YAKUTS (self-name - Sakha), people in Russian Federation(382 thousand people), indigenous people Yakutia (365 thousand people). The Yakut language is a Uyghur group of Turkic languages. Believers are Orthodox.
Language
They speak the Yakut language of the Turkic group of the Altai family of languages. The dialects are united into the central, Vilyui, northwestern and Taimyr groups. 65% of Yakuts speak Russian.
Origin
The ethnogenesis of the Yakuts involved both local Tungus-speaking elements and Turkic-Mongolian tribes (Xiongnu, Tugu Turks, Kipchaks, Uighurs, Khakass, Kurykans, Mongols, Buryats), who settled in Siberia in the 10th–13th centuries. and assimilated local population. The ethnic group was finally formed by the 17th century. By the beginning of contacts with the Russians (1620s), the Yakuts lived in the Amga-Lena interfluve, on the Vilyui, at the mouth of the Olekma, in the upper reaches of the Yana. Traditional culture is most fully represented among the Amga-Lena and Vilyui Yakuts. The northern Yakuts are close in culture to the Evenks and Yukagirs, the Olekminsky are highly cultivated by the Russians.
Farm
| Yakut hunters |
The main traditional occupation of the Yakuts is horse breeding and cattle breeding. In Russian sources of the 17th century. The Yakuts are called “horse people”. Men looked after horses, women looked after cattle. Cattle were kept on pasture in the summer and in barns (khotons) in the winter. Haymaking was known even before the Russians arrived. Special breeds of cows and horses were developed that were adapted to harsh climates. conditions of the North. Local cattle were distinguished by their endurance and unpretentiousness, but were unproductive and were milked only in the summer. Cattle occupies a special place in the Yakut culture; special rituals are dedicated to it. There are known burials of Yakuts with a horse. Her image plays an important role in the Yakut epic. The Northern Yakuts adopted reindeer husbandry from the Tungus peoples.
Hunting
Both meat hunting for large animals (elk, wild deer, bear, wild boar and others) and fur fishing (fox, arctic fox, sable, squirrel, ermine, muskrat, marten, wolverine and others) were developed. Specific hunting techniques are characteristic: with a bull (the hunter sneaks up on the prey, hiding behind the bull, which he drives in front of him), horseback chasing the animal along the trail, sometimes with dogs. Hunting tools - bow and arrows, spear. They used abatis, fences, trapping pits, snares, traps, crossbows (aya), grazes (sohso); from the 17th century – firearms. Subsequently, due to the decrease in the number of animals, the importance of hunting fell.
Fishing
Fishing was of great importance: river (fishing for sturgeon, broad whitefish, muksun, nelma, whitefish, grayling, tugun and others) and lake (minnow, crucian carp, pike and others). Fish were caught with tops, muzzles (tuu), a net (ilim), a horsehair seine (baady), and beaten with a spear (atara). Fishing was carried out mainly in the summer. In the fall, they organized a collective seine with the division of the spoils between the participants. In winter we fished in the ice hole. For the Yakuts, who did not have livestock, fishing was the main economic activity: in documents of the 17th century. the term “balysyt” (“fisherman”) was used in the meaning of “poor man.” Some tribes also specialized in fishing - the so-called “foot” Yakuts - Osekui, Ontuls, Kokui, Kirikians, Kyrgydais, Orgots and others.
Gathering and farming
There was gathering: harvesting pine and deciduous sapwood, collecting roots (saran, mint and others), greens (wild onions, horseradish, sorrel), and to a lesser extent, berries (raspberries were not consumed, they were considered unclean). Agriculture was borrowed from the Russians at the end of the 17th century. Until the middle of the 19th century. it was poorly developed. The spread of agriculture (especially in the Amginsky and Olekminsky environs) was facilitated by Russian exiled settlers. They cultivated special varieties of wheat, rye, and barley, which managed to ripen during the short and hot summer, and grew garden crops.
During the years of Soviet power, the Yakuts formed new sectors of the economy: cage-based fur farming, small-scale livestock farming, and poultry farming. They moved mainly on horseback, and carried loads in packs.
Life
There were known skis lined with horse camus, sleighs (silis syarga) with runners made of wood with rhizomes that had a natural curvature; later - sleighs of the Russian wood-burning type, which were usually harnessed to oxen, and among the northern Yakuts - straight-hoofed reindeer sledges. Water transport: raft (aal), boats - dugout (onocho), shuttle (tyy), birch bark boat (tuos tyy), others. The Yakuts calculated time according to the lunisolar calendar. The year (year) was divided into 12 months of 30 days each: January - Tokhsunnu (ninth), February - Olunnu (tenth), March - Kulun Tutar (month of feeding foals), April - Muus Ustar (month of ice drift), May - Yam yya (month of cow milking), June - bes yya (month of harvesting pine sapwood), July - from yya (month of haymaking), August - atyrdyakh yya (month of hay baling), September - booth yya (month of migration from summer roads to winter roads), October – Altynnyi (sixth), November – Setinnyi (seventh), December – Ahsynnyi (eighth). New Year came in May. Weather forecasters (dylylyty) were in charge of the folk calendar.
Craft
Among the traditional crafts of the Yakuts are blacksmithing, jewelry, wood processing, birch bark, bone, leather, fur, and, unlike other peoples of Siberia, molded ceramics. They made dishes from leather, wove from horsehair, twisted cords, and used it for embroidery. Yakut blacksmiths (timir uuga) smelted iron in cheese furnaces. Since the beginning of the twentieth century. forged products from purchased iron. Blacksmithing also had commercial value. Yakut jewelers (kemus uuga) made women's jewelry, horse harness, dishes, religious objects and others from gold, silver (partially melting down Russian coins) and copper; they knew how to mint and blacken silver. Were developed artistic carving woodwork (ornaments of serge hitching posts, Choronov kumis cups and others), embroidery, applique, horsehair weaving and others. In the 19th century Carving on mammoth bone became widespread. The ornamentation is dominated by curls, palmettes, and meanders. The two-horned motif on saddle cloths is characteristic.
Housing
 |
| Yakut |
The Yakuts had several seasonal settlements: winter (kystyk), summer (sayylyk) and autumn (otor). Winter settlements were located near meadows and consisted of 1–3 yurts, summer settlements (up to 10 yurts) were located near pastures. The winter dwelling (booth kypynny diee), where they lived from September to April, had sloping walls made of thin logs on a log frame and a low gable roof. The walls were coated with clay and manure, the roof was covered with bark and earth on top of the log flooring. Since the 18th century Polygonal log yurts with a pyramidal roof are also common. The entrance (aan) was made in the eastern wall, the windows (tyunyuk) were in the southern and western walls, and the roof was oriented from north to south. In the north-eastern corner, to the right of the entrance, a fireplace of the chuval type (opoh) was built, plank bunks (oron) were built along the walls, and the bunk running from the middle of the southern wall to the western corner was considered honorable. Together with the part of the western bunk adjacent to it, it formed an honorable corner. Further north was the owner's place. The bunks to the left of the entrance were intended for young men and workers, and to the right, by the fireplace, for women. A table (ostuol) and stools were placed in the front corner, and there were chests and drawers from other furnishings. On the northern side of the yurt, a barn (hoton) of the same design was attached. The entrance to it from the yurt was behind the fireplace. A canopy or canopy (kyuyule) was built in front of the entrance to the yurt. The yurt was surrounded by a low embankment, often with a fence. A hitching post was placed near the house, often decorated with rich carvings. From the 2nd half of the 18th century. Russian huts with a stove became common among the Yakuts as a winter home. The summer dwelling (uraga sayyngy diye), in which they lived from May to August, was a birch bark-covered cylindrical structure made of poles (on a frame of four poles fastened at the top with a square frame). In the North, frame buildings covered with turf (holuman) were known. The villages had outbuildings and structures: barns (ampaar), glaciers (buluus), cellars for storing dairy products (tar iine), smoking dugouts, mills. At a distance from the summer dwelling, they set up a barn for calves (titik), built sheds, and more.
