Udmurts (self-name - Udmurt, outdated name - Votyaks) - people, indigenous population of Udmurtia (496.5 thousand people). The total number according to 1998 data is 714.8 thousand. Believers are Orthodox. The Udmurt language belongs to the Perm branch of the Finno-Ugric family of languages. Writing based on the Russian alphabet.

ESH-TEREK

In ancient times, the great warrior Esh-Terek lived among the Udmurts. In his youth, he plowed the land, felled wood - he was a simple peasant.

He didn't go to war. And at that time there was endless hostility with the Tatars and various Tushmons, which no one will remember now.

The villagers wanted Ash-Terek to be a toro, but he refused.

“I’m still young,” he said, “there are people more worthy than me.” And they have experience, and services to the people, and wisdom, which I have not yet acquired.

But by the time he was forty, he was finally made a Toro.

Ash-Terek began to think about combat equipment. He made himself a bow from a young maple tree, which he tore out of the ground along with the roots. He prepared some birch arrows, but there was still no horse for him. Not one could withstand the hero, his legs gave way, his spine broke. Where could one find a horse to match such a giant?

Ash-Terek came to the bank of the Kama, sat and was sad. It’s bad to fight on foot against the fleet-footed Tatar horsemen, but he doesn’t know where to get a horse.

The mighty warrior sighed deeply, and wide Kama became agitated, as if from his sigh. The waves crashed onto the shore, and when they retreated, Ash-Terek saw the gray-haired Vumurt. He stood waist-deep in water near the rocky shore and looked at the gloomy Toro.

What are you grieving about, Ash-Terek? - asked the bishop.

It's none of your business, green beard. Get lost!

I am Vumurt, owner of the waters and ancient friend of your fathers. I want to serve you. Tell me what you need!

I need a war horse. So that he doesn’t bend under me and overtake the Tatar horses. Where can you find such a horse, green beard! All you have to do is scare the girls and tear the nets. Get lost!

You're wrong to vilify me, Ash-Terek! There will be a horse to match you. Here's my advice: sit down in the reeds by the river tonight and wait. Keremet's herd will come to the watering hole. The leader there is good - a black stallion. When the horses start drinking water, you catch the leader. But don’t forget the condition: you will bring me the first beautiful Tatar as a gift...

I agree, if the horse is worth it.

Remember: a horse for you, a beauty for me.

At midnight, Esh-Terek waylaid the herd and caught the stallion.

The horse turned out to be dashing, he carried Ash-Terek through the fields and meadows, tried to throw him off, reared up, dug the ground with his hooves, bared his teeth at the rider. Then he humbled himself, seeing that he had found a worthy owner. And he became a faithful friend of the famous Toro.

Esh-Terek won many victories over his enemies. Rumors about him spread along the Kama and Votka rivers, through the mountains and villages.

One day he captured a Tatar woman of wondrous beauty, put her on a horse in front of him and rode to her home. “I will have a wife that everyone will envy,” he thinks, driving along the bank of the Kama.

He was about to cross the river, but it became raging and began to swirl in whirlpools, as if during a flood.

He sees: Vumurt sticking out of the water up to his waist.

Have you forgotten the agreement, glorious Esh-Terek? - asks the water owner. - Give me back the beauty!

It’s too much to joke, old devil,” Toro replies. - Why do you, old man, need a beautiful wife? If you want, I’ll bring you a toothless old woman. There will be a couple! Ha-ha-ha... - Ash-Terek laughed.

Vumurt turned gray with anger and disappeared into the abyss of the river. Ash-Terek got off his horse, grabbed his mane with his hand, and supported the beauty in the saddle with his other hand. So he swam across the raging Kama.

And in the middle, a terrible whirlpool overtook him, spun him, overwhelmed him headlong... Neither the dashing horse nor his own heroic strength helped the young man.

He found his death not in a bloody battle, not in military affairs, but in the watery abyss, together with a beautiful Tatar woman and a faithful horse.

And the rumor about him never dies.

AX–SAMORUB

There lived a poor peasant in one forest region. He knew little joy in life, and he had never even seen happiness. His only joy were his three sons: Petyr, Pavel and Ivan. They were surprisingly different. The eldest, Petyr, is tall, stately and proud. The middle son was distinguished by cunning and laziness, and the youngest was so-so: short in stature, simple in character and trouble-free at work.

When the time came for the poor man to die, he called his sons and said:

I lived my life in poverty, I gained nothing but calluses and sorrow. I have nothing to bequeath to you. Walk around the world, look for your own happiness, maybe you will find it.

So three brothers left their home to look for a good life. They walk along the road wherever they look. They look: the mountain is high, the slopes are steep and covered entirely with trees. The guys got tired and decided to rest in the shade of an old oak tree.

As soon as they lay down on the grass, they hear: someone is chopping with an ax on the mountain, often like this, tapping quickly.

We should go take a look, maybe we can find a job,” says Ivan.

“I don’t have official legs,” Petyr answers. - Yes, and this is not for me. I'll look for something to match.

“I would have gone, brother,” says Pavel, “but I was completely exhausted.” Let me rest first. - He lay down more comfortably and began to snore.

Water doesn’t flow under a lying stone,” Ivan continued. - I want to find out who is working so happily.

Ivan climbed the mountain. I climbed for a long time, my hands were torn off by thorny bushes, my sandals were broken on snags. But I got to the cutting area. He looks - there is no one, the ax is the only one working. Yes, he does it so famously that the guy’s mouth gaped.

Hey, axe, whose will you be? - Ivan was amazed.

And I'm on my own. I serve those who love work.

What should I love if not work! - the poor man rejoiced. - Come with me?

Why not go, I see you’re not a quitter.

Ivan took the ax, put it in a bag and returned to his brothers. And they got enough sleep, sit, open their eyes.

Well, did you climb the mountain? - cunning Pavel laughs.

Without a head, your legs have a hard time,” says Petyr.

“I don’t complain about my head,” Ivan answered and did not tell his brothers about the wonderful axe. They still won't believe it.

Eh, it works great! - Ivan praised. - I wish I could learn from someone.

Go and study, if you’re not tired,” says Petyr. - I'll take a nap. I need a shoulder job.

Run, run, Ivan, you are young and smart! - Pavel encouraged.

I'll go. Otherwise I won’t sleep until I find out.

Ivan climbed the mountain, was exhausted, and could barely drag his feet.

He sees: a steel pick is cutting out stones, turning out huge blocks. And not a soul around. The pick itself is working.

Hey, Kylo, ​​whose are you, who taught you to work like this? - the guy shouted.

And at least it’s yours, if you’re not afraid of difficulties.

Sissies are afraid of difficulties, but I am a peasant’s son,” answers Ivan. - Come with me to look for a good life.

He took the steel pick and put it in the bag along with the axe. And below, under the tree, the brothers are snoring, as if thunder were rolling across a clear sky. Ivan also lay down to rest, and in the morning it was already light on his feet.

It's time to get up, couch potatoes, sleep through your happiness.

