Tatars appearance character. What is the character of the Tatars? The main features of representatives of this ethnic group

They appeared as a separate nation approximately in the 15th century. Before this, various tribes and peoples lived on the territory of the peninsula, from which this nationality was formed. Now the appearance of the Tatars barely resembles what it was 500 years ago. Moreover, people living in different countries and regions are completely different from each other.

Representatives of this nation live mainly in the south of Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Uzbekistan (where they were deported en masse from Crimea in the middle of the last century). In connection with this resettlement, the Crimean Tatars (whose appearance at that time was mostly close to the Slavic) were forced to live side by side with Asian peoples, as a result of which many national characteristics were lost.

Now, after returning to their historical homeland (at the end of the last century they began to return to Crimea), these people are trying to revive their traditions. But not only cultural and historical values ​​were lost in exile, the appearance of the Tatars also changed. “Pure-blooded” representatives of this nation are those with light (often blond or red) hair, light eyes and skin. However, having mixed with the Uzbeks and other representatives of eastern peoples, many Tatars became dark-skinned, brown-eyed, with dark hair and a characteristic Asian appearance.

Despite this outward difference, life away from home did not lead to significant internal strife. Now, like decades ago, Crimean Tatars try to live together, children in families are raised taking into account traditional morality and religion (most of them profess Islam), mutual assistance and support.

Despite the fact that Tatar youth do not observe some rituals and are increasingly similar in behavior to Europeans, the main traditions (respect for elders, holidays, weddings and some other events) still retain their originality. Of course, the appearance of Tatars now differs little from the appearance of representatives of other nationalities: women do not wear clothes, despite belonging to Islam, they allow themselves to use cosmetics, wear revealing outfits and attend various events alone (which was absolutely unacceptable just a few decades ago).

But all this mainly concerns residents of large cities; in remote settlements and the outback of the Crimean steppes, many people live completely differently than in the city, including the Tatars. The appearance (of a man, a woman, a child) is more reminiscent of those representatives of the nation who lived in the last century. Girls behave more modestly, children behave more obediently. In many villages, all traditions are observed with pinpoint precision, including fasting and holidays, weddings and funerals.

From a geographical point of view, representatives of this people are divided into mountain-foothill (Tatlar), steppe (Nogai) and south-coast (Bolyu). The appearance of the Tatars also depends on this affiliation. Thus, Nogai have a more pronounced Asian dense physique and short stature. The Tatlars are more similar to the Slavs - they are light-skinned and tall. As for the Boylu, they are, as a rule, dark-skinned, but taller than the Nogais and Tatlars, their facial features are more pleasant, although large. Currently, representatives of all three directions are so mixed that a clear boundary between them no longer exists.

Today, Tatars are treated differently. On the one hand, they are admired, because it was they, together with their brothers the Mongols, who managed to conquer a good half (if not more) of the Old World. On the other hand, they are not treated very friendly, because there is an opinion that the character of the Tatars is far from ideal. warlike, brave, cunning and to a certain extent cruel. But the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

The character of the Tatars was largely determined by the conditions in which they lived. Nomads, as you know, were hardy people, strong and brave. They could easily adapt not only to any weather conditions, but also to any life situations. But the Tatars always remained faithful to their national traditions; the life of the community was led by smart people in accordance with ancient traditions.

What kind of character do the Tatars really have? People who are closely acquainted with these people note that their main qualities are perseverance and hard work. Tatar families always have many children. An interesting fact is that they believe that a sick woman can recover when she gives birth to another baby. Family is the most important thing for a Tatar; he treats his half with reverence. There are quite few divorces among people of this nationality. They also live very friendly, always support each other, which is a rarity for Western peoples today.

Despite the fact that the character of the Tatars as a whole includes such qualities as honesty and kindness, there are traitors, scoundrels, and cowards among them. As they say, there are black sheep everywhere. The struggle for survival in conditions of nomadic life gave rise to a certain envy, ambition, and cunning in the hearts of the representatives of this people. Tatars are quite prudent, have a bright and quick mind, but also hot heads. However, they always think carefully before saying anything out of anger. Since ancient times, the Tatars have been engaged in trade affairs, so they are still doing well in this business today. And trade itself requires chastity, resourcefulness and cunning from a person. The interesting thing is that they were not serfs. They lived according to their own rules and laws, and the landowners did not exist at the expense of the labor of ordinary peasants.

The character of the Tatars is special, as is their worldview, philosophy, culture and language. But there is another distinctive feature of the people - the national cuisine, about which there are legends. Simple, nutritious, healthy food personifies the hospitality of the Tatar people. The traveler was always offered hot dishes - meat, dairy and lean. As a rule, hot food with flour dressing is always present on the table. There are festive and ritual dishes, for example, dumplings and broth, chicken stuffed with eggs. Pilaf with boiled meat and amazing and varied pastries are considered almost classics. Bread is considered sacred.

Despite the fact that the people profess Islam, male Tatars have a rather friendly character. In principle, a Tatar has almost the same qualities that are characteristic of a Russian person, so girls should not be afraid if their chosen one belongs to this ethnic group.