Cloth
The national clothing of the Yakuts consists of a single-breasted caftan (son), in winter - fur, in summer - from cow or horse skin with the hair inside, for the rich - from fabric, it was sewn from 4 wedges with additional wedges at the waist and wide sleeves gathered at the shoulders; short leather pants (syaya), leather leggings (sotoro), fur socks (keenche). Later, fabric shirts with a turn-down collar (yrbakhy) appeared. Men wore a simple belt, the rich wore silver and copper plaques. Women's wedding fur coats (sangiyakh) - toe-length, widening at the bottom, with a yoke, with sewn-in sleeves with small puffs and a fur shawl collar. The sides, hem and sleeves were bordered by wide stripes of red and green cloth and braid. Fur coats were richly decorated with silver jewelry, beads, and fringe. They were valued very dearly and were passed down by inheritance, mainly in Toyon families. Women's wedding headdress (diabakka) was made from sable or beaver fur. It looked like a cap going down to the shoulders, with a high top made of red or black cloth, velvet or brocade, densely trimmed with beads, braid, plaques, and certainly with a large silver heart-shaped plaque (tuosakhta) above the forehead. The most ancient dabakka are decorated with a plume of bird feathers. Women's clothing was complemented by a belt (kur), breast (ilin kebikher), back (kelin kebikher), neck (mooi simege) decorations, earrings (ytarga), bracelets (begekh), braids (sukhuekh simege), rings (bihileh) made from silver, often gold, with engraving. Shoes - winter high boots made of deer or horse skins with fur on the outside (eterbes), summer boots made of suede (saara) with tops covered with cloth, for women - with appliqué.
Municipal budgetary educational institution
"Average secondary school No. 26"
Municipal entity "Mirninsky district"
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Research work
Traditional culture of peoples
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Completed:
Kalacheva Rosalia
Share Alina
9th grade students "G"
Head Mayorova
Tamara Alexandrovna,
teacher
Russian language and literature
2012
Mirny
Relevance of the topic. Yakutia! You are covered with forests . Yakutia - in a necklace of stars.
Yakutia! Above you the sky is blue. The region is harsh, taiga
We love you to tears!
Modern Yakutia is a highly developed region. The main wealth of the republic is not only natural, but also people, whose work glorifies their small homeland.
More than 120 nationalities live on the Olonkho land. The indigenous inhabitants of Yakutia are the Yakuts, Evenks, Evens, Chukchi, Dolgans, and Yukaghirs. Each nationality has its own rituals and traditions.
Getting acquainted with the history of the republic, we learned that the Turkic-speaking people yuch - kurykany - ancestors of the Yakuts. The people appeared and existed from the 6th to the 11th centuries. Kurykany in the 6th-10th centuries they were the most numerous and powerful people of the Baikal region . Until the 13th century, their migration to the Lena took place; having arrived on the middle Lena, the ancestors of the Yakuts met the Evens, Evenks, Yukaghirs and other local tribes, partly forced them out, partly assimilated them.
That is why we became interested in the traditions and rituals of the peoples of Yakutia and set a goal for ourselves.
Target: studying the customs and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia, determining their role in modern life.
Object: customs and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia.
Item: origins and role customs and traditions in modern life.
Tasks:
- study literature on the chosen topic;
- interview people who know ancient rituals;
- systematize and summarize the collected material;
- present the results of the search work.
Methods: literature study, interviews, visualization, analysis and synthesis,
generalization and systematization
Hypothesis: If, in the process of searching on the topic, enough material is studied on the customs and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia, then we will determine the origins and their role in modern life.
Plan.
1.Culture of the peoples of Sakha in modern world.
2. Customs and holidays (selected):
A. Yakutov;
B. Evenki:
V. Evenov;
G. Dolgan;
D. Chukchi.
3. The significance of the customs and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia, the definition of their role in modern life.
1. The culture of the peoples of Sakha in the modern world.
Many peoples live in Yakutia and they all have a similar culture, way of life, beliefs and way of life, which has changed over time and begins to change with the entry of Yakutia into the Russian state. The Russians are introducing legal norms, universal rules, yasak payment, and a new religion. The spread of Christianity leads to a change in the customs and lifestyle of the aborigines of Yakutia, the disappearance of the concepts of kinship and blood feud.
The Chukchi's main occupation remains reindeer herding and sea fishing. There are no fundamental changes in culture and way of life, but an additional occupation appears, which gradually becomes predominant - fur farming.
Among the Evens, reindeer herding, fishing and hunting continue to be the main activity, which becomes the second most important.
The Evens' clothing is changing, incorporating Russian style.
The main occupation of the Yukaghirs remains reindeer herding and dog breeding. Semi-nomadic lifestyle.
IMPORTANT: occupation affects
2.a. Customs And holidays Yakuts.
The Yakuts (Sakhalar) are one of the most numerous peoples of Siberia. They live in Evenkia, in the Irkutsk region, in the Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk territories, but mainly in Yakutia (Republic of Sakha), on whose territory the pole of cold of our planet is located. The Yakut language belongs to the Turkic languages that are part of the Altai language family. The traditional economic activities of the Yakuts are cattle breeding, horse breeding, hunting and fishing
Kumis holiday (Ysyakh). This holiday is celebrated at the end of spring in the open air. People sing, dance, watch the fights of fighters, drink a delicious drink made from mare's milk - kumiss. The name of the holiday comes from the verb “sprinkle”, “sprinkle”. In the past the culmination of the holiday Ysyakh- a ritual during which shamans sprinkled kumiss on fire. This action was performed in honor of the “holy deities”, which among the Yakuts, pastoral peoples, included primarily the deities of fertility. This tradition is associated with another cult – the cult of the horse. After all, in myths Yakut people The first living creature on earth was a horse, from it came the half-horse - half-man, and only then did people appear. This holiday has survived to this day.
“The blacksmith and the shaman are from the same nest.” Libation of kumiss on the fire could only be done by a “light shaman” - "ayyy-oyuuna" Along with the “white shamans”, the Yakuts had “black shamans” - this is the name given to the intermediaries between people and the spirits of the “lower world”. All shamans were treated with respect and fear. The Yakuts had the same feelings towards blacksmiths. In the old days they said that “a blacksmith and a shaman come from the same nest.” Blacksmiths were considered sorcerers by many peoples of the world, including Siberia. This reflects the cult of fire: everyone associated with the flame has special magical powers. According to Yakut beliefs, a blacksmith, forging iron pendants for a shaman's costume, acquired special power over spirits. There was another belief: spirits are afraid of the sound of iron and the noise of blacksmiths’ bellows, spirits are afraid of blacksmiths, therefore, people need to treat them with respect and caution.