Happiness knocks on the window for the well-fed, but we don’t even have a hut lying around,” Petyr answers, stretching.

Happiness is tricky, you can’t take it with your bare hands! - Pavel grinned slyly. - Well, what did you see there in the mountains? What did you find besides calluses?

Ivan felt offended that his brothers were such idiots, and he decided to hide his findings from them for the time being.

Let's move on. They wanted to drink, but there was no fontanel or river around. The swamp has passed, but you won’t drink from the rotten quagmire! The rain began to fall, but it did not quench my thirst. The brothers were completely desperate; they almost drank from a puddle. Here they look - a stream is running, loud, transparent. And the water is so tasty that you don’t want to leave the stream.

It is necessary to discover the secret of water, says Ivan, so that you never suffer from thirst.

You chatterbox, says Petyr, but does water really have a secret? It flows and flows as it pleases.

What will you wear to the city? - Pavel joked. - Look, your fingers are already peeking out of your bast shoes.

You can weave other bast shoes,” Ivan answered. - And the opportunity may not turn up a second time.

Well, go, if you don’t mind your legs, and be back by dinner,” the brothers decided.

Ivan went. He made his way through the bushes - the ax helped him, he climbed the mountain - the pick helped him. So I got to the source of the stream. A stream came out from under a mighty rock.

“I am the mistress of the water,” said the rock, “if I want, I will seal it up completely, and people will die of thirst.”

Ivan smiled, did not argue with the stubborn rock, but only noticed the place. He took a pebble from the spring as a souvenir and went to his older brothers.

Well, eccentric, have you discovered the secret of water? - Petyr grinned.

And here it is,” Ivan showed a round piece polished with water.

Hey, brother,” says Pavel, “you need to sleep more, otherwise you’ll go completely crazy.” Look what you came up with! I started collecting pebbles.

“This is not a simple pebble,” Ivan objected, “it is key.”

The brothers didn’t understand anything, they waved their hands: they say, well, he’s an eccentric. What will you take from him if he starts moving? And we went further.

The brothers walked for a long time and finally came to Constantinople. There are crowds of people on the streets: ragged, hungry, crippled by wars and troubles.

What's going on here? - the brothers ask.

But the people gathered to ask the king for favors. “We have been tormented by severe hunger and endless, bloody wars,” people answer. - But the king himself doesn’t know what to do. A craftsman from among the people calls out that he could avert trouble. Many have already tried, but they all ended badly.

The brothers looked around: one poor fellow had no ear, the other had his nose cut off... This was their bad reward for failure.

Eh, we need to try it too! - Ivan straightened his shoulders. - A person cannot be happy if misfortune lives next to him.

You're crazy! - the brothers were scared. - And you will drag us into trouble, we will leave here without ears and without eyes.

No, dear ones, we must fight grief together, one by one it can deal with everyone,” Ivan objected.

The royal servants overheard the brothers' conversation and took them to their ruler. “These people boasted that they could help everyone’s grief.”

“Okay,” says the king, “if you can do it, I’ll reward you, and I’ll give my daughter in marriage to the most daring one.” If you fail, I’ll chop off your noses and ears and send you into the dense forest. And this is what needs to be done: my sages have established that the thousand-year-old oak is to blame for everything: it blocked the sky from us, hid the sun, and brought in clouds. Cut it down at the roots, well done.

They gave the brothers axes, and they began to chop down the eternal oak tree. Petyr cuts down a branch, and twenty new branches grow in its place. The kid got tired and lay down on the ground in exhaustion.

Pavel took over the matter. And he was cunning in this and that way. Out of habit and laziness, my hands were ripped bloody, but the oak tree stands intact.

Ivan took out his labor ax and let’s fell the oak tree. He not only chops, but chops firewood and puts it in woodpiles. He managed it quickly.

The sky cleared, the sun came out, but life in the country did not improve much.

The king again called the brothers to the palace and said:

You’ve dealt with the oak tree, which means you can deal with adversity. If not, I’ll order you to gouge out your eyes. My wise men are fools - they ruined the oak in vain. Apparently, this is not the problem. Well, you can figure it out for yourself.

“You brought destruction upon us, Ivan,” Petyr whined. He felt sorry for his nose.

“You can’t think of anything like that to stay intact,” Pavel thought.

“We live in dense forests,” said Ivan, “we need to expand the fields.” Then the peasants will have more freedom, and we will live richer.

How can we manage the forest? - Petyr became timid. - We can’t see our ears.

Maybe set it on fire, the forest? - said the cunning Pavel.

Why bother with good things! - the younger brother was surprised. - Let's chop wood and logs.

The brothers began to cut down the forest. One tree is felled, and a new one grows in its place. And Ivan took out a self-chopping ax and, as soon as he began to cut trees left and right, he instantly finished with the thicket. Then the forest begged: “Don’t destroy me, Ivan, without the forest it will be bad for people. Where will they get firewood, where will they hide from the heat? And fields for dry winds will be exposed, defenseless rivers will dry up..."

Look! - Ivan admired. - But it’s the forest that speaks, without it we’ll really be lost.

The brothers spared the forest. And the cleared clearings were turned into arable land. They began to uproot stumps and raise virgin soil.

Here the king again called the brothers into the palace. And he himself began to be afraid of them, he saw: great power was in their hands.

You have liberated the fields, workers, and you are entitled to a reward,” said the king. - What's the use of fields if drought is coming? Wells in the country were drying up. People have nowhere to drink, let alone animals. There is great turmoil. The people are dissatisfied with my rule. We need to dig deep wells. Yes, such that they never run out. Fulfill this command and I will get rich; if you don’t fulfill it, I will rot in a pit.

The brothers listened to the king and hung their heads.

It’s all your fault, Ivan, they say. - We found a job beyond our strength. We can’t get to deep water enough for all people and animals. Let's just dig a hole for ourselves.

“Have you forgotten the secret of the stream,” Ivan laughs, “or what?” - And he took out a smooth round piece from his pocket. - Here it is, the secret of water. Let's go to the stream and ask it to quench people's thirst.

There is good water in that stream, the brothers say, but it’s only enough for one royal palace.

Don't worry, there's enough for everyone.

The brothers came to the formidable rock and bowed to the spring. And the rock hums: “I won’t give you any more water. I am a housewife, I do what I want. If I want, I’ll kill you all.”

Come on, kylo, show us what you can do. Break, scatter the stingy rock, - exclaimed the younger brother, - free the deep river from eternal captivity.

As the pick began to hammer, crumble the impregnable rock, only rubble and sparks began to fall. And when the block of stone finally collapsed, a stormy stream was released and a full-flowing river began to flow. Izh - her brothers called her.

The Izh River gave water to people, animals, and the fields around. Then the brothers, together with other workers, went to collect old debts from the king. The king was frightened by such unheard-of power and ran away. Since then, honest labor has reigned in that region. And the brothers found something they could do.

