Nomadic Bashkirs. Language and religion

Results for 1076 representatives of 30 groups living from the Baltic Sea to Lake Baikal. The publication BioMed Central (BMC), which specializes in publications on research in the field of biology, medicine, oncology and other sciences, published material on the study of the DNA of these peoples, with a special focus on the Idel-Ural region. "Idel .Realii" decided to study the material and tell its readers about the main conclusions of scientists about the ethnogenesis of the peoples of the Volga region.

Scientists have discovered an unusual high level similarities at the genetic level between representatives of several ethnic groups of Siberia, such as the Khanty and Kets, with carriers a large number different languages ​​in vast geographic areas. It turned out that there is a significant genetic relationship between the Khanty and the Turkic-speaking inhabitants of the Urals, that is, the Bashkirs. Such a discovery reinforces the arguments of supporters in favor of the "Finno-Ugric" origin of the Bashkirs. The study also showed that the main "core" gene of any group is absent in the Bashkir genetic series, and it is a mixture of Turkic, Ugric, Finnic and Indo-European genes. This indicates the polysyllabic interweaving of the genetic series of the Turkic and Ural population groups.
Comparison with the genetic structures of the peoples of Siberia and the geography of the region they inhabit shows that there was a "Great Migration of the Peoples of Siberia", which led to a mutual "genetic exchange" in Siberia and part of Asia.

Eastern Slavs at the genetic level turned out to be similar friend on a friend. carriers Slavic languages of Eastern Europe in general, they have a similar genetic set among themselves. Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians have almost the same "proportions" of the genes of the peoples of the Caucasus and Northern Europe, while they have practically no Asian influence.

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In Central Asia, speakers of Turkic languages, including Kazakh and Uzbek, are dominated by the Central Asian gene (>35%). The Bashkirs had less of it (~20%). The Chuvash and Tatars of the Volga region have even less Central Asian component (~ 5%).

The dominant gene among the peoples of Western and Central Siberia (Khanty, Mansi, Kets and Selkups) is also present in the western part of the Ural Mountains. So, it was found in the Komi (16%), Udmurts (27%), which belong to the Perm branch of the Uralic languages. The same component is present among the Chuvash (20%) and Bashkirs (17%), while among the Tatars its share is much lower (10%). Interestingly, the same gene is present at an insignificant level in the Turkic peoples of Central Asia (5%).

The East Siberian component is present among the speakers of the Turkic and Samoyedic languages ​​of the Central Siberian Plain: among the Yakuts, Dolgans and Nganasans. The same component was found among the speakers of the Mongolian and Turkic languages ​​in the Baikal region and Central Asia (5-15%), in lesser degree(1-5%) - among the speakers of the Turkic languages ​​of the Idel-Ural region.

DIFFERENT IDEL-URAL

The Idel-Ural region is inhabited, as you know, mainly by three groups of peoples: Uralic, Turkic and Slavic. Bashkirs and Tatars are representatives of the main Turkic-speaking ethnic groups in the region. Despite the fact that these peoples live in the same region, have mutually intelligible languages, genetically they differ significantly. The Tatars have much in common in genetics with neighboring peoples, while the Bashkirs have much in common with those living in other regions. Therefore, this gives reason to say that the Bashkirs were originally not Turks, but an ethnic group that switched to the Turkic language.

There are three main versions of the origin of the Bashkirs: Turkic, Finno-Ugric and Iranian. According to the Turkic version, most of the ancestors of the Bashkirs were formed from Turkic tribes that migrated from Central Asia in the first millennium of our era. The Finno-Ugric version rests on the assumption that the Bashkirs descended from the Magyars (Hungarians), and then were assimilated by the Turks. According to the Iranian version, the Bashkirs are descendants of the Sarmatians from Southern Urals.

In general, the study strengthens the argument in favor of the Finno-Ugric origin of the Bashkirs. Many components in the genetic series of the Bashkirs coincide with those of the Khanty, ethnic group related to the Hungarians. It is also interesting that some researchers point to the use of the ethnonym "Bashkirs" in relation to the Hungarians of the XIII century. It is known that the Magyars (Hungarians) formed between the Volga and the Ural Mountains. In the 6th century, they moved to the steppes of the Don-Kuban, leaving the Proto-Bulgars, and then moved to the places where they still live.

The Bashkirs, despite their Turkic-speaking nature, were influenced by the ancient northern Euro-Asian peoples. Thus, the genetic series and culture of the Bashkirs are different. In turn, the peoples of Eastern Europe who speak the Uralic languages ​​are genetically related to the Khanty and Kett.