“Don’t forget to feed the fire.” This ritual has its roots going back a long way.
to the past, back to the ancient stone age. The flame was considered by the Yakuts to be the personification of purity. It was forbidden to throw dirty objects into the fire, and before starting any meal it was necessary to “treat” it. To do this, they put pieces of food into the fire and sprinkled milk on the fire. It was believed that this is how people express their respect to the owner of fire - Wat-ichchite
2.b. Customs And holidays Evenki
These people are called "Indians of Siberia." And indeed, these indigenous inhabitants of North Asia have much in common with the famous hunters from the Iroquois or Delaware tribes. How North American Indians, Evenks are hereditary hunters, artificial trackers, tireless travelers. Their number is just over 30 thousand people. But the Evenks are settled over a vast territory - from Western Siberia to Yakutia, Buryatia and Primorye. The Evenki language belongs to the Tungus-Manchu branch of the Altai language language family. They used to be called Tungus.
How guests were received. This custom - hospitality - is known to all peoples of the world. The Evenks also have it. Many Evenki families had to wander around the taiga, separated from other families. Therefore, the arrival of guests was a great celebration. They were given gifts, seated in a place of honor in the tent (behind the hearth, opposite the entrance), and treated to the most delicious dishes, for example: finely chopped bear meat, seasoned with fried bear fat. In the warm season, in honor of the guests, he organized dances in the clearing, in which all the inhabitants of the camp, young and old, took part. The dances of this people are very temperamental. And in the evening the story of one of the guests or the owner began. This story was unusual: the narrator either spoke, then began to sing, and the listeners repeated the most important words. The heroes of the story were people and animals, powerful spirits. The stories could last all night, and if they did not end, the guests stayed for another night.
How peace was made. The Evenks valued the ability not only to fight, but also the ability to negotiate peace. A detachment led by a shaman approached the enemy camp and warned with a loud cry of its approach. The enemy sent out envoys - two elderly women. The straps of their high boots must be untied - this is a sign that the enemy is ready to negotiate. The same elderly women representing the hostile side entered into negotiations. The shaman pointedly rejected the proposals and ordered to prepare for battle. Then the defenders sent two elderly men with untied straps of their high boots. New negotiations began, led by the oldest men. But these negotiations did not bring success. Then a shaman from the defending camp arrived at the attacking camp. Both shamans sat with their backs to each other, on both sides of swords stuck crosswise into the ground, and spoke directly. This conversation ends with the conclusion of peace.. Such a ritual for concluding peace proved that this is an important, but difficult matter, that peace must be protected
2.c. Customs And holidays Evens
The Evens are a people closely related to the Evenks. They also hunt taiga animals and speak a language similar to the Evenks. But unlike the “Indians of Siberia,” the Evenks are not settled over such a vast territory. They live mainly in Yakutia, Khabarovsk Territory, Magadan and Kamchatka regions. The Evenks number about 17 thousand people. One of the ancient names of the Even tribes - “Lamut” - comes from the word “lamu”. Translated, it means “sea”. It is very likely that in ancient times Lake Baikal was called this in Siberia. In the Baikal region, as archaeological research has shown, the process of formation of the current Evenks began 2000 years ago.
The bride came to the house. The Even bride arrived at the groom's tent, usually riding on a deer. This significant event was preceded by a number of other, also quite important events. At first, the young man’s parents decided what kind of family the bride should be from.
The next step is sending matchmakers. Their actions could end in failure. If, for example, among the Kamchatka Evens, the parents of a girl refused to smoke the pipe offered to them with the matchmakers, this meant that the bride had to be looked for in another house.
After the conclusion of the contract, the young man’s parents had to pay the bride price. And only after receiving the bride price, the bride was placed on a deer and, accompanied by numerous relatives, was taken to the groom.
Before crossing the threshold of her new house, the bride drove around it three times, and she had to go from left to right - in the direction of the sun. Entering the tent, the girl took out the cauldron she had brought with her and cooked venison. When the meat was ready, wedding feast began.
“Help us, sun!” In the past, the Evens often turned to the sun for help, especially when someone fell ill. For them, the sun was a powerful deity to whom sacrifices needed to be made. Usually it was a deer. The animal was chosen at the direction of the shaman or as a result of fortune telling. And when they were guessing, they listened to the crackling of the hearth. The cult of the sun was associated with the cult of fire. The skin of a sacrificial deer was hung on a pole leaning against a tree, and two freshly cut young larches were placed on either side of the pole. The meat of the deer given to the sun was eaten together and always on the same day when the ritual was performed.
Funeral of a bear. Another cult of the Evens was the cult of the bear. It was like that. Having killed the beast, the hunter greeted him and thanked him for coming. Since it was believed that the killed bear voluntarily came to visit people. When dividing the bear's carcass, Nimat was observed: the bear's meat was distributed to all the inhabitants of the camp, and the head was boiled separately, and cooked by men. Women were not only not allowed to cook, but also to eat the head. After a meal, the bear bones were buried like this: the skeleton was laid in strict anatomical order on a wooden platform, which was installed on reinforced piles.
The Evenks also buried their fellow tribesmen on stilts. This continued until the 19th century.
2.g. Customs and holidays of Dolgan
Nowadays, there are more than 7 thousand Dolgan people. They live mainly in Taimyr, as well as in Yakutia and Evenkia. The Dolgan language is very close to the Yakut language. The Dolgans became an independent people in the 18th and 19th centuries as a result of the merger of individual Evenki and Yakut clans, as well as the Russian old-timer population of Taimyr - tundra peasants. The Dolgans are engaged in reindeer husbandry, hunt wild deer, extract furs, and fish. Their folk culture is very developed artistic creativity: singing, playing musical instrument- Jew's harp. Women embroider beautifully with beads and silk threads, while men master the ancient art of carving mammoth ivory.
“The Dolgans have such a custom...” The famous Dolgan poetess Ogdo Aksenova wrote the following lines: “The Dolgans have a custom of sharing the first spoils. Remember, boy! In former times, the Dolgans always gave part of their catch - deer meat and caught fish - to relatives and neighbors. But the furs were not subject to division. It was a valuable commodity, in exchange for which one could exchange guns, gunpowder, tea, flour, sugar from visiting merchants.
Arctic fox traps – “Easter traps” – were the personal property of each hunter. Only the owner could take the loot. There was one more rule associated with hunting Arctic foxes. If you decide to set your traps to the south of those set by another hunter, you do not need his permission to do so. But if you set them to the north, you must definitely ask the consent of their owner. This is explained by the fact that arctic foxes come to the land of the Dolgans from the north, and hunters who set traps to the north have a greater chance of success in the hunt.
The little mistress of the big tent. Almost until the 19th century, the Dolgans retained the remnants of matriarchy - the primacy of women. Women maintained the fire, “fed” it, and were in charge of all household shrines. In winter, as a rule, several Dolgan families united, built and lived in a large tent. They chose a common hostess. Often it was an elderly woman, tired from work. The mistress's word was law for everyone, even for the proud and warlike Dolgan men.
Icchi, saitaans and other spirits. Dolgans were considered Christians . They performed many Orthodox rituals, but at the same time retained their ancient beliefs.
Deities and spirits, the Dolgans believed, are divided into three categories:
1 – “ichchi”- incorporeal, invisible creatures, “souls”, capable of inhabiting inanimate things and “revitalizing” them;
2 – malicious “abaas”, bringing diseases and misfortunes that plagued the earth and in underground world, they sought to steal a person’s soul and take it underground. And then penetrate his body. The person who was possessed abaasy, became seriously ill, and, according to Dolgan beliefs, only a shaman could help him.
3 – "saitans"- any object into which the shaman infused a soul - “ichchi”. It could be the stone of the unusual Thomas, the horn of a wild deer... Saitaans possessed powerful power and were in the eyes of the Dolgans a kind of amulet that brought good luck in hunting and in household chores.