At one of the press conferences, the question of national character once arose: does such a concept exist in principle or was it invented by journalists? Then a young employee of a popular metropolitan publication stood up and answered: “I won’t say about others, but we Tatars definitely have a national character - we Tatars would just give it away.”

However, it is very difficult to find a person who would refuse freebies, so this is probably not the main feature of the Tatar ethnic group. What then are the main ones? Let's try to find them.

1. Red, red, freckled

Tatars are considered to be brunettes with large dark eyes. However, the people have long and firmly assimilated with the Slavs, and therefore among their representatives there are blonds, brown-haired people, and freckled redheads. Dark skin, high cheekbones, and narrow eyes are also not required. In addition, there are Crimean, Ural, Volga-Siberian, South Kama Tatars, who are quite different from each other. So unless you are a professional anthropologist, you are unlikely to identify a Tatar by his eyes, nose or lip shape.

2. A beard does not keep you warm in cold weather.

Tatars wear beards extremely rarely, apparently imitating in this the Finno-Ugric peoples, with whom they also historically merged.

3. Fatima, Gulchatai, Reseda...

Tatars are Muslims, but polygamy is not common among them. It is extremely rare for a Tatar to even have two wives. Only if the first wife, having reached old age, finds it difficult to take care of the house and children, does she take a second one - younger and stronger. And he tests the bride like this: he watches how she cuts homemade noodles and bread, the thinner the better, she will be an economical housewife.

4. All in work

If the Germans are, first of all, punctual, the Russians are reckless, then the Tatars are hard-working. They do well in trade and crafts. The famous 19th century historian Nikolai Nikolsky wrote in his “Ethnic Albums”: “It’s hard to imagine a Tatar at home even on Muslim holidays; he certainly stands near his shop or shop and talks with neighbors and passersby. Trade among the Tatars is better than among the Russians ".

5. Finger lickin' good!

Are you saying that you don’t like Tatar cuisine? You just haven't tried it! It is delicious, but for some reason little known. Only chak-chak and azu in Tatar are popular everywhere. Of course, kalyk - dried horse meat is difficult to find today, but prepare belish with meat, potato, or cottage cheese filling, kystyby with millet porridge or peremyach with carrots or beets, you definitely won’t regret it!

6. You don’t drink tea, where do you get your strength?

Tea in Tatarstan is a favorite national drink. Without him, not a single meeting takes place, not a single conversation begins. They start the day with “irtenge chay” - morning tea. "Cheyge chakyru" is an ancient custom of inviting people to tea. “After tea there is summer in the soul,” says a popular proverb.

7. B we all came from the Tatars

The Tatars are confident that most great people belong to their people. Yes, you can’t argue often: Rachmaninov, Aksakov, Tyutchev, Karamzin, Sheremetyev are surnames of Tatar origin. And in the recently released film “Secrets of the Moscow Tatars” it is stated that even Minin and Pozharsky had Tatar roots in their family.

8. Even if a man falls, he will find the money.

This is what the Tatar proverb says. The people are distinguished by thrift and thrift. A Tatar will definitely build himself a good, comfortable house and create a strong economy. There are few millionaires among the Tatars, but there are practically no poor people either; they are mostly wealthy, prosperous people who know how to wisely manage even small funds.

9. Kulmek, yshtan, and skullcap

The basis of the national Tatar costume is a loose tunic-like shirt (kulmek), wide trousers (yshtan) and an indispensable skullcap. Even men have always preferred bright, oriental fabrics with intricate patterns. And the skullcap was not removed either at home or on the street; on cold days, a cap or felt hat was worn directly over it.

10. There are many of us!

The Tatars are the second largest people in our country, after the Russians. There are, according to the latest census of 2010. a little more than 5 million, and therefore they are rightfully considered a constituent nation of the state. They have lived next to us for many centuries, so let their friendship only grow stronger!

And here is what famous representatives of the Tatar people think about themselves.

Nail Nabiullin, Chairman of the Union of Tatar Youth "Azatlyk"

A modern Tatar man knows several languages ​​perfectly: Russian, English, of course, Tatar. Strives to learn Turkic languages: Turkish, Kazakh. He is always ready to help those in need. He is a Muslim who necessarily knows the basic canons of Islam. Loves himself, his family, his relatives. As a state-forming nation, the Tatars are responsible for our entire country, and not just for themselves.

A true Tatar is a loving father of many children; he strives to give his sons and daughters a good education, and he himself constantly improves spiritually.

Unfortunately, globalization is making itself felt, and he does not wear national clothes every day, but he strives to do so. At a minimum, on holidays he wears a skullcap to emphasize his national identity. I wear a skullcap every day. And for special occasions I have a national costume. However, even when I dress in a European style, I strive for at least some ethnic element, albeit small, to be present in the costume.

And a Tatar is, at a minimum, a wealthy person.

Rais Suleymanov, researcher at the Volga Center for Regional and Ethno-Religious Studies (RISS):

A modern Tatar man is a secular person, predominantly a city dweller, fluent in Russian, as a rule, he wears European clothes, and perceives Russian culture not as someone else’s, but as his own. Can easily integrate with Russians, even to the point of marriage. There is no Caucasian expression in him, he is calm and peaceful. He strives to become a wealthy person, material wealth is important to him, but he is not a hoarder.

