Local residents of Altai. Altaians people

(*There is more heat in a bundle of firewood, the people gathered together have more strength - Altai proverb)

“National Accent” continues the series of publications about how Russia’s ties with the peoples living in it began. This story will be more about incredible love for the homeland. Love so selfless that ethnic groups of different origins agree to be called by a single name, denoting their belonging to a phenomenal region of the planet - the geographical center of our continent - Altai.

If only I had mountains of gold

For more than a thousand years, the Altai people found themselves in the cycle of the main political and economic events of Eurasia. They were part of the largest state formation in the history of mankind - the Turkic Khaganate, which for half a century united the territories of China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Altai, Turkestan and the North Caucasus. In the empire of Genghis Khan, they had at their disposal vast expanses from the forests of Northern Rus' to the tropical jungles of Vietnam. Finally, they defended the honor of the Dzungar Khanate to the last. But the next stage of the expansion of Qing China in 1755 crossed out the great nomadic history of the Altaians and began to threaten the very existence of the ethnic group.

To protect their people from death, the majority of Altai tribal rulers - Zaisans - turn to Russia with a request for protection and acceptance of their citizenship.

But the desired union with great power posed a new danger. By decision of the authorities, Altai residents were ordered to relocate to the Volga steppes. And not everyone was able to get away from the crystal lakes, virgin taiga and mountains in snow-white caps - “Golden Mountains” ( literal translation from Turkic), Altai, the pristine beauty of the land that has become native over the centuries, turned out to be more valuable than the lives of themselves and their people.

Where did they come from?

Today's Altaians, who live mainly in the regions of the same name - the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic - are recognized by scientists as the direct descendants of the most ancient tribes: the Huns, Sarmatians, Scythians, Turks, Mongols and Dzungars. During the heyday of Byzantium and during the formation of Kievan Rus, the Tukyu, Kuu, Tele and Kyrgyz settled in Altai. Closer to the 9th century, the Uyghurs arrived.

Therefore, “Altaians” is a collective name for tribes speaking Turkic languages.

The largest nationalities are the Teleuts, Tubalars, Uriankhians, Shors, and Telengits. There are more than a hundred sub-ethnic groups called seoks. Belonging to them is determined, as a rule, by a person’s ancestry.

There are two ethnographic groups: the southern Altaians (Altai-Kizhi), who speak the South Altai language (called Oirot language until 1948) and the northern Altaians, who speak the North Altai language.

Due to their different origins and the lack of easy communication - Altai is, first of all, a system of the highest mountain ranges in Siberia - significant differences remained for a long time between the southern and northern Altaians not only in language, but also in cultural and everyday life. A noticeable leveling and unification, naturally, occurred during the Soviet Union.

The northerners of the region belong to the Ural race, which occupies an intermediate position between Europeans and Mongoloids. They have Samoyed, Ugric, Turkic, and Ket roots. The direct descendants of these ethnic groups are considered to be the Tubalars.

Once upon a time, ethnographers preferred to call the northern Altaians “black Tatars.” They preferred to live sedentary lives, engaged in farming, hunting, fishing and gathering.

In turn, in the south, Turkic tribes met with Mongolian ones. This is how, for example, Telengits and Teleuts appeared. It was the southerners who were called “Oirots” or “White Kalmyks”. These are pronounced representatives of the Mongoloid race. They roam and, accordingly, prefer dwellings that are easy to assemble and transport: ail - a hexagonal conical structure made of beams covered with bark or felt and a felt yurt. Russian settlers finally became captivated by life in permanent settlements and learned how to build huts for the Altai people only towards the end of the 19th century.

Don't spit in the well

In the first half of the eighteenth century, the Altaians - more precisely, the Turkic-speaking local tribes - were more dependent on the Western Mongols, by that time called the Dzungars.

Telengits, Teleuts or White Kalmyks in Dzungaria constitute four thousand tents of otok (a group of clans or families united on a territorial basis, but with the ability to change their location - after all, we are talking about nomads - and with a built-in hierarchy, which from change geographical places just doesn't change). They are vassals of the Dzungar Khan and pay alman (rent) in furs, livestock and iron products.

However, there is no longer peace within the Dzungar Khanate itself. And after the death of the Kagan in 1745 ( "ruler" in a nomadic state - editor's note.) Galdan-Tserena, endless clashes between clans lead to dual power, enmity, and finally the murder of Khan Nemehu-Jirgal by Davatsi Khan, followed soon by the betrayal of Davatsi by the main associate of Noyon Amyr-Sana. This prince of Khoitsky, having not received the desired “Kan-Karakol, Tau-Teleut, Telets and Sayan lands,” seeks support from the Qing court. And soon - already under the Manchu-Chinese banners - he famously takes part in punitive campaigns against his recently native Dzungaria, where he is distinguished by his cruelty and zeal, and especially in terms of revenge on the Altai princes.

The countless Qing army finally occupies the much-desired territory of the Khanate. And then the leaders of the main Altai otoks decide to withdraw their people to Russian citizenship.

12 zaisans - Ombo, Kulchugai, Kutuk, Naamky, Bookhol, Cheren, Buktush, Buurut, Kaamyk, Naamzhyl, Izmynak, Sandut - in 1754 and 1755 appealed to the Siberian authorities, including Governor-General Myatlev, first with a request for military assistance, and then about granting asylum.

Having received no answer, they write a request to be taken under the wing of the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna herself: “Due to the long-term failure to take us to Russia, many Zaisans were taken by the Mungals ( Chinese - approx. ed.) to our land together with our wives and children, therefore, in order to protect ourselves, we ask you to take us under your protection." While waiting for St. Petersburg's decision, the Altaians are migrating to Russian fortresses, which were recently built from their raids, among other things. Perhaps There are not many examples in history when lessons are taught so quickly, without delaying morality for generations and centuries.

The elbow is close

The Chinese will lay claim to the “escaped” people for a long time. To lure with generous promises or deception those leaving for Russia. Present notes to the Russian Empire. And for almost another hundred years they will control the outskirts of the Chuya River and the Ulagan Plateau. Russia will not yet be able to completely prevent the appetite of the Celestial Empire, these territories will be called the First and Second Chui volosts, the inhabitants of which, even in the first half of the 19th century, will remain double-sellers - subjects of two powers.

It is also noteworthy that the Chinese historical concept suggests that Dzungaria has always been an integral part of their country. And Russia’s policy of development, including Altai, is interpreted exclusively as aggressive.

However, it was precisely the cruel treatment and senseless murders of peaceful nomads, coupled with countless extortions, that mid-18th century centuries finally turned away the majority of the Altai zaisans from the Qing court and convinced them to choose a Russian protectorate for the future of their people.

And together it is impossible, and apart it is impossible

Since 1586, on the lands of the former Siberian Khanate, defeated by the Cossack detachment of Ermak, Russian forts appeared one after another upstream of the Irtysh and Ob: Tyumen, Tobolsk, Tara, Surgut. By 1720, there would be a noticeable increase in fortresses: Omsk, Semipalatinsk, Beloyarsk, Biysk, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Chaussky and Berdsky forts.