It should be noted that the genome of the Bashkirs and Tatars of the Volga region, close in language, has little in common with their "ancestors" from East Asia or Central Siberia. The Tatars of the Volga region are genetically a mixture of the Bulgars, which have a significant Finno-Ugric component, the Pechenegs, Cumans, Khazars, local Finno-Ugric peoples and Alans. Thus, the Tatars of the Volga region are mainly European people with a slight influence of the East Asian component. The genetic relationship of the Tatars with various Turkic and Uralic peoples of the Idel-Ural region is obvious. After the conquest of the region by the Turkic peoples, the ancestors of the Tatars and Chuvash experienced a significant influence on the language, while retaining their original genetic series. Most likely, these events took place in the 8th century AD, after the resettlement of the Bulgars in the lower reaches of the Volga and Kama and the expansion of the Turkic tribes.

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The authors of the study suggest that the Bashkirs, Tatars, Chuvashs and speakers of the Finno-Ugric languages ​​have a common Turkic gene, which in Idel-Ural arose as a result of Turkic expansion into the region. However, the Finno-Ugric substratum was not homogeneous: among the Tatars and Chuvashs, the Finno-Ugric substratum consists mainly of the "Finno-Permian" component, while among the Bashkirs it is "Magyar" (Hungarian). The Turkic component of the Bashkirs is undoubtedly quite significant, and it differs from the Turkic component of the Tatars and Chuvashs. The Bashkir Turkic component testifies to the influence of Southern Siberia on this ethnic group. Thus, the Turkic genes of the Bashkirs make them closer to the Altaians, Kirghiz, Tuvans and Kazakhs.

An analysis based on the principle of genetic kinship is not sufficient to categorically assert the Finno-Ugric origin of the Bashkirs, however, it indicates the separation of the genetic components of the Bashkirs over periods. In their study, scientists showed that the genotype of the Bashkirs is multifaceted, multi-component, and this ethnic group lacks any dominant genotype. As noted, the Bashkir genotype includes Turkic, Ugric, Finnish and Indo-European genes. In this mosaic, it is impossible to say exactly about any main component. Bashkirs - the only people in the Idel-Ural region with such a diverse set of genes.

Earlier, "Idel.Realii" wrote that the Russian media (including Tatarstan) disseminated the news that the Crimean, Kazan and Siberian Tatars are genetically different groups, and therefore cannot in any way be parts of a single Tatar ethnos that was formed in the Middle Ages.

Tatars and Bashkirs belong to Turkic language group. Since ancient times, these peoples have always lived nearby. They have a lot common features which include external and internal. These peoples developed and lived always in close contact. However, there are a number distinctive features. Wednesday Tatar people is also heterogeneous and includes the following branches:

• Crimean.
• Volga.
• Chulymsky.
• Kuznetsk.
• Mountain.
• Siberian.
• Nogaisky, etc.

A brief excursion into history

In order to understand them, it is necessary to make a short journey into the past. Until the late Middle Ages, the Turkic peoples led nomadic lifestyle. They were divided into clans and tribes, one of which was the "Tatars". This name is found among Europeans who suffered from invasions Mongolian khans. A number of domestic ethnographers agree that the Tatars do not have common roots with the Mongols. They assume that the roots of modern Tatars originate from the settlements of the Volga Bulgars. The Bashkirs are considered the indigenous population of the Southern Urals. Their ethnonym was formed around the 9th-10th century.

The Bashkirs, on anthropological grounds, are incomparably more similar to the Mongoloid races than the Tatars. The basis for the Bashkir ethnos was the ancient Turkic tribes, which are genetically related to the ancient people who inhabited the South of Siberia, Central and Central Asia. As they settled in the Southern Urals, the Bashkirs began to enter into close ties with the Finno-Ugric peoples.

A halo of spread Tatar nationality starts from the lands of Siberia and ends with the Crimean peninsula. At the same time, it should be noted that they, of course, differ in many of their features. The population of the Bashkirs covers mainly such territories as the Urals, Southern and Middle Ural. But most of them live within the modern borders of the republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. Large enclaves are found in the Sverdlovsk, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Samara and Orenburg regions.

To subdue the recalcitrant and strong Tatars, the Russian tsars had to make a lot of military efforts. An example is the repeated assault on Kazan by the Russian army. The Bashkirs, on the other hand, did not resist Ivan the Terrible from the waist and voluntarily joined the Russian Empire. In the history of the Bashkirs such major battles did not have.