Evgenia Keda

I quote I:

By N the Tatars you have old information. The sample is small, in fact, Tatars have a much larger N, this can be seen from the tests.
Someone lied to you about the Z93 too. The Polish-Lithuanian "Tatars" have this snip. This is a small nation of several tens of thousands of people, sent at one time from the Western Horde to help the Mongol troops. You understand that these are not Tatars, it is incorrect to refer to them.
The Kazan Tatars do not have Z93, but Baltic snips. You can check this on FTDNA. There is one single Z93 from Mishar in Bashkiria, but this does not mean anything. Your neighbors are Bashkirs and all Z93.
The table above does not even include J, E, although the Tatars have a lot of them according to the latest data.
But J, E, N were not found in the Scythian-Sarmatian bones.
Forget about phenotypes, it's irrelevant.

1. If there are Baltic snips, it is most likely from the Balts of the Imenkovo ​​culture.

2. Anthropology is relevant. She first of all says that the Tatars are racially different from the Finno-Ugric peoples and Russians. The predominance of Pontids already speaks for itself.

3. Among the Tatars, non-European SNPs R1a predominate:

Z93+ and L342.2+ If there is other information, post the link. I'll take a look.

4. There is a DNA project on the tatforum. According to it, it turns out that R1a Tatars by haplotypes have nothing in common with Finno-Ugrians and Russians: www.tatforum.info/forum/index.php?showtopic=6803&st=520
___________________

There is official anthropology. After all, there are eyes. Although crack - the Tatars are basically not Finno-Ugrians, not Balts and not Russians, but Pontids (Northern Iranians).

What are you trying to prove to me?

As for the Mishars - the Finno-Ugrians are generally funny.))) They have completely pronounced Pontids + the nomadic tradition has not been lost. At the same time, they differ sharply from the Russians and surrounding Finnish peoples. If anything, the ancient Finnish Meshchera had an Upper Oka type. Steppe Mishar is from the Scythians:

*News of the Society of Archaeology, History and Ethnography at the Imperial Kazan University. - Kazan, 1903
//. Legends and historical data about the Mishars. Gainetdin Akhmerov.

The Mishars call themselves Tatars, and consider the name “Mishar” to be an offensive expression towards themselves. To the question “Mishar”? often respond with swear words with the addition of the consonant verb “tishar” (will pierce, pierce), while other foreigners, for example, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, speaking about their nationality “without Bashkort” (we are Bashkirs), “without Cossacks” (we are Kyrgyz), They hit their chest with their hands as a sign of pride. The Kazan Tatars, calling themselves Muslims by faith or Bulgars by origin, do not respect the name “Tatar” for themselves.
Mishari, although everyone is engaged in agriculture, everywhere they show a penchant for cattle breeding; they raise a lot of livestock, especially sheep. The Tatars living in the neighborhood of the Mishars do not have such a penchant for cattle breeding.
In the provinces of Simbirsk and Samara, the Mishars trade in sheep, each horse dealer has his own herd grazing.
In the fall, Mishar traders rent winter fields from neighboring landowners, where they graze their sheep until winter; They don’t have enough fields of their own for this. The Mishars are not particularly inclined towards poultry farming; they have few domestic birds at all. They don’t even have their own names for some domestic birds, kuchat (Russian kochet) - rooster, silazane - drake, and among the Tatars, the rooster has been used since ancient times to determine the time and is often discussed in children’s fairy tales. Among the Tatars, Chuvash and other foreigners of the Volga region, poultry farming is an economic aid, especially chicken farming; for example, from the provinces of Kazan and Vyatka they send a lot of eggs to St. Petersburg, Riga and from there abroad.
Beekeeping and hunting are also not familiar crafts for the Mishars, however, in Bashkiria the Mishars and their Murzas are partly engaged in falconry and riding wolves. They have special horses for this purpose, which are considered praiseworthy.
In the past, the Mishars of the Nizhny Novgorod and Simbirsk provinces kept tame bears, which is why the Tatars often call them “ayuchy” (leader bear).
The Mishars began to engage in trade, mainly peddling, only recently, and then not everywhere, but only in some provinces, for example, Nizhny Novgorod, Simbirsk, Penza and Saratov and in the cities of Kasimov and Chistopol. There are many of them living in the capitals. In St. Petersburg they are known as robes, as they mostly sell old clothes. In Moscow they sell “knots” (that is, they carry their goods in a knot), lace and old clothes. In Nizhny Novgorod they serve in coarse mills and in various factories. In Kostroma, some of them are cab drivers, some of them serve on various ships, and there are also shipowners. In Astrakhan, the majority are cab drivers (immigrants from the provinces of Nizhny Novgorod and Penza).
There are a lot of Mishars who are farriers. In some villages of the Simbirsk province, Mishars are completely engaged in this trade. There are no farriers at all from the Kazan Tatars. Mishar farriers can be seen throughout Russia, except for the Kyrgyz steppes. In the summer of 1898, three Mishar teachers from the Karsun district of the Simbirsk province came to Kazan for teaching courses, one of whom brought a piece of Japanese fabric to sew a robe in Kazan. This material was purchased from farriers visiting Japan and China.
It turns out that Mishar farriers, going deep into Asia, end up in China and Japan, from where they bring various kinds of Asian fabrics and carpets, which are sold here as a rarity at high prices.
In the summer of 1899, the Mishars of the Karsun district of the Simbirsk province, visiting the Amur region, asked the government for access to Sakhalin Island, but this was not allowed to them.
In the provinces of Simbirsk, Samara and Kazan, the Mishars are also involved in horse stealing, and display remarkable courage, resourcefulness and patience. These are supposed to be the remnants of the former equestrian prowess. We see the same passion for horse stealing among the Kyrgyz and Kalmyks. In the west of Tsivilsky and Buinsky districts there are Mishar villages, the inhabitants of which are completely engaged in this shameful trade. Gangs of horse thieves are always well organized, if not from one village, then from several villages - two or three people each; They usually meet at bazaars and fairs. In the neighborhood of the Mishars, or simply due to a misunderstanding, this vice is attributed to the Kazan Tatars, while horse stealing is a very rare phenomenon among them. In the Vyatka province, where herds walk without a shepherd in fenced fields and forests, horse theft is also a rare occurrence.
Mishari have a special predilection for animal foods rather than plant foods. My favorite meats are lamb and horse meat sausage. Only old and emaciated horses are slaughtered; the foal is never slaughtered. But the Tatars, on the contrary, slaughter fat horses and often fatten them with stillage, where there are distilleries; A lot of small foals are cut to free the uterus during field work.