And before the emergence of the Dzungar Khanate, relations between Russians and the inhabitants of the Altai Mountains were quite friendly. Then the Oirots, zealously declaring their rights to lands and tribes, often overlapped in their geopolitical interests with the Russian explorers of Southern Siberia. At the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries, the population of the region was divided into those who had the status of dual citizenship of Russia and Dzungaria, but gravitated towards one side or the other, as a rule, on the principle of geographical proximity. And a significantly larger part of the Altaians living from the Katun valley to the Irtysh, located directly on the territory of Dzungaria. The Russian border with the Khanate stretches 581 versts from Kuznetsk to Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Beginning of summer 1756. Together with their families and ulus people, the zaisans Buktush, Burut, Seren, Namykai and demichi Mengosh and Sergekov come to Biysk.

According to the imperial decree received on May 24, those who arrived swore an oath of allegiance and signed assurances that “they will certainly become the subjects of the All-Russian Empress for eternal birth.

And where we are commanded to have a village, according to that decree we must act and do no evil deeds against the Russians, theft and robbery, this is what we swore to the Burkhans, if we commit anything in violation, then according to the will and rights of the Great Empress we will be punished." .

The wording of the oath is not accidental - the Collegium of Foreign Affairs ordered the "Zengors" - Oirats - who were accepted into citizenship, away from the Chinese scourge, to be "transported along the lines to the Volga Kalmyks."

Citing ruin, deprivation, illness and relatives who fled during their long wanderings, the newly converted people refuse to move to the Volga. Some even abandon their livestock and property, fearing being sent to a foreign land, and secretly return to the mountains. The Russian authorities make a concession and officially leave the Altai residents for the winter in the Biysk region. But fugitives and those released for saran digging ( field, Siberian red lily - Lilium tenuifolium, the bulb of which is eaten - approx. ed.) and taking grain from the arable land" are persistently returned and sworn in.

Later, after those accepted into citizenship, the Zaisans Emonaev, Emzynakov, and Kutuk would bring their people to Biysk. Otoki, led by the zaisan Ombo and the demics Samur and Altai, together with 15 smokes (families) of the zaisan Kulchugai, will reach there by the end of summer. On the way they will be haunted by death and disease, hunger and cold. Some people will soon have to make a long trek to the Volga region. But by the beginning of 1760, almost fifteen thousand Dzungarian refugees had already accepted Russian citizenship.

Witnesses to history

From the “Appeal of the Altai Zaisans to the commander of the troops of the Kolyvano-Kuznetsk line F. Degarigge with a request for help”

" <…>We, the Altai noble zaisangs, all agree among ourselves, we are sending this letter to the colonel through Namku.

If you, having talked with the interpreter Mikhail, had soon brought this business of ours to an end, then it would have been good, and if you had sent an army to us and with it defended us and taken us in, then it would have been good, just as if You built a fortress here in our place, then it would be strong.

And now you, Colonel of the White Tsar, please take us to your place, and messengers have already come to us with an announcement that the Mungals want to take us from here and transfer us to their place, and if you don’t give us troops, however, if you sent one noble man to us, that would have been good, and the commander of the Mungal army, the owner called Shidar Wang Amungus, as we ourselves saw, has five thousand troops with him, then we heard that he has forty thousand troops with him. And now we intend to pay taxes to the White Tsar and have no other sovereign besides the White Tsar.

Namki put his hand.

From the report of the Siberian governor V.A. Myatlev to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs on the admission of the peoples of Southern Altai to Russian citizenship.

"<…>And for this, necessity requires that the Zengorians accepted into local citizenship be taken away from the local borders into the distance, but inside Siberia and at a distance from the local borders there are no such warm and free places for livestock where they, the Zengorians, could roam with their cattle, for all those places , which extend from the Zengor border to the north, due to their condition, their life outside the local cold and deep snow is inconvenient for them, and as described above, it is in no way possible to bring them, the Zengor Kalmyks, to a settlement

And therefore, for those reasons, the Collegium of Foreign Affairs remains today with its previous reasoning, so that the Zengorians who want to be under the citizenship of e.i. c., accepting, forward along the lines to the Volsk Kalmyks in the same way as the decree sent to you from the College of Foreign Affairs on January 27, 1756, was determined, for whichever of them goes there alone, there is no way to escape back it won’t be at all, and it’s impossible for the Zengorians to get them out of there by force, and with all that, they, the Zengorians, cannot be as sensitive to receiving them here as they would be if they were close to them.”

From the Decree of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs to the Siberian Governor V.A. Myatlev on the admission of Oirat refugees and the population of southern Altai to Russian citizenship.

"<…>And therefore, for those reasons, the Collegium of Foreign Affairs remains today with its previous reasoning, so that the Zengorians who want to be under the citizenship of e.i. c., accepting, forward along the lines to the Volsk Kalmyks in the same way as the decree sent to you from the College of Foreign Affairs on January 27, 1756, was determined, for whichever of them goes there alone, there is no way to escape back it won’t be at all, and it’s impossible for the Zengorians to get them out of there by force, and with all that, they, the Zengorians, cannot be as sensitive to receiving them here as they would be if they were close to them.

<…>Only now the difficulty remains that, as written above, Omba, sent from the Zengorsky zaisang, declared that this zaisang, both to the fraternal Kalmyks and to the Volsk Kalmyks, does not want to go beyond the range to unite, in what intention, perhaps, This zaisang Ombo and the others are there. So, now we can only wait to see if they will be inclined to do so after the arrival of the messengers sent to them from the governor of the Kalmyk Khanate, Donduk Dasha, by the governor of the Kalmyk Khanate Donduk Dasha: priest and zaisang, who, according to the news received here now in a short time, will be sent to you or have already sent. Meanwhile, even before the arrival of those sent from the governor of the Khanate, and that these Zengor zaisangs persistently ask for their acceptance into the local borders, already presenting a danger to them from the continuation, so that they are not captured in the mungals, you have, according to the reasoning communicated to you from Actual Privy Councilor Neplyuev, through whom he deems it appropriate to order them in your name to ask what their true intentions are and whether they would be inclined, for better safety and convenience, to move with their cattle to the Volsk Kalmyks, reassuring them that they will be carried out have along the lines without any exhaustion to their cattle and will not wander there separately.

<…>If they, the Zaisangs, had not bowed down to transferring them to the Volsky Kalmyks, and because of the encouragement they received from you, they began to do so, so that after accepting them as their citizenship, e.i. V. were left at the local borders, then although in consideration of the uselessness of maintaining them there, as explained above, they should have been denied this and repulsed from the local borders, especially if it had been possible to foresee that in this case they would have been captured by none other than the Mungals b were, but from your last report it is clear that they, just as they do not want to be under Chinese citizenship, are also moving away from Amursanan, of which the last circumstance deserves further consideration, since they, without having important reasons for this, are completely b they did not move away from their people, and therefore there is doubt that they, in case of refusal from the local side, will not be forced to surrender to the defense of the Middle Kyrgyz-Kaisak horde, which has already received so far over the Zengor people in the present In this confusion, she measured herself with noble advances."

Natalya Strebneva

Indigenous people are represented on the territory of the Altai Territory small people- Kumandins. According to the All-Russian Census, as of October 14, 2010, the number of Kumandy people was 1,401 people, of which 609 live in cities, and 792 live in rural areas of the region.

The places of compact residence of Kumandins are identified as Krasnogorsk, Solton districts and the city of Biysk.

ORIGIN OF THE KUMANDINS

The Abrigens of Altai are usually divided into two main groups - northern and southern Altaians.