Undoubtedly, historians note the periodic struggle for the independence of both peoples. Suffice it to recall Salavat Yulaev, Kanzafar Usaev, Bakhtiyar Kankaev, Syuyumbike and others. And if they had not done this, their numbers would rather have been even smaller. Now the Bashkirs are 4-5 times smaller in number than the Tatars.

Anthropological differences

The features of the European race predominate in the faces of the Tatar nationality. These features are more related to the Volga-Ural Tatars. Mongoloid features are present among these peoples living on the other side of the Ural Mountains. To describe in more detail Volga Tatars, of which the majority, they can be divided into 4 anthropological types:

• Light Caucasian.
• Pontic.
• Sublaponoid.
• Mongoloid.

The study of the racial features of the anthropology of the Bashkirs led to the conclusion of a clear territorial localization, which cannot be said about the Tatars. Bashkirs in their bulk have Mongoloid facial features. The skin color of most representatives of this people is swarthy.

The division of the Bashkirs on an anthropological basis, according to one of the scientists:

• South Siberian view.
• Subural.
• Pontic.

But the Tatars are already significantly dominated by European outlines of faces. Skin colors are lighter.

National clothes

Tatars have always loved very much bright colors clothes- red, green, blue.

Bashkirs, on the other hand, usually preferred calmer colors - yellow, pink, blue. The clothes of these peoples befit the way the laws of Islam prescribe - modesty.

Language differences

The differences between the Tatar and Bashkir languages ​​are much smaller than can be found in Russian and Belarusian, British and American. But still they have their own grammatical and phonetic features.

Differences in vocabulary

There are a number of words that, when translated into Russian, have a completely different meaning. For example words, cat, far, nose, mother.

Differences in phonetics

The Tatar language does not have some specific letters that are characteristic of the Bashkir. Because of this, there are slight differences in the spelling of words. So, for example, the letters "k" and "g" have different pronunciations. Also, many nouns plural word endings are different. Due to phonetic differences, the Bashkir language is perceived softer than Tatar.

Conclusion

In general, the conclusion is that these peoples, of course, have more similarities than differences. Take, for example, the same language that is spoken, clothes, external anthropological signs and life in everyday life. The main similarity lies in historical development these peoples, namely, in their close interaction in a long process of coexistence. Their traditional religion is Sunni Islam. However, it must be said that Kazan Islam is more fundamental. Despite the fact that religion does not have a vivid impact on the consciousness of the Bashkirs, nevertheless it has become traditional social norm in the lives of many people. modest life philosophy devout Muslims left its mark on the structure of life, attitude to material values ​​and relationships between people.

— Turkic people speaking in Bashkir. The total population is approximately 1.6 million people. One of titular peoples Russia. The main population of the subject of the Russian Federation is Bashkortostan, which is located in the south of the Urals. The formation of the Republic refers to 11.10.1990. The final name - the Republic of Bashkortostan was adopted on October 11, 1992. The total land area of ​​the Republic is 142.9 square kilometers, which is 0.79% of the entire area of ​​Russia. Population - 4 million 052 thousand people, density 28.4 people. per sq. km. (with a density in the country - 8, 31 people per sq. km). The capital is Ufa, the population is 1 ml. 99 thousand people According to the composition of the population of the republic: Russians - 36.28%, Bashkirs - 29.78%, Tatars - 24.09%, as well as representatives of Chuvashia, Mari - El, Ukraine, Mordovia, Germany.

Culture of the Bashkirs

The Bashkir people, being the indigenous population of the Southern Urals, who led a nomadic lifestyle, began to play one of the leading roles in the agricultural structure of the Russian state. Neighborhood with Russia played an important role in the development of the people.

The Bashkir population did not migrate from other areas, but formed according to a very complex historical self-development. In the 7th-8th centuries BC, the Ananyir tribes lived in the Ural mountains, according to scientists, the direct ancestors of the Turkic peoples from which came out: Komi-Permyaks, Udmurts, Mari, and the descendants of these peoples are already credited with the origin of the Chuvash, Volga Tatars, Bashkirs and many others tribes living in the Urals and the Volga region.