2.d. Customs and holidays of the Chukchi
The number of this people today is more than 15 thousand people inhabiting the extreme northeast of Russia, Chukotka. The name of this distant Arctic region means “land of the Chukchi.” Russian word"Chukchi" comes from Chukchi "chouchu"- “rich in deer.” Their distant ancestors came to the Arctic from the central regions of Siberia, when in place of the Bering Strait there was a vast isthmus connecting Asia with America. Some residents of Northeast Asia crossed the Bering Land Bridge to Alaska. In the traditional culture of the Chukchi, traditions are similar to the Indian peoples of North America.
Kayak holiday. According to the ancient ideas of the Chukchi, everything that surrounds a person has a soul. The sea has a soul, and the canoe has a soul - a boat covered with walrus skin, on which today sea hunters fearlessly go out into the ocean. Before going to sea in the spring, hunters held a holiday. The boat was ceremoniously removed from the pillars made of bowhead whale jaw bones, on which it had been stored all winter. Then they made a sacrifice to the sea: pieces of boiled meat were thrown into the sea. The boat was carried to the yaranga. All participants in the holiday solemnly walked around the yaranga. The oldest woman in the family went first, then the owner of the canoe, the helmsman, the rowers and all the other participants in the holiday. The next day the boat was carried to the seashore, the sacrifice was made again, and only after that the canoe was launched into the water.
Whale Festival. This holiday took place at the end of the fishing season. It was based on a ritual of reconciliation between hunters and killed animals. Lydia, dressed in festive clothes, including waterproof raincoats made of walrus intestines, asked for forgiveness from whales, seals, and walruses. “It wasn’t the hunters who killed you, the stones rolled down the mountain and killed you,” the Chukchi sang. The men staged wrestling matches and performed dances that reflected dangerous scenes of hunting sea animals.
At the whale festival, sacrifices were required Keretkunu – master of all sea animals. After all, the residents believed that success in hunting depended on him. Even his sculpture was carved from wood. The culmination of the holiday was the lowering of whale bones into the sea. IN sea water, the Chukchi believed, the bones would turn into new animals, and the next year whales would appear off the coast of Chukotka again.
Festival of the Young Deer (Kilvey). This was done in the spring when the reindeer were calving. The shepherds drove the flock to the yarangas, and the women laid out a sacred fire. Fire for such a fire was produced only by friction. Deer were greeted with shouts, shots, and beatings on tambourines to scare away evil spirits. She invited guests - Chukchi living on the seashore. People exchanged gifts; venison was valuable because it was a delicacy. The festival not only had fun, but also separated young deer from the main herd to graze them on abundant pastures. At this time, old deer were also slaughtered to provide meat for future use for women, the elderly, and children. After all, they remained in winter camps, where they fished and picked berries and mushrooms. And the men set off with the reindeer herds on long journeys to summer camps. The journey with the herd was a long, difficult and dangerous undertaking. Therefore, the holiday of a young deer is also a farewell before a long separation.
3. The meaning of the customs and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia, determining their role in modern life.
Conclusion. Having studied different literary sources, having interviewed experts in the rituals and traditions of the peoples of Yakutia, we can put forward our own hypothesis about the origin of the customs and holidays of the peoples of Yakutia:
We believe that these people, being illiterate, believed in the forces of nature. Therefore, they deified fire, the sun, the sea, the bear, the horse,...
The faith was passed down from generation to generation, and has survived to this day. traditional holidays, but already changed by modern life.
Our work confirmed the hypothesis put forward.
The material collected as a result of the research can be used:
- during class hours at school,
- as a result of search activities at the Research and Production Complex “Step into the Future”,
- during implementation sample program “Culture of the peoples of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”.
In the difficult conditions of permafrost, the Yakuts founded statehood, developed frost-resistant breeds of cows and horses adapted to northern nature, and created the unique artistic and philosophical epic Olonkho. Developing comprehensively, the people strengthened their positions and became even stronger with the advent of new times.
Distribution area
We must not forget that the peoples of Yakutia descended from nomads, but according to legend, they once found a valley ideal for living, called Tuymaada. Today, the capital of the republic, Yakutsk, is located in its center. A large number of Yakuts are observed in the Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk regions of the Russian Federation, but of course greatest number can be found in their ancient habitat, now the Republic of Sakha.
The words “Yakuts” and “Sakha”, according to one version, go back to one common, earlier concept, which became widespread as a self-name. On the other hand, it is assumed that other ethnic groups called the people first, and they themselves called Sakha.
Having established a center in the place of their current residence, throughout history the Yakuts continued to expand their habitat. Moving to the east of Siberia, they mastered and improved reindeer husbandry and developed their own sledding techniques. As a result, they managed to take root in those parts.
History and origin
The nation was formed in the 14-15th century. It is generally accepted that the Kurykans from Transbaikalia moved to the middle part of the Lena River, displacing the Tungus and other “local” nomads. Although in part the groups united and created relationships of a business nature, although against the background of this, conflicts did not cease to flare up.
Of course, there were many toins (leaders) who became famous for their unifying sentiments. Trying to suppress internal revolts, as well as pacify external enemies (competitors for pastures and lands), there were attempts to resolve the issue in an aggressive way - Badzhey’s grandson Toyon Tygyn. However, violent methods only alienated other nationalities from the Yakuts, intensifying the confrontation.
The turning point in history was the annexation of the territory to the Russian state, which occurred in 1620-30. With development and progress, Orthodoxy knocked on every door of the booth (housing). Incentive methods for those who accepted baptism, and punitive ones for adherents of the faith of the fathers, achieved their goal - most of the Yakuts accepted the new religion.
Culture and life of the people of Yakutia
The Yakuts have learned to survive in difficult conditions, and the traditions and customs of the people are dictated by the factors that contributed to this. Dwellings located at a long distance did not in any way affect the social activity of representatives of the people.
At the end of his life, the elder had something to tell the younger generation about - friendships were struck at common holidays and during rituals, and enemies appeared when territories were divided. The people were not peaceful. The long-standing habit of hunting, the struggle for life and the ability to handle weapons (bow) created conditions for conflicts between others ethnic groups location.
The family has been revered from time immemorial; the older generation has been and remains held in high esteem. They are not treated with condescension, as happens in the modern world; on the contrary, they are respected for their extensive life experience, they listen to their instructions, and even more so they consider it an honor to host them in their home.
Dwelling of the Yakuts
The home here was a folk yurt - a booth. It was built in the form of a trapezoid from young logs, and the cracks between them were tightly filled with manure, shavings and turf. The shape of the walls, expanding towards the ground, made it possible to economically and quickly warm the room with a mud stove, which was located in the center. There were no windows or only small openings that were easy to close.
In the summer, birch bark was used for construction, creating urasu - seasonal housing. She stood not far from the booth. They didn’t even carry all the things into it, because winter was returning very soon. The yurt was a cone-shaped tent rounded at the top with a door. Along the perimeter there were sleeping places, sometimes separated by symbolic partitions. There was no stove here - the fire was built on the ground, so that the smoke escaped straight through the hole in the top.
Cloth
Initially, the purpose of clothing was to protect the body from the cold, so it was made from the skins of killed animals. Having mastered cattle breeding, the skins of domestic animals replaced them. Belts and pendants made of metal served as an aesthetic component against the background of a large fur product. The craftswomen also tried to combine the colors and thickness of the fur to create a distinctive finish on the shoulders or sleeves. Later they began to use fabrics and embroidery. In summer, the colors were full of variety, reflecting the riot of nature.