The Northern Altaians include the following tribal groups:

1) Tubalars (Tuba-Kizhi), who occupied the valleys of the Bolshaya and Malaya Isha (tributaries of the Katun), Kara-Koksha, Pyzhi, Uymena (tributaries of the Biya);

2) Chelkans who settled in the river basin. Swans and especially its tributary Baigol. They generally called themselves Kuu-Kizhi, i.e. people of the Swan River and therefore are sometimes found in ethnographic literature under the name Swan people.

3) Kumandins living along the banks of the Biya from the river. Swans down almost to the city of Biysk, as well as in the lower reaches of the Katun, where they merged with the local Russian population.

The famous explorer of Siberia of the 19th century V.V. Radlova identified the Kumandins as a special independent group of northern Altaians. According to V. Verbitsky’s classification, they were part of the nomadic “black Tatars” of the Biysk district. /cm. Potapov L.P., 1969 - pp. 22-57/ Historically, the Kumandins became part of Russian state together with a number of other tribal groups of northern Altaians, shortly after the construction of the Kuznetsk fort in 1618 on the Tom River opposite the confluence of the Kondoma River.

The first mentions of the Kumandins in Russian historical sources date back to 1628. This refers to the petition of the Tobolsk governors, which states that on February 28, 1628, they sent servicemen from the Kuznetsk fort - “Oleshka Bakai and a friend to your sovereign service in the Cheban volost :". On the way back, four of them were killed by the people of the Teleut prince Abak, among whom were Kumandins. (The Teleut principality existed in the Altai Mountains until the mid-18th century.) The Teleut princes considered the Kumandins their kyshtyms, or tributaries, who were obliged, among other things, to participate in the military campaigns of the Teleut squads. Probably, earlier in the same way the Kumandins were forced to take part in long-distance military expeditions of the Tatar-Mongols. So the Russians, without knowing it, could have met the Kumandins much earlier than 1628.

The ethnonym "Kumandy" in the pre-revolutionary period was not the self-name of the Kumandy people. It was given to them by neighboring tribes (Tubalars, Shors, Telengits, Chelkans) by the name of their main and most numerous clan (ore) and Altyn Kumanda, while the Kumandins called themselves simply “Tatar-Kizhi” (approx. “Kizhi” in Altai means "man"). Some researchers believe that the ethnonym “Kumanda” means “swan man” (apparently swans could be their totem animal). According to L.P. Potapov and O. Pritsak, the term “Kuman” in the name of the Kumandins is adequate to the names Polovtsians and Kipchaks. /Cm. Satlaev F. "Kumandy" historical-ethnographer. feature article/. If this is so, then the Russians were well acquainted with the ancestors of the Kumandins even before the Tatar-Mongol invasion of the 13th century. Anthropologically, the Kumandins, like the ancient Cumans, have many Caucasian features. Even the first Russian explorers noted a significant number of fair-haired and blue-eyed children in the Kumandin villages. It is quite possible that the Altai Kumandins are descendants of a more ancient population of Altai than the Turks, rooted in the Afanasiev and Andronovo cultures of the Bronze Age.

Local history researchers such as A.M. Maloletko and B.Kh. The Kadiks associate the origin of the Kumandins with one of ancient peoples Siberia - Kets. So, according to the monograph by V.I. Verbitsky (1893), “the names of duck in the languages ​​of the northern and southern Altaians sound respectively - urtek and su-gush. The first syllables of these words mean “water,” but the northern Altaians use the Ket word “ur”, and the southern ones use the Turkic "su". The situation is also the same with the word "aina" - "devil". Nowadays this word is used in the same meaning by the Shors, Northern Altaians and Khakassians. /Maloletko A.M., 2000, pp. 275-277/

The genetic connection of the Kumandins with a certain ancient population of Siberia of the Caucasoid type, possibly the Dinlins, was pointed out at the beginning of the 20th century. the famous explorer of Central Asia Grum-Grzhimailo: “the Tatar-Mongol type, dominant in the Southern Altai,” he wrote, “turns in the north, in the forests of the Biysk and Kuznetsk forts, into an almost European one.” /Grum-Grzhimailo G.E. 1909 - P. 176/. The Turkification of the ancestors of the Kumandins took place over several centuries. They were part of the first and second Turkic Khaganates, and experienced the power of the Kyrgyz and Uyghur rulers (6-9 centuries AD). And then the cavalry of Genghis Khan marched through their lands - for several centuries the lands of the Kumandins became part of the Yuan Empire, and then the White Horde.

In the process of feudal fragmentation at the end of the 13th century. 14th centuries Golden Horde split into two parts, of which the eastern, including a strip of steppes from the Volga to Western Siberia, received the name of the White Horde. Feudal strife and strife gradually led to the collapse of the White Horde, as a result of which in the first half of the 15th century. On its territory, the separation of individual large feudal uluses takes place: the Nogai Horde, the Sheibanid ulus and the Siberian Khanate.

Geographically, the Kumandins were part of the White Horde, and then the Siberian Khanate. /Cm. Nicholas Poppe. The heroic epic of the Khalha Mongols. Second Edition - The Mongolia Society, P.O. Drawer 606, Bloomington, Indiana/ Potapov L.P. 1969 - P. 81/. And even after the defeat of the latter as a result of the campaign of Ermak’s squad, the Kumandins did not cease to be tributaries - now they were obliged to pay tribute (yasak) to the Teleuts, and then to the Dzungars (Dzungars - they are also Oirats, Western Mongols).

Since 1756, after the defeat of Dzungaria in the war with the Qing Empire, all Altai tribes, including the Kumandins, voluntarily became part of the Russian Empire. And according to the “Charter on Foreigners”, developed in 1822 by M.M. Speransky, they were classified as “nomadic” and included in the Biysk district.

In preparing the information, materials from the website “Kumandy in Altai” (http://www.bigpi.biysk.ru/altay/) were used; the site was created within the framework of the project “Revival and Development of Kumandin Culture in the Altai Territory” under a grant from the Governor of the Altai Territory Alexander Bogdanovich Marlina (agreement No. GU/0124 dated June 15, 2009).

Bespalov Alexander Mikhailovich - candidate philosophical sciences, associate professor, head of the department of philosophy of a state educational institution of higher education vocational education“Biysk Pedagogical State University named after V.M. Shukshina";

Kastarakova Valentina Makarovna, Chairman of the AROO “Association of Kumandins of Altai”.

Date of publication: 03/18/2013
Date modified: 01/22/2015

Altai itself occupies a special place in the culture of the Altai peoples. For them, he is the main source of well-being, strength and beauty. It is Altai, or rather its spirit, that gives them food, clothing, shelter, happiness and even life. If you ask an Altaian “who is your god?”, he will answer “mening kudayim agashtash, ar-butken, Altai,” which means “my god is stone, tree, nature, Altai.” This is how they answer Altaians, traditions and customs who are filled with a comprehensive love for their land.

Traditions and customs of the Altai people

The main deity of the Altai people is the owner (eezi) of Altai, who lives on the sacred mountain Uch-Sumer. They imagine him as an old man dressed in white robes. Seeing the owner of Altai in a dream means enlisting his support. It is with the veneration of Eezi Altai that the ancient ritual “kyira buular” is associated - tying ribbons at passes.

They tie them to trees - birch, larch or cedar. There are a number of requirements for a person wishing to perform this ritual. In particular, he must be clean and there must be no deaths in his family during the year. The ribbon is tied on the east side; under no circumstances should it be hung on a spruce or pine tree. There are also requirements for the size of the tape itself.