Families of the Bashkirs lived in yurts, which were transported to new pastures after the herds of animals. But the people lived not only by cattle breeding, their hobby was hunting, fishing, botanical work (gathering honey). Until the 12th century, the Bashkir people were united by tribal communities, which gathered in tribes. Tribes often fought among themselves for pastures, fishing, and hunting. The enmity between the tribes led to the isolation of marriages within the borders of the tribes and in some cases led to mixing of blood. This caused the decline of the tribal system and significantly weakened the tribes, which was used by the Bulgar khans, subjugating the Bashkir tribes and forcibly imposing the Islamic religion. The nomadic way of life was reflected in the originality of life, national costumes.

History of the people

Time of the Golden Horde.

In the 13th century, the countries of Eastern Europe were conquered by the Mongol-Tatar army. Bulgaria with the Bashkir tribes also fell under the skating rink of the Horde. Subsequently, the Bulgars and Bashkirs became part of the Golden Horde under the leadership of Batu Khan with the obligatory payment of yasak - tribute. This duty included obligatory payment in fur skins, horses, wagons, concubines. This duty was distributed to each family and included:
- Kupchury - a cash collection from pastures and livestock;
- skins of fur-bearing animals - at least 5 pieces;
- military, all young men from the age of 12 are required to undergo military training;
- underwater, supply of carts or wagons for transporting luggage in the troops or transporting commanders.
The tribal nobility of the Bashkirs was not subject to yasak, but had to supply annual provisions to part of the Bashkir army, which were in the campaigns of the Golden Horde. To know Bashkiria, in gratitude for the benefits, was loyal to the government. In the 15th century Golden Horde finally disintegrated, but the Bashkir people did not feel any better from this. The territory of Bashkiria fell under the rule of the three khanates of the Golden Horde and was divided into southern, western and northwestern, which were constantly at enmity with each other demanding the payment of yasak in ever larger volumes.

Accession to Russia.

In the 16th century, Russia finally freed itself from Mongolian yoke and began to gain its power. But the Tatar-Mongols continued their raids and constantly ravaged the Russian lands, capturing many. Only in Kazan there were more than 150 thousand Russians. Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan, and the khanates of the Golden Horde ceased to exist. After that, Ivan the Terrible, turning to the peoples conquered by the Golden Horde, urged them to transfer to Russian citizenship. They were promised protection and patronage from all external enemies, inviolability of lands, customs and religions. In 1557, the Bashkir Lands took Russian citizenship.

The uprising under the leadership of E. Pugachev.

The further development of Bashkiria was closely connected with the history of Russia. Endless attempts to capture Russia from outside European states demanded from it a huge strain of human and state resources. This was due to the excessive exploitation of the workers and peasants. September 17, 1773 fugitive Don Cossack Emelyan Pugachev, declaring himself Tsar Peter III, read out a manifesto to the outpost of the Yaik garrison. With a team of 60 people. captured the city of Yaitsk. This was the beginning of the uprising. The Bashkir people, exploited by local feudal lords and extortions of yasak, joined the uprising. Salavat Yulaev, having read Pugachev's manifesto, called on the Bashkir peasants to join the uprising. Soon the entire Bashkir region was engulfed in the flames of struggle. But the poorly armed peasants could not resist the government troops arriving from St. Petersburg. The uprising was soon crushed. Salavat Yulaev, having spent more than 25 years in hard labor, died. E. Pugachev was captured and executed.

Bashkiria in the Great Patriotic War.

During the years of V.O.V., Bashkortostan became one of the main territories of the USSR to which enterprises and the population were evacuated. The region provided the front with weapons, fuel, food and equipment. During the war years, the republic placed about 109 factories, dozens of hospitals, many central state. and economic institutions, 279 thousand evacuees.
Despite the fact that the able-bodied male population is recognized for the war Agriculture through the efforts of adolescents and women, she continued to supply the front with food and livestock products.

The Bashkirs, like all nomads, have long been famous for their love of freedom and militancy. And now they have retained their courage, heightened sense of justice, pride, stubbornness in defending their interests.

At the same time, migrants were always warmly welcomed in Bashkiria, they were actually provided with land for free, and they did not impose their customs and beliefs. It is not surprising that modern Bashkirs are very friendly and hospitable people. They are completely alien to intolerance towards representatives of other nations.

The ancient laws of hospitality are still honored and respected in Bashkortostan. By the arrival of guests, even uninvited ones, a rich table is laid, and those leaving are presented with gifts. Unusual tradition of presenting rich gifts to an infant guests - it is believed that he needs to be appeased, because the baby, unlike his older relatives, cannot eat anything in the owner's house, which means he can curse him.

Traditions and customs

In modern Bashkiria great importance given to the traditional way, all National holidays celebrated nationwide. And in ancient times, rituals were accompanied by all the most significant events for a person - the birth of a child, a wedding, a funeral.