The Mishars do not have national Tatar holidays, such as Sabantuy (the holiday of the plow), Zein - summer entertainment holidays in May and June. However, in some places, due to Tatar influence, Sabantuy and the Mishars celebrate.
6 N-654

VII. About the suit.

The costume of the Mishars, both men and women, is the same Tatar, but they wear clothes of a more ancient form.
From the information delivered to E. A. Malov by Tatar S. A. regarding the uniform, the following is clear: “the clothes of the Mishars are like the clothes of old times, they have no new fashion.” Among the Kazan Tatars, the form often changes, as they are a trading people who have constant relations with various peoples. E. A. Malov says that the clothes of the Mishars are simple, of an ancient cut, and not the exquisite clothes of the Mohammedan form. E. A. noticed that the Mishars, like the Russians, have red or variegated shirts, that is, red and blue checkered patterns.
In some places (provinces of Penza, Tambov, Nizhny Novgorod and Simbirsk) a Russian-rural influence is noticeable on the men's costume of Mishars, for example, sometimes Mishars wear a Russian sheepskin coat, Russian hats, boots with wide tops or Russian bast shoes."
Among the Tatars, Russian urban influence has recently begun to be noticed on both men's and women's costumes.
The misharka's headband has a special shape, completely similar to the Kyrgyz one. First, they wrap the head in a veil (tastar), and tie a scarf over it, opening the ends at the back, like a turban. This feature of the headband of misharkas was also pointed out by E. A. Malov and Cheremshansky. I. N. Smirnov noticed that, due to the influence of the Mishars, Moksha women wear the same form of headdress.
Misharkas do not wear caps or hats; Tatar women often wear white felt hats during field work, and on holidays and when visiting they wear hats with a beaver band, sometimes decorated with braiding on top. However, the gaudy decoration of hats is already going out of fashion among the Tatars. The hat is given as a bride price from the groom, and is recorded in the metric number among other outfits.
The Misharkas have their own national camisole - a kind of outer dress with short skirts, sleeves up to the elbows, an open collar, and a pleated waist. The camisole is fastened with only one clasp, more of a silver one, the front edges only touching and not covering each other. We see exactly the same camisole among the Kirghiz and Nogai Tatars (in the provinces of Orenburg and Astrakhan). Tatar women also wear a camisole, but not like this, without folds and without sleeves, the collar is slightly open, the front edges cover each other. The Tatar camisole is usually warm (lined with fur), and is also given as a bridesmaid.
The Mishars wear knitted stockings, while the Tatars and Chuvashs wear cloth white stockings.
The Kostroma Mishars have nothing national left except the headband of women, who can only be distinguished from Russian women by this outfit.
The costume of the Mishars in the provinces of Orenburg and Ufa, judging by the descriptions of Cheremshansky, does not differ at all from the costume of the Bashkirs and Tatars of that region.

CONCLUSION ABOUT NATIONALITY AND ORIGIN.