The color of the ribbon is also symbolic: white is the color of milk, life, yellow is the color of the sun and moon, pink is a symbol of fire, blue means the sky and stars, and green is the color of nature in general. When hanging a ribbon, a person should turn to nature through alkyshi - wishes of peace, happiness and health to all his loved ones. An alternative option for worshiping Altai in a place where there are no trees is to lay out a hill of stones.

Very interesting among the Altaians traditions of hospitality. There are certain requirements for how to receive a guest, how to serve him milk, araku in a bowl (an alcoholic drink) or a smoking pipe, and how to invite him to tea. Altaians are very hospitable people.

Because they believe that everything has its own spirit: near mountains, water and fire, they are very respectful of everything around them. The hearth is not just a place for preparing food. It is customary among Altai people to “feed” the fire, to thank it for warmth and food.
Don’t be surprised if you see a woman in Altai throwing baked goods, pieces of meat or fat into the fire - she’s feeding it! At the same time, it is unacceptable for an Altai to spit on the fire, burn garbage in it, or step over the fireplace.

Altaians believe that nature is healing, in particular, Arzhans - springs and mountain lakes. Locals believe that mountain spirits live in them, and therefore the water from them is sacred and can even bestow immortality. You can visit Arzhans only if accompanied by a guide and a healer.

Now Altai culture is reborn, the ancients are carried out again shamanistic customs And Burkhanist rituals. These rituals attract many tourists.

Musical traditions

Musical traditions of the Altai people, their song culture goes back to ancient times. Their songs are tales of exploits, entire life stories. They are performed through Kai throat singing. Such a “song” can last for several days. She is accompanied by playing national instruments: topshur and yatakana. Kai is the art of male singing and at the same time prayer, a sacred action that introduces all listeners into something similar to a trance. They are usually invited to weddings and holidays.

Another musical instrument, the komus, is known for its mystical sound. It is believed that this is a women's instrument. Tourists often bring the komus from Altai as a souvenir.

Wedding traditions

This is how the traditional wedding ceremony takes place. The newlyweds pour fat into the fire of the ail (yurt), throw a pinch of tea and a few drops of araki into it. The ceremony is divided into two days: toi - a holiday on the groom's side and belkenechek - the bride's day. Birch branches, a cult tree, are hung above the village.

Previously, it was customary to kidnap the bride, but now this custom has lost its relevance. In short, a bride could be bought by paying a bride price. But here is a custom that has survived to this day: a girl cannot marry a boy from her seok (family family). When meeting, they must make sure that they belong to different seoks. Marrying "relatives" is considered a disgrace.

Each clan has its own sacred mountain, its own patron spirits. Women are prohibited from climbing the mountain or even standing near it barefoot. At the same time, the role of a woman is very great; in the minds of the Altai people, she is a sacred vessel that gives life, and a man is obliged to protect her. Hence the roles: the man is a warrior and hunter, and the woman is the mother, the keeper of the hearth.

When a child is born, Altai people throw a party and slaughter sheep or even a calf. It is interesting that the octagonal Altai ail - the traditional dwelling of the Altaians - has a female (right) and male (left) half. Each family member and guest is assigned their own place. Children are taught to address everyone as “you,” thereby showing respect for the spirits of their patrons.

The head of the Altai family is the father. The boys are with him from an early age, he teaches them hunting, men's work, and how to handle a horse.

In the old days they used to say in villages: " Who has seen the owner of this horse?" calling its suit, but not the name of the owner, as if the horse is inseparable from its owner, as its most important part.

The youngest son traditionally lives with his parents and accompanies them to last way.

The main holidays of the Altai people

Altaians have 4 main holidays:

El-Oytyn- a national holiday and festival of national culture, which is attended by a lot of guests, including other nationalities, is held every two years. The holiday atmosphere seems to transport everyone to another time dimension. Concerts, competitions, sports competitions and other interesting events are held. The main condition for participation is the presence of a national costume.

Chaga Bayram- “White Holiday”, something like New Year. It begins at the end of February, during the new moon, and its main goal is the worship of the Sun and Altai. It is during this holiday that it is customary to tie kyira ribbons and present treats to the spirits on the tagyl - altar. After the rituals are completed, the public celebration begins.

Dyilgayak- a pagan holiday, an analogue of Russian Maslenitsa. On this holiday, Altai people burn an effigy - a symbol of the passing year, have fun, organize a fair, fun rides and competitions.

Kurultai of storytellers- competitions for kaichi. Men compete in throat singing skills and perform tales to the accompaniment of national musical instruments. Kaichi enjoy popular love and respect in Altai. According to legends, even shamans were afraid to organize rituals near their homes - they were afraid of not being able to resist the great power of their art.

Faces of Russia. “Living together while remaining different”

The multimedia project “Faces of Russia” has existed since 2006, talking about Russian civilization, the most important feature which is the ability to live together while remaining different - this motto is especially relevant for the countries of the entire post-Soviet space. From 2006 to 2012, as part of the project, we created 60 documentaries about representatives of different Russian ethnic groups. Also, 2 cycles of radio programs “Music and Songs of the Peoples of Russia” were created - more than 40 programs. Illustrated almanacs were published to support the first series of films. Now we are halfway to creating a unique multimedia encyclopedia of the peoples of our country, a snapshot that will allow the residents of Russia to recognize themselves and leave a legacy for posterity with a picture of what they were like.

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"Faces of Russia". Altaians. "Melody of Altai", 2008

General information

ALTAIANS- people in Russia, the indigenous population of the Altai Republic, Altai Territory, Kemerovo Region. According to the 2010 census, there are 74 thousand 238 Altaians in Russia, of which 62,192 are in the Altai Republic itself, and 1,880 people are in the Altai Territory. Altaians also live in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The language is Altai (Turkic group of the Altai family). Dialects: southern (Altai-Kizhi, Telengit) and northern (Tuba, Kumandin, Chelkan). The Russian language is widely spoken. Writing since the 19th century based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Since 1923, a literary language based on the Altai-Kizhi dialect.

Before the revolution of 1917, Altaians in the Russian environment were called “Altai Tatars.” It was used along with the name “Altaians”. The Russian Orthodox Church considered the Altaians Orthodox and sought to strengthen its influence, but ancient beliefs and rituals receded very slowly. The Altai people had the idea that the world was ruled by many good and evil spirits, commanded by two deities: the good creator of the world Ulgen and the evil underground ruler Erlik. Horses were sacrificed to both of them, the meat of which was eaten by the participants in the ceremony, and the skin was stretched on a pole and left at the site of the sacrifice. Altaians attached great importance to public prayers. They prayed to the sky, mountains, water, and the sacred tree - the birch.

The Altaians had a cult of theses - family and clan patrons, whose images were considered the embodiment of them. They prayed to these images and, in order to appease these people, imitated feeding them. Most ritual actions were performed with the participation of a kama (shaman). The rituals were performed to the sound of a sacred tambourine, which the shaman beat with a special mallet. An image of the Universe and the creatures inhabiting it was applied to the skin of the tambourine. The handle was considered the master spirit of the instrument; among the Altaians it represented a human figure. It is interesting that shamanic drums were made only in spring or autumn. It was at this time that the most important rituals of shamanism or Burkhanism of Altai were performed. Winter and summer were considered closed times for shamanism.