Traditional wedding ceremonies of the Bashkirs- complex and beautiful. For the bride, the groom paid a large kalym. True, the economical always had a way out: to steal their beloved. In the old days, families conspired to intermarry even before the birth of children. And the engagement between the bride and groom (syrgatuy) was held at the tender age of 5-12 years. Later, the search for a bride began to begin only when the boy reached puberty.

The bride to the son was chosen by the parents, and then sent to the chosen family of matchmakers. Weddings were arranged on a grand scale: they organized horse races, wrestling tournaments and, of course, a feast. For the first year, the young wife could not talk to her mother-in-law and father-in-law - this was a sign of humility and respect. At the same time, ethnographers note very careful attitude to a woman in a Bashkir family.

If the husband raised his hand against his wife or did not provide for her, then the matter could end in divorce.

Divorce was also possible in the event of a woman's infidelity - in Bashkiria, female chastity was strictly treated.

The Bashkirs had a special attitude towards the birth of a child. So, a pregnant woman for a time became almost a "queen": according to custom, it was necessary to fulfill all her whims in order to ensure the birth of a healthy baby. Children in Bashkir families were very loved and rarely punished. Subordination was based only on the indisputable authority of the father of the family. The Bashkir family has always been built on traditional values: respect for elders, love for children, spiritual development and proper upbringing of children.

In the Bashkir community, aksakals, elders, keepers of knowledge enjoyed great respect. And now a real Bashkir will never say rude word old man or old woman.

Culture and holidays

Cultural heritage Bashkir people incredibly rich. Heroic epics ("Ural-Batyr", "Akbuzat", "Alpamysh" and others) make you plunge into the warlike past of this people. Folklore includes numerous fairy tales about people, deities and animals.

The Bashkirs were very fond of song and music - in the piggy bank of the people there are ritual, epic, satirical, everyday songs. It seems that not a single minute of the life of the ancient Bashkir passed without a song! The Bashkirs also loved to dance, while many dances are complex, narrative in nature, turning either into pantomime or into a theatrical performance.

The main holidays were in the spring and summer, during the heyday of nature. The most famous are kargatuy (rook holiday, day of arrival of rooks), maidan ( may holiday), Sabantuy (the day of the plow, the end of sowing), which has remained the most significant holiday of the Bashkir people and is celebrated on a large scale. In the summer, jiin was held - a holiday at which residents of several neighboring villages. Women had their own holiday - the rite of cuckoo tea, in which men were not allowed to participate. AT holidays villagers gathered and arranged competitions in wrestling, running, shooting, horse racing, ending with a common meal.

The jumps have always been important element festivities. After all, the Bashkirs are skilled riders; in the villages, boys were taught to ride with early age. It used to be said that the Bashkirs were born and died in the saddle, and indeed - most of their lives were riding. Women were no less well-behaved on a horse and, if necessary, could ride for several days. They did not cover their faces, unlike other Islamic women, they had the right to vote. Elderly Bashkirs had the same influence in the community as elders-aksakals.

In rituals and celebrations there is an interweaving Muslim culture with ancient pagan beliefs, there is a reverence for the forces of nature.

Interesting facts about the Bashkirs

The Bashkirs first used the runic Turkic script, then Arabic. In the 1920s, an alphabet based on the Latin alphabet was developed, and in the 1940s, the Bashkirs switched to the Cyrillic alphabet. But, unlike Russian, it has 9 additional letters to display specific sounds.

Bashkortostan is the only place in Russia where beekeeping has been preserved, that is, a form of beekeeping with collecting honey from wild bees from the hollows of trees.

The favorite dish of the Bashkirs is beshbarmak (a meat and dough dish), and their favorite drink is koumiss.

In Bashkiria, a handshake with two hands is customary - it symbolizes special respect. In relation to old people, such a greeting is obligatory.

The Bashkirs put the interests of the community above personal ones. They adopted the "Bashkir brotherhood" - everyone's concern for the well-being of their kind.

A few decades ago, long before the official ban on swearing in public space, there was no profanity in the Bashkir language. Historians attribute this both to the norms that forbid swearing in the presence of women, children, and elders, and to the belief that swearing harms the speaker. Unfortunately, over time, under the influence of other cultures, this unique and laudable feature of the Bashkirs was lost.

If you write the name of Ufa in the Bashkir language, then it will look like ӨФӨ. People call it "three screws" or "three tablets". This stylized inscription can often be found on the streets of the city.