The classic set was:
- a fur hat sewn up or with a fabric insert;
- a fur coat belted with a metal belt;
- leather pants;
- knitted wool socks.
Shoes and mittens were also made from fur, not forgetting that hands and feet were the first to freeze.
Yakut cuisine
Due to the conditions of survival, food products of animal origin were used completely - from fish, poultry (from hunting), cows, horses or deer, not a trace remained after cooking. Everything went into action:
- meat;
- offal;
- heads;
- blood.
Soups were made from naïve products, they were stewed, and ground into liver. Dairy products occupied a special place in the diet. The availability of drink in the house - ayran, sourat, dessert - chokhoon, as well as cheese and butter depended on them.
One of the most unusual cooking methods is freezing. You can’t do without it in Siberia, so the Yakuts can boast of such a dish as stroganina (formerly “struganina”). Fish (whitefish, nelma, musk, omul and others) or deer meat were frozen in their natural environment and served in the form of thin layers or shavings. The “makanina” was also thought out, which added flavor to the raw product. It consisted of a mixture of salt and ground pepper 50/50.
Who did the Yakuts worship since ancient times?
Despite the adoption of Christianity, the culture of Yakutia is still closely connected with the canons of faith that their ancestors laid down in them. According to popular legends, every element of nature and the surrounding world has a master spirit that evokes fear and respect. As a sacrifice, horse hair from the mane, pieces of cloth, buttons and coins were left on them. There were ruling patrons:
- roads - he will show the way and help you not to go astray;
- reservoirs - because of it, you cannot throw a knife or sharp bows into the rivers, and a small birch bark boat with a symbol of a person inside is considered an offering;
- earth - spirit feminine, which is responsible for the fertility of all living things;
- winds - protect the earth from hostility;
- thunder and lightning - if the elements hit a tree, its remains were considered healing;
- fire - keeps peace in the family, so the hearth was moved from place to place in a clay pot so as never to be extinguished;
- forests are an assistant in hunting and fishing.
Trades
By combining with the big and strong Russia, the life of the people has changed. Cattle breeding continued to flourish, and frost-resistant breeds of cows and horses emerged, which to this day remain unique in their kind. However, agriculture also developed, despite the fact that in the conditions of a sharply continental climate, the street thermometer remains at 40-50º for a long time, and winter lasts 9 months a year.
Hunting and fishing, which were once the last hope for food, have faded into the background. The development of the economy helped maintain the population, since harsh winters often ended fatally. In the icy cold many kilometers from the settlement, fighting the frost and wild animals, not every hunter returned home. A young family that had no one to count on could be left without food, and, for lack of supplies (there was simply nothing to send to the bins), simply died of hunger.
People entrusted movement on the snow cover to the self-bred husky breed, and the protection of the house to the Yakut dog, which is less agile and larger in size, but with the same warm “fur coat”.
Living in harmony with nature, faith and oneself, honoring traditions, but not being afraid of change - all this is about the Yakuts, one of the most numerous northern peoples of Russia.
The Yakuts (self-name Sakha or Sakhalar) as a people appeared as a result of the mixing of the Turks with the peoples who lived along the middle reaches of the Lena. It is believed that the Yakuts as an ethnic community were formed by the 14th-15th centuries. However, even then the process was not completely completed: as a result of the nomadic lifestyle, these people were constantly moving, along the way infusing new blood into the nation, for example, Evenki.
The Yakuts belong to the North Asian type of the Mongoloid race. In many ways, their culture and traditions are similar to the customs of the Central Asian Turkic peoples, but there are still some differences. The Yakut language is part of the Altai family and belongs to the Turkic dialects.
Patience, perseverance and high performance - national traits Yakuts: despite the extremely harsh climate and difficult living conditions, the Sakha from time immemorial managed to graze cattle and plow frozen, thankless lands. Climate also had a great influence on national costume: even for a wedding, Yakut girls wear fur coats.
The main industries of the Yakuts include horse breeding, hunting and fishing. Nowadays, it is problematic to earn a living through such activities, so many Yakuts are involved in the mining industry, because their region is rich in diamonds.
The Yakuts are a traditionally nomadic people, so they use an easily disassembled yurt as their home.
But don’t rush to imagine a felt house similar to those built by the Mongols: the Yakut yurt is made of wood and has a steel roof, shaped like a cone.
The yurt has many windows, under each of which there are sleeping places. The loungers are separated by partitions that separate small “rooms” from each other; the heart of the yurt is a greased fireplace. In the hot season, short-lived birch bark yurts are built, which are called urasami. Not all Yakuts are comfortable in yurts, therefore, since the 20th century, many have preferred huts.
Traditional beliefs and holidays
Yakut beliefs are characterized by an appeal to nature as a mother, love and respect for it. At the same time, there is a relationship with environment and a certain “non-family” detachment: nature is perceived as an otherworldly force that cannot be completely controlled. According to the Sakha, everything that exists has a soul and powers. And the rituals of the Yakuts are designed to improve relations between numerous spirits and humanity.
Sakha has his own, rather curious, explanation of the origin of natural disasters: they arise to cleanse places affected by evil spirits.
Thus, a tree split or burned by lightning is pure from any filth and can even heal.
The goddess Aan, the patroness of all living things, is of great importance, helping people, plants and animals to grow and reproduce. The ritual with offerings for Aan takes place in the spring.
One of the most important spirits in Yakut tradition- master of the road. They try to appease him with small offerings: horse hair, coins, pieces of fabric and buttons are placed at crossroads.
No less important is the owner of the water, to whom it is customary to offer gifts twice a year: in autumn and spring. They consist of a birch bark boat with an image of a person carved on it, and pieces of fabric, ribbons, etc. tied to it. You should not drop knives, needles or other sharp objects into the water: this may offend and offend the owner of the water.
The owner of fire is old and gray-haired, his purpose is to expel evil spirits. Fire, as a symbol of light and warmth, has always been revered by the Sakhas. They were afraid to extinguish it and transferred it to a new place in pots, because while the flames were smoldering, the family and home were protected.
Baai Bayanai - the spirit of the forest - is an assistant in everything related to hunting. Even in ancient times, the Yakuts chose some animals as sacred, closest to Baai, and therefore put a taboo on killing and eating them. Such animals included the goose, swan, and ermine. The eagle was considered the king of birds. The main among animals and the most revered among the Yakuts was the bear. And in our time, many believe in the miraculous power of amulets made from his claws or teeth.
The roots of Yakut holidays go back to ancient rituals, among which Ysyakh, celebrated at the beginning of summer, is considered the most important. During the festival, a hitching post is made around young birch trees in the clearing. Nowadays, such an action is associated with the friendship of all peoples living on the territory of Yakutia, but previously it symbolized the World Tree. Ysyakh is a family day and is celebrated by people of all ages.
An important part of the holiday is sprinkling the fire with kumys, and then turning to the Deities with a request to send blessings such as good luck, peace, etc. Yakuts put on traditional costume and cook national dishes, drink kumiss. During the meal, you must sit at the same table with the whole family, close or distant relatives. Ysyakh is a cheerful holiday with dancing, round dances, wrestling competitions, tug-of-war, and archery.
Family rituals and traditions
A modern Yakut family differs little from the average Russian one. But until the 19th century, polygamy was common among the Sakhas. According to the Yakut traditional family model, each of the wives lived separately, observing their own way of life, life, and household. Yakuts preferred to tie the knot at the age of 16-25. When the groom's family went to woo the bride's parents, it was customary to pay a bride price for the girl. If the groom is too poor, he could steal the bride and “work off” the money later.