Among Russian scientists, there is an opinion that the current Mishars or Meshcheryaks, as they are called in Russian literature, come from the Finnish Meshchera tribe, who lived on the Oka and its tributaries.
This assumption, based solely on the name "Mishar" and the disappearance of Meshchera, needs scientific verification. The literature about the Mishars is extremely poor; No one has studied the language and life of this people, which is why there are frequent errors and inaccuracies in the few available sources.
The bare name "Mishar", of course, is not enough to determine the nationality of this tribe, since neighboring peoples often give each other erroneous names, for example, the Kirghiz call the Bashkirs Ostyaks (istak), the Meadow Cheremis call the Tatars Chuvash (Suas), Votyaks they call them bigers (biger), the Chuvash call the Kirghiz nogai (nogai), and the Kirghiz themselves generally call the Volga Tatars by this name, the Altai Kalmyks call the Russians Cossacks (Cossack). The disappeared Meshchera tribe was of the same origin as the Mordovians, and in Russian chronicles it is constantly mentioned together with the Mordovians and Cheremis.
Mordovians, like other Volga Finns, have led a sedentary life since ancient times and from time immemorial have been engaged in arable farming, beekeeping, animal hunting and fishing.
The Mishars not only have no inclination towards these branches of the economy (except for agriculture), but there are absolutely no words in the language related to these industries. And their agriculture is in a much worse state than that of the Mordovians and other foreigners of the Volga region. The Mordovians, like other Finns, have no nomadic character at all, which is preserved quite fresh among the Mishars.
6* 163

If the assumption about the origin of the current Mishars from the Meshchera is considered reliable, then through the influence of which people could this Finnish tribe so quickly and completely become Tatarized? In the language of the Kazan Tatars, as the closest Turkic neighbors of Meshchera, we do not notice some phonetic features of the Mishar dialect and a lot of its words and Turkic archaisms, found only in the dialects of the Siberian Tatars, who never came into contact with Meshchera.
The question arises: due to what favorable circumstances were other neighbors and fellow tribesmen of the Meshchers (Mordovians and Cheremis) not subjected to the same fate and remaining, as it were, isolated from the Tatars? Meanwhile, the Mordvins (Moksha), still occupying their historical places (and in the region of Meshchera, as the name of the river - Moksha) shows, is a permanent neighbor of the Mishars in the provinces of Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Tambov, Simbirsk, etc. How can we explain, finally? the very type of Turkic among the current Mishars and where could they have so many Murzas and princes?
The Mishars consider themselves Tatars, the Kirghiz call them Nogai (Nogai), the Kazan Tatars claim that they are of Turkish origin; other foreigners and the Russian people call them Tatars indifferently.
The language and the names of populated places derived from it prove that they are a nomadic people of the Turkic race, who emerged from Central Asia at a relatively late time. Their own legends and some historical data say that these are fragments of the Golden Horde.
Personal names and surnames derived from them also serve to some extent as indicators of their Tatar origin.
By type, the Mishars belong to the Turkic race and are more similar, for example, to the Crimean Tatars and even the distant Yakuts.
Their occupations, morals and customs are nomadic in nature and are similar to those of the Kyrgyz.
The women's costume is of purely Asian origin and is completely similar to the Kyrgyz and Nogai.
The totality of all this data excludes the possibility of a Finnish origin of the current Mishars and serves as irrefutable evidence of their Turkic origin. I came to the deep conviction that these were representatives of a more numerous and once powerful tribe, precisely the descendants of those nomads of Asia who in the 13th century poured into Europe across the Ural River and established themselves on Akhtuba under the name of the Golden Horde. After the collapse of the last part of this tribe, led by Tsarevich Kasim, in the middle of the 15th century established itself on the Oka River and began to be called after the main city of Meshchera, where their leader Kasim settled. Another significant part, which wandered for a long time and was known under the general name Nogaits, after the conquest of the kingdoms of Kazan and Astrakhan, gradually established itself in the current provinces of Samara, Saratov, Simbirsk, Penza and the southern part of Kazan, when the region began to be populated by Russians. When the complete dominance of the Russians on the Volga was established, various circumstances forced the Mohammedan foreigners (Tatars and Mishars) to move to Bashkiria, where they live to this day. And also many Tatar princes and Murzas with their squads came out of the Horde into Russian service at various times. This entire element is currently called mishar.

VII. About the name Mishar.

Turkic tribes have a custom of calling themselves and their neighbors by the names of leaders (Uzbek, Nogai, Chagatai, etc.), or by the names of populated places. For example, the Turks generally call Russians by the name “Moskov”; the Volga Bulgars were also known by their main city. The Mishari of the Nizhny Novgorod province call the Tatars by the name “Kazan”, the Astrakhan Nogai call them “Kazan”. The Mishar Murzas in the Ufa province are known in Bashkiria under the name “Toman” as they came from Temnikov in the Tambov province. The Mishari of the Ryazan province generally call themselves “KaciM”, and the city of Kasimov is called “Kirman”.
In the cities of Moscow and Astrakhan there live many Mishars from the Nizhny Novgorod province, who are generally known under the name “Nizhny Novgorod,” as they call themselves. The city of Kasimov, before its occupation by the Tatars, was called “Meshchera”, as well as “Meshchera town”. The name of the ancestor of the new settlers (Kasim) gradually replaced the ancient name, which later passed on to the people who lived in it (and in its region). The Kazan Tatars imposed this name without distinction on all the Volga Tatars, who spoke one common dialect.

_____________________

Tell me what are you trying to prove to me and why?

That the Tatars are brothers to the Russians and Finno-Ugric peoples?