The Bashkirs participated in the defeat of the Napoleonic army during the War of 1812. They were armed only with bows and arrows. Despite the archaic weapons, the Bashkirs were considered dangerous opponents, and European soldiers nicknamed them Northern Cupids.

Women's bashkir names traditionally contain particles denoting celestial bodies: ai - the moon, kon - the sun and tan - the dawn. Male names usually associated with masculinity and resilience.

The Bashkirs had two names - one was given immediately after birth, at the time of wrapping the baby in the first swaddling clothes. That's what it was called - diaper. And the second child received during the rite of naming from the mullah.

There are about two million Bashkirs in the world, according to the latest population census, 1,584,554 of them live in Russia. Now representatives of this people inhabit the territory of the Urals and parts of the Volga region, speak the Bashkir language, which belongs to the Turkic language group, and have been practicing Islam since the 10th century.

Among the ancestors of the Bashkirs, ethnographers call the Turkic nomadic peoples, the peoples of the Finno-Ugric group, and the ancient Iranians. And Oxford geneticists claim that they have established the relationship of the Bashkirs with the inhabitants of Great Britain.

But all scientists agree that the Bashkir ethnos was formed as a result of a mixture of several Mongoloid and Caucasoid peoples. This explains the difference in appearance representatives of the people: it is not always possible to guess from the photo that such different people belong to the same ethnic group. Among the Bashkirs, one can meet both classic "steppe dwellers", and people with an oriental type of appearance, and fair-haired "Europeans". The most common type of appearance for a Bashkir is average height, dark hair and brown eyes, swarthy skin and a characteristic cut of the eyes: not as narrow as those of the Mongoloids, only slightly slanted.

The name "Bashkirs" causes as much controversy as their origin. Ethnographers offer several very poetic versions of its translation: "Main wolf", "Beekeeper", "Head of the Urals", "Main tribe", "Children of heroes".

History of the Bashkir people

Bashkirs are incredible ancient people, one of the first indigenous ethnic groups of the Urals. Some historians believe that the Argippei and Boudins, mentioned as early as the 5th century BC in the writings of Herodotus, are precisely the Bashkirs. The people are also mentioned in Chinese historical sources VII century, as Bashukili, and in the "Armenian Geography" of the same period, as bushi.

In 840, the life of the Bashkirs was described by the Arab traveler Sallam at-Tarjuman, he spoke of this people as an independent nation inhabiting both sides of the Ural Range. A little later, the Baghdad ambassador Ibn Fadlan called the Bashkirs warlike and powerful nomads.

In the 9th century, part of the Bashkir clans left the foothills of the Urals and moved to Hungary, by the way, the descendants of the Ural settlers still live in the country. The remaining Bashkir tribes for a long time held back the onslaught of the horde of Genghis Khan, preventing him from entering Europe. War nomadic peoples lasted 14 years, in the end they united, but the Bashkirs retained the right to autonomy. True, after the collapse of the Golden Horde, independence was lost, the territory became part of the Nogai Horde, the Siberian and Kazan Khanates, and as a result, under Ivan the Terrible, it became part of the Russian state.

AT troubled times under the leadership of Salavat Yulaev, Bashkir peasants took part in the rebellion of Emelyan Pugachev. During the Russian and Soviet history enjoyed autonomy, and in 1990 Bashkiria received the status of a republic within the Russian Federation.

Myths and legends of the Bashkirs

In the legends and fairy tales that have survived to this day, fantastic stories are played out, it tells about the origin of the earth and the sun, the appearance of stars and the moon, the birth of the Bashkir people. In addition to people and animals, myths describe spirits - the owners of the earth, mountains, water. Bashkirs tell not only about earthly life, they interpret what is happening in space.

So, the spots on the moon are roe deer, always running away from the wolf, the big bear - seven beauties who found salvation in heaven from the king of the devas.

The Bashkirs considered the earth to be flat, lying on the back of a large bull and a giant pike. They believed that earthquakes caused the bull to move.

Most of the mythology of the Bashkirs appeared in the pre-Muslim period.

In myths, people are inextricably linked with animals - according to legend, the Bashkir tribes descended from a wolf, horse, bear, swan, but animals, in turn, could descend from humans. For example, in Bashkiria there is a belief that a bear is a person who has gone to live in the forests and is overgrown with wool.

Many mythological stories understood and developed in heroic epics: "Ural-batyr", "Akbuzat", "Zayatulyak menen Khyuhylu" and others.