To protect houses and livestock from damage, the evil eye, and evil spirits, a number of measures are still being taken in some uluses. For a successful conspiracy, seemingly little things matter, such as patterns on clothes, “correct” jewelry, and special utensils. Conspiracies alone are not enough; special rituals are also necessary, with the help of which the Sakhas hope to get a good harvest, increase the number of livestock, give birth to healthy children, etc.
Old customs and traditions are of great importance. Women should not look at the magic stone Sat, which is found in the stomachs or livers of animals and birds, otherwise it will lose its power. Sat is wrapped in birch bark and horsehair and treasured like the apple of one’s eye, because with its help one can summon rain, wind, and snow. The first is especially important in case of dry weather, because soil fertility largely depends on timely watering.
Interesting facts about the Yakuts and Yakutia
The most famous component of Yakut folklore is the olonkho epic, which is considered a type of poetry, but sounds more like opera. Thanks to ancient art Olonkho, many Yakut folk tales have survived to this day. The contribution of olonkho to the folklore of the peoples of the world is so great that in 2005 it was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.
One of the popular Yakut dishes is stroganina: thinly sliced frozen fish.
The area of Yakutia is larger than the area of Argentina.
About a quarter of the world's diamond production comes from Yakutia.
More than forty percent of the territory of Yakutia is located beyond the Arctic Circle.
When the Sakha eat bear meat, they imitate the cry of a crow before starting the meal. In this way they protect themselves from the bear spirit by posing as birds.
Yakut horses graze on their own, without a shepherd looking after them.
Yakuts (self-name Sakha; pl. h. sugar) - Turkic-speaking people, the indigenous population of Yakutia. The Yakut language belongs to the Turkic group of languages. According to the results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census, 478.1 thousand Yakuts lived in Russia, mainly in Yakutia (466.5 thousand), as well as in the Irkutsk, Magadan regions, Khabarovsk and Krasnoyarsk territories. The Yakuts are the most numerous (49.9% of the population) people in Yakutia and the largest of the indigenous peoples of Siberia within the borders of the Russian Federation.
Distribution area
The distribution of Yakuts across the territory of the republic is extremely uneven. About nine of them are concentrated in the central regions - in the former Yakut and Vilyui districts. These are the two main groups of the Yakut people: the first of them is slightly larger in number than the second. The “Yakut” (or Amga-Lena) Yakuts occupy the quadrangle between the Lena, lower Aldan and Amga, the taiga plateau, as well as the adjacent left bank of the Lena. The “Vilyui” Yakuts occupy the Vilyui basin. In these indigenous Yakut areas, the most typical, purely Yakut way of life developed; here, at the same time, especially on the Amga-Lena Plateau, it is best studied. The third, much smaller group of Yakuts is settled in the Olekminsk region. The Yakuts of this group became more Russified; in their way of life (but not in language) they became closer to the Russians. And finally, the last, smallest, but widely settled group of Yakuts is the population of the northern regions of Yakutia, i.e., the river basins. Kolyma, Indigirka, Yana, Olenek, Anabar.
The Northern Yakuts are distinguished by a completely unique cultural and everyday way of life: in relation to it, they are more like the hunting and fishing small peoples of the North, the Tungus, the Yukagirs, than their southern fellow tribesmen. These northern Yakuts are even called “Tungus” in some places (for example, in the upper reaches of Olenek and Anabara), although by language they are Yakuts and call themselves Sakha.
History and origin
According to a common hypothesis, the ancestors of modern Yakuts are the nomadic tribe of Kurykans, who lived in Transbaikalia until the 14th century. In turn, the Kurykans came to the Lake Baikal area from across the Yenisei River.
Most scientists believe that in the XII-XIV centuries AD. e. The Yakuts migrated in several waves from the area of Lake Baikal to the Lena, Aldan and Vilyuy basins, where they partially assimilated and partially displaced the Evenks (Tungus) and Yukaghirs (Oduls), who had lived here earlier. The Yakuts have traditionally been engaged in cattle breeding (Yakut cow), having gained unique experience in breeding cattle in conditions of a sharply continental climate in northern latitudes, horse breeding (Yakut horse), fishing, hunting, developed trade, blacksmithing and military affairs.
According to Yakut legends, the ancestors of the Yakuts rafted down the Lena River with livestock, household belongings and people until they discovered the Tuymaada Valley, suitable for raising cattle. Now this place is where modern Yakutsk is located. According to the same legends, the ancestors of the Yakuts were led by two leaders Elley Bootur and Omogoi Baai.
According to archaeological and ethnographic data, the Yakuts were formed as a result of the absorption of local tribes from the middle reaches of the Lena by southern Turkic-speaking settlers. It is believed that the last wave of the southern ancestors of the Yakuts penetrated the Middle Lena in the 14th–15th centuries. Racially, the Yakuts belong to the Central Asian anthropological type North Asian race. Compared to other Turkic-speaking peoples of Siberia, they are characterized by the strongest manifestation of the Mongoloid complex, the final formation of which took place in the middle of the second millennium AD already on the Lena.
It is assumed that some groups of Yakuts, for example, reindeer herders of the north-west, arose relatively recently as a result of the mixing of individual groups of Evenks with Yakuts, immigrants from the central regions of Yakutia. In the process of resettlement to Eastern Siberia, the Yakuts mastered the basins of the northern rivers Anabar, Olenka, Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma. The Yakuts modified the Tungus reindeer herding and created the Tungus-Yakut type of harness reindeer herding.
The inclusion of the Yakuts into the Russian state in the 1620s–1630s accelerated their socio-economic and cultural development. In the 17th–19th centuries, the main occupation of the Yakuts was cattle breeding (breeding cattle and horses); from the second half of the 19th century, a significant part began to engage in agriculture; hunting and fishing played a supporting role. The main type of dwelling was a log booth, in summer - a urasa made of poles. Clothes were made from skins and fur. In the second half of the 18th century, most of the Yakuts were converted to Christianity, but traditional beliefs were also preserved.
Under Russian influence, Christian onomastics spread among the Yakuts, almost completely replacing pre-Christian Yakut names. Currently, Yakuts bear both names of Greek and Latin origin (Christian) and Yakut names.
Yakuts and Russians
Accurate historical information about the Yakuts is available only from the time of their first contact with the Russians, i.e. from the 1620s, and their annexation to the Russian state. The Yakuts did not constitute a single political whole at that time, but were divided into a number of tribes independent from each other. However, tribal relations were already disintegrating, and there was a rather sharp class stratification. The tsarist governors and servicemen used inter-tribal strife to break the resistance of part of the Yakut population; They also took advantage of the class contradictions within it, pursuing a policy of systematic support for the dominant aristocratic layer - the princes (toyons), whom they turned into their agents for governing the Yakut region. From that time on, class contradictions among the Yakuts began to become increasingly aggravated.
The situation of the mass of the Yakut population was difficult. The Yakuts paid yasak in sable and fox furs, and carried out a number of other duties, being subject to extortion from the tsar's servants, Russian merchants and their toyons. After unsuccessful attempts at uprisings (1634, 1636–1637, 1639–1640, 1642), after the Toyons went over to the side of the governors, the Yakut mass could react to oppression only with scattered, isolated attempts at resistance and flight from the indigenous uluses to the outskirts. By the end of the 18th century, as a result of the predatory management of the tsarist authorities, the depletion of the fur wealth of the Yakut region and its partial desolation were revealed. At the same time, the Yakut population, according to for various reasons migrated from the Lena-Vilyui region, appeared on the outskirts of Yakutia, where it had not previously existed: in Kolyma, Indigirka, Olenek, Anabar, right up to the Lower Tunguska basin.