You can learn about the structure of the Altai world, which begins with a description of the world tree, birds and animals located with it, in the Altai epic “Maadai-Kara”.

Essays

The Altai people's year begins in the spring

One young man fell in love with a girl from a noble family, but his parents refused to give her to him as a wife, because he was of low birth.

He went, saddened, to wander and suddenly heard melodic sounds. They fascinated him so much that the young man began to look for the one who published them. But he did not see a single living creature nearby and then realized that it was the wind singing on a broken reed.

The young man cut a reed and learned to play it. He came to his beloved’s house, started playing, and everyone was so enchanted by the melody and sounds that they accepted him with all their hearts and agreed to give him their daughter. So the young man received his beloved as a wife, and the Altai people received the “shoor” instrument - a flute without holes. This is such a fairy tale.

But the Altai people have not only the flute. There are other equally important ancient instruments.

For example, “ikili” is a two-stringed bowed instrument. Its strings are made from a variety of horse hair, which gives a unique sound rich in overtones. There is also a beautiful legend about “ikili”. The legend explains why this instrument produces sounds that include both laughter and crying.

"Topshur" is a two-string fretless lute. The body is traditionally carved from cedar, and the soundboard is covered with the skin of a goat, camel or some wild animals. Used for accompaniment in high musical genres: ode-praise and epic legend. As a rule, rhythmically and melodically monotonous string picking is used for accompaniment. The popular use of topshur for the accompaniment of lyrical, everyday and other songs is also practiced. In this case, the melody is performed in unison with the voice part.

“Comus” is the most ancient self-sounding reed musical instrument, known among many peoples of the world, since ancient times it was considered a cleansing musical instrument, used for spiritual practices, meditation, and enlightenment.

Many of these ancient folk instruments are still used today, for example, at performances of the popular Altai ensemble “Altai Kai”.

Morning - the beginning of the day and life

It is easy to move from music, which has no spatial boundaries, to a picture of the Altai world. The Altai people's year begins in the spring. And the beginning of the year, like morning - the beginning of every day - is understood as the beginning of creation. When the snake of time, bending its head, bites its tail. This is the beginning of all movement, growth, change.

This is how the sacred events of the first creation are described in the text of the ancestral prayer to the mountains and waters of one of the Altai peoples:

Shock, shock, shock!

Being a nursing mother,

The great mountain is our mother!

Golden birch with golden leaves,

Having six branched roots,

The beginning of the year has turned

The snake's head bent down.

The flowing water began to rustle,

The mighty taiga roared,

The leaves of the great tree drooped.

Noisy, flowing water

Its golden blanket has thawed,

It spread throughout the white taskil,

White dragged

The golden buttons came undone

Golden Mountain

Six doors opened

The top of the month has turned,

The top of the year has slipped - moved,

The old year has passed

The New Year has arrived.

The text of the prayer is like a sacred code, full of images, the meaning of which is revealed in countless beliefs, myths and rituals of Altai. As you can see, particular importance is attributed to heat and melt water. In Altai myths, water, like life itself, is dual: it is not only the equivalent of primeval chaos, but also an element associated with birth and creation. With life and nature itself.

This is what is told in the fairy tale about the hero Sartakpai, the master of lightning and the builder.

By the light of caught lightning

In Altai, at the mouth of the Ini River, lived the hero Sartakpai. His scythe reaches to the ground. Eyebrows are like thick bushes. The muscles are knotty, like a growth on a birch tree - you can even cut cups out of them.

Not a single bird has ever flown past Sartakpai’s head: he shot without missing a beat.
Sartakpai always accurately hit the ungulate animals running in the distance. He aimed deftly at the clawed animals.

His archemaks (hunting bags) were not empty. They always contained fatty game. The son, Aduchi-Mergen, hearing the stomp of the pacer from afar, ran out to meet his father to unsaddle the horse. Oymok’s daughter-in-law prepared eighteen game dishes and ten milk drinks for the old man.

But the famous hero Sartakpai was not happy, not cheerful. Day and night he heard the cry of the Altai rivers blocked by stones. Throwing from stone to stone, they were torn to shreds. They split into streams, bumping into mountains. Sartakpai is tired of seeing the tears of the Altai rivers, tired of listening to their incessant groan. And he decided to give way to the Altai waters to the Arctic Ocean.

Sartakpai called his son:

You, child, go south, and I will go east.

Aduchi the son went to Mount Belukha, climbed to where the eternal snow lies, and began to look for routes to the Katun River.

The hero Sartakpai himself went east, to the fatty lake Yulu-Kol. With the index finger of his right hand, Sartakpai touched the bank of Yulu-Kol - and the Chelushman River flowed after his finger. All the passing streams and rivers, all the sonorous springs and underground waters, rushed into this river with a cheerful song.

But through the joyful ringing, Sartakpai heard crying in the Kosh-Agach mountains. He extended his left hand and, with his left index finger, drew a furrow across the mountains for the Bashkaus River. And when the waters laughed, running away from Kosh-Agach, old man Sartakpai laughed with them.

It turns out that I can also work with my left hand. However, it is not suitable to do such a thing with your left hand.

And Sartakpai turned the Bashkaue river towards the hills of Kok-Bash and then poured it into Chelushman and led all the waters with one right hand down to the slopes of Artybash. Here Sartakpai stopped.

Where is my son Aduchi? Why doesn't he come to meet me halfway? Fly to him, black woodpecker, and see how Aduchi-Mergen works.

The black woodpecker flew to Mount Belukha, from Belukha the Katun River ran to the west. The woodpecker rushed after the river. Not far from Ust-Koksa he caught up with the strongman Aduchi. He led Katun further and further to the west.

What are you doing, Aduchi-Mergen? - the woodpecker shouted. - Your father has been waiting for you in Artybash for half a day. The son immediately turned Katun to the northeast. The woodpecker hurried towards Sartakpai.

Illustrious hero, your son was mistaken: he began to lead the river to the west, but now he has turned it to the east. In three days he will be here.

Nice woodpecker,” said Sartakpai, “you respected my request.” For this I will teach you how to always be well-fed. Don’t look for worms in the ground, don’t climb tree branches for midges, but, clinging to the trunk with your claws, hit the bark with your beak and shout: “Kiuk-kiuk! Karaty Khan's son is celebrating his wedding, kiuk! Wear a yellow silk fur coat and a black beaver hat. Hurry, hurry! Karaty Khan’s son is inviting you to his wedding!”

And all the worms, insects, and midges will immediately run out from under the bark into the light.

From then until now, the woodpecker feeds the way old Sartakpai taught him.

While waiting for his son, Sartakpai held his index finger in the Artybash valley for three days. During this time, Lake Teletskoe flowed under his finger. The father led the Biya River from Lake Teletskoye, and the son Aduchi quickly fled, leading the Katun. He was not one step behind his mighty father. Together, in an instant, both rivers, Biya and Katun, merged into the wide Ob. And this river carried the waters of Altai to the distant Arctic Ocean.

Aduchi-Mergen stood proud and happy.

Son,” said Sartakpai, “you brought Katun quickly, but I want to see if you drove it well and conveniently for people.”

And the old man went from the Ob up the Katun. Aduchi-Mergen walked behind, and his knees bent with fear. So the father stepped over the Chemal River and approached Mount Sogondu-Tuu. His face darkened. The eyebrows completely covered the eyes.