Myths and legends

Udmurt people

The presentation was prepared by the head of the library of Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution “Secondary School No. 90”, Izhevsk, Svetlana Vladimirovna Volynina, 2012

Between the gray Urals and the blue Volga

in the land of springs and forest rivers

Hunters and farmers - the ancestors of the Udmurt people - have long settled

This land was beautiful in its own way. The forest not only threatened with danger, but also bestowed generous gifts.

To survive here, you had to be resilient, strong, courageous

In ancient times, the Udmurts believed that spirits and gods accompany a person everywhere and always, helping or hindering him, depending on the harmony in which he lives with the world and people.

Underwater kingdom

The highest deities of the Udmurts: Imnar, Kyldysim, Kuaz .

These gods occupy the main places in the life of the Udmurt people

Inmar

creator of the sky, creator of the world, creator of the earth. He lives constantly in the sun and is so kind that people are not afraid of him. Only thanksgiving sacrifices are offered to him.

Pine –sacred tree

place of worship of the ancient Udmurts to the god Inmar. They asked him for rain and a good harvest. Various rituals were performed near the pine tree.

The Legend of the Creation of the World

Having decided to create the world, Inmar sends Shaitan to get earth from the bottom of the world's oceans. Having given the earth to Inmar, Shaitan hides its grains behind his cheeks, but when the earth, at Inmar’s command, begins to grow, he is forced to spit it out. and mountains, swamps, and hummocks formed on the ground. If Shaitan had not deceived Inmar, the earth would have remained level and smooth.

In ancient times, according to the legends of the Udmurts,

giants lived on earth - alangasars.

The dense forest was like nettles for them. Where the giant's foot stepped, a ravine appeared, where he shook sand out of his bast shoes, hills formed.

The Alangasars entertained themselves by throwing cast-iron balls and weaving ropes from pine trees, and fighting with uprooted trees. A man hollowing out a bee board is mistaken for a woodpecker;

look at it in the palm of your hand, put it in your pocket or put it in your bosom

The second deity is Kyldysin or Kylchin - this is a creator god who takes care of the earth, the god of fertility,

patron of children.

He appeared in the form of an old man in white clothes and walked along the borders, straightening the fallen ears of corn, watching over the crops.

Kuaz - lord of the weather,

atmospheric phenomena.

Kuaz prayed under a spruce tree, which was perceived as the tree of this god, and they sacrificed a horse or foal to him.

The ancestors of the Udmurts were revered

In-moms goddess of fertility, mother of Inmar himself

Shunds-mumas (mother of the Sun)

Gudyri-mumy (Mother of Thunder)

Invu - mums (Mother of heavenly water)

Muzyom-mumy - (Goddess of the earth)

Vorshud (shud wordys) –

spirit is the patron and guardian of the clan, family, home.

Lives in the chapel (kuala)

In Udmurt mythology, lower spirits are very numerous: vumurt - water, gidmurt - spirit of the stable, nudesmurt - Spirit of the forest, tӧlperi - Spirit of the Wind, corkamurt - brownie, yagperi - spirit of boron, Ludmurt - the spirit of meadows and fields, etc. In addition to the deities and semi-deities who patronize people and can give them happiness and misfortune, the Votyaks believe in spirits that cause people only troubles and misfortunes, evil spirits. Among them is Kutys, Cher and Vozho.

Nyulesmurt (“nyules” - forest, thicket) - goblin, master of the forest, master of animals.

Lives in the forest, has his own farm and family. In clothing and lifestyle, he is similar to people; he has a long beard and hair. He is able to change his appearance: in the forest he is level with the trees, in the meadow - with the grass, among people - slightly taller than a person.

Nyulesmurts allow animals to lie down in holes and dens; They send prey to hunters, food to cattle, and help the army win.

VOUKUZO – (“master of water”)

Vukouzo ( wu-water, kuzyo - master) - ruler of the water element, inhabitant of the primary ocean. Imitating Inmar's creation - a dog, he creates a goat, then water creatures - woo-murts. Vukuzyo was represented as an old man with a long beard

Vumurt -water (wu- “water”, murt – “man”)

Spirit with long hair, sometimes in the form of a pike. Lives in lakes, rivers, ponds. He has an incredibly beautiful wife, sons and daughters.

Vumurts are almost no different from ordinary people. They can be distinguished by the fact that the left side of Vumurt's coat is certainly raw. Vumurt is very rich and rewards with wealth those people whom he loves, but if he does not love, he drowns cattle in the swamp and inflicts various diseases.

Korkamurt (crust - hut) - brownie. Lives behind the stove or underground. He is in charge of the work taking place in the hut and everything that is stored in it. Where he is respected and treated, he protects family members, but if the brownie is offended or disrespected (they make noise, whistle in the house or throw pieces of bread on the floor), he tickles at night, tangles the hair on his head and beard.

At Korkamurt many names:

kuze crust(home owner),

beche crust(neighbor, friend),

crust syuzette(neighbor),

Gulbech Murt(master of the underground).

Gondyr (udm. Bear) - Korkamurt’s closest assistant. Lives in the underground, cellar, barn and manages the household supplies stored there. In appearance it is indistinguishable from a bear. If Gondir did not like something or the owners did not please, then the supplies in the house decrease with unnatural speed.

Gidmurt (“guide”-stable)

– spirit of stables and barns

Gidmurt - assistant to the brownie (Korkamurta), patron of stables and barns.

If he loves a horse, he will comb and braid its mane, and even transfer hay and oats from neighboring horses.

If Gidmurt dislikes a horse, then he can ride it all night long and exhaust it with heavy loads.

Telkuzo - goblin, spirit of the forest.

Tolmurt (tӧlperi - spirit of the wind) - he kidnapped girls.

Ludmurt (lud - field) - Meadow, Polevik

This small man, responsible for meadows and fields.

He protected the animals

monitored the crops

Sometimes Ludmurt was called Mushvozmas (udm. - guarding bees

Todymurt (tody - white) - a spirit living in a dark corner on a shelf in a bathhouse. According to the stories of his ancestors, he likes to make fun of people in the bathhouse.

PALACEMOORTH (fell-half, "half-man")

Palesmurt is a half-man: a one-armed, one-legged, one-eyed evil creature who lives in the forest. Popular fairy tale character

Palesmurts are enormously tall, they are somewhat stupid, very funny, they love to make others laugh: they can tickle them to death, they love to ride horses grazing in the meadow at night. They love to scare lonely travelers, especially in the forest.

Iskal-Pydo-Murt(searched - cow; pyd - leg) - a spirit with cow legs.

Baba Obyda -goblin in the form of a woman with long hair, shaggy, tall.

In fairy tales, Baba Obyda, if she wants, helps people.

Kuz-Pine-Murt- a man with long teeth

Udmurt mythology existed many years ago and protected not only culture, faith, but also folklore.

In Udmurt mythology, there are a large number of negative creatures and gods who send troubles to the Udmurt people, for example, spirits of disease can send: damage, paralysis, the evil eye.