But even in those first decades, contact with the Russian people had a beneficial effect on the economy and culture of the Yakuts. The Russians brought with them a higher culture; already from the middle of the 17th century. farming appears on the Lena; Russian type of buildings, Russian clothing made of fabrics, new types of crafts, new furnishings and household items gradually began to penetrate the environment of the Yakut population.
It was extremely important that with the establishment of Russian power in Yakutia, inter-tribal wars and predatory raids of the Toyons, which had previously been a great disaster for the Yakut population, ceased. The willfulness of the Russian service people, who had often quarreled with each other and drawn the Yakuts into their feuds, was also suppressed. The order that had already been established in the Yakut land since the 1640s was better than the previous state of chronic anarchy and constant strife.
In the 18th century, in connection with the further advance of the Russians to the east (the annexation of Kamchatka, Chukotka, the Aleutian Islands, and Alaska), Yakutia played the role of a transit route and a base for new campaigns and the development of distant lands. The influx of the Russian peasant population (especially along the Lena River valley, in connection with the establishment of a postal route in 1773) created conditions for the cultural mutual influence of Russian and Yakut elements. Already at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries. Agriculture begins to spread among the Yakuts, although very slowly at first, and Russian-style houses appear. However, the number of Russian settlers remained even in the 19th century. relatively small. Along with peasant colonization in the 19th century. great value sent exiled settlers to Yakutia. Together with criminal exiles, who had a negative impact on the Yakuts, in the second half of the 19th century. In Yakutia, political exiles appeared, first populists, and in the 1890s, Marxists, who played a large role in the cultural and political development of the Yakut masses.
By the beginning of the 20th century. V economic development Yakutia, at least its central regions (Yakutsky, Vilyuisky, Olekminsky districts), saw great success. A domestic market was created. The growth of economic ties accelerated the development of national identity.
During the bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917, the movement of the Yakut masses for their liberation developed deeper and wider. At first it was (especially in Yakutsk) under the predominant leadership of the Bolsheviks. But after the departure (in May 1917) of most of the political exiles to Russia in Yakutia, the counter-revolutionary forces of Toyonism, which entered into an alliance with the Socialist-Revolutionary-bourgeois part of the Russian urban population, gained the upper hand. The struggle for Soviet power in Yakutia dragged on for a long time. Only on June 30, 1918, the power of the soviets was first proclaimed in Yakutsk, and only in December 1919, after the liquidation of the Kolchak regime throughout Siberia, Soviet power was finally established in Yakutia.
Religion
Their life is connected with shamanism. Building a house, having children and many other aspects of life do not take place without the participation of a shaman. On the other hand, a significant part of the half-million Yakut population professes Orthodox Christianity or even adheres to agnostic beliefs.
This people have their own tradition; before joining the Russian state, they professed “Aar Aiyy”. This religion presupposes the belief that the Yakuts are the children of Tanar - God and Relatives of the Twelve White Aiyy. Even from conception, the child is surrounded by spirits or, as the Yakuts call them, “Ichchi,” and there are also celestial beings who also surround the newly born child. Religion is documented in the department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Yakutia. In the 18th century, Yakutia underwent universal Christianity, but the people approached this with the hope of certain religions from the Russian state.
Housing
The Yakuts trace their ancestry back to nomadic tribes. That's why they live in yurts. However, unlike the Mongolian felt yurts, the round dwelling of the Yakuts is built from the trunks of small trees with a cone-shaped steel roof. There are many windows in the walls, under which sun loungers are located at different heights. Partitions are installed between them, forming a semblance of rooms, and a smear hearth is tripled in the center. In the summer, temporary birch bark yurts - uras - can be erected. And since the 20th century, some Yakuts have been settling in huts.
Winter settlements (kystyk) were located near the meadows, consisting of 1-3 yurts, summer settlements - near pastures, numbering up to 10 yurts. The winter yurt (booth, diie) had sloping walls made of standing thin logs on a rectangular log frame and a low gable roof. The walls were coated on the outside with clay and manure, the roof was covered with bark and earth on top of the log flooring. The house was placed in the cardinal directions, the entrance was located in the east, the windows were in the south and west, the roof was oriented from north to south. To the right of the entrance, in the north-eastern corner, there was a fireplace (osoh) - a pipe made of poles coated with clay, going out through the roof. Plank bunks (oron) were arranged along the walls. The most honorable was the southwestern corner. The master's place was located near the western wall. The bunks to the left of the entrance were intended for male youth and workers, and to the right, by the fireplace, for women. A table (ostuol) and stools were placed in the front corner. On the northern side of the yurt a stable (khoton) was attached, often under the same roof as the living quarters; the door to it from the yurt was located behind the fireplace. A canopy or canopy was installed in front of the entrance to the yurt. The yurt was surrounded by a low embankment, often with a fence. A hitching post was placed near the house, often decorated with carvings. Summer yurts differed little from winter ones. Instead of a hoton, a stable for calves (titik), sheds, etc. were placed at a distance. There was a conical structure made of poles covered with birch bark (urasa), and in the north - with turf (kalyman, holuman). Since the end of the 18th century, polygonal log yurts with a pyramidal roof have been known. From the 2nd half of the 18th century, Russian huts spread.
Cloth
Traditional men's and women's clothing - short leather trousers, fur belly, leather leggings, single-breasted caftan (sleep), in winter - fur, in summer - from horse or cow hide with the hair inside, for the rich - from fabric. Later, fabric shirts with a turn-down collar (yrbakhy) appeared. Men girded themselves with a leather belt with a knife and flint, and for the rich, with silver and copper plaques. A typical women's wedding fur caftan (sangiyah), embroidered with red and green cloth and gold braid; an elegant women's fur hat made of expensive fur, descending to the back and shoulders, with a high cloth, velvet or brocade top with a silver plaque (tuosakhta) and other decorations sewn onto it. Women's silver and gold jewelry is common. Shoes - winter high boots made of deer or horse skins with the hair facing out (eterbes), summer boots made of soft leather (saars) with a boot covered with cloth, for women - with appliqué, long fur stockings.
Food
The main food is dairy, especially in summer: from mare's milk - kumiss, from cow's milk - yogurt (suorat, sora), cream (kuerchekh), butter; they drank butter melted or with kumiss; suorat was prepared frozen for the winter (tar) with the addition of berries, roots, etc.; from it, with the addition of water, flour, roots, pine sapwood, etc., a stew (butugas) was prepared. Fish food played main role For the poor and in the northern regions where there were no livestock, meat was consumed mainly by the rich. Horsemeat was especially prized. In the 19th century, barley flour came into use: unleavened flatbreads, pancakes, and salamat stew were made from it. Vegetables were known in the Olekminsky district.
Trades
The main traditional occupations are horse breeding (in Russian documents of the 17th century the Yakuts were called “horse people”) and cattle breeding. Men looked after horses, women looked after cattle. In the north, deer were bred. Cattle were kept on pasture in the summer and in barns (khotons) in the winter. Haymaking was known before the arrival of the Russians. Yakut cattle breeds were distinguished by their endurance, but were unproductive.
Fishing was also developed. We fished mainly in the summer, but also in the ice hole in the winter; In the fall, a collective seine was organized with the division of the spoils between all participants. For poor people who did not have livestock, fishing was the main occupation (in documents of the 17th century, the term “fisherman” - balyksyt - is used in the meaning of “poor man”), some tribes also specialized in it - the so-called “foot Yakuts” - Osekui, Ontuly, Kokui , Kirikians, Kyrgydians, Orgots and others.
Hunting was especially widespread in the north, constituting the main source of food here (arctic fox, hare, reindeer, elk, poultry). In the taiga, before the arrival of the Russians, both meat and fur hunting (bear, elk, squirrel, fox, hare, bird, etc.) were known; later, due to the decrease in the number of animals, its importance fell. Specific hunting techniques are characteristic: with a bull (the hunter sneaks up on the prey, hiding behind the bull), horseback pursuit of the animal along the trail, sometimes with dogs.
There was gathering - the collection of pine and larch sapwood (the inner layer of bark), which was stored in dried form for the winter, roots (saran, mint, etc.), greens (wild onions, horseradish, sorrel); raspberries, which were considered unclean, were not consumed from the berries.
Agriculture (barley, to a lesser extent wheat) was borrowed from the Russians at the end of the 17th century, and was very poorly developed until the mid-19th century; its spread (especially in the Olekminsky district) was facilitated by Russian exiled settlers.
Wood processing (artistic carving, painting with alder decoction), birch bark, fur, leather was developed; dishes were made from leather, rugs were made from horse and cow skins sewn in a checkerboard pattern, blankets were made from hare fur, etc.; cords were hand-twisted from horsehair, woven, and embroidered. There was no spinning, weaving or felting of felt. The production of molded ceramics, which distinguished the Yakuts from other peoples of Siberia, has been preserved. The smelting and forging of iron, which had commercial value, as well as the smelting and minting of silver, copper, etc., were developed, and from the 19th century, mammoth ivory carving was developed.
Yakut cuisine
It has some common features with the cuisine of the Buryats, Mongols, northern peoples (Evenks, Evens, Chukchi), as well as Russians. Methods of preparing dishes in Yakut cuisine are few: it is either boiling (meat, fish), or fermentation (kumys, suorat), or freezing (meat, fish).
Traditionally, horse meat, beef, venison, game birds, as well as offal and blood are consumed as food. Dishes made from Siberian fish (sturgeon, broad whitefish, omul, muksun, peled, nelma, taimen, grayling) are widespread.
A distinctive feature of Yakut cuisine is the fullest use of all components of the original product. A very typical example is the recipe for cooking crucian carp in Yakut style. Before cooking, the scales are cleaned off, the head is not cut off or thrown away, the fish is practically not gutted, a small side incision is made through which the gall bladder is carefully removed, part of the colon is cut off and the swim bladder is pierced. In this form, the fish is boiled or fried. A similar approach is used in relation to almost all other products: beef, horse meat, etc. Almost all by-products are actively used. In particular, giblet soups (is miine), blood delicacies (khaan), etc. are very popular. Obviously, such a thrifty attitude towards products is the result of the people's experience of surviving in harsh polar conditions.
Horse or beef ribs in Yakutia are known as oyogos. Stroganina is made from frozen meat and fish, which is eaten with a spicy seasoning of flask (wild garlic), spoon (similar to horseradish) and saranka (onion plant). Khaan, a Yakut blood sausage, is made from beef or horse blood.
The national drink is kumys, popular among many eastern peoples, as well as a stronger koonnyoruu kymys(or koyuurgen). From cow's milk they prepare suorat (yogurt), kuerchekh (whipped cream), kober (butter churned with milk until it forms thick cream), chokhoon (or case– butter churned with milk and berries), iedegey (cottage cheese), suumekh (cheese). The Yakuts cook a thick mass of salamat from flour and dairy products.
Interesting traditions and customs of the people of Yakutia
The customs and rituals of the Yakuts are closely related to folk beliefs. Even many Orthodox or agnostics follow them. The structure of beliefs is very similar to Shintoism - each manifestation of nature has its own spirit, and shamans communicate with them. The foundation of a yurt and the birth of a child, marriage and burial are not complete without rituals. It is noteworthy that until recently, Yakut families were polygamous, each wife of one husband had her own household and home. Apparently, under the influence of assimilation with the Russians, the Yakuts nevertheless switched to monogamous cells of society.
The holiday of kumis Ysyakh occupies an important place in the life of every Yakut. Various rituals are designed to appease the gods. Hunters glorify Baya-Bayanaya, women - Aiyysyt. The holiday is crowned by a general sun dance - osoukhai. All participants join hands and arrange a huge round dance. Fire has sacred properties at any time of the year. Therefore, every meal in a Yakut house begins with serving the fire - throwing food into the fire and sprinkling it with milk. Feeding the fire is one of the key moments of any holiday or business.
Most characteristic cultural phenomenon- poetic stories of olonkho, which can number up to 36 thousand rhymed lines. The epic is passed down from generation to generation between master performers, and most recently these narratives were included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Good memory and long life expectancy are some of the distinctive features Yakuts. In connection with this feature, a custom arose according to which a dying person old man calls for someone from younger generation and tells him about all his social connections - friends, enemies. The Yakuts are distinguished by their social activity, even though their settlements consist of several yurts located at an impressive distance. The main social relations take place during major holidays, the main one of which is the holiday of kumis - Ysyakh.
The traditional culture is most fully represented by the Amga-Lena and Vilyui Yakuts. The northern Yakuts are close in culture to the Evenks and Yukagirs, the Olekma are strongly acculturated by the Russians.
12 facts about the Yakuts
- Yakutia is not as cold as everyone thinks. Almost throughout the entire territory of Yakutia, the minimum temperature is on average -40-45 degrees, which is not so bad, since the air is very dry. -20 degrees in St. Petersburg will be worse than -50 in Yakutsk.
- Yakuts eat raw meat - frozen foal, shavings or cut into cubes. The meat of adult horses is also eaten, but it is not as tasty. The meat is extremely tasty and healthy, rich in vitamins and other beneficial substances, in particular antioxidants.
- In Yakutia they also eat stroganina - meat cut into thick shavings. river fish, mainly broadleaf and omul, the most prized is stroganina from sturgeon and nelma (all these fish, with the exception of sturgeon, are from the whitefish family). All this splendor can be consumed by dipping the chips in salt and pepper. Some also make different sauces.
- Contrary to popular belief, in Yakutia the majority of the population has never seen deer. Deer are found mainly in the Far North of Yakutia and, oddly enough, in Southern Yakutia.
- The legend about crowbars becoming as fragile as glass in severe frost is true. If at a temperature below 50-55 degrees you hit a hard object with a cast iron crowbar, the crowbar will fly into pieces.
- In Yakutia, almost all grains, vegetables and even some fruits ripen well over the summer. For example, beautiful, tasty, red, sweet watermelons are grown near Yakutsk.
- The Yakut language belongs to the Turkic group of languages. There are a lot of words in the Yakut language that begin with the letter “Y”.
- In Yakutia, even in 40-degree frost, children eat ice cream right on the street.
- When the Yakuts eat bear meat, before eating they make the sound “Hook” or imitate the cry of a raven, thereby, as if disguising themselves from the spirit of the bear - it is not we who eat your meat, but the crows.
- Yakut horses are a very ancient breed. They graze on their own all year round without any supervision.
- Yakuts are very hard working. In the summer, in the hayfield, they can easily work 18 hours a day without a break for lunch, and then have a good drink in the evening and, after 2 hours of sleep, go back to work. They can work for 24 hours and then plow 300 km behind the wheel and work there for another 10 hours.
- Yakuts do not like to be called Yakuts and prefer to be called “Sakha”.