Oh, shame, shame, Aduchi-Mergen, son! Why did you force Katun to make a turn here? People won't thank you for this. You did it wrong, son!

Father,” Aduchi replies, “I could not split Sogondu-Tuu.” I didn’t even have the strength to draw a furrow along its ridges.

Then old man Sartakpai took his iron bow from his shoulder, pulled the string and shot a triangular arrow cast from copper.

Sogondu-Tuu split in two. One piece fell below the Chemala River, and the Beshpek pine forest immediately grew on it. The other half of Sogondu-Tuu still stands above the Katun. And people still praise old man Sartakpai for the fact that he led the road straight, like the trail of an arrow.

How will people travel from one bank to the other, son?

At the very mouth of the Choba, the hero Sartakpai sat down on a stone and thought deeply.

Here, my son,” he said, “is exactly the middle of the river.” It will be necessary to build a big bridge here.

Young Aduchi-Mergen said nothing. He was very tired and stood swaying from side to side like tall grass.

Go and rest, dear,” Sartakpai allowed, “just don’t you dare sleep, and out of respect for my work, let your wife Oymok stay awake.”

Really, father, won't you sleep all night?

When you do a great deed, sleep does not dare to come,” answered Sartakpai.
He began to collect piles of stones in the hem of his fur coat. Sartakpai worked all day without rest. And when it got dark, he didn’t want to rest either.

Katun ran like crazy. The wind bent the trees. Black clouds smoked in the sky. They swam menacingly towards each other. And a small cloud, flying into a large one, struck a bright lightning bolt. Sartakpai raised his hand, caught the lightning and inserted it into the split fir trunk. In the light of the captured lightning, Sartakpai began to build a bridge. He drove stone into stone, and the stones obediently stuck to one another. There are no more than fifteen kulashes left to lay to that shore (kulash is a measure of length, a fly fathom). And then the bridge collapsed.

Sartakpai roared like a bear, threw stones from the hem of his fur coat, and they, rattling, woke up from the mouth of Choba to the mouth of Edigan.

Aduchi’s son woke up from a terrible roar, and Oymok’s daughter-in-law opened her eyes. Frightened by Sartakpai's anger, they turned into gray geese and flew up the Chuya River. Sartakpai threw a stone after them. This stone fell on the Kurai steppe and still lies there.

Son Aduchi and daughter-in-law Oimok remained geese forever. Lonely and sad, Sartakpai mounted his horse and returned to the mouth of the Inya. His native village had long since crumbled. Sartakpai unsaddled his horse, threw a hundred-pound kedim onto a large stone and, so that it would dry quickly, turned the stone towards the sun, and he sat down next to him and died.

Here ends the song about Sartakpay the builder, about Sartakpay the master of lightning, about Sartakpay the hero.

When does the golden cuckoo start calling?

And how does time appear, is born according to the ideas of the ancient Altaians? Very clear and very simple: when the golden cuckoo begins to crow in the branches of the world tree.

According to researchers, its cuckooing creates the measure and rhythm of the passage of time. The voice of the cuckoo heralds the end of the winter timelessness and, along with the first thunder, is considered a sound signal, the beginning of spring. Interestingly, March and April are called the “month of the cuckoo.” The spring period - from March 14 to June 22 - is characterized by the “growing up” of leaves and the singing of cuckoos. In Altai, these birds also predict the fate of a person. And sometimes in a very exotic way: for example, if a cuckoo crows on a thawed forest (the buds of which have not blossomed) - this means that thieves will have no luck in the coming year!

The cuckoo creates time, but the time of Altai is not uniform: winter and summer are stable and stable, but spring and autumn are changeable and fickle. This variability is very important, because that is why spring and autumn are “transitional times”, revealing the Upper and Lower worlds of spirits to the world of people. This is the time of shamans, prayers and sacrifices. In the spring, shamans make sacrifices to the powerful deities of the Upper World. For example, prayer to Ulgen is carried out in a birch forest. And, interestingly, the sacrifice to this deity may not take place in the form of something terrible, bloody, but quite, so to speak, in a civilized manner: a stallion is set free. Such a horse is considered inviolable. Beautiful ribbons are woven into his mane like identification marks.

Researchers of Altai myths call spring and autumn an ​​open, probabilistic time. Weather instability, sharp temperature fluctuations and changes in wildlife indicate instability, and therefore the possibility of transition between worlds.

The static nature and immutability of the summer and winter months are expressed in the folk calendar: they are all called in one word “Tungushai”, that is, “closed”, “closed”, “without exit” months. These months are closed for the activities of shamans. Even tambourines are prohibited from being made in winter or summer. The tambourine was made in spring or autumn. And it was at this time that the most important rituals of shamanism were performed.

Who are the Altai people or, as they are also called, “Altai-Kizhi”? Literal translation: man of Altai.

These are the people in Russia, the indigenous population of the Altai Republic, Altai Territory, Kemerovo Region. The number in Russia is 67 thousand people, including in the Altai Republic - 59 thousand. Altaians also live in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The language is Altai (Turkic group of the Altai family). There are dialects. Russian is widely spoken. The Altai people have had a written language since the 19th century based on Russian graphics. In 1923, a literary language also emerged. Proverbs were the first to be translated from Altai into Russian. For as Altai folk wisdom says: “There is no truth in verbosity, there is no lie in proverbs.” Here are a few Altai proverbs to check.

The bird itself flies to the happy hunter.

Instead of praising yourself, it is better to praise your horse.

A bad man walks.

Or here’s a whole life program in one sentence: “If you move forward, you will overcome mountains, but if you sit still, you will see nothing but your hole.”

In many ways, they have been preserved by modern bearers of ethnic culture. They are inseparable from each other and are directly related to the spiritual culture and beliefs of people. Altai carefully preserves them, changing and improving them, nourishing the spiritual life of the peoples living here until the present day. All the peoples of the Altai Mountains have their own and unique ethnic culture, have a special view of the world, nature and their place in this world.

The spiritual culture of the Altai people, descendants of the ancient Turkic ethnic group, occupies a worthy and fundamental place among the traditional cultures represented in Altai. During a long historical development it has absorbed many of the spiritual and moral traditions of the peoples of Central Asia.

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The cult of Altai occupies one of the central places in the worldview of the Altai people.

According to this worldview, there is an eezi (master) of Altai. The Master of Altai is a deity who patronizes all those living in Altai. He lives on the sacred mountain Uch-Sumer and has the image of an old man in white clothes. Seeing it in a dream is considered a harbinger of good luck for a person. During prayers one can know or feel his invisible presence. He has the right to give life on earth, preserving and developing it. Ask an Altai “Who is your god” and he will answer “Mening kudayim agashtash, ar-butken, Altai”, which means “My god is stone, tree, nature, Altai.” The veneration of the eezi of Altai is manifested through the ritual “kyira buular” - tying ribbons at passes, oboo and pronouncing good wishes (alkyshi) for one’s family, a safe road, protection from illnesses and misfortunes. Alkysh have protective and magical powers.

The territory of the Altai Mountains is replete with rivers, lakes, and springs. According to the traditional worldview, spirits live in mountains, water sources, valleys and forests. Spirits of water sources, like mountains, can be deities of celestial origin. In case of non-compliance special rules behavior near these sources can pose a threat to human life. The water of the Altai Mountains has truly healing properties for curing many diseases. Mainly, healing springs – arzhans – are endowed with such properties. According to indigenous people, the water in such springs is sacred and can bestow immortality. You cannot go to the source without a guide who not only knows the way to it, but also has experience in healing practice. The timing of visiting Arzhan is important. According to the beliefs of the Altai people, mountain lakes are the favorite place of mountain spirits. People can rarely enter there, and therefore it is clean.