Also in their mythology there are brownies - Korkakuz, banniks - Minchokuze, garden ones - Bakchakuze. To the owners wildlife attributed to Ludmurt, he was the owner of meadows and fields, people turned to him with requests for good hunting, preservation of livestock and abundance of honey, successful fishing.

In ancient times, priests were divided into higher servants and lower ones; the lower ones served the higher ones and carried out orders.

The chief priest did not take any part in the rituals, he was only present during them, sanctified the ritual with his presence, and monitored the sequence of actions during the rituals. During the ritual, all ministers dressed in snow-white clothes.

The main sanctuary, in which all rituals were carried out, was built from tree logs; the floor was also covered with wood; the most valuable relics that belonged to the patron of the clan, the main spirit, were kept in it.

Depending on the ritual, it was necessary to make a sacrifice; in all rituals there had to be a tree and a sacrifice (cattle of different colors and breeds).

Today, the Udmurts glorify the Orthodox faith with elements of pre-Christian beliefs.

They still perform ancient rituals, follow ancient customs and do not want to adapt to modern world and its currents.

The Udmurts have three places of worship:

• neither worship the ancestral patron;
• owner of wild nature;
• burial places and funeral rituals.

The Udmurts are an ancient Turkic people who present their own mythology, which is very similar to the myths and ideas of neighboring peoples. Their beliefs were greatly influenced by Islamic overtones and some aspects of the above-mentioned religion.

So, among the Udmurts, the main deity was named Inmar, and he performed the functions of the creator of the world, the creator who was “to blame” for the emergence of literally everything on Earth. If you delve deeper into theological and linguistic research, you will notice that the name of this deity is very similar to other main gods from nearby religions.

The mythology of the Udmurts says that Inmar had to monitor the normal functioning of the elements, so that the rain would fall and the sun would shine on time, and that the climate in the world would be optimal and comfortable. As elsewhere, the Udmurts also had a negative deity, Keremet (an analogue can be considered the Islamic Shaitan), who is responsible for evil forces. According to legend, at the very beginning the gods were friends, but Keremet deceived Inmar, after which they quarreled.

Udmurt mythology has changed over time and in accordance with emerging world religions, in particular Christian principles. In particular, as they say, after “communication” with them, a legend arose about a huge bull that holds our planet on its horns, and which is responsible for all the tremors of the firmament.

According to the Udmurts, and the traditions of the Finns and some other peoples close to them, the world is divided into 3 regions, heaven, the place of residence of earthlings - the planet, and hell, which was cold and dark. In many versions, you can find a central axis that holds all these areas together, which could be a tree (like the Slavs), a rock, and other similar objects. Accordingly, deities lived at the top, and only the top ones from the pantheon; in the middle part, the beautiful halves of the divine society were usually found, as well as demigods, patrons of the natural elements - in particular, water creatures, goblins, etc. In hell there were dark forces– and directly the symbol of the devil, Keremet, as well as dead souls.

As we already said, main god among the Udmurts it was called Inmar; their system of religion is dual, i.e. There is a confrontation between good and evil, with Keremet playing the role of the latter. But they also have one more god from among the most noticeable and important - this is Kyldysin, who is responsible for our world, for nature, for the harvest, etc. Usually, by the way, in other religions, similar functions are performed by a lady - for example, Hera among the Greeks, etc., but the Udmurts appointed a man to this position.

Many demigods inhabited the earth - there were both good and bad among them, Keremet fought with the good ones, and Inmar fought with the bad ones. The demigods were responsible for diseases, natural phenomena, for epidemics, etc.

You will find all this in the ancient beliefs and judgments of the people of Udmurtia, captured in unusual folklore, rituals and works of folk art. In conscious mythology, family, clan and tribal (territorial) holy places took the place of domesticated symbols. The traditions of sacrifices were also associated with this. They were in the nature of economic requirements (the beginning of sowing, harvesting), preventive measures against natural disasters and diseases (drought, pestilence of domestic animals, famine), and everyday needs (the birth of children, a successful marriage).

Later, one can find variants of double beliefs, when residents who converted to Orthodoxy, making sacrifices, did so with Christian prayers. The explanation for this is the late Christianization, compared to other nationalities. Turkic people. At the present time, there is a noticeable tendency among the Udmurts to revive mythological beliefs through the prism of pagan ideas about the structure of interaction between people and the forces of the elements. A significant role in this is still played by the traditions of spiritualizing the surrounding nature, which is a strong indicator of “Udmurtness”, one of the defining features of the ethnic group of Udmurt culture.

In principle, the mythology of the Udmurts is quite standard and similar to Islam - Shaitan is also found here, but only in the form of small demigods, there are also peri - female genies or something like that, and many others. But the Udmurts also took a lot from the Slavs, which testifies to their closeness and commonality in mentality and human self-awareness.

We dedicated the project “Legends of the Spring Land” to this, organized by “AiF in Udmurtia” together with the Ministry of National Relations of the Urals and the House of Friendship of Peoples.

Each people invests its wisdom, talents and labor in the region where it happens to live. And the main partners and participants of the project are public national associations: it is they who are aimed at the creative activities of the peoples who have recognized Udmurtia as their second homeland. Let's talk together about national traditions and holidays, about the amazing stories that happened to our contemporaries on Udmurt land, about the legends that Udmurtia gives new Age and its new inhabitants.

Happiness comes from the mind

All-Udmurt Association “Udmurt Kenesh” shared with us an ancient Udmurt legend.

Once upon a time there were only two people in the world: Inmar - the Master of the sky and Vukuzyo - the Master of the water. And so Inmar decided to make the earth and living creatures on it. And he ordered Vukuzyo to get the earth out of the water. Thus began the creation of a world in which Vukuzyo constantly spoiled Inmar’s ideal ideas.

It came to the person. Inmar made a beautiful couple and went away in his worries, leaving the dog to guard the people. The Master of Water immediately appeared, but the dog did not let him near Inmar’s creations, preventing him from touching people. Then Vukuzyo asked: “Let me at least spit on them!” The dog was surprised, but did not sense any evil in it. And Vukuzyo’s saliva was poisonous, and people were covered with ulcers from it. Inmar saw how disfigured his creatures were, thought about how to hide the sores, and turned people inside out, hiding the sores. Since then, all the ailments and illnesses of people are hidden inside.

When the new inhabitants of the earth were ready for independent life, Inmar remembered his great omission - he did not give people reason. Without reason, people are not people; neither strength nor health can replace it. Without reason, a person will not be able to appreciate the beauty of the earth and therefore will not be happy,” Inmar realized and went for reason, which he had already prepared and lay in a birch bark box. But Vukuzyo was ahead of him. And he decided to destroy the mind: he drowned part of it in water, buried part of it in the ground, and scattered part of it through the air. Then Inmar appeared. Vukuzo was frightened by his anger, but confessed to what he had done. And Inmar broke into a satisfied smile: “You did everything in the best possible way: reason with air will enter people, they will pass it on as an inheritance to their children, and the race will become smarter from generation to generation. When people become completely wiser, they will love the earth and make it beautiful!”