Tatars are the titular people of the Republic of Tatarstan, which is included in the Russian Federation. This is a Turkic ethnic group with many subethnic groups. Due to the widespread settlement in the regions of Russia and neighboring countries, they influenced their ethnogenesis, assimilating with the local population. Within the ethnic group there are several anthropological types of Tatars. Tatar culture is filled with national traditions that are unusual for Russians.

Where live

Approximately half (53% of the total) Tatars live in the Republic of Tatarstan. Others are settled throughout the rest of Russia. Representatives of the people live in the regions of Central Asia, the Far East, the Volga region, and Siberia. According to territorial and ethnic characteristics, the people are divided into 3 large groups:

1. Siberian
2. Astrakhan
3. Living in the Middle Volga region, the Urals.

The last group includes: Kazan Tatars, Mishars, Teptyars, Kryashens. Other subenos include:

1. Kasimov Tatars
2. Perm Tatars
3. Polish-Lithuanian Tatars
4. Chepetsk Tatars
5. Nagaibaki

Number

There are 8,000,000 Tatars in the world. Of these, about 5.5 million live in Russia and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. This is the second largest population after citizens of Russian nationality. At the same time, there are 2,000,000 people in Tatarstan, 1,000,000 in Bashkortostan. A small number moved to regions neighboring Russia:

• Uzbekistan - 320,000;
• Kazakhstan - 200,000;
• Ukraine - 73,000;
• Kyrgyzstan - 45,000.

A small number live in Romania, Turkey, Canada, USA, Poland.

Kazan - the capital of Tatarstan

Language

The state language of Tatarstan is Tatar. It belongs to the Volga-Kypchak subgroup of the Turkic branch of the Altai languages. Representatives of subethnic groups speak their own dialects. The closest are the speech features of the peoples of the Volga region and Siberia. Currently, Tatar writing is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Before this, the Latin alphabet was used, and in the Middle Ages the basis of writing was Arabic characters.

Religion

The vast majority of Tatars are Muslims professing Sunni Islam. There are also Orthodox Christians. A small part considers themselves atheists.

Name

The self-name of the nation is Tatarlar. There is no clear version of the origin of the term “Tatars”. There are several versions of the etymology of this word. The main ones:

1. Root tat, meaning "to experience", plus the suffix ar- “gaining experience, advisor.”
2. Derivative of tattoos- “peaceful, ally.”
3. In some dialects tat means "foreigner".
4. The Mongolian word Tatars means "poor speaker".

According to the last two versions, these words were used to call the Tatars by other tribes who did not understand their language, for whom they were foreigners.

Story

The first evidence of the existence of Tatar tribes was found in Turkic chronicles. Chinese sources also mention the Tatars as people who lived along the banks of the Amur. They date back to the 8th-10th centuries. Historians believe that the ancestors of modern Tatars were formed with the participation of Khazar, Polovian nomads, tribes inhabiting Volga Bulgaria. They united into one community with their own culture, writing, and language. In the 13th century, the Golden Horde was created - a powerful state that was divided into classes, aristocracy, and clergy. By the 15th century it had broken up into separate khanates, which gave rise to the formation of sub-ethnic groups. At a later time, mass migration of Tatars began across the territory of the Russian state.
As a result of genetic studies, it turned out that different Tatar subethnic groups did not have common ancestors. There is also a large diversity of genome within subgroups, from which we can conclude that many peoples influenced their creation. Some ethnic groups have a large percentage of the genome of Caucasian nationalities, while Asian ones are almost absent.

Appearance

Tatars of different ethnic groups have different appearance. This is due to the large genetic diversity of types. In total, 4 types of representatives of the people were identified based on anthropological characteristics. This:

1. Pontic
2. Sublaponoid
3. Mongoloid
4. Light European

Depending on the anthropological type, people of Tatar nationality have light or dark skin, hair and eyes. Representatives of the Siberian ethnic group are most similar to Asians. They have a wide, flat face, a narrow eye shape, a wide nose, and an upper eyelid with a fold. The skin is dark, the hair is coarse, black, the color of the iris is dark. They are short and squat.

Volga Tatars have an oval face and fair skin. They are distinguished by the presence of a hump on the nose, apparently inherited from the Caucasian peoples. The eyes are large, gray or brown. Tall men with good physique. There are blue-eyed and fair-haired representatives of this group. Kazan Tatars have medium-dark skin, brown eyes, and dark hair. They have regular facial features, a straight nose, and clearly defined cheekbones.

Life

The main occupations of the Tatar tribes were:

• arable farming;
• pasture-stall livestock farming;
• horticulture.

Hemp, barley, lentils, wheat, oats, and rye were grown in the fields. Agriculture was of a three-field type. Cattle breeding was expressed in the breeding of sheep, goats, bulls, and horses. This occupation made it possible to obtain meat, milk, wool, and skins for sewing clothes. Horses and oxen were used as draft animals and for transportation. Root crops and melons were also grown. Beekeeping was developed. Hunting was carried out by individual tribes, mainly living in the Urals. Fishing was common among the ethnic groups inhabiting the banks of the Volga and Ural. Among the crafts, the following activities have become widespread:

• jewelry production;
• furriery;
• felting craft;
• weaving;
• leather production.

The national Tatar ornament is characterized by the presence of floral and plant designs. This shows the people’s closeness to nature, the ability to see beauty in the world around them. The women knew how to weave and made their own everyday and festive costumes. Details of clothing were decorated with patterns in the form of flowers and plants. In the 19th century, embroidery with gold threads became popular. Shoes and wardrobe items were made from leather. Products made of leather of different shades, sewn together, were popular.

Until the 20th century, tribes had tribal relations. There was a division between the male half of the population and the female half. The girls were isolated from young people; they did not communicate until the wedding. A man had a higher status than a woman. Remnants of such relations persist in Tatar villages to this day.

All Tatar families are deeply patriarchal. Everything the father says is fulfilled unquestioningly. Children revere their mother, but the wife has virtually no say. Boys are brought up in permissiveness, since they are the successors of the family. From childhood, girls are taught decency, modesty, and submission to men. Young girls know how to run a household and help their mother around the house.
Marriages were concluded by agreement between parents. The young people's consent was not asked. The groom's relatives were obliged to pay the bride price - ransom. Most wedding ceremonies and feasts took place without the presence of the bride and groom; numerous relatives took part in them. The girl got to her husband only after paying the dowry. If the groom arranged for the bride to be kidnapped, the family was freed from the ransom.

Housing

Tatar tribes located their settlements along the banks of rivers, near major roads. The villages were built chaotically, without an orderly layout. The villages were characterized by winding streets, sometimes leading to dead ends. A solid fence was erected on the street side, outbuildings were built in the courtyard, placing them in a group or in the shape of the letter P. The administration, mosque, and trading shops were located in the center of the settlement.

Tatar houses were log buildings. Sometimes the dwelling was made of stone, less often it was made of adobe. The roof was covered with straw, shingles, and boards. The house had two or three rooms, including a vestibule. Rich families could afford two- and three-story dwellings. Inside, the house was divided into female and male halves. They made stoves in the houses, similar to the Russian ones. They were located next to the entrance. The inside of the home was decorated with embroidered towels and tablecloths. The outside walls were painted with ornaments and trimmed with carvings.

Cloth

Tatar folk costume was formed under the influence of Asian culture. Some elements were borrowed from the Caucasian peoples. The outfits of different ethnic groups vary slightly. The basis of a men's suit consists of such elements as:

1. Long shirt (kulmek).
2. Harem trousers.
3. Long sleeveless vest.
4. Wide belt.
5. Skullcap.
6. Ichigi.

The tunic was decorated at the top and bottom with national ornaments; it was belted with a wide, long piece of fabric with fringe at the ends. In addition to the shirt, loose pants were worn. Over the set they wore a sleeveless vest, the fronts of which were equipped with embroidery. Sometimes they wore a long robe (almost to the floor) made of cotton material. The head was covered with a skullcap, which was generously decorated with national ornaments. Some ethnic groups wore fezzes - Turkish headdresses. In cold weather, they wore a beshmet - a narrow-cut caftan down to the knees. In winter they wore sheepskin coats and fur hats. Ichigi served as shoes. These are light, comfortable boots made of soft leather without heels. Ichigi were decorated with colored leather inserts and ornaments.

The outfits of Tatar girls are very colorful and feminine. Initially, girls wore a costume similar to men's: a long (floor-length) tunic and wide pants. Ruffles were sewn to the bottom edge of the tunic. The upper part was embroidered with patterns. In modern outfits, the tunic has been transformed into a long dress with a narrow bodice and a flared hem. The dress emphasizes the female figure well, giving it a curvaceous shape. A vest of medium length or waist-length is worn over it. It is richly decorated with embroidery. The head is covered with a cap like a fez, a turban or a kalfak.

Traditions

The Tatars are a nation with a dynamic temperament. They are very active and love dancing and music. Tatar culture has many holidays and customs. They celebrate almost all Muslim holidays, and they also have ancient rituals associated with natural phenomena. The main holidays are:

1. Sabantui.
2. Nardugan.
3. Nowruz.
4. Eid al-Fitr.
5. Eid al Adha.
6. Ramadan.

Ramadan is a holy holiday of spiritual purification. It is called by the name of the month of the Tatar calendar, the ninth in a row. There is strict fasting throughout the month; in addition, you need to pray fervently. This helps a person to cleanse himself of dirty thoughts and become closer to God. This strengthens faith in Allah. Eid al-Adha is celebrated to mark the end of fasting. On this day you can eat everything that Muslims cannot afford during fasting. The holiday is celebrated by the whole family, with the invitation of relatives. In rural areas, celebrations are held with dancing, singing, and fairs.

Kurban Bayram is a holiday of sacrifice, celebrated 70 days after Eid al-Adha. This is the main holiday among Muslims around the world and the most beloved. On this day, sacrifices are made to please Allah. Legend has it that the Almighty asked Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as a test. Ibrahim decided to fulfill the desire of Allah, showing the steadfastness of his faith. Therefore, God left his son alive, ordering him to slaughter a lamb instead. On this day, Muslims must sacrifice a sheep, ram or goat, keep some of the meat for themselves, and distribute the rest to those in need.

Sabantuy, the festival of the plow, is very significant for the Tatars. This is the day the spring field work ends. It is dedicated to work, harvest, and a healthy lifestyle. Sabantuy is celebrated cheerfully and on a grand scale. On this day, festivities, dances, and sports competitions begin. Competitions of singers and dancers are held. It is customary to invite guests and serve refreshments. Porridge, colored eggs, and buns are placed on the table.

Nardugan is an ancient pagan holiday of the winter solstice. It is celebrated at the end of December. Translated from Mongolian, the name of the holiday means “birth of the sun.” There is a belief that with the beginning of the solstice, the forces of darkness lose their power. Young people dress up in costumes, masks and walk around the courtyards. On the day of the vernal equinox (March 21), Novruz is celebrated - the arrival of spring. According to the astronomical solar calendar, a new year is coming. Daylight overtakes night, the sun turns to summer.
Another interesting custom is that Tatars do not eat pork. This is explained by the laws of Islam. The point is that Allah knows what benefits his creatures, that is, people. He forbids eating pork because it is considered unclean. This lock is reflected in the Koran, the holy book for Muslims.

Names

Tatars call their children beautiful, sonorous names that have deep meaning. Popular male names are:

• Karim - generous;
• Kamil - perfect;
• Anwar - radiant;
• Arslan - lion;
• Dinar is precious.

Girls are called names that reveal natural qualities, symbolizing beauty and wisdom. Common female names:

• Venus is a star;
• Gulnara - decorated with flowers;
• Kamalia - perfect;
• Lucia - light;
• Ramilya - miraculous;
• Firyuza is radiant.

Food

The peoples of Asia, Siberia, and the Urals had a great influence on Tatar cuisine. The inclusion of their national dishes (pilaf, dumplings, baklava, chak-chak) diversified the Tatar diet and made it more diverse. The Tatar cuisine is rich in meat, vegetables, and seasonings. It contains a lot of various baked goods, confectionery, nuts, and dried fruits. In the Middle Ages, horse meat was widely consumed; later they began to add meat from chickens, turkeys, and geese. The Tatars' favorite meat dish is lamb. Lots of fermented milk products: cottage cheese, ayran, sour cream. Dumplings and dumplings 1 are a fairly common food on the Tatar table. Dumplings are eaten with broth. Popular dishes of Tatar cuisine:

1. Shurpa is a fatty, thick soup based on lamb.
2. Belish is a baked pie made from unleavened dough, stuffed with meat and potatoes, rice or millet. This is the most ancient dish, it is served on the festive table.
3. Tutyrma is a homemade gut sausage stuffed with minced meat and rice.
4. Beshbarmak - stew with homemade noodles. It is traditionally eaten with the hands, hence the name “five fingers”.
5. Baklava is a treat that came from the East. It is a cookie made from puff pastry with nuts in syrup.
6. Chak-chak is a sweet product made from dough with honey.
7. Gubadiya is a closed pie with a sweet filling, which is distributed in layers. It includes rice, dried fruits, cottage cheese.

Potatoes are often used as a side dish. There are snacks made from beets, carrots, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. Turnips, pumpkin, and cabbage are used as food. Porridge is a common dish. For everyday food, millet, buckwheat, peas, and rice are cooked. The Tatar table always contains a variety of sweets made from unleavened and rich dough. These include: baursak, helpek, katlama, kosh-tele. Honey is often added to sweet dishes.

Popular drinks:

• ayran - a fermented milk product based on kefir;
• kvass made from rye flour;
• sherbet - a soft drink made from rose hips, licorice, roses with the addition of honey and spices;
• herbal teas.

Tatar cuisine is characterized by stewing, boiling, and baking in the oven. The food is not fried; sometimes boiled meat is fried a little in the oven.

Famous people

Among the Tatar people there are many talented people who have become famous throughout the world. These are athletes, scientists and cultural figures, writers, actors. Here are some of them:

1. Chulpan Khamatova is an actress.
2. Marat Basharov is an actor.
3. Rudolf Nureyev - ballet dancer.
4. Musa Jalil is a famous poet, Hero of the Soviet Union.
5. Zakir Rameev is a classic of Tatar literature.
6. Alsou is a singer.
7. Azat Abbasov is an opera singer.
8. Gata Kamsky is a grandmaster, US chess champion in 1991, and is one of the 20 strongest chess players in the world.
9. Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is an Olympic champion, multiple world and European champion as part of the hockey team, coach of the Russian national hockey team.
10. Albina Akhatova is a five-time world champion in biathlon.

Character

The Tatar nation is very hospitable and friendly. A guest is an important person in the house; they are treated with great respect and asked to share a meal with them. Representatives of this people have a cheerful, optimistic character and do not like to lose heart. They are very sociable and talkative.

Men are characterized by perseverance and determination. They are distinguished by hard work and are accustomed to achieving success. Tatar women are very friendly and responsive. They are raised as models of morality and decency. They are attached to their children and try to give them the best.

Modern Tatar women follow fashion, look very well-groomed and attractive. They are educated, there is always something to talk about with them. Representatives of this people leave a pleasant impression of themselves.