Each clan has its own sacred mountain. The mountain is considered as a kind of repository of life substance, the sacred center of the clan. Women are forbidden to be near the revered ancestral mountains with their heads naked or barefoot, to climb it and to say its name out loud. It should be noted that women have a special status in Altai culture. According to ancient ideas, a woman is a precious vessel, thanks to which the family grows. This implies the extent of a man’s responsibility for a woman. A man is a hunter, a warrior, and a woman is a keeper of the hearth, a mother and a teacher.
The manifestation of the sacredness of the surrounding world today can also be seen in relation to objects of the material world, in family and marriage rituals, ethics and morality of the Altai people. This served to create taboos in behavior, customs and traditions. Violation of such a prohibition brings punishment to a person. A feature of the traditional culture of the Altai people is a deep understanding of many phenomena. The housing space is also organized in accordance with the laws of space. The Altai ail is strictly divided into female (right) and male (left) halves. In accordance with this, certain rules have been established for receiving guests in the village. A certain place is occupied by a distinguished guest, women and youth. The center of the yurt is considered to be a hearth - a container for fire. Altai people treat fire with special respect and regularly “feed” it. They sprinkle milk and araka, throw in pieces of meat, fat, etc. It is completely unacceptable to step over the fire, throw garbage into it, or spit into the fire.
The Altai people observe their own customs at the birth of a child, marriage, and others. The birth of a child is celebrated festively in the family. Young cattle or sheep are slaughtered. The wedding ceremony takes place according to special canons. The newlyweds pour fat into the fire, throw in a pinch of tea and dedicate the first drops of araki to the fire. Above the village where the first wedding day on the groom’s side takes place, you can still see the branches of the iconic birch tree. The second day of the wedding is held on the bride's side, and is called Belkenchek - bride's day. Altaians perform two rituals at a wedding: traditional and official, secular.

Altaians are very hospitable and welcoming

By tradition, rules of behavior in everyday life, receiving guests, and observing family relationships are passed down. For example, how to serve arrack in a bowl to a guest, a smoking pipe. There is a custom to welcome a guest kindly, serve him milk or chegen (fermented milk), and invite him to tea. The father is considered the head of the family. Boys in an Altai family are always with their father. He teaches them how to care for livestock, do yard work, and teach them how to hunt, as well as the ability to cut up prey. From early childhood, a boy's father gives his son a horse. The horse becomes not only a means of transportation, but a member of the family, an assistant in the household and a friend of the owner. In the old days, in Altai villages they asked, “Who saw the owner of this horse?” At the same time, only the color of the horse was called, and not the name of the owner. Traditionally younger son must live with his parents and see them off on their last journey. Girls learn to do housework, cook food from dairy products, sew, and knit. They comprehend the canons of ritual and ritual culture, the guardian and creator of the future family. The ethics of communication have also been developed over centuries. Children are taught to address everyone as “you.” This is due to the belief of the Altai people that a person has two patron spirits: the Heavenly spirit, which is connected with Heaven, and the second is the spirit of the ancestor, connected with the Lower World.
Legends and heroic tales were transmitted orally in the spiritual culture of the Altai by storytellers (kaichi). Epic legends are narrated in a special way, through throat singing (kai). The execution could take several days, which indicates the unusual power and abilities of the kaichi voice. Kai for the Altai people is a prayer, a sacred action. And the storytellers enjoy enormous authority. In Altai there is a tradition of kaichi competitions; they are also invited to various holidays and weddings.
For the Altai people, Altai is alive, it feeds and clothes, gives life and happiness. It is an inexhaustible source of human well-being, it is the strength and beauty of the Earth. Modern residents of Altai have preserved a considerable part of the traditions of their ancestors. This concerns, first of all, rural residents. Many traditions are currently being revived.

Throat singing Kai

The song culture of the Altai people goes back to ancient times. The songs of the Altai people are tales about heroes and their exploits, stories telling about hunting and meetings with spirits. The longest kai can last several days. Singing can be accompanied by playing topshur or yatakana - national musical instruments. Kai is considered a masculine art.

Altai komus is a type of jew's harp, a reed musical instrument. Under different names, a similar instrument is found among many peoples of the world. In Russia, this instrument is found in Yakutia and Tuva (khomus), Bashkiria (kubyz) and Altai (komus). When playing, the comus is pressed to the lips, and the oral cavity serves as a resonator. Using a variety of breathing techniques and articulation, you can change the nature of the sound, creating magical melodies. The comus is considered a woman's instrument.

Currently, komus is a popular Altai souvenir.

From time immemorial, on passes and near springs, as a sign of worship to Altaidyn eezi - the owner of Altai, kyira (dyalama) - white ribbons - are tied. White ribbons fluttering on the trees and stones stacked in slides - oboo tash - always attracted the attention of guests. And if a guest wants to tie a ribbon to a tree or place stones on a pass, he must know why and how this is done.

The ritual of tying a kyir or dialam (depending on how the inhabitants of a particular area are used to calling them) is one of the most ancient rituals. Kyira (dyalama) is tied at passes, near springs, in places where archyn (juniper) grows.

There are certain rules that every kira (dyalama) tyer must follow. A person must be clean. This means that there should be no deceased among his relatives and family members during the year. The kyira (dyalama) can be tied in the same place once a year. The kyira ribbon should only be made of new fabric, 4-5 cm wide, 80 cm to 1 meter long and should be tied in pairs. The kyira is tied to a tree branch on the eastern side. The tree can be birch, larch, cedar. It is prohibited to tie it to a pine or spruce tree.

They usually tie a white ribbon. But you can have blue, yellow, pink, green. At the same time, ribbons of all colors are tied at prayers. Each color of kyir has its own purpose. White color– the color of Arzhan Suu – healing springs, the color of white milk that nourished the human race. Yellow- symbol of the sun, moon. Pink color is a symbol of fire. Blue color is a symbol of the sky and stars. Green color– the color of nature, sacred plants archyn (juniper) and cedar.

A person mentally turns to nature, to the Burkans through alkyshi-good wishes and asks for peace, health, prosperity for his children, relatives and the people as a whole. On passes, mainly where there are no trees, you can put stones on the oboo tash as a sign of worship to Altai. A traveler passing through the pass asks the Master of Altai for a blessing and a happy journey.

Traditional methods of farming and the basics of life that have survived to this day in many regions of the Altai Mountains make Altai attractive from the point of view of cultural and ethnographic tourism. Living in close proximity to the territory of several ethnic groups with diverse and colorful cultures contributes to the formation of a rich mosaic of traditional cultural landscapes in Altai.

This fact, along with the unique natural diversity and aesthetic appeal, is the most important factor determining the attractiveness of the Altai Mountains for tourists. Here you can still see in a “living environment” solid five-walled huts, polygonal ails and felt yurts, crane wells and chaka hitching posts.

The ethnographic direction of tourism becomes especially relevant in Lately, which is facilitated by the revival of traditions, including those associated with shamanistic customs and Burkhanist rituals. In 1988, the biennial theatrical and play festival “El-Oyyn” was established, attracting a huge number of participants and spectators from all over the republic and from beyond its borders, including from far abroad.
If you are seriously interested in the traditions and culture of the Altai people, then you should definitely visit the village of Mendur-Sokkon, where the collector of Altai antiquities I. Shadoev lives, and there is a unique museum created by his hands.