Dream of generations

The President's main pride and concern Tatar Community Center UR Fnuna Mirzayanova- the central mosque in Izhevsk.

Religion today provides a connection between times and provides the right vector of morality, he believes. - For us, a mosque is not only a religious site, but also a center for communication between people different cultures, place of charity. Officially the mosque is on the street. K. Marx will open in 2016. Moreover, in the month of Ramadan already within three years we provide free lunches for all parishioners.

This mosque is the dream of many generations of Tatars in Udmurtia, and it was built with donations from people. Muslims must give 1/40 of their profits to charitable causes. And people donate: a fund was created for the construction of the mosque, and contributions to it varied - from a few rubles to 10 thousand dollars. During the preparations, we collected three buckets of change and changed it in the bank.

Tatar mosque in Izhevsk. Photo: AiF

We want, says Fnun Gavasovich, that a person of any nationality and confession can enter the mosque. There are imams with legal education who can give advice themselves or give advice the necessary specialists. But the main thing that the mosque gives is moral standards. The fact that black ideas are now being passed off as Islam is extremely cynical. Allah created people for creative work and moral life, and not for “cannon fodder.”

About 3,000 members of the Tatar community center are like-minded people in acceptance healthy image life, in preserving traditions and holidays, in maintaining ties with the historical homeland - Tatarstan and Bashkiria.

Russian song over the Kama

IN Society of Russian Culture UR we were told that the Old Believers, persecuted by the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, in the 17th century went to remote, inaccessible places, including along the rivers Vyatka, Kama and their tributaries. They never accepted church changes and have retained their faith and culture to this day. Especially many Old Believers live in the north of Udmurtia. The Kez and Krasnogorsk districts can be safely called “Old Believers”. All Old Believers are characterized by strict adherence to customs ancient Rus', their unique traditions and rituals are a valuable intangible heritage of the Russian people.

Back in 2003, the Society of Russian Culture of the Urals (this year it is 25 years old) in the village of Kuliga, Kez district, for the first time held a republican holiday of Old Believer culture “ORIGINS WHAT WE ARE.” The holiday, reviving the traditions of folk life, was such a success that it was reborn into an interregional festival of Old Believer culture.

Representatives of almost all nations living in Udmurtia join the holidays. Photo: From personal archive

And so it has been since then: on fine summer days, guests come not only from different parts of our republic, but also from Kirov region, Perm region, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and even far abroad. People go to the outback to listen to authentic songs of the Old Believers, take part in fun round dances and games, and taste the delicious mead for which Kuliga is famous.

In 2012, the Society came up with the republican festival of Old Believer culture “Petrovskoe Zagovenye” and holds it in the village of Barany, Krasnogorsk district. The priority in the project is to work with Old Believer youth - the heir and “conductor” of this original culture.

Both holidays have become widely known in Udmurtia. They are joined by representatives of almost all peoples living in Udmurtia. Considering the popularity and social significance of festivals, the board of the Society of Russian Culture of the Urals, headed by Chairman Sergei Fefilov, decided to alternate holidays. This year, “Petrovskoe Zagovenie” was noisy and fun, and next year - you are welcome - come to the “Sources of the Kama”!

Night horse and...weme

Shared an interesting legend National-cultural center "Zakama Udmurts".

It was in Kipchak, maybe in Shudek or in a completely different village. A lonely man once lived there. His fellow villagers were surprised: he knows everything, he can do everything, he never gets sick, and for some reason he doesn’t create a family. At night, residents of that village often saw white horse, galloping somewhere into the darkness. “Maybe it’s a ghost, or some kind of witch?” - the villagers thought.

One beautiful girl from the same village was preparing to get married. But unexpectedly before the wedding she fell ill. The groom abandoned her and left the village. The same story happened to another girl. The villagers became worried: “Who is muddying the lives of the young like water?” We remembered about the white horse. Isn't she to blame?

At night, residents of that village on the street or near the cemetery often saw a white horse galloping somewhere into the darkness. Photo: AiF/Sergey Prokhorov

One day, several village boys arranged a weme ( free assistance) and catch this horse. That's what they did. One night, almost all the men and young boys took to the streets. Everyone was waiting for the horse to appear and towards midnight they saw it. The men chased her for a long time and still managed to pin the horse to one yard. A blacksmith was immediately invited. He nailed iron horseshoes to the white horse's front legs. The horse was left in the yard, and in the morning it was no longer there. The next night she did not appear in the village.

At the same time, a rumor spread throughout the village: a bore, who until now did not know what it was to be sick, fell ill. The guys decided to visit him. Yes, the man was lying in bed, covered with a blanket. "What is hurting you?" - they asked him. “Nothing hurts,” answered the bore.

The guys came to see him several times: the neighbor lay in the same position, did not eat, but did not complain about his health. One of the guys couldn’t stand it and pulled the blanket off him. And everyone saw: there were nailed horseshoes on the man’s hands. And then people drew a circle around the house of this loner with an iron object. After that, no one saw a white horse in the village at night, and sad stories are over.

Weme is a force that can cleanse all evil spirits. Weme still lives in that Udmurt village and helps residents overcome any difficulties.

Scientists called the Udmurts from Bashkortostan and the Kuedinsky district of the Perm Territory Zakamsky. The Udmurts themselves from those places call themselves “tupal udmurtyos” - those from beyond the river.

Jewish Saturday: Shabbat Shalom!

The chief rabbi of Russia, Berel Lazar, sending a Jewish ethnographic expedition to Izhevsk, said: “In major cities In Russia, Jewish life is still more developed than in the regions. You can often hear the phrase: “I am a Jew, and this means almost nothing to me.” Is it so?

Public Jewish life in Udmurtia is filled with national traditions, social projects to help the elderly and children, and multinational projects aimed at strengthening good relations between people.

The youth of the Community Center for Jewish Culture of the Urals are winners in the Republican drafts tournament and in the game “What? Where? When?”, they are regulars at dance evenings and interethnic events; they can always be found in the front row of discussion platforms and festivals. Every year, schools in the republic hold lessons on the topic of the Holocaust in the Great Patriotic War. The Community Center for Jewish Culture of the Urals is also the organizer of the interethnic project “With Love in the Native Land,” which includes representatives of six national and cultural associations helping the poor and large families in many regions of Udmurtia. In 2015 alone, the community center participated in five large multinational projects together with other NGOs.

The most blessed day among Jews is considered to be Shabbat (Saturday) - the day when a woman lights candles in her home - a symbol of peace and tranquility. On this day, Jews greet each other with the words “Shabbat Shalom!”

Contribution through sport

Sport is important for the health of the nation, says the representative Azerbaijani public center of Udmurtia “Dostlug” Zulfigar Mirzaev. - We are proud that many Azerbaijanis of Udmurtia not only work successfully in the field of medicine, education, law enforcement sphere, but also have high achievements in sports. The success of young people is important to us, and this year the leadership of the diaspora awarded our graduates who received gold medals and honors diplomas, and the best athletes.

