covered with straw. Straw was applied in a thick layer to keep warm.
Previously, Chuvash huts had only one window. The windows were covered with a bull bubble. And when glass appeared, windows began to be made larger. In the hut along the walls there were benches made of boards, which were used as beds. Various works were carried out in the hut. Here they put a loom, a spinning wheel and other accessories for homework. Chuvash dishes were made of clay and wood.
And they ate like this: they put cast iron or a bowl with cabbage soup, porridge, one for all, on the table. There were no plates, and even if someone had earthenware, they put them only on big holidays - they were very expensive! Each was given a spoon, a piece of bread. The grandfather was the first to lower the spoon into the cast iron. He will try, then tell the others that you can eat. If someone puts a spoon in front of him, they will kick him out with a spoon on his forehead or even from the table, and he remains hungry.
According to the ideas of the ancient Chuvash, each person had to do two important things in his life: to take care of old parents and worthily lead them to the “other world”, raise children as worthy people and leave them behind. The whole life of a person passed in the family, and for any person one of the main goals in life was the well-being of his family, his parents, his children.
Parents in a Chuvash family. The old Chuvash family kil-yysh usually consisted of three generations: grandfather-grandmother, father-mother, children.
In Chuvash families, old parents and father-mother were treated with love and respect. This is very well seen in Chuvash folk songs, which most often tell not about the love of a man and a woman (as in so many modern songs), but about love to their parents, relatives, to their homeland. Some of the songs talk about the feelings of an adult going through the loss of their parents.
If there were no sons in the Chuvash family, then the eldest daughter helped the father, if there were no daughters in the family, then the younger son helped the mother. Every work was revered: even female, even male. And if necessary, a woman could take on male labor and a man could perform household duties. And no work was considered more important than the other.
This is how our ancestors lived.
Chuvash folk costume
The Chuvashs have their own folk costume. Girls wore hats for the holidays, called tukhya, and a white dress - kepe. An ornament made of mannets - Alka - was hung around the neck.
If there are a lot of coins on the jewelry, then the bride is rich. This means prosperity in the house. And these coins make a beautiful melodic ringing when walking. Embroidery not only decorates clothes, but also serves as a talisman, protection from evil forces. Patterns on the sleeves protect the hands, retain strength and dexterity. Patterns and cutouts on the collar protect the lungs and heart. Patterns on the hem keep the evil force from getting close from below.
Chuvash national ornament
Chuvash embroidery adorned women's and men's shirts, dresses, hats, towels, bedspreads. The Chuvash believed that embroidery protects a person from diseases, heals, protects from trouble, so there were no things in the huts without embroidery.
And in order to sew a dress and embroider patterns on it, it was first necessary to weave a cloth. Therefore, in every village hut there was a loom. The work required a lot of time and effort. First it was necessary to grow flax or hemp. Collect the stems, soak them in water. After drying, the stems were crumpled, then combed, and threads were spun from the resulting fibers. If necessary, the threads were dyed and fabrics, towels, rugs were woven on looms.
Kuzeev R.G. Peoples of the Middle Volga and Southern Urals. An ethnogenetic view of history. M., 1992.
Fairy tales and legends of the Chuvash. - Cheboksary: Chuvash. book. publishing house, 1963.–131s.
Vasilyeva L. G. The mysterious world of folk patterns. The development in children of 5-7 years of age of the ability to create images of symbols of Chuvash patterns in drawing and appliqué. - Cheboksary: New time, 2005.
Vasilyeva L. G. Chuvash ornament in drawings and applications of preschool children. Formation of an ornamental image in the visual activity of children 5-7 years old. - Cheboksary: New time, 2006. Beauty Taislu: Chuvash. nar. legends, traditions, fairy tales and funny stories / comp. and translation by M. N. Yukhma. - Cheboksary: Chuvash. book. publishing house, 2006. - 399 p.
Fairy tales and legends of the Chuvash. - Cheboksary: Chuvash. book. publishing house, 1963. - 131s.
Khalăkh sămahlăkhĕ: reader. - Shupashkar: Chăvash Kĕneke Publishing House, 2003. - 415 p. - Per. tch.: Chuvash folklore
According to one hypothesis, the Chuvash are the descendants of the Bulgarians. The Chuvash themselves also believe that their distant ancestors were the Bulgars and Suvars, who once inhabited Bulgaria.
Another hypothesis says that this nation belongs to the associations of the Savirs, who in ancient times migrated to the northern lands due to the fact that they abandoned generally accepted Islam. During the time of the Kazan Khanate, the ancestors of the Chuvash were part of it, but were quite an independent people.
Culture and life of the Chuvash people
The main economic activity of the Chuvash was settled agriculture. Historians note that this people succeeded in the land business much more than the Russians and Tatars. This is explained by the fact that the Chuvash lived in small villages, near which there were no cities. Therefore, working with the land was the only source of food. In such villages, it was simply not possible to take a break from work, especially since the lands were fertile. But even they could not saturate all the villages and save people from hunger. The main cultivated crops were: rye, spelt, oats, barley, wheat, buckwheat and peas. Flax and hemp were also grown here. To work with agriculture, the Chuvash used plows, roe deer, sickles, flails and other devices.
In ancient times, the Chuvash lived in small villages and settlements. Most often they were erected in river valleys, next to lakes. The houses in the villages were lined up in a row or in a cumulus way. The traditional hut was the construction of a purt, which was placed in the center of the yard. There were also huts called elks. In the Chuvash settlements, they played the role of a summer kitchen.
The national costume was clothes typical for many Volga peoples. Women wore tunic-shaped shirts, which were decorated with embroidery and various pendants. Both women and men wore a shupar, a caftan-like cape, over their shirts. Women covered their heads with scarves, and the girls wore a helmet-shaped headdress - tukhyu. A linen caftan - shupar served as outerwear. In the autumn, the Chuvash dressed in a warmer sakhman - a cloth undercoat. And in winter, everyone wore fitted sheepskin coats - kyoreks.
Traditions and customs of the Chuvash people
The Chuvash people carefully treat the customs and traditions of their ancestors. Both in ancient times and today, the peoples of Chuvashia hold ancient holidays and rituals.
One of these holidays is Ulakh. In the evening, young people gather for an evening meeting, which is arranged by girls when their parents are not at home. The hostess and her friends sat in a circle and did needlework, while the guys sat between them and watched what was happening. They sang songs to the music of the accordion player, danced and had fun. Initially, the purpose of such meetings was to find a bride.
Another national custom is Savarni, the holiday of seeing off winter. This holiday is accompanied by fun, songs, dances. People dress up a scarecrow as a symbol of the passing winter. Also in Chuvashia, it is customary to dress up horses on this day, harness them to a festive sleigh and ride children.
The Mankun holiday is the Chuvash Easter. This holiday is the purest and brightest holiday for the people. In front of Mankun, women clean their huts, and men clean up in the yard and outside the yard. They prepare for the holiday, fill full barrels of beer, bake pies, paint eggs and prepare national dishes. Mankun lasts seven days, which are accompanied by fun, games, songs and dances. Before the Chuvash Easter, swings were set up on every street, on which not only children, but also adults rode.
(Painting by Yu.A. Zaitsev "Akatuy" 1934-35)
Holidays related to agriculture include: Akatuy, Sinse, Simek, Pitrav and Pukrav. They are associated with the beginning and end of the sowing season, with the harvest and the arrival of winter.
The traditional Chuvash holiday is Surkhuri. On this day, the girls guessed - they caught sheep in the dark to tie a rope around their necks. And in the morning they came to look at the color of this sheep, if it was white, then the betrothed or betrothed would have blond hair and vice versa. And if the sheep is motley, then the couple will not be particularly beautiful. In different regions, Surkhuri is celebrated on different days - somewhere before Christmas, somewhere on the New Year, and some celebrate on the night before Epiphany.