Cuisine of the peoples of Altai

The main occupation of the population of Altai was cattle breeding. In the summer, people grazed their herds in the foothills and alpine meadows, and in the winter they went to the mountain valleys. Horse breeding was of primary importance. Sheep, and in smaller quantities cows, goats, yaks, and poultry were also bred. Hunting was also an important industry. Therefore, it is not surprising that meat and milk occupy a preferred place in the national Altai cuisine. In addition to soup - kocho and boiled meat, Altaians make dorgom - sausage from lamb intestines, kerzech, kan (blood sausage) and other dishes.
Altai people prepare a wide variety of dishes from milk, including moonshine from milk - araku. Sour cheese - kurut, is also made from milk and can be tasted among the Altai people.
Everyone knows about the favorite dish of the Altai people - tea with talkan. But how many people know that preparing talkan is a real ritual and that it is prepared exactly as Herodotus described, on stone grain grinders.
You can make the sweet tok-chok from talkan with pine nuts and honey. Talkan, like semolina, gives weight to children, it makes them gain weight, but there are no problems with the child’s reluctance to eat it or diathesis. A child accustomed to a talkan never forgets it. In an Altai home, it is customary to first of all treat the guest to chegen, a drink like kefir.
And of course, anyone who has tried hot kaltyr (flatbread), teertpek (bread baked in ash) and boorsok (balls boiled in fat) will never forget their taste.
Altaians drink tea with salt and milk. Ulagan Altaians (Teleuts, Bayats) also add butter and talkan to their tea.

Dairy dishes

Chegen
Old chegen - 100 g, milk - 1 liter.
Chegen is sour milk, fermented not from raw milk, but from boiled milk with sourdough - the previous chegen at the rate of 100 g per 1 liter of milk. The initial starter was sapwood (the outer part of the young willow grass), which was dried and allowed to stand in the smoke. Before fermenting, the old chegen is stirred well in a clean bowl, then warm boiled milk is poured in and stirred thoroughly. Prepare and store in a special container with a tight lid - a 30-40 liter barrel, it is thoroughly washed, poured with boiling water and fumigated for 2-2.5 hours. For fumigation, rot of healthy larch and bird cherry branches are used. To ripen, chegen is placed in a warm place for 8-10 hours to prevent peroxidation. Combine the milk, cream and starter, mix thoroughly for 5 minutes, and beat every 2-3 hours. Good chegen has a dense, grain-free consistency and a pleasant, refreshing taste. Chegen itself serves as a semi-finished product for aarcha and kurut.
Aarchi- good chegen, dense, homogeneous, not over-acidified, without grains, put on the fire, bring to a boil. Boil for 1.5-2 hours, cool and filter through a linen bag. The mass in the bag is placed under pressure. The result is a dense, tender mass.
Kurut— the aarchi is taken out of the bag, placed on the table, cut into layers with a thick thread and placed to dry on a special grill over the fire. After 3-4 hours the kurut is ready.
Byshtak— pour chegen into warm whole milk in a 1:2 ratio and bring to a boil. The mass is filtered through a gauze bag, placed under pressure, after 1-2 hours the byshtak is removed from the bag and cut into slices. The product is very nutritious, reminiscent of curd mass. It is especially tasty if you add honey and kaymak (sour cream).
Kaymak- Boil 1 liter of whole milk for 3-4 minutes and place in a cool place without shaking. After a day, skim off the foam and cream - kaymak. The remaining skim milk is used for soups and cooking chegen.
Edigey- for 1 liter of milk 150-200 chegen. They prepare it like byshtak, but the mass is not freed from the liquid part, but is boiled until the liquid has completely evaporated. The resulting grains are golden in color, slightly crunchy, and taste sweet.
Who's dairy- Place barley or pearl barley into boiling water and cook until almost done, then drain the water and add milk. Add salt and bring until done.

Flour dishes

Borsook
3 cups flour, 1 cup chegen, curdled milk or sour cream, 3 eggs, 70 g butter or margarine, 1/2 tsp. soda and salt.
Roll the dough into balls and fry in fat until golden brown. The fat is allowed to drain and poured over with heated honey.
Teertnek - Altai national bread

— 2 cups flour, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp. spoon of sugar, 50 g butter, salt.
Grind the eggs with salt, a tablespoon of sugar, 50 g of butter, knead into a stiff dough and leave for 15-20 minutes, then divide.
Teertnek - Altai national bread (second method)

— 2 cups flour, 2 cups yogurt, butter 1 tbsp. l, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp soda, salt.
Knead a stiff dough by adding yogurt, butter, 1 egg, soda and salt to the flour. The flatbreads are fried in a frying pan in a small amount of fat. Previously, housewives baked them directly on the ground, in hot ashes after a fire, removing only round coals.

Meat dishes

Kahn
Kan - blood sausage. After careful initial processing, the intestines are turned out so that the fat is inside. The blood is stirred well and added to the milk. The blood takes on a soft pink color. Then add garlic, onion, internal lamb fat, and salt to taste. Mix everything well and pour it into the intestine, tie both ends tightly, lower it into water, and cook for 40 minutes. Readiness is determined by piercing with a thin splinter or needle. If liquid appears at the puncture site, you're done. Without allowing it to cool, serve.
Kocho (meat soup with cereals)
For 4 servings - 1 kg of lamb shoulder, 300 g of barley, fresh or dried wild onions and garlic to taste, salt.
Chop the meat and bones into large pieces, place in a cauldron or saucepan with a thick bottom, and fill with cold water to the top. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off foam. Then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours. Add barley 30 minutes before the end of cooking. Place the greens in the soup that has already been removed from the heat. Add salt to taste. Kocho tastes better if you let it sit for 3-4 hours. Before serving, separate the meat from the bones and cut into medium-sized pieces. Serve the broth with cereal in bowls, and place the heated meat on a dish. Serve kaymak or sour cream separately.

Sweets and tea

Tok-chok
Pine nuts are fried in a cauldron or in a frying pan, the shells burst. Cool, release the nucleoli. The peeled kernels along with crushed barley grains are pounded in a mortar (bowl). Honey is added to the cedar plank-colored mixture and given the shape of animals. Barley and nut kernels are added 2:1.
Altai style tea
150 g boiling water, 3-5 g dry tea, 30-50 g cream, salt to taste.
Serve either separately - salt, cream are placed on the table and, to taste, placed in bowls with freshly brewed tea; or all the fillings are put into the kettle at the same time, brewed and served.
Tea with talkan
2 tbsp. l. butter, 1/2 tbsp. talkana.
Pour ready-made fresh tea with milk and serve in bowls. Add salt to taste. Previously, bergenia leaves, raspberries, and sorrel berries were used as tea leaves.
Talkan
Talkan is prepared like this: charak is crushed between two stones (basnak) and winnowed through a fan.
Charak
Charak - 1 kg of peeled barley is fried until light brown, pound in a mortar, winnow through a fan, pound again to completely remove scales, winnow again.

Come to Altai to admire its magical beauty, get acquainted with the culture of the people living in these extraordinary lands and enjoy the national cuisine of the Altai people!

You can learn more about the nature of Altai