Azerbaijanis are proud of their athletes. Photo: From personal archive

A number of names of Azerbaijani athletes are inscribed in the history of sports in Udmurtia. Among them is the master of sports of the USSR and Russia, 3-time world champion in freestyle wrestling among veterans Gasimov Miradam Mirkamal oglu. His sons are also successful in sports: Mirkamal, 17 years old - champion of Udmurtia and Miraziz, 23 years old - master of sports of Russia.

Athletes of Azerbaijani nationality achieved high results in competitions at the regional, district, all-Russian and international levels in 2015. Amalya Gmbarova, the Kasymov brothers Vugar and Yakov, Gadirli Gadir, Dmitry Mamiev, Omarov Ramazan, Mamedov Munasib, Amishov Javad, Gasimov Mirkamal, Piraliev Amin, Ismailov Rail adequately represented the interests of Udmurtia.

A student of the Izhevsk Medical Academy Gambarova Amalya Akhill kyzy grew up in an intelligent family in the village. Vavozh. The girl is extremely talented: a future doctor with honors from IGMA, she is also a master of sports in weightlifting. In July, at the Russian championship in Zelenegradsk, Amelya won a bronze medal. The roots of success are in the family: her father Akhil, having graduated from the Azerbaijan Institute of Physical Education and Sports, taught at the university, then came to Udmurtia.

Massive involvement of diaspora members in physical culture, their successes in various competitions are indisputable proof of the vitality and spiritual strength of the Azerbaijanis living in Udmurtia.

Glorious name

More than 1 million Greeks lived in the Soviet Union, says chairman Greek Societies "Nicaea" Democritus Ananikov. - After the collapse of the country, especially many Greeks remained in Russia and Ukraine (Donetsk and Lugansk regions). Of course, “Soviet” Greeks live in Udmurtia: at one time they came by assignment after graduating from universities. And I must say, everyone had a successful professional career: many became managers and entrepreneurs - there are no unskilled workers among the Greeks.

There are names that are legendary in the history of the region. For example, Victor Vasilievich Kovalenko. A street on the territory of the Izhevsk Automobile Plant is named after him. This man is unique: he devoted 45 years of his life to his native enterprise, 22 years was its chief engineer, and ended his career at IzhAvto at the age of 80! This year he celebrates his 85th birthday.

Kovalenko was born in Ukraine, in the Donetsk region, lived under the German occupation. “Despite the hardships of time, we spent days near hostile equipment,” he recalls. “After the hasty escape of the foreign army, a heavy military tractor remained in our yard. The sentries near the commandant's office shot without warning at anyone who approached the tractor. So, literally under fire, I disassembled it down to the last screw.

In Izhevsk, I started working in the design department of a motorcycle production facility. It was not just a department - a whole academy! And in 1965, a car plant appeared. Construction began, we kneaded the mud together and hired the first workers. My main professional achievement? Over the 22 years of my work as the chief engineer of auto production, my team of specialists has not allowed a single case of production failure that lasted more than 1.5-2 hours.

The Greeks of Udmurtia celebrate two main holidays: October 28 - Okha Day, when in 1940 the country's Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxa said "No" to the Italian fascists' offer to surrender. March 25 is Greek Independence Day and liberation from Turkish invaders.

Tyushti Games

Tyushtya is a hero of the Mordovian epic, similar to the ancient Greek Hercules, they told in Society of the Mordovian people UR "Umarina". He taught the Mordovians many crafts and founded a state. When the time came to defend themselves from enemies, he gathered people and taught them the art of war. For all men, he carried out the first tests: those who climbed a high mountain behind him became ushmans, that is, warriors. Competitions were held among the warriors, and those who won them were appointed Ushmandei - military leaders.

After defeating the enemy, games were held where young boys competed in wrestling and weapon skills, measured their strength and prepared themselves for future battles. These were Tyushti's games.

Women danced in circles, men competed: in fist fights, wrestling, or “wall to wall.” Photo: From personal archive

In many villages, games were held a week after Trinity. Women danced in circles, men competed: in fist fights, wrestling, or “wall to wall.” This is how combat skills were developed, and each person, in addition to his main job, was a warrior. In addition, the main thing in a national holiday is to express yourself emotionally. At the same time, an adult will receive a lot of impressions, and in the child’s memory folk traditions will be preserved as a bright image. This is the most optimal way to preserve folk culture.

For modern children who have exchanged walking and movement for a computer, folk games can help a lot. Their obligatory competitiveness opens up children emotionally. The games are attractive in their simplicity and do not require prior training. And the equipment for them is the simplest: a board, a stick, a rope.

Mordovian national competitive traditions to modern man provide an opportunity to realize oneself. It is also noteworthy that the folk principles of the game welcome the presence of parents. Training with the whole family is wonderful, when dads or grandfathers work out with the boys, and mom or grandma sits next to them.

Exactly national traditions give us a chance to raise a healthy and successful young generation who knows the traditions of their ancestors and loves their Fatherland.

Paradise for modesty

About 1,000 Uzbeks permanently live in Udmurtia, says the president of the Uzbek National Center for Social Support and Cultural Development “Asia Plus” Mukhutdin Bakhridinov. - They all have families, jobs, raising children - my heart is at peace for them. The main concern of the Asia Plus center is Uzbek migrants. We deal with them so that in Udmurtia, on the one hand, they do not have crime, and on the other, so that they themselves do not become victims of fraud. Uzbeks are good workers: hardworking, modest. They are welcome at any construction site in the republic, but their working conditions are very difficult. And it is important that there are fellow tribesmen nearby who can support and help.

There is a legend about the modesty of Uzbeks. God gave away the land. The Uzbek was one of the first to arrive, but friendly, putting his hand to his heart, he let everyone go forward: “Please, Markhamat. Please pass". When he entered, there was no more land left. God was surprised at the Uzbek’s kindness and said: “I have a heavenly place. I thought about keeping it, but take it!” Since then, Uzbeks have lived on the blessed land.

The Uzbek boldly “appropriated” only one thing for himself - pilaf. Many nations have this dish, but who eats it like an Uzbek? Definitely on Thursday and Saturday at gatherings with family and friends. He has the famous pilaf made from red rice that grows in the water of mountain rivers, he has the groom’s pilaf...

Uzbeks consider pilaf their dish. Photo: AiF/ Gennady Bisenov

There is about pilaf beautiful legend. In the 10th century, the son of the ruler fell ill in Bukhara. The young man became weaker and weaker when the famous doctor Ibn Sina, who was able to determine the disease by his heartbeat, was brought to him. The prince's pulse indicated the torments of love, but he did not mention the girl's name. Then, keeping his hand on the young man’s pulse, Ibn Sina asked him to name the quarters of Bukhara, and from the patient’s pulse he guessed the name of the treasured place. Then they listed the names of everyone living there. When the name of the artisan's daughter was heard, the pulse returned to normal. The cause of the disease was unequal love.

Ibn Sina wrote a recipe for an unnamed dish on paper and ordered the young man to be fed it for 7 days, and to have a wedding on the 8th. The dish required 7 ingredients: P yez (bow), A ez (carrot), l ahm (meat), O lie (fat), V eet (salt), O b (water) and w ala (rice). So the young man recovered, married his beloved and was happy. And the nameless dish was named after the first letters of 7 ingredients: it turned out “palov osh” - pilaf.

With prayer to Osh Kugo Yumo

This year marks 415 years since the Mari settled in the Vyatka-Kama region. When they appeared, the local khan wondered: what land should he give to the new people? And he said to the young Mari warrior: “How much land you cover from dawn to sunset, that’s how much you’ll take!” And the batyr ran, trying to ensure that his people got the meadows, forests, rivers, and hills. This is how the Mari received beautiful lands south of Udmurtia and live today in the Alnashsky, Grakhovsky and, of course, Karakulinsky districts.

In 1996, in order to preserve the Mari folk culture, traditions and language, our society “Odo Mari Ushem” appeared,” says the head Odo Mari Ushem (Union of Mari of Udmurtia) Nina Telitsyna.- Interest in the native culture is not lost even in mixed marriages. Previously, it was actively promoted in schools: for example, in the villages of Mari Vozhay, Byrgynda, Nyrgynda, lessons were taught in the Mari language until the 8th grade. Now children learn their native language only in primary school and optionally in secondary. Therefore, it is very important that the family and other adult environment support and develop this interest in roots and love for national culture. And this love, it must be said, is characteristic of the Mari. We are an open, positive, singing and dancing people. And very hardworking.

The Mari are an open, positive, singing and dancing people. Photo: From personal archive

Now the time has come for the revival of traditions: we are restoring places of worship - sacred groves that every village used to have. There are also family places for prayer. The old people remember how they prayed for the harvest of Osh Kugo Yumo - the White Big God. And then on the harvest festival itself the weather was beautiful.

In October of this year we opened our Sunday national school, we want to create a Mari group in kindergarten in Izhevsk. Young parents are happy about this. And we, the older generation, like it when our grandchildren ask us Mari words, ask us to sew national costumes for them, and are ready to perform with us at folk festivals. This means that a small but distinctive people has a future.

Giorgoba will come to Udmurtia

"Georgian Community" has existed in Udmurtia for four years, and this summer its official presentation took place.

Our diaspora is small - there are about 200 people in it, says its chairman David Bramidze. - And we communicate with wonderful communities in Tatarstan and Chuvashia. Although there are fewer and fewer Georgians in Russia: the political situation is too difficult, and since 2006 there have been no relations between Russia and Georgia. But we remember not only the events of the last decades, but also the history of the centuries-old friendship of our peoples and countries. Georgia and Russia are united by a single faith: we have the same Orthodox traditions, all canons coincide, accepted procession- It’s no wonder that the assimilation of Georgians in Russia, thanks in part to religion, is happening very quickly. Is it true, orthodox churches We have different architecture, but this is influenced by national architectural traditions.

Georgian church. Photo: From personal archive

It so happened that different Caucasian peoples meet in Udmurtia. It would seem that due to the recent conflicts in the Caucasus, clashes are possible between us. And again, we are divided by recent history and united by centuries-old history: Migrels and Abkhazians cannot be separated in it.

In October, Tbilisoba is celebrated - Tbilisi City Day and a big holiday for all of Georgia. It is celebrated regularly and magnificently in Moscow. On November 23 and April 23, Giorgoba is celebrated - the Day of St. George, the patron saint of Georgia. This saint is especially revered in Russia. In November, Giorgoba takes place not only as an Orthodox holiday, but also as a celebration in honor of the last harvest. Next year we want to hold it on the central square of Izhevsk and invite professional Georgian dancers from Kazan and Moscow. The opening of the Russian-Georgian center “Izhevsk - Moscow - Tbilisi” will soon take place. Its goal is clear - to help strengthen friendly relations between our peoples. Only peace and harmony give any person the opportunity to live safely and happily.

A place for all religions

A tall, austere building made of pink marble on the street. 10 Years of October has been attracting the attention of Izhevsk residents for several years now. By the way, such marble can only be found in Armenia! But for a big Dream that unites people of different nationalities, nothing is impossible! And therefore Armenian Apostolic Church is being built step by step, with the help of many friends of the Armenian national-cultural association.

A courtyard with an exact copy of Lake Sevan and Mount Ararat is being built next to the church. And every evening, people, having finished their business, come to the church under construction, take off their jackets and ties, roll up their sleeves and begin sawing, planing, and mixing concrete.

The Gregorian faith is based on joy and love. Photo: From personal archive

The Gregorian faith, which the Armenians profess, is based primarily on joy. On love. On unconditional trust in one's neighbor. Armenians are ready to build, sing, dance and work hand in hand with their Russian brother. They even turn to strangers on the street, nothing more than “brother” or “sister”. They know how to work and how to relax. They get up from the table and interrupt men's conversations if a woman enters the house. They have an unconditional love for children all over the world.

Doors Armenian Church always open. White walls, large floor-to-ceiling windows through which the light shines sunlight, in the middle, between the benches there is a passage to the altar. Children run around the church laughing. Women in the most best dresses They are happily discussing something. Men talk on the sidelines about their own things. This place will always welcome people of different nationalities. On Easter, the owners set a large, generous table. On a hot summer day, the guest will be doused with holy water and sprinkled with rose petals. In April, everyone will be invited to a cleanup event and treated to home-style food. “Because God is one. And he is on high mountain! - Armenians often say. “And every religion goes to God on its own path!”

Cossack Circle is a sacred cause!

They are from that rare generation of people who sincerely rejoice in their friends, take care of women and teach children to love and defend their Motherland. It's deep intelligent people, a mixture of beauty and spirituality. They say in the ancient Russian manner: “Why philosophize?” And when they agree with something, they answer in unison: “I love it!”

The pinnacle of Cossack democracy is the Military Circle, where Cossacks today decide all the issues that life poses to them. The traditional form of gathering in a circle came to us from ancient times and is revered by the Cossacks as the most sacred thing. The Cossack Circle operated on campaigns, at sea (when they sailed to each other on boats), on the road (if they came together, they turned their horses’ heads towards the center). The point of gathering in a circle is for each participant to see the faces of their comrades. And here it is simply impossible to cheat or falter!

Every year the ataman gives gifts to the best. Photo: From personal archive

In addition to the Ataman of the troops, important issues are decided by the Council of Old Men. “Old people are the conscience of the Circle!” - say the Cossacks. The most respected warriors aged 60 years and older are elected here. And every year, in the reporting and election circle, the ataman awards the best warriors and growing Cossacks with whips, whips, crosses and certificates. And may God grant them the same prowess, strength and endless love for the Fatherland!

Nobility of goals

There are 870 Russian citizens of Tajik nationality living in Udmurtia, and more than 2,000 of those who come here, work and receive a residence permit, says the chairman Tajik public center of Udmurtia “Orien-Taj” (“Noble Ones”) Mirzo Umarov. - The government in Udmurtia is wise: it does everything so that representatives of different nationalities do not feel disadvantaged. The House of Peoples' Friendship is open for all our events, we were provided with a free office with all the conditions for work - this is the attention of the state that is highly valued. We, in turn, try to make the life of the republic more interesting with our resources.

This year alone we held several large-scale events. “Eastern Beauty” was the name of the holiday in the village of Oktyabrsky, Zavyalovsky district: there were national dances and, of course, we treated the village residents to real oriental pilaf. At the Railway Workers' Palace of Culture we honored veterans of the Great Patriotic War- everyone who lived in the USSR should love and appreciate this generation of victorious soldiers. And we gathered these wonderful old people at a rich table of oriental cuisine. Many people know our center for the Navruz holiday, which we celebrate on a grand scale and with sports competitions. Recently we invited national associations to competitions in checkers and volleyball. We can only fight in sports arenas, and these “battles” lead us to peace and friendship.

Ulakh: let's have fun together

There are not many Chuvash in Udmurtia - only 2,780 people, says Chairman of the Chuvash National Center Anatoly Igolkin. - But they live in almost all regions of the republic and most compactly in the Grakhovsky district, where not so long ago in the school in the village of Blagodatnoye it was possible to learn the Chuvash language. Nowadays it’s not easy to preserve the native culture: people are scattered in the city, there are more and more mixed marriages, the circle of contacts in the city is narrowing. native language. AND good remedy conservation national culture and traditions are holidays. They always bring people together, help them understand each other better, and have a good time together. In the same village of Blagodatnoye, ulah - gatherings - are still held.

A good way to preserve traditions is holidays. Photo: From personal archive

Ulakh is an ancient custom, a nightly gathering of young people in autumn and winter. On these long nights, boys and girls gathered in the bathhouse to spend time together. The girls were spinning, knitting socks and mittens, and embroidering. The guys wove bast shoes and brought some musical instruments. After working, they began games, pranks, songs and dances - this is ulah. Today, ulakh is also held by mature people, and their gatherings (especially with the arrival of guests - Chuvash from other regions) turn into events for sharing experiences, competitions, watching videos of holidays and meetings in Chuvashia.

In the old days, Chuvash youth had another winter holiday - surkhuri. In the recent past, it was accompanied by a special fortune-telling, when in the dark in a barn they caught sheep by the leg with their hands. Previously, it was celebrated on the third Friday after St. Nicholas Day, and later in different places surkhuri began to be called differently: Night before Christmas, Night before New Year, The night before Epiphany. This holiday coincided in time with Russian Christmas and Christmastide with their fortune-telling and already represented a mixture of Chuvash and Russian holidays.

Now holidays are changing and mixing, but the main thing is that they live on in subsequent generations. The Chuvash have a point about this good proverb: “If you separate from a friend, you will cry for one year; if you are separated from your family, you will cry for ten years; if you separate from the people, you will cry for the rest of your life.”

Melody of Heavenly Dew
Udmurt legend

Once upon a time there lived in a dense forest an old wise spruce. Her name was Mudor-Kuz- Les's mother. They say that the Forest began with her, and perhaps the Earth itself. The sun rested on its branches. From under its roots a timid spring was born, which later turned into the mighty White Kama.

People came from far and wide to worship Mudor-Kuz. But one day the stepmother of the Sun, Evil Lightning, scorched with terrible fire Mudor-Kuz. El has died.

But a man came and revived her. He made Gusli out of it Kreuz and put his own into them human soul. This is how people got Bydzym Krez- Great Gusli. When they sounded, the Sun approached the Earth to listen to them. When they sang Invu Utchan Gur" - "Melody of Heavenly Dew", The sky cried with rain.

How the earth was created
The myth of the creation of the earth

It was so long ago that no one even remembers when it was. No land, no people in the whole world: only sky, water and sun. The master of the sky lived in the sky Inmar. His name itself consists of the words “in” and “mar”. Anyone who learns to understand the Udmurt language will recognize the “in” as the sky, and the “mar” as the what. What is in the sky is Inmar.

And the owner of the water lived in the water Vukouzo. The sky was clear, clear, like snow, white, white like a birch tree. It hung so close to the water that Inmar, without descending, he scooped up water with a golden ladle with a long handle and watered the clouds so that they would not dry out from the sun. The owner of the sky did not care. And Vukuzyo didn’t know any work, all he did was dry his green beard all day long: he hung the end of his beard on a cloud, and he lay down on the water and lay there, dozing.

Although the beard Vukouzo was longer Inmar was considered older among them, and therefore the owner of the water had to obey him. So they lived for many centuries in the neighborhood. One was tending the clouds, the other was drying his beard and muddying the water from time to time.

Once I felt sad Inmaru, and it occurred to him to change his occupation. He hung the ladle on his favorite cloud, which he always kept at hand, and took off his beard Vukouzo from the cloud and ordered him to dive deeper - to get the earth from the bottom.

Did not like Vukouzo, What Inmar prevented him from drying his beard and basking in the sun to his heart's content, but he did not dare to contradict the elder. He obeyed - he obeyed, but he harbored a grudge. "Look, since he Inmar agai(Udmurt - elder brother), then he urges! - he thought, sinking to the bottom. - Get him some land and give him even a grain. Everything to him, but to me, I'll take it out(Udmurt - younger brother), - nothing?” He took two handfuls from the bottom and, in order to hide it from Inmar, he put some of the earth behind his cheek and emerged.

Inmar He carefully accepted the delivered soil, placed it on his palm, leveled it, waited for it to dry, and then began to blow it away in all four directions. Having fallen on the water, warmed by the sun and the breath of Inmar, the earth began to swell and grow. It became more and more, so much that there was no end in sight. Although it was visible from afar: the earth turned out to be smooth, smooth, like a frying pan - no mountains, no hills, no ravines, no swamps.

The land that Vukouzo hidden behind his cheek. It grew, grew, and was about to blow my head off. It would probably have happened if you hadn’t guessed it. Vukouzo spit as much as you can. And that earth scattered in different directions, fell on flat ground Inmara has mountains and swamps, hummocks and ravines. Don't cheat, don't disobey Vukuzö Inmara, people would get a completely flat land - without hills and lowlands, without mountains and swamps.

Inmar, pleased with the accomplishment of an unexpected idea, did not even notice the change that happened to the earth due to Vukouzo. He had already begun his usual occupation: he began to move the clouds from place to place. I just noticed that they don’t whip well, they don’t curl a lot, it’s time to pour some water on them. Took it Inmar a ladle with a long handle, drove away the clouds so that they would not interfere with drawing water. Only then did I see what had become of the earth, only then did I understand why the clouds had become crumpled and torn: the mountains scratched their bellies, crushed and tore them apart. There was no need to guess whose trick it was: only two lived in the world. “Well, you slacker, well, you couch potato! Just wait!” - got angry for the first time Inmar. He left everything he was doing and began to think about how to teach him a lesson once and for all. Vukouzo so that it would be discouraging to